AMRAE 2017 – What to expect

With a little under a month to go, and with the holidays a fast fading memory, the team are back in the office and hard at work with the final planning and details for all of our clients attending AMRAE in Deauville at the end of the month. This year, we will have a record number of clients attending – helping us build on our involvement at the event over the last few years, so we are really excited about kicking off the year!

The AMRAE event has always had something very special about it, something that makes it unique in terms of events that target the risk management/insurance community. Rather than simply being something that is centred upon lots of large scale presentations, it provides an opportunity for people to speak, talk and build relationships alongside the need and desire to gain knowledge and insight. With this principle in mind, the event allows exhibitors to create large and engaging spaces – much more than a simple exhibition space and more of a ‘meeting/business lounge’ which can be dressed/themed to create a space that is dedicated specifically to their business. This can support their brand, key messages, and clients – after all, collaborative and meaningful conversations are more likely to occur in a pleasant, inviting area. Is this something that other events might learn from? As from our experience, this is really something that everyone that attends similar events wants.

What’s on the agenda?

What will be different this year? The programme looks very interesting – with a blend of key speakers and workshops tackling subjects from weather events to supply chain and cyber. Even Brexit has managed to get on the agenda.

If the last couple of years is anything to go by, I am sure that we will see a further development of the spaces that each exhibitor has. The larger spaces will become more interesting and informative, whilst the smaller ones will continue to innovate and challenge. Fundamental to the larger spaces is the need to host dedicated/private meeting spaces – but will there be the same investment in making these spaces a nice place to be? It isn’t always about throwing a huge amount of cash at something. Look for the small touches, such as lighting or plants to make a difference.

The use of tech

We have seen greater investment in the use of technology – it hasn’t overtaken the need to ‘talk’, but supporting and demonstrating key messages is now very much part of the toolkit for AMRAE. Last year, we saw the use of technology move even further – reducing the amount of brochures and printed materials and enhancing the experience of visitors with Virtual Reality making its debut – some in a fun engagement, others in a much more educational role. So what will 2017 deliver – more of the same?

For our clients, we continue to push their key messages for the event – sharing them before, during and after, to make sure that we get the most exposure and value from their investment in attending. We are certainly seeing a continued investment in the tools and content to share beyond the confines of the event. After all, why restrict the content just to those that attend?

So, what are the key trends that we expect to see at AMRAE 2017?

• Continued innovative use of space. Drawing in trends from domestic/commercial property design to make best use of space and to make the environment as welcoming as possible.
• Increased use of AV/digital. Enhancing the visitor experience and allowing improved rotation of messages – rather than simple ‘slab’ graphics.
• Broader engagement. Repurposing of content and messages before, during and after the event to share thought-leadership and content.