A Crucial Piece of the Puzzle: Cultural Alignment
A Crucial Piece of the Puzzle: Cultural Alignment
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One characteristic you need in event marketing is cultural alignment and fit—and it is becoming only more important. The gist of it is when your event attendants feel they “belong” in your event, not simply are attending it. The last outcome you want as a company or private individual is your attendants feeling “outside” the event. White Misk, out of extensive experience, outlines the following pillars of cultural alignment in event marketing:
- Envisioning your Audience
Polling your prospective audience and aligning your events to them work symbiotically. White Misk offers a polling service so you can capitalize on it to keep culturally aligning your events to your intended attendants. This would be a win-win situation! For example, a corporate technology conference in the US would prioritize innovation or product displays while a special occasion event in Dubai would prioritize Indian music and cultural performances.
- Localiz(ed) Content and Themes
The more culturally relevant factors your event has, the more you impress your attendants and the more it reflects on you as a private individual or a brand. Cultural alignment covers everything from local traditions, clothing, music, language, speakers, and others. A special occasion that invites a local band or singer would be much more culturally relevant than an event that uses a radio DJ. A special occasion that invites a local thought-leader, such as a newspaper writer or television personality, would be more culturally relevant than an event that does not secure one or invites a “foreign” speaker.
- Inclusive Programming
Beyond simply attire and music, cultural alignment entails the event program reflects diverse voices and perspectives. This could mean featuring speakers from different backgrounds, cultures, or industries, or offering content that appeals to different consumers – attendants. Inclusive events attract a broader, diverse audience, appeal to a larger number of consumers or leads, and show goodwill.
- Brand Values Alignment
Your event should reflect the brand’s core values and mission. If your brand stands for sustainability, for instance, the event should be designed with eco-friendly practices in mind, from digital materials to waste management. Cultural alignment means ensuring that your event’s message is consistent with both your brand’s identity and the values of your audience.
- Cultural Sensitivity and Respect
Cultural alignment and fit mean understanding the body language and cultural behavior of your intended audience. Different cultures and countries understand behavior differently. This encompasses gestures, any taboo subjects, occupations, and social hierarchies.
- Community Engagement
Involving local communities and influencers in the event can improve cultural alignment. For example, collaborating with local artists, musicians, or thought leaders can help create an authentic experience that resonates more deeply with the audience.
7. Effective Storytelling
Storytelling is such a powerful tool for connecting with an audience. Using narratives that reflect the audience’s experiences, aspirations, or challenges can create a deeper emotional connection. Whether through keynote speeches, event videos, or social media content, stories that align with cultural values can make the event memorable.
Cultural alignment and fit can make the difference between a good event and an extraordinary one. Cultural alignment can weave the aesthetic, creative, logistical, and thematic components of your events into a seamless whole and narrative. Cultural alignment indicates to your attendants that you care about them, their culture, customs, and expectations—only reinforcing your brand perception, your reputation, and the chance they become customers. According to Cvent, there are opportunity costs, attributed revenues, and brand equity. You might decide to forego a digital marketing campaign, an opportunity cost, in return for a major event and you might vie for brand equity if you are a new company or launching a new office location in a given city. Brand equity is a valuable goal and key-performance-indicator—but almost impossible to measure.
Many factors contribute to measuring an event ROI– event revenue (if any), driving leads, potential business deal or contracts, the sheer number of attendants, sponsorships or company partnerships, brand recognition (however difficult it may be to measure), media mentions and social media traffic, and / or accumulative marketing collateral or content. Cultural alignment can help you drive leads or help build brand equity in a new market.
In all cases, the return-on-investment of cultural alignment in event marketing can be enormous and tangible or intangible. White Misk’s experience in weddings, cultural events, and special occasions only attests to this. White Misk can turn your event into an immersion, culturally relevant experience.
White Misk takes care of all your event’s cultural alignment and fit. We want to give you a chance to foster stronger connections, increase engagement, and ensure that the event leaves a lasting, positive impact.
