1. Event Design in an
International Context

2. Learning Objectives
At the end of this session you should be able to:
• Understand the various aspects of developing an
event theme in view of principles, creativity and
cultural sensitivity involved in theme design.
• Recognize key theme elements associated with event
design by focusing on venue, catering,
entertainment, and décor.
• Identify international design trends and current
trends in event design for consideration in the events
management process.

3. Event Design
‘the very heart and soul, the raison
d’être of any truly great event’.
Brown and James (2004: 53)
(

4. Event Design
• A key operational activity in the planning,
development and management of events
• As noted in the Events Management Body of
Knowledge (EMBOK) is a core ‘domain’ or
‘function’ within events management
• Performs both an aesthetic and functional
role in the event management process
• Links theory with practice

5. Event Design Objectives
•Stimulating the 5 •Experience-making and
senses experience-enhancing:
– Creating memorable
– Sound
experiences
– Sight – Creating unique
– Smell happenings
– Touch •Transcending from the
‘ordinary’ to the
– Taste
‘extraordinary’

6. Theme
• A device which allows for the
communication of a broad range of
ideas and images based on widely held
cultural assumptions
• It is used to drive all the design
elements of an event to create a unified
experience that captivates the
customer
• A “psycho-syntactic” device for
compressing a big idea

7. What is the Theme Here?
The Next Chapter

9. Developing Themes
Theme Principles
Ideas &
Creativity
Cultural
Sensitivity
Effective Themes

10. Principles
Brown and James (2004: 60-61) identify five
principles which can be applied to event
theme design management:
(i) scale — size of event utilizing venue space;
(ii) shape — layout of event;
(iii) focus — directing attendee gaze to physical
elements such as colour or movement;
(iv) timing — the event programme / schedule /
agenda; and,
(v) build — ebbs and peaks in an event.

11. Principles (cont’d)
•Pine and Gilmore (1999) also identify five principles
which can be applied to event theme design
management:
– It must alter a guest’s sense of reality
– It must affect the experience of space, time and matter
– It must integrate space, time and matter into a cohesive
realistic whole
– It is strengthened by creating multiple places within a
place
– It must fit the character of the enterprise staging the
experience

12. Theme Ideas
• Themes can
arise from a
variety of
sources

13. Theme Ideas
Where else
could you
look?

14. Why Not Google It?

15. Creativity
•Creating unforgettable and memorable
experiences
• Event design and creativity have a symbolic
relationship – they are inseparable
• Event themes should show uniqueness,
originality and authenticity in design
• Themes as a form of escapism, which are
aligned to the imaginations and / or ‘dream-
worlds’ of event attendees

16. Cultural Sensitivity
•Events are international in form and content,
which brings people and populations of different
cultures together – events have an international
reach.
•As the global and local cultures meet it is
important that cultural sensitivity is shown
because what is acceptable in one culture may
not be the case in another culture.
• Although event themes can be transferred from
one place to another, the way they are staged
will differ depending upon the international
customers for whom the event is hosted and the
country which the event is taking place.

17. 7 Facets of Event Design
Catering
Content
Entertainment
Environment
Production
Program
Theme

18. Catering
•As a sensory stimulator, the smell or aroma and taste or
flavour of cuisine is critical in enhancing the thematic design
and experience of an event.
•Food and drink provisions and functions in an event could be
directed by a given theme, which interrelates with other
aspects of design such as content, entertainment,
environment, production and program.
•The catering design may be unconsciously and / or
consciously driven by the sacred or profane character of an
event theme.

19. Content
Sport
Music
Education
Politics
Art Culture
Business

20. Entertainment
•No event, whether themed or not, would be
complete without some form of entertainment
for attendees.
•Entertainment evolves around four genres:
–(i) singing / music (e.g. musicals);
– (ii) storytelling / theatre (e.g. drama);
– (iii) dance (e.g. costuming); and,
– (iv) athletes / athletic pursuits (e.g. juggling).

21. Environment
• Décor Venue
• Today there are many search
•Décor is reflective of theming techniques available to the
because it involves events planner to ensure the
transforming ordinary right venue is selected
mundane spaces to because location are core to
innovatively ‘wowing’ event design and experience.
settings. •There are many types of
• Décor can be inspired by venues across the world
many thematic preferences, which can be transformed or
used in their original form to
such as the traditional or complement an event theme.
modern, classic or chic styles, The Ice Hotel (Quebec,
choice of flowers and floral Canada) is a venue which is
arrangements, plain or built entirely from ice and is a
patterned drapes and perfect backdrop for a
backdrops, special effects fairytale themed wedding.

23. Production (Staging)
• Temporary/permanent
structures that are put
up at event sites
• Only licensed
professionals should
be employed to erect
and install these
• Include:
– Stages and platforms
– Tenting
– Flooring

24. Programme
•Communicates the schedule, agenda
and timing
• Should advance the theme and
incorporate principles of event design
•Should ebb and flow to structure an
engaging event experience

26. Design Trends

27. Summary
• Event educators, planners and students should
promote global diversity and difference in
their teachings, management and study of
theming in events.
• Theming compels the international event
management educator, planner and student
to consider the two worlds of events — the
business (experience economy) and non-
business (emotion-making) dimensions —
when reaching out to global clientele.