Anyone who pays any attention to the news must be wondering, what other challenges could possibly beset the world of special events?
The recession has bogged down business since last year. Fallout from insurance giant AIG hosting a high-end incentive after taking government bailout money added a wicked new phrase to the headlines: the AIG effect. Top that off with ceaseless news coverage of H1N1 “swine” flu and it seems all we're waiting for next is a plague of killer bees with major anger-management issues.
But if event professionals know one thing, it's that circumstances can upend the best-laid plans. Then it's time to adapt and try something new.
Here in our annual Catered Arts issue, assistant editor Christine Landry interviews top caterers to reveal how they are adapting cutting-edge food trends to a cost-conscious world; see page 24. Experiential marketing expert Richard Foulkes gives not one but 10 tips on how to ride out the recession and emerge better and stronger; turn to page 29.
We too are adapting to the changing landscape by trying something new — we're moving to bimonthly issues for the rest of 2009. With the cost of both paper and postage going up this summer, we felt we just could not pass that increase along to our valued advertisers. We polled our readers — thanks to the 800-plus of you who responded! — and learned that moving to bimonthly (rather than creating a purely digital magazine or charging for subscriptions) was the most popular option with you.
While you're waiting for your next print edition, you don't have to miss out on the latest from Special Events.
Our weekly e-newsletter — Eventline — comes to you each Wednesday filled with breaking news on the event world, new developments for event venues and products that add pizzazz to events. If you're not already a subscriber, it's easy to sign up, and it's free. Visit subscribe.specialevents.com.
And of course we're there for you 24/7 with our Web site, specialevents.com. It's a mix of timely news plus the archives of Special Events going back a decade, so you can follow industry leaders and milestones that have shaped the world of special events.
And if you want to have your say on the site, don't hesitate. At the bottom of each of our articles is a space for you to post your opinion, so feel free to speak up. Your comments can bring the changes you want.
