International Confex 2025 roundup

International Confex 2025 had a packed programme of insightful sessions. If one thing unified them it was this message: adapt or be left behind.

But with so much to see it was impossible to catch it all, so Team ExpoPlatform has put together a highlights reel of what was on offer.

From navigating uncertainty to winning audience attention, here are some of the sharpest insights I picked up from the schedule …

A year for growth, but plan for the worst

A key session at International Confex focused on the disruptive macroeconomics which could shakeup our industry.

However, many on the panel told how they were confident that it was going to be positive year for their organizations.

The warning came to keep in mind lessons learned from Covid-19 – be prepared.

Rachel Wilde, director of Principal, said: “So far, 2025 is a boom year. We’re on target for growth.

“We know we are heading through a period of known unknowns. The big message is uncertainty.

“The key is to be adaptable – having the process in place to be able to adapt when the worst happens.”

Mike Seaman, CEO of Raccoon Events, added: “We’re having our biggest year ever already.

“Don’t react to the news, we have to react to the data – we run three scenarios for everything that could happen.

“If you have just got one plan then it’s going to break.”

People are short on time, so deliver awesome

Kati Noakes had a simple call to action – no-one owes you their attention, so make sure you earn it.

The session was a highlights reel of how to use video to improve your event marketing.

She urged eventprofs to think of building a social media strategy that is less about selling and more about networking.

Kati, founder of KN Comms, said: “You need to be thinking about how you emotionally connect with that audience. What’s in it for them?

“That first picture, that first line – It has to connect with them on an emotional level. What is this going to do for them?”

It comes as some event organizers have started to introduce shorter sessions to combat busy schedules and shorter attention spans.

From metrics to meaning – how to use data that matters

Charlie Taylor, marketing campaigns manager for Easyfairs UK & Global, led an insightful session about how to transform complex analytics into meaningful stories for event teams.

The audience was urged to use an iterative approach, trust the process and do it without fear of being creative.

She highlighted A/B tests that showed how sending campaigns from the Easyfairs team members performed better “pretty unanimously” compared with event email accounts.

The lesson was that personal connections outscore brand connections.

However, she warned that it was just as important to take on qualitive feedback – even if it doesn’t seem to make sense at first.

Charlie said: “Even if the numbers show improvement, that isn’t going to change the mind of an exhibitor.”

This relates to an example of an exhibitor complaining that an exhibition isn’t as busy as the previous year – even when the data shows visitors are up.

The problem could actually be down to a lack of footfall in that area, which would then need to be addressed somehow.

Keep following the ExpoPlatform blog for a full interview delving deeper into this topic with Charlie soon.

Using AI to break down barriers to information

Michael Caselli, founder of Clarion Gaming, sat down with CEO of Message Matrix Douglas Orr to discuss AI-powered assistance in events. 

Message Matrix is an “AI-powered concierge” service which can operate on WhatsApp, allowing users to ask it questions about the show.

It works by using the data from an event website to answer questions through a human-like conversation.

Clarion Gaming was one of the first conference organisers to use Message Matrix and have now done multiple conferences with the tool.

The session highlighted how the event tech space is breaking down barriers towards better useability.

Douglas said: “You start the conversation where people already are.

“From an exhibitor perspective, I want more qualified visitors coming to me, who know more about my proposition coming to my exhibition booth.”

Event Tech Forecast takes to the stage

Finally, a packed crowd gathered at the Event Tech Theatre for a glimpse into the future of digital trends.

Mykyta Fastovets, CTO of ExpoPlatform, presented findings from the new Event Tech Forecast, which saw Industry professionals from around the world take part in the research as well as expert contributors giving their insights on the findings.

He gave his commentary on some of the findings with topics including:

• The rate of growth in digital revenue
• Where AI is best suited to fuel your events
• The key event tech features for 2025
• How digital sponsorship is shaping up
• Key metrics your colleagues are using to measure success

Download your own free copy to get the full insights.

Didn’t manage to have a talk to us at Confex? Book a free consultation with ExpoPlatform to understand how tech can help you nurture your event leads and accelerate the sales pipeline.