Experiential Trend of the Week: Relaxed Connection -

From industry offices designed to be more “social,” to tentpoles like Cannes Lions that are changing the game on networking, environments for business connection today are casual, comfortable and creative. And event marketers are digging designs and tactics that deliver on it all.

Indeed, the sparkling French Riviera with its chic, laid-back vibe continues to influence brand activations and homes on the Croisette at Cannes. This year, Canva’s Creative Cabana was a standout, with its Towel Service welcome moment featuring a keepsake tote stocked with hot weather essentials and its open-air bar, The Sandbar, designed for casual meetups and “spontaneous inspiration.”

Health care shows have historically leaned clinical, but at HIMSS, exhibitors are embracing personal and intriguing atmospheres for connection. This year, exhibitor Snowflake created a gondola-inspired conversation hub in its booth, while Epic offered space for fireside chats (fireplace included). Throughout the show, exhibitors embraced warm tones. Twilio even installed a barn door in its booth to separate private meeting space.

In the buttoned-up world of finance, even more casual vibes. This past Money20/20 USA fintech show introduced a dedicated space that hosted its two MoneyPot podcast booths, a stage and a bar. Attendees “came for the content and stayed to chill in comfy chairs,” creating a feet-up-style learning environment that didn’t require attendees to be seated stage adjacent the whole time.

Then, there are the calls to action brands are putting out in the attendee universe. At Google Cloud Next, the heart of the expo floor featured the Showcase, a space that invited attendees to “imagine, learn, build” together. Not to mention, the fashion evolution at events. Nothing screams “relaxed” like a rep in roller blades.

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