Event Marketing: Redefined

Every year at EXHIBITORLIVE, the conversations go deeper than booth design and swag trends. This year, the question that stopped people in their tracks was simple: “What’s the biggest challenge event marketers are facing right now?” And the answers said a lot. Event pros from every corner of the industry opened up about the real pressures behind the scenes. From proving ROI and fighting for execut...

Most exhibitors spend nearly half their budget just getting to the show floor—booth space, travel, shipping, services. By the time the event starts, there’s almost nothing left for strategy or measurement. That’s how event marketing gets stuck in the “cost of doing business” trap. The result? Overbooked schedules, flat ROI, and event teams that feel more like order takers than growth drivers. In t...

Events don’t work like they used to. Back then, great speakers and flashy venues were enough. Today? Audiences expect connection, conversation, and clarity of purpose. But most event strategies still haven’t caught up. That’s why in this episode, Matt Kleinrock and Pablo Gonzalez go rapid-fire through the “new laws of events”—from connection over content, to why five-week registration windows chan...

Event marketers talk about personalization a lot. We slap a name on a badge, segment an email list, and call it a day. But attendees want more than that. They want to feel seen: from the first invite, to the way a session is designed, to the follow-up that lands after the show. That’s the kind of personalization that creates loyalty, accelerates deals, and turns an event into something people don’...

Most giveaways end up in the hotel trash. Most booths blur together. Brian Burkhardt thinks it’s time to change that. In this conversation, the Co-Founder of Oliver Patch Project shows how to turn event swag and booth design into something people actually remember. He and Matt Kleinrock dig into creating emotional reactions, weaving brand purpose into every touchpoint, and taking creative risks th...

You can have the biggest booth, flashiest tech, and sleekest design. But if your audience doesn’t feel something, you’ve missed the mark. And right now, too many brands are still playing it safe, checking boxes, or overdesigning without purpose. That’s why we’re zooming in on experiential creative direction: how it’s evolving, what matters more than ever, and why storytelling, empathy, and smart c...

Events aren’t just about logistics anymore. They’re about results. And while event planners know how to deliver flawless execution, companies now need marketers who understand pipeline, customer journeys, and human connection. But too many organizations still treat events as one-off experiences instead of demand engines. That gap costs opportunities, slows deals, and misses the chance to build loy...

The season’s almost wrapped. Budgets are in. And for many event marketers, that means it’s time to shift into prep mode for 2026. But where do you start? And how do you plan with intention, not just habit? While every company is approaching things a little differently, seasoned event pros know this moment sets the tone for next year’s success. But too often, planning gets lost in spreadsheets, sil...

Sloppy seams. Sagging walls. Zero strategy. If your booth looks like you don’t care, that’s exactly what your audience will believe. Too many companies treat trade shows like a checkbox, not a channel. They work with order takers, cut corners to save costs, and focus on the wrong things… then wonder why the event didn’t deliver. But on the floor, it shows. Dull design. Generic messaging. An experi...

The post-event handoff to sales is where so many event programs lose steam. Leads get cold. ROI disappears. And all that effort on the show floor doesn’t translate to results. But it doesn’t have to be this way. In this fourth installment of our “Back to the Basics” summer live series, Matt Kleinrock and Coty Adams (Director of Sales + Marketing at Rockway Exhibits + Events) break down the musts f...

Whether you’re collaborating with external partners, internal teams, or cross-functional stakeholders—shared events come with shared pressure. And if you’re not careful, your strategy can get lost in the noise. Suddenly, you’re managing 20 different opinions, 5 conflicting goals, and a booth space that feels more like a compromise than a campaign. The event might still “run,” but it rarely deliver...

Too many event programs are spread thin, under-resourced, and missing the mark. Budgets get diluted, sales handoffs break down, and strategy never makes it past the slide deck. When that happens, even the best-looking booth or smoothest show can’t deliver meaningful results…. and event teams get stuck in a cycle of “just execute.” At CEMA Summit 2025, Matt Kleinrock, Coty Adams, and Mollie Stahl s...

Job loss, career pivots, and the quiet in-between—they’re not talked about enough in our industry. But nearly every event marketer has faced them. That’s why for this second episode in our 2025 summer live show series, we’re going there—with honesty, empathy, and some real talk from two pros who’ve lived it. Join Matt Kleinrock as he brings back two familiar voices: Matt Bohn, Field Marketing Mana...

You want your event to connect. To be remembered. To make people feel something. And most importantly, you want it to work. But too many event marketers skip the hard part: crafting a story that actually moves people. This episode peels back the curtain on what it really means to build a strategic event narrative—one rooted in customer insight, emotional resonance, and purpose. Matt Kleinrock and...

Trade shows are back in full swing and at InfoComm 2025, the energy was real. The booths were bigger, the tech was smarter, and the stakes felt higher for event marketers trying to drive business and make their brand stand out. But the truth is, success doesn’t come from flashy screens or clever activations alone. It comes from alignment, authenticity, and a whole lot of behind-the-scenes strategy...

Events are evolving—and fast. But many marketers are still stuck in rinse-and-repeat mode, defaulting to outdated formats, shallow experiences, and one-size-fits-all ideas. And that’s exactly why Bibi Brown, Senior Vice President Business Development at GES, kicked off our 2025 Summer Live Show Series with a much-needed reality check (and roadmap forward). Because if we want our events to connect,...

Event marketers want to stand out. They want to tell a story. They want ideas, themes, and creative experiences that resonate. But too often, the “big idea” gets lost in the scramble—buried under stakeholder pressure, budget constraints, and rinse-and-repeat tactics. That’s why in this episode, Matt Kleinrock teams up with Pablo Gonzalez to break down a simple, step-by-step framework to help event...

Your events shouldn’t feel like they’re held together by duct tape. But when processes are unclear or inherited from chaos, it’s hard to know where to start—especially if you’re stepping into a new event marketing role or revamping an existing one. That’s where Matt Bohn comes in. Now Field Marketing Manager at Tines, he’s spent the past 20 years building scalable, structured event programs for br...

You’re running events, but leadership still sees them as a cost center. You know events can drive real business results. But you’re stuck in the weeds: planning details, chasing RSVPs, and reporting on foot traffic. In this conversation, Kimberlee Kee, a Director of Event Marketing, talks about the real shift happening in the industry: event pros must become strategic marketers.  She and Matt get...

You want your brand to be memorable, but most event experiences blur together. And while many marketers rely on flashy gimmicks, true impact comes from intentional storytelling. In this episode, Matt is joined by Theron Skees—Walt Disney Imagineering alum and founder of The Designer’s Creative Studio—to unpack how Narrative Experience Design can transform your events into immersive, emotionally re...

Trade shows still dominate the event calendar and budgets, but are they delivering the same value they once did? Small-scale experiences are rising in popularity but many teams miss the mark when trying to replicate them. In this honest and tactical episode, Matt Kleinrock sits down with Aleksandra Panyukhina, Experience Marketing Director at Pixelz, to unpack what’s actually working right now—and...

You planned for your ICP. You shipped the booth. But the results? Flat. Because what no one tells you is that even the best events fall short when you don’t account for who’s actually at the show and what they’re there for. In this episode, Matt and Pablo break down the disconnect between static ICPs and dynamic show audiences—and how to bridge the gap with real strategy. Expect to learn: ✅ Why “...

Event costs are climbing. Expectations are higher. And marketers are being asked to do more—with less. In this episode, Rockway Exhibits + Events' CEO Matt Kleinrock and Director of Marketing Coty Adams break down what’s really going on in the events industry right now—using fresh data and trends Matt’s been tracking across the field. They’ll talk about: ✅ What today’s rising costs mean for...

EXHIBITORLIVE 2025 brought together some of the smartest minds in event marketing—and we captured their thoughts straight from the show floor. Matt wasn’t there, but Coty Adams (Director of Marketing) and Mollie Stahl (Senior Account Executive) at Rockway Exhibits + Events were. And in this special compilation, you’ll hear direct insights from event pros on what’s shaping the industry now: AI, sus...

Everyone wants a booth that turns heads, but pulling it off takes more than just flashy lights and bold graphics. Matt teams up with Stuart Fingerhut, Creative Director – Events & Experiences at Production Club, an award-winning creative with two decades of experience designing immersive brand experiences for companies like Google, AWS, and Hyundai. They’ll break down what it really takes to d...