IBTM World: building communities, fostering success

IBTM World, due to take place at Fira, Barcelona, from the 28-30 November, has announced a second wave of inspirational speakers for its conference programme, all of whom are equipped to empower attendees with the knowledge and tools needed to cultivate a sense of community in the events they create.

Keynote speaker announced

The second keynote for day two of IBTM World will be Lars Silberbauer, Global Head of Brand, Marketing and Digital at the Olympics (International Olympic Committee). In his presentation titled: ‘Building Cultural Legacies Amidst Disruption: Lessons from LEGO, MTV, and the Olympics’, Lars will provide invaluable insights into how brands like LEGO, MTV, and the Olympics have built thriving communities in an era of digital distractions and global challenges.

Developing communities

Two complementary sessions on community building will take place on the Main Stage in the afternoon of day two.

In ‘Give the People What They Want: Think you know your customer? Think again’, three seasoned marketing professionals who have represented major brands such as Amazon, Twitter, Google, Facebook, the Match Group, GQ and WIRED will share their 360-degree marketing strategies and reveal how they engage attendees before, during and after events to create thriving communities that boost engagement and conversion rates.

In the second session: ‘Communications and Content Strategy for 21st Century Event Businesses’, expert event marketers will discuss the evolution of event marketing for long-term business growth. Charlotte Williams will be joined by Todd Hansen, Executive Producer, Web Summit, and Ella Kieran, SVP Marketing and Director of WPP’s Innovation Camp, Stream, to explore the art of creating a perfect communications plan and building an organic co-opted community while moving away from sales-driven marketing.

IBTM World culture creators

On the final day, IBTM World will unveil its much-anticipated ‘Culture Creators’ Report during a panel discussion featuring prominent event planners from the industry. The report titled, ‘The World’s Best Business Events (And The People Who Create Them)’, will serve as a global temperature check on the MICE industry, and delve into the experiences, challenges, and aspirations of event professionals in the new world of work.

Claudia Hall, Event Director, IBTM World, comments: “Developing engaged and passionate communities around the events we create is so important. In this age of increased distraction and disconnection, proving a space for delegates to come together and share ideas, spark discussions, and move business culture forward, is essential. That’s why community is a key thread of this year’s conference programme at IBTM World. It’s our aim to empower attendees with the knowledge and tools they need to create year-round connected communities for their own events.”

Connect and collaborate

This year, attendees at IBTM World can connect and collaborate in a myriad of ways; both the Welcome Party & Networking Hour will return and will once more be open to all delegates with complimentary food and beverages. Another favourite, Club Night will return to Opium, with delegates able to gain access with their IBTM World badge.

For those looking to hold meaningful conversations, they can look no further than the brand-new feature, Workplace Revolution, a unique space that encourages attendees to connect with peers and inspirational figures in a relaxed, campfire-style setting.