Covid-19 Is Not New, But The Way We Come Together Will Be

With Covid-19 seeing people shell off in isolation for some time now, by now, every event-goer and event planner has heard the Covid cancelation story. We’re used to watching pre-recorded sporting events on television instead of live ones at the stadium; we’re used to celebrating birthdays via Zoom instead of at actual venues; and we’re used to communicating with loved ones through Skype instead of chatting face to face over tea.

While this is the new normalcy, there is still an ever-growing desperation for human contact, a need for coming together and celebrating, and as event planners, we at Last Man Standing, understand that.

We also understand that even when Covid-19 passes, a new normalcy will be evident and while we’re chained up and our event stock and planning strategies lay unused in our inventory, we’re using this time to understand how we’re going to do events in a world where normal is not the same as it used to be.

Considering The Effect Of Covid In Times To Come

In preparing new ways of doing events, we’re asking ourselves how people will react to the re-emergence of events like going to a sporting event. Despite a desperation to leave home for days on end, after Covid-19 passes, in search of life on earth, will watching sporting events on TV during Covid-19 isolation make people hesitant to leave the house for live sporting matches or will they stay comfortable in front of the television to watch their favourite team?

Approaching the situation like a futurist, considering all potential sources of disruption and the pandemic’s near-term impacts on events, we’re also asking whether people’s then busy schedule – having to do everything that they couldn’t do during Covid-19 isolation – will actually allow time for the hosting of events or the hosting of postponed events? Will busy times leave little room for additional celebratory activities? Will rescheduled events then be successful amid such busy schedules?

If in fact there will be time for events again, logistics need to be considered. Will a critical mass of simultaneous events impact the availability of critical services? Will there be fewer audio-visual crews available to hire, and enough staging, lighting, and A/V equipment to go around? If there is a sudden spike in catering needs, will existing catering supply chains buckle under the added pressure? If inquiries for tables, chairs and prop increase instantly, will suppliers be able to cater for everyone? Will there be increased competition for venues, and if so, are prices likely to increase?

More questions which cross our event-orientated minds include: will the event budgets still make sense? More importantly, will there be a need for health screenings for large events with medical procedures a necessity during events? Would a new fear of health and safety make invitees scared to join events? How receptive will event attendees be?

How will a crowded event impact event-goers openness and eagerness to event in new times? Remembering that events and social happenings will be transformed into new experiences and ideas, will people be receptive to these? With a high probability of event fatigue to cloud over celebratory times shortly after social distancing has lifted, will event invitees be wanting to join crowded groups?

With concern, we need to ask a very important question, considering the near-term economic impacts. In a lingering recession with unemployment and empty pockets, will people actually be able to pay for events and how much exactly will people be willing to pay for event activities? Will small and big business have any kind of budget, which was not exhausted during Covid-19 for the hosting of professional events?

At a time when we’re all dealing with uncertainty, especially for us at in the event industry, it might seem unwise to pilot radically new ideas, but paradoxically, this is the perfect time to innovate. Last Man Standing is working hard to understand this future and present event products and services that will bring us ‘back together’ while turning present risks into future event possibilities and opportunities.