Smart Meetings spoke with Encore’s Madeleine Bart, vice president of global brand and direct customer marketing, and Christopher Baron, senior director of innovation for Canada, to explore how Encore is helping planners create meaningful, personalized experiences that offer new methods of connection.
How storytelling, AI and next-gen tech are redefining engagement for today’s attendees
As the evolution of technology and offshoots such as AI accelerate, so does the range of attendee expectations. To understand what planners should be aware of, Smart Meetings spoke with Encore’s Madeleine Bart, vice president of global brand and direct customer marketing, and Christopher Baron, senior director of innovation for Canada, to explore how Encore is helping planners create meaningful, personalized experiences that offer new methods of connection.
Smart Meetings Encore has a long history of innovation. What is the message you are hoping to share with meeting planners today?
Madeleine Bart We like to say that Encore has production down to a science. We are continuing to grow through innovation and creative storytelling. A great example of that was our Think Beyond customer event, which gave clients a chance to interact with technology in a playful and unexpected way.
Traditionally, people might come to an Encore event and just see tools on display. “Here’s the tech, look at it.” But this time we built an immersive story that guided guests on a journey using the technology itself. When they registered, a hologram greeted them with instructions. Inside, they discovered a speakeasy with interactive cocktails in what was actually a very standard boardroom, transformed completely through content and design. We even had an augmented reality art gallery and a robot that everyone loved.
SM You mentioned that engagement is a top priority for planners right now. What are you learning from your Planner Pulse research?
MB Engagement is number one. In our latest survey, 73 percent of planners said content is exceptionally important to their events. Sixty-six percent said they are highly focused on personalization, and about 60 percent already have tools for engagement but want to go deeper.
That is why we are investing in creative and cost-effective ways to help planners increase attendee connection through things like our Express Content product and new storytelling-based production techniques.
SM What are attendees expecting at live events now?
MB People expect more. They do not want to sit in a ballroom watching a talking head in front of a screen anymore. They want immersive, high-impact experiences, moments that surprise them and let them say, “I did this and no one else has.” That is what makes an event memorable.
SM Chris, you lead some of Encore’s most innovative technology projects. What are you most excited about right now?
Christopher Baron My team is always looking for technology that solves problems for planners and attendees. A great example is holographic telepresence. It lets someone appear in two places at once, literally. I once recorded myself in the holographic capsule at Metro Toronto Convention Centre, saying, “Hey you, come here, let’s talk about this!” I got emails for weeks from people who thought I was actually inside the box. That is how real it felt.
Another favorite is our Welcome Wall. Using simple RFID or QR code tracking, it recognizes attendees as they enter a space. Their headshot and name appear on a large screen welcoming them into the room. It creates this instant sense of recognition and networking because people start conversations when they see who has arrived.
We have also built a Wellness Wall, where attendees can add uplifting messages alongside their photo. And this year at IMEX, we unveiled something brand new. It is an AI-powered music experience where attendees can pick a genre, choose a few variables, hit a button and, in 30 seconds, create a custom song to take home. It is fun, shareable and shows what is possible when you combine creativity with AI.
SM What are planners asking for most when it comes to technology?
CB The short answer is personalized engagement. Planners are saying, “We want AI, but we do not know how to use it yet.” They want experiences that feel unique to each attendee, powered by smart technology.
MB Exactly. Personalization is the new engagement. That is the shift we are seeing across the industry.
SM How do you see AI shaping the future of events?
MB I think the future is AI, but in a way that connects people, not separates them. Technology should not take over. It should bring us closer.
CB I call it discontinuous innovation, changes that require new behavior to implement. You will start seeing live, real-time content generated with AI during presentations, where speakers interact with it on stage. It is happening now, and it is incredible to watch.
SM Some planners still have concerns about AI and data privacy. How do you keep things safe?
CB That is a big topic, and it is part of a session I presented at IMEX. The key is to work with your IT teams to validate the security of any system you are using.
And my rule of thumb: If it is free, you are probably the product. Be cautious about what data you are putting into free tools. Always confirm that information is secure and that you are operating in a closed system.
Also, do not just take AI’s output as fact. Always validate what it gives you. There was a lawyer who used AI to write his closing arguments and cited fake cases that did not exist. He was disbarred for it. So, treat AI as a helping tool, not the whole answer.
SM For planners who think of Encore mainly as an AV company, what else should they know?
MB That is a common misconception. We are a full-service event production company. That includes creative concepting, theme development, trade show and exhibit design, and full end-to-end production.
People only see the 10 percent above water. There is 90 percent of our capabilities below the surface, waiting to be discovered.
