The Message Behind the Moments

We’re living in an era of brand moments. Brands are finding increasingly creative ways to become part of moments. If you were involved in Greek life or attended an SEC school, you may have seen photos of Lucky Charms sponsoring Kappa Delta’s Bid Day at the University of Arkansas. The brand sponsored the celebration with decorated spaces, a (lucky) charm bar, giveaways, and a full experience built around one of the biggest days on campus. If you haven’t caught a glimpse of it, it's worth seeing for yourself. You can find a summary of it here.

Lucky Charms’ Bid Day activation is just one example of how the definition of a brand moment is evolving. Cultural traditions, sporting events, social trends, and other shared experiences are increasingly becoming opportunities for brands to show up and engage. There are more potential moments now than ever before. But does every moment need a brand? And as these experiences become more common, what makes one meaningful?

We're seeing the same tension play out in corporate events. Activations are now transitioning from a nice-to-have to a must-have. As expectations around experiences continue to rise, companies are looking for more ways to create moments throughout an event. But more moments don’t automatically create more meaning. In fact, when every part of an event becomes an opportunity to engage, the need for intentionality becomes even greater.

Every event has thousands of touchpoints. In corporate events specifically, that includes an attendee entering the space, registration, a coffee break, and a networking reception. Others are subtle, like the feeling of walking into the room. Not every touchpoint needs to be an activation, but every touchpoint contributes to the overall experience.

That’s where the opportunity lies. Rather than simply looking for another experience to add, our challenge is considering how each moment contributes to the larger story an event is trying to tell. That story starts with messaging.

What I’ve learned from my time at Innovent working on corporate events, and now from my new role that’s brought me closer to strategic messaging, is that the message doesn’t need to be repeated word-for-word or stamped with the same tagline. Its expression can change depending on the moment. An activation can bring an idea to life, an environment can create a feeling, a keynote can drive home the story, and together they can reinforce the same underlying message.

The most effective events don’t just give audiences moments to remember. They give them a story to take with them (or, apparently, some Lucky Charms).

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