{"id":8939,"date":"2025-12-20T08:01:52","date_gmt":"2025-12-20T08:01:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/live-event-concept.pantheonsite.io\/insights\/why-roi-is-the-main-battleground-for-events\/"},"modified":"2026-08-09T14:23:33","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T14:23:33","slug":"why-roi-is-the-main-battleground-for-events","status":"publish","type":"insights","link":"https:\/\/www.eventconcept.com\/us\/insights\/why-roi-is-the-main-battleground-for-events\/","title":{"rendered":"Why ROI is the main battleground for events"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Event Concept’s Jess MacGillivray on the importance of commercially intelligent event design – and why behavioural science, not big budgets, is driving the next era of live experiences.\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Barbie<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

“Events have to deliver real business impact. If you can prove ROI and create meaningful connections, you secure budgets, trust, and long-term value for your brand.<\/strong>“<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jess MacGillivray, our Client Director, has experienced firsthand the increasing importance of ROI over her four years at EC. \u201cWhen I joined, it was just as the pandemic was tailing off. Brands had been holding back, and suddenly there was this huge appetite for face-to-face connection,\u201d she recalls. \u201cIt was a real boom, and we were lucky to be at the start of it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the environment is markedly different. \u201cWe\u2019re still very busy, but clients are asking for more with the same, or even smaller, budgets,\u201d says MacGillivray. \u201cThe landscape is more competitive, and every pound spent needs to be justified. It\u2019s about doing more with less, but ensuring the outcomes are tangible.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Stylist<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For MacGillivray, this has meant a shift in how events are designed and delivered. \u201cMy focus is on ensuring clients are happy and helping grow their accounts, but I\u2019m also heavily involved in pitching and winning new work,\u201d she explains. Her clients span a diverse range of sectors – from professional services like law firms and consultancies to technology, media, healthcare, luxury and fashion brands. \u201cIt\u2019s very broad, and that diversity makes every project different,\u201d she adds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The types of events the agency delivers are equally varied. Conferences remain the core, but the portfolio also includes corporate dinners, receptions, brand activations, and smaller, bespoke private events. Despite the breadth, MacGillivray stresses that every project is anchored in strategic intent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt EC, we start by looking at the broader organisational objectives,\u201d she explains. \u201cIt\u2019s not enough to say, \u2018This is what the client wants to achieve at the event.\u2019 We ask, \u2018What does the business want to achieve overall?\u2019\u201d This approach, she says, ensures that events are designed to drive measurable outcomes, whether that\u2019s increased sales, improved cross-team collaboration, or embedding key messages across an organisation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Lord<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The agency has developed a methodology grounded in behavioural science, in collaboration with expert Richard Shotton. \u201cEvery event is mapped to specific behavioural shifts,\u201d MacGillivray explains. \u201cWe define what attendees should do differently after the event, and how we\u2019ll measure whether that change has happened. Then we design the experience – workshops, participatory sessions, even the networking moments – to support those objectives.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The payoff, she says, is twofold. First, it helps clients demonstrate ROI to senior stakeholders. \u201cOften, the internal events team needs to justify spend to the wider business. Our approach allows them to show concrete results – not just engagement metrics, but actual behavioural change linked to the company\u2019s goals.\u201d Second, it enhances participant engagement. \u201cPeople aren\u2019t just passive observers. When they feel ownership over outcomes and have hands-on experiences, they remember and act on what they learn.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Face-to-face connection, MacGillivray argues, is increasingly valuable in a world fatigued by digital interactions. \u201cYou can\u2019t build the same trust or engagement over Zoom,\u201d she says. \u201cWhether it\u2019s employees or clients, in-person events allow for authentic connection. Half the battle is simply getting people fully present.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Booking.com<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

International work has expanded alongside this strategic approach. While the UK remains the core market, Event Concept now operates globally, with a New York office and projects spanning Europe, the US, and as far afield as Hong Kong. Conferences in Athens, for example, brought together attendees from multiple continents. \u201cIt\u2019s a real chance for people to come together, collaborate and build relationships that last beyond the event,\u201d she notes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

MacGillivray admits that travel is not always glamorous, particularly as her role focuses more on the early stages of project planning. But standing onsite and seeing attendees\u2019 reactions remains the highlight. \u201cThat first moment when guests walk in – seeing their response to months of planning – is still the most exciting part. That\u2019s why we do what we do.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking ahead, she expects ROI and strategic measurement to remain a central concern. \u201cBudgets are only going to be scrutinised more. Agencies that can prove clear outcomes, integrate technology thoughtfully, and link experiences to business goals will continue to thrive.\u201d AI and other digital tools are part of the mix, but only when they add real value. \u201cWe never use tech for the sake of it. It has to enhance the experience and support the behavioural objectives.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, MacGillivray believes the events industry is evolving from one-off, transactional gatherings into ecosystems of engagement. The most successful events are those that connect participants, drive measurable change, and leave a lasting impression. That means taking every brief seriously, starting with the business objectives, and designing experiences that deliver tangible ROI. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn the end, it\u2019s about people,\u201d she says. \u201cGetting them together, engaging them meaningfully, and creating a lasting impact. If you do that, you can justify every investment, build trust, and keep events front and centre in business strategy.\u201d <\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Author:<\/span><\/br>Jess MacGillivray, Client Director<\/div>

Originally published in M&IT<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n
Events have to deliver real business impact. If you can prove ROI and create meaningful connections, you secure budgets, trust, and long-term value for your brand.<\/div>
Jess MacGillivray, Client Director<\/div><\/section>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n
People aren\u2019t just passive observers. When they feel ownership over outcomes and have hands-on experiences, they remember and act on what they learn.<\/div>
Jess MacGillivray, Client Director<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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