Feature
Winning
hearts and
minds
Arguably no conference
exemplifies the festivalisation
trend more than Xerocon.
EN caught up with Christine
Bennett, partner at creative
event business Taylor Bennett,
to learn more
Is festivalisation a growing trend
for business events?
It is, and it’s interesting to reflect on
where the expression comes from. We
believe festivalisation derives from event
delegates now demanding an experience
and not just an event.
More and more today people crave
experiences – experiences that engage,
entertain and emotionally connect.
They want to have fun and they want
to experience an event that isn’t just
informative or educational but is
sociable, interactive and feels personal.
We have always believed in the power
of emotional memories and this belief
is at the heart of our business. It drives
us to design and create innovative and
inspiring event solutions for our clients;
create learning experiences that feel
intensely personal, and create parties
that through the music, the amazing
range of street food vendors and the
immersive nature of all of the activities
feel like a vibrant and dynamic festival.
What was the brief for Xerocon?
No matter what, Xerocon always has to
educate, inspire and entertain.
• Educate: The Xero platform is
constantly being updated and
improved. There is no better place to
educate our users on all of the exciting
new ways that we are making their
lives easier, more enjoyable and more
profitable.
• Inspire: We have some incredibly
helpful content designed to keep our
customers up to date with the latest
changes.
• Entertain: We create an interactive
fun and dynamic ‘festival’ rather than
an accounting software conference.
It’s as much about our customers
getting together and enjoying the
few days than it is about us educating
them on Xero.
What did the event look like?
The exhibition hall at ExCeL London,
featuring Xero and its partners, had two
artificial hills covered in grass and bean
bags. This included. digital LED swings
30 — September