{"id":3379,"date":"2016-12-27T09:00:17","date_gmt":"2016-12-27T14:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.eventmobi.com\/en\/blog\/?p=4477"},"modified":"2025-08-13T09:41:27","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T13:41:27","slug":"designing-events-that-activate-emotion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eventmobi.com\/blog\/designing-events-that-activate-emotion\/","title":{"rendered":"Designing Events That Activate Emotion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Much has been written about experiential events, those that strive<\/span>\u00a0to bond attendees with the corporate brand or event organization by immersing them in fun, engaging experiences. But, there is more to experience design than delivering fun. To truly connect with an audience, the event has to plumb the depths of human emotion by addressing <\/span>four key drives<\/b>: acquiring, bonding, learning, and defending. It may require some new thinking about what attendees really need and how to give it to them.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Critical Connection Between Emotion and Event Design<\/b><\/h2>\n

The <\/span>four-drive theory<\/b> was developed by Harvard Business School\u2019s Paul Lawrence and Nitin Nohria and articulated in their 2002 book,<\/span> Driven: How Human Nature Shapes Our Choices<\/span><\/i>. It was recently revisited by Mary Beth McEuen, former vice-president and executive director of The Maritz Institute, who used it to support her presentation at PCMA\u2019s EduCon on a next-generation approach to leadership development. A <\/span>Convene<\/span><\/i> magazine interview of McEuen provided readers with her perspective on the relationship between emotion and event design:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll of these drives are underpinned by emotion, and that is where the real richness comes into play for the [event] designer \u2014 so much of what you are trying to design is an emotional experience of the event. People are bonding with each other, laughing with each other, building relationships, building trust, generating new thinking and new ideas, and there is cooperation and even wonder awe, and curiosity. The more you have those types of emotions throughout an event, [attendees] will leave with a distinctly different memory.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

How To Plan Events That Meet Attendees\u2019 Emotional Needs<\/b><\/h2>\n

What types of activities and programming can event planners implement to address the four drives? Here are some event ideas.<\/span><\/p>\n

Acquire<\/b><\/h4>\n

Humans, according to Lawrence and Nohria, not only want material possessions, but also nonmaterial things like status, power, and influence. Association conferences do a good job of elevating the position of attendees (primarily members) in these key areas through awards (Planner of the Year, Rising Star, 20 Under 20, etc.), advisory boards, and speaking slots on the conference program. There are other types of takeaways and recognition that planners of all types of events can also consider:<\/span><\/p>\n