As discussed previously on this blog, in seven years half the workforce in the US will have been born after 1980. Although most event attendees currently come from Generation X, conferences will become increasingly reliant upon the Millennial generation (also known as Gen Y) for attendance at expos and industry meetings. Fortunately, research shows that over 60% of young workers value the face-to-face interactions that exhibits and conventions offer.

To better understand the changing expectations of future generations of expo attendees, Amsterdam RAI recently published a study comparing Generations X and Y. It was found that Gen Y, like older generations, want education and engagement at events, but their needs and expectations are remarkably different. Gen X, balancing family and work, has more time pressure and are looking to justify the time and expense spent attending the conference. They are looking to gain very specific information as time efficiently as possible.

Millennials have been heavily influenced by having grown up with technology. Demographers suggest that they are so accustomed to multitasking and multi-screens that they literally think differently than previous generations. Exhibitors must create creative, visually compelling, engrossing experiences in order to retain their attention.

Gen Y has come to expect personalized interactions. They stream music and TV shows tailored to their likes, discover new products based on personalized recommendations and are served up Facebook ads based on their hobbies, interests and location. Everything is a reflection of their individuality. As a result they bring these expectations with them when they attend conferences. Amsterdam RAI’s research shows that too often the experience does not match their expectations.   They perceive typical exhibitor behavior as a negative, too pushy, too in your face, too carnival like.

Yet with strategic adjustments, our event marketing team can help transform your next expo or Association meeting into an event that will appeal to a wide variety of attendees, including Millennials. For more information, contact Barbara Stroup bstroup@cepiexpo.com.