Deadline: 9 March 2012
Share Your Vision of the Future for the Meetings Industry
The IMEX Group and Fast Future Research are looking for input from students for the upcoming 'Power of 10' Study. We want to know how current students believe the meetings industry will develop and what it will look like in 10 years time. This is your opportunity to contribute to our vision of the future. We are very interested in new visions of the future in terms of meeting technology, venue innovation, destination marketing and strategy, business models, event marketing and participant engagement.
What Will I Win?
Two winning submissions will be selected and the winners will have their work published on the IMEX website as well as in the IMEX Daily Paper. The winners will also be invited to participate in the IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum in Frankfurt (including flights and accommodation) and present their case study during this event. The best 10 entries will also be published as part of the Power of 10 research report.
GUIDELINES
This is a unique opportunity to have your say on the future of the meetings industry. Join us in creating a vision of the future.
1) The goal of the competition is to identify either:
A. Ideas or visions on how different aspects of the meetings industry could evolve over the next 10 years.
OR
B. Case examples from around the world of how business events, meeting venues and meeting destinations are innovating to prepare for the future.
2) Entry criteria and prize details
The competition is open to full and part-time students over the age of 18 studying at an academic institution anywhere in the world. The two winning submissions will receive the following:
• Free economy travel from anywhere in the world to take part in IMEX - the leading meetings industry trade show which is held in Frankfurt Germany, in May 22-24 2012
• Two nights’ accommodation in Frankfurt
• Participation in the IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum, in May 23-24 2012
• The opportunity to present a short summary of your case study during the Future Leaders Forum
• Publication on the IMEX website
• A certificate highlighting your achievement, presented at the Future Leaders Forum
• An article highlighting the winning submissions in the IMEX Daily Paper, distributed at the exhibition to all industry professionals attending.
The 10 best entries will be published as part of the Power of 10 research report.
No other prizes or payments will be offered to those who submit case studies.
3) Closing date and word length
The essays must be presented in English, should be a maximum of 1500 words in length and must be received by midnight GMT 9 March 2012. The winning entries will be announced by 30 March 2012.
4) Essays should address one of the following:
Ideas or visions – e.g. how different aspects of the meetings industry could evolve over the next 10 years. This could be event formats, use of technology, venue design, business models, event marketing or participant engagement. These ideas or visions must show clear evidence of research on the trends, ideas and developments that could influence the next ten years. E.g. don’t simply write about the use of social media in marketing – this is happening right now – we want imaginative, research driven views of how the sector could evolve over the next 10 years.
Examples of Event Innovation – E.g. case examples of innovation in event design, participant engagement, marketing, business and financial models, use of technology or social media or other types of innovation in the design and delivery of events.
Examples of Venue Innovation – E.g. genuine forward-looking case examples of how venues are innovating in terms of their strategies for the future, the design of their facilities, flexibility in using their space, research, financing and revenue models, use of technology and social media, marketing, service delivery and partnerships.
Examples of Destination Innovation – E.g. case examples of how destinations are innovating in terms of strategies for the future, marketing, event support, measurement of economic impact, use of technology and social media, support for their local meetings industry, partnership working and research.
5) Submissions MUST provide a clear and concise presentation, including:
• A 50 word summary
• A short description of the issue being addressed by your idea or the case study event, venue or destination – including - where relevant – the history, size, target audience, key challenges and future objectives
• A detailed description of the ideas or actual innovation – the reasons for doing it, the objectives and how you would implement it / for case studies - what they did or are doing
• The expected or actual results and benefits – including - where possible and relevant (e.g. for case studies) - customer perceptions of the innovation
• Images and diagrams where appropriate
• Reference sources used.
Any submissions that exceed the world length or do not follow this exact format will be returned without being reviewed. Entries will be judged on the quality of the idea or the extent of the case study innovation, the actual or likely benefits and the clarity of presentation of the overall idea or case study.
6) Important information that MUST be included:
The front page of the submission must include only the following information
1. The title of the idea or case study :
2. The entrant’s name, date of birth, address, email and telephone number.
3. Name of academic course, institution and contact details of the course tutor.
Submission of your entry will be taken as an automatic confirmation of approval for the idea or case study to be published as part of the IMEX Power of 10 Study.
Submissions that do not include the above information, or that are received after the closing date, will automatically be rejected.
All questions and case study submissions should be sent to alexa@fastfuture.com
For further details please contact:
Rohit Talwar
CEO
Fast Future Research
Phone +44 20 8830 0766
Mobile +44 7973 405145
Fax +44 20 8830 4777
Email: rohit@fastfuture.com
CONTACT INFORMATION:
For inquiries: rohit@fastfuture.com
For submissions: alexa@fastfuture.com
Website: imex-frankfurt.com