Podcast Summary: LIVE From IMEX – What Attendees Really Want from Events!

Podcast: Do This, NOT That: Marketing Tips with Jay Schwedelson
Host: Guru Media Hub (Jay Schwedelson)
Guests: Carina Bauer, CEO, IMEX Group; Ken Holsinger, SVP, Freeman
Date: January 22, 2026
Episode Focus: Understanding what event attendees truly desire from in-person events, grounded in new research, and examining the future of the events industry.

Episode Overview

This special LIVE episode is broadcast from the bustling floor of IMEX, the world's largest event for the business events industry. Host Jay Schwedelson is joined by Carina Bauer (CEO, IMEX Group) and Ken Holsinger (SVP, Freeman) for an energetic, insightful discussion about the latest trends research into what people really want from events—shifting away from just “wow moments” and towards more fundamental attendee objectives. They explore the changes in event planning, especially as audiences get younger and more digitally native, and discuss actionable takeaways for planners of all event sizes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What is IMEX?

[01:33]

• Carina Bauer describes IMEX as “a mega event for event people”, focused exclusively on business events and bringing together the global supply chain for event planners.
  • “It's not festivals, it's not consumer events. We bring together every spectrum of the industry.” – Carina Bauer ([01:33])

2. Why In-person Events Matter (in an AI World)

[02:37] – [03:37]

• Ken Holsinger notes that while technology and AI are advancing, demand for in-person events from younger, more digitally native audiences is actually increasing. Extended time online makes live connection even more valuable.
  • “The more time that the next generation spends online, the more they want and crave in person.” – Ken Holsinger ([02:59])

3. New Trends Report: Gaps Between Planners and Attendees

[03:37] – [07:31]

• Freeman’s trends report (launched with IMEX) exposes a disconnect: planners believe attendees want big wow moments (galas, AV spectacles), but attendees prioritize experiences that help them:

  • Learn

  • Network

  • Do business

  • Ken introduces “XLNC” (Experience, Learning, Networking, Commerce) as the core event objectives.

  • Research uncovered that planners often over-invest in spectacle at the expense of attendee fundamentals.

  • “Planners... have been distracted by both the costs and these experiential wow factors... they love the mirror we’re putting up.” – Ken Holsinger ([05:51])

  • “If we can meet their objectives – the learning, networking and commerce piece – we can then use [‘wow’] as the X factor... not a core objective, it’s an amplifying factor.” – Ken Holsinger ([06:44])

4. Designing Real Experiences, Not Just Fun or Festivalization

[07:47] – [09:44]

• There’s a trend towards ‘festivalization’ (making business events ultra-entertaining like Coachella or Burning Man). Both guests stress:

  • Business remains the top attendee priority.

  • Fun and inspiration should layer on top of strong fundamentals (networking, learning, commerce), not replace them.

  • Community and loyalty emerge when events deliver on core objectives and meaningful connections.

  • “A great journalist actually wrote a great line; he said IMEX is a trade show that behaves like a festival... we layer more and more experiences around [the business].” – Carina Bauer ([08:17])

  • “We want people to want to be here, not just have to be here.” – Carina Bauer ([09:22])

5. Does Size Matter? Takeaways for Small Events

[10:31] – [13:16]

• The research findings apply to events of any size (from bespoke VIP gatherings to sprawling trade shows).

  • Regardless of scale, memorable moments (often tied to meaningful personal connections) drive high retention.

  • The data: Only 40% of attendees reported having memorable moments (vs. 78% expected by planners), and “gala” never came up as a highlight—connections did.

  • Key numbers: Meeting one new valuable person boosts attendee retention to 51%; if a peak moment is achieved, retention jumps to 85%.

  • “If they had a peak moment or a memorable moment... 85% retention. As a marketer I want to lower CAC, lower my customer acquisition costs and extend LTV; we need to focus on retention.” – Ken Holsinger ([12:47])

6. Events Industry as a Career Path

[13:39] – [17:57]

• Both guests highlight the dynamic and multifaceted nature of event careers:

  • Transferable skills from finance, data science, operations, UX, relationship management, marketing, PR, etc., are necessary and valued.

  • Emotional payoff: Building “cities in days”, dopamine rush of successful events, being at the crossroads of all industries.

  • The events sector is remarkably “AI-proof”; face-to-face remains irreplaceable.

  • “We're a marketing channel – we're face to face marketing channel alongside these other channels, amplifying brands...” – Ken Holsinger ([16:33])

  • “Events as being horizontal across all [industries]... in the same way as marketing or finance. We deliver the objectives of all those vertical industries.” – Carina Bauer ([17:12])

7. Validation and Trust: The Value of Being in the Room

[17:40] – [17:57]

• Younger generations especially use events to validate what they’ve seen or heard online, seeking real-world confirmation in an age of digital misinformation and e-commerce letdowns.

  • “They know they can be spoofed online... why events? We come here, we validate face to face and lock it down.” – Ken Holsinger ([17:42])

8. Personal Touch: The Best Swag Ever Received

[18:08] – [19:57]

• Memorable swag is less about expense, more about usefulness, uniqueness, and emotional resonance.
  • Carina: Keeps a simple, elegant leather card case from 2004; “It doesn’t have to be super expensive, it just has to be useful.” ([18:53])
  • Ken: Raves about rare event sneakers; “When you get some unreleased Travis Scott's, perhaps... that's the kind of swag.”
  • Humorous mentions: Not-so-great chocolate, socks, hot sauce. Uniqueness and exclusivity trump flashiness.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Experience vs. Wow Factor:
  • “What the attendees told us... basically lined out exactly what Karina said: It’s a lens through what I want to learn, who I want to connect with and who I want to do business with.”
    – Ken Holsinger, [05:51]
• On Retention Through Connection:
  • “They tell us that 51% of them will come back to your event if they just meet one person.”
    – Ken Holsinger, [12:00]
• On Career Excitement:
  • “We build cities in a matter of days. If you were in this building yesterday, there's chaos. Controlled chaos. It's beautiful symphony. The dopamine levels are off the fricking charts.”
    – Ken Holsinger, [15:45]
• On the Value of Events in a Digital Era:
  • “You can be spoofed online... why events, we come here, we validate face to face.”
    – Ken Holsinger, [17:40]
• On the Best Swag:
  • “This isn’t the most exciting, but I got a fancy wallet, leather card case... in 2004 and I still carry it around. It doesn’t have to be super expensive, it just has to be useful.”
    – Carina Bauer, [18:53]

Recommended Actions / Takeaways

• For event planners: Focus first on attendee fundamentals (learning, networking, commerce); experiences should amplify, not distract from, these core objectives.
• For marketers: Use events as unique opportunities for lasting impressions and retention through genuine connections, not just flash.
• For all: Memorable moments are most often created through authentic, actionable value—not spectacle.
• For potential industry switchers: Events require a wide range of transferable skills and provide “AI-resistant” career paths with creativity, excitement, and impact.
• Swag wisdom: Practical and unique beats expensive and generic.

Key Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------------------|-------------| | What is IMEX? | 01:33 | | In-person events vs. AI & digital fatigue | 02:37–03:37 | | Trends report: attendees vs. planners disconnect | 03:37–07:31 | | Festivalization and experience design | 07:47–09:44 | | Small event takeaways & retention math | 10:31–13:16 | | Careers in events industry | 13:39–17:57 | | Trust & validation through live events | 17:40–17:57 | | Most memorable swag | 18:08–19:57 |

For more insights, access to the full research, and to connect with the speakers, check the episode show notes for links to IMEX, Freeman, and contact/social profiles.