You can love ’em or hate ’em … but there’s no doubt that we are all influenced by trends in some way.
So to help you sort through trends on the horizon, I highly recommend downloading a copy of The Future 100: 2025 report, created by the team at VML Intelligence. It covers everything from tech to travel to retail and more. There’s lots to explore inside this nearly 300-page report, but here are a few that I find intriguing for event marketers:
- 13: The Curator Economy
- 24: Incentivized Good Behavior
- 31: Brand Fandoms
- 35: Sensory Storytelling
- 68: Sensory-Inclusive Shopping
As for specific trade show trends, January is rich with opportunities to spot fresh ideas. Both CES and the National Retail Federation’s “Retail’s Big Show” give us a glimpse at what we’ll likely be seeing (or incorporating) at shows coming up later this year.
For a look inside NRF 2025, Event Marketer has a couple of great articles:
- NRF 2025: Five Exhibit Design Trends from Retail’s Big Show
- NRF 2025 Ideas: Four Experiential Tactics We Loved
And if you want a great overview of CES (with plenty of eye candy photos!) – check out this recap from BizBash: “CES 2025: 50+ Memorable Ways Brands Drove Innovation at the Giant Tech Show.”
Once you’ve had a chance to check out these articles, please come back here and share your insights in the comments.