Event Marketer Hot Takes
We asked our community to share their boldest, funniest, spiciest opinions about event marketing.
The kind of things you might not post on LinkedIn… but definitely text your fellow event marketer at midnight when you’re staring down another booth set-up.
Here’s what came in 👇
Your Event Marketing Hot Takes for 2025
“If your sales team isn’t willing to carry a pop-up and a tablecloth to their event—fire them lol.”
“Most event marketers forget the core event triangle: attendee, sponsor, and speaker experience. Miss one, and all three groups feel it. Ignore attendees, they won’t show up next year. Ignore sponsors, they won’t see ROI and won’t return. Ignore speakers, and you lose the content that makes people want to show up in the first place.”
“Not even that hot of a take, but the conference booth rental industry is highway robbery… $3k to rent a bar table and three stools for 4 days??”
“In my opinion, AI is great for automation — but when it comes to feelings? Nope, hard pass. Give me the energy, laughs, and real conversations that only happen at IRL events any day.”
“Don’t underestimate the power of swag. People still love it.”
“Too many companies obsess over headcount and not enough over curation. Stop trying to get as many people as possible into a room and focus on getting fewer of the right people into the same room.”
“Came back from another conference where all the booths looked EXACTLY THE SAME. Stop spending budget on booths with no vibes. Get more creative! Take the risk! Standing out matters.”
“Bigger booths ≠ bigger pipeline. The smallest activations are often the most memorable.”
“Post-event follow-up is the real event. If your campaign ends when the venue closes, you wasted your budget.”
“Sorry not sorry: Hybrid is not the future. It’s either in-person magic or digital done right—stop trying to split the difference!”
“Attendee experience > sponsorship dollars. A bad brand moment lives longer than your ROI report.”
“Your agenda is too long! Less sessions, more experiences.”
“Most people think event merch is an afterthought, but event marketers know that when it’s done right it’s a strategy!”
More Unfiltered Takes from Event Marketers
Turns out event marketers have some very strong opinions (and we’re here for it). Because hot takes aside, what all of these have in common is the reminder that events are human work. The creativity, the connections, the details that make people feel something—that’s what lasts longer than any headcount or bar table rental.
At Planwell, we partner with B2B brands to design events that don’t just fill a calendar, but actually drive impact—pipeline, relationships, and brand moments people remember.
If you want more unfiltered takes, real strategies, and a support system for the chaos, follow us on LinkedIn or join our event marketer community, Planwell Collective.
