Month: March 2025

Return on Emotion (ROE): The New Metric for Event Success

Posted on by McKenna LaFave

In the events world, there’s one question that never seems to go away: “What’s the ROI?” Measuring the return on investment for an event has long been a challenge. Sure, technology has made it easier to gather data, but it’s still not as simple as tracking digital ad performance. And maybe that’s because there’s more to events than just dollars and data.

Events are meant to make people feel something. So, what if we stopped measuring success solely by financial return and instead considered how deeply attendees felt after an event? Enter: Return on Emotion (ROE).

Why Emotions Matter in Events

According to Brand Revolution, emotions are the driving force behind unforgettable brand-defining moments. And they’re not just a nice-to-have; they’re a necessity. Stanford marketing professor Baba Shiv estimates that a whopping 90 to 95 percent of our decisions and behaviors are shaped by our emotional brain system. If you want to persuade people, you have to tap into what their emotional brain is looking for.

Feelings don’t just influence decisions—they impact learning and memory, too. Experiences tied to emotion are more likely to stick with us. Psychologist Barbara Fredrickson, who studies positive emotions, found that they help us think more expansively and make stronger connections with others. Yet, despite emotions playing such a massive role in engagement, more than half (55%) of meeting organizers admit they struggle to measure them, according to the CEMA Events Maturity Benchmarking Study.

ROE

The Five Key Emotions That Drive Business Success

Brand Revolution has identified five core emotions that drive successful event experiences:

  • Hopeful: Inspires a brighter future and optimism.
  • Adventurous: Sparks excitement and curiosity.
  • Active: Energizes attendees to participate and engage.
  • Acceptance: Fosters a sense of belonging and inclusion.
  • Motivated: Encourages ambition and action.

Measuring ROE in Your Events

Traditional metrics aren’t going away, but adding an emotional lens can provide a fuller picture of success. How do attendees feel during and after your event? Are they excited, inspired, connected? Post-event surveys, social listening, and even in-the-moment engagement tracking can offer insights into emotional impact.

Eventia’s perfect ROE-defining formula: the ratio between the effort and resources you’ve put into designing the event and the emotional commitment and engagement of your attendees. This means that success isn’t just about the money spent—it’s about how deeply the experience resonates with your audience.

Events aren’t just transactions; they’re transformations. When you focus on creating emotionally engaging experiences, you’re not just measuring an event’s success—you’re making it unforgettable.

So, the next time someone asks about ROI, maybe it’s time to flip the script and talk about ROE, instead.

Want to boost your event’s emotional impact? Discover how AI is revolutionizing event personalization and helping create unforgettable attendee experiences.

Need help designing your next immersive event? Let’s make it happen. Contact us today!

8 Key Insights from Event Planners in the 2025 Meetings Today Trends Survey

Posted on by McKenna LaFave

Event planners, we see you—navigating budget cuts, skyrocketing costs, and still pulling off unforgettable experiences like the pros you are. To help event professionals get a pulse on where the industry’s headed (and maybe feel a little less alone in the chaos), we’re breaking down the highlights from Meetings Today‘s 2025 Trends Survey. With over 500 event planners weighing in, here’s what’s up.

event planners

1. Event Planner Demographics

Women rule the event world: 78% of respondents are female.

Experience matters: Nearly half (45%) have been planning events for over 20 years.

Age breakdown:

  • 41–55: 33%
  • 56–64: 29.8%
  • 26–40: 20.9%

Event Planner types:

  • 32.6% Association planners
  • 23.9% Corporate planners
  • The rest? Independent, government, or other. A diverse crew!

2. What’s Keeping Event Planners Up at Night?

These are the top career threats on planners’ minds:

  • Compensation – 44.6% worry they’re not paid what they’re worth (can we get an amen?).
  • Perceived value of the profession – 39.5% feel underappreciated.
  • Downsizing – 34.6% fear job cuts.

3. The Big 3 Challenges for 2025

Let’s just say it’s a budget-tightening, cost-skyrocketing, attendance-dipping kind of year:

  • Increasing costs – 89.6% of planners are feeling the pinch.
  • Lower budgets – 49% are being asked to do more with less.
  • Declining attendance – 31.3% are battling smaller crowds.

4. How Event Planners Choose Destinations & Venues

Spoiler alert: money talks—but it’s not the only thing that matters:

  • Overall cost – 78.8%
  • Alignment with organizational values – 30.7%
  • Diversity & inclusion – 23.8%
  • Labor union contracts/actions – 14%
  • Environmental sustainability – 12.5%

5. Activities That Are In for 2025

The days of stale conferences are gone. Here’s what planners are adding to the mix:

  • Networking opportunities – 84.6% (always a classic)
  • Outdoor activities – 47.1%
  • Team building – 41.9%
  • Wellness components – 35.3%
  • Yard games – 32.1% (yes, really!)
  • Golf – 31.7%
  • Authentic/immersive destination experiences – 31.1%
  • Gamification – 26.6%
  • Spas & spa activities – 18.3%
  • And even cooking programs (12.5%) and theme parks (14.1%) are making appearances!

6. Audience Size: Go Big or… Keep It Cozy?

Event sizes are all over the board:

  • 19.5% expect 1,000+ attendees
  • 17.4% aim for 301–500
  • 16.5%: 201–300
  • Smaller events still shine: 15% are planning for 101–200, and 10.8% for 51–100

7. Politics: Do They Affect Destination Picks?

In a word? Sometimes.

  • 50% say politics somewhat influence their choice.
  • 33.3% say politics have no influence.
  • 17.1% say politics are a major factor.

8. What REALLY Matters When Picking a Destination?

Here’s what tops the list for destination must-haves:

  • Location, location, location – 96.2%
  • Accessibility – 44.6%
  • Weather/natural disaster risk – 43.7%
  • Leisure appeal – 41.5%
  • Airlift (aka flight availability) – 38.9%
  • DEI initiatives – 17.5%
  • Sustainability practices – 16.1%

Final Thoughts

From rising costs to shifting values, 2025 is shaping up to be a year where savvy, strategic planning will shine. Whether you’re fighting for budget dollars or finding new ways to engage attendees, just know—you’re not alone. The data is clear: event planners are resilient, creative, and making it happen against all odds.

To learn how we can lighten your load with stellar AV services, contact us.

To see what event trends are transforming events in 2025, visit our blog post.