2025 was the wake-up call. 2026 is our answer to the future of customer engagement.

And in the blink of an eye, another year comes to a close. 2025 has taught us many things – a “quick teams chat” is rarely quick; the office air conditioning will never satisfy the whole company; and client event expectations have undoubtedly and irreversibly changed. If nothing else, 2025 delivered us a wake-up call: the bar for what makes an event meaningful, measurable, and impactful has never been higher.

Events used to be “Let’s just get everyone in a room”; “Let’s just have a great time”; “Don’t worry about the comms, they’ll all want to come!”. Now, events are “Why are we investing the money here?”; “How is this event achieving organisational change”;  “ROI ROI ROI”. Everything is questioned; everything is under the microscope: time, cost, impact, and we need to have all the answers (which of course, we do!). 

The engagement shift – why personal matters 

Clients want more, and honestly, we don’t blame them. Times are tough. Freddos are about 45p and somehow half the size they were. So yes, anything that costs money is being scrutinised within an inch of its life. Enter the finance teams: the guardians of budgets, spreadsheets, and occasionally, our crushed dreams.  

And the big buzzword of the moment? Insights. It’s no longer enough to just fill a room and say ‘job done.’ People want to understand what their audience is thinking, feeling, needing - because when you know that you can make the event feel personal. And when it feels personal, engagement goes up. Engagement drives ROI. ROI unlocks more investment. And ta-da… the cycle of success begins. 

Sounds simple, right? Except maintaining that momentum post-event is where things often fall apart. Because continuing the conversation takes time, thought, and yes - budget. And even though the results are undeniably better when you do invest in those insights, taking that leap still feels scary. But we’ve seen that the payoff is worth it. Every time. 

Internal conferences aren’t downtime from the day job, they’re catalysts for change 

This year, more than ever, we’ve seen our clients’ internal teams stretched to the limit, leaning on agencies like us for strategy, comms, and creativity. Internal events have become a cornerstone for many companies - because time together is precious, and actually getting your message across while looking someone in the eye? Priceless. 

But let’s be honest, this time must be intentional. It can’t break the bank, it has to tick seven company objectives off all at once, and, ideally, it should include a dancing monkey. (You see where the challenge lies.) 

So, we take a deep breath and start to scope the event strategy properly. Not just the venue and catering - we dig into the heart of it: what do you really want to achieve, what’s your budget, and how can we get you there without magic or monkeys… well maybe just a little magic. 

Customer relationships are vital 

Let’s be honest, we’re all a little less social than we used to be. Relationships now live in our email inboxes, and Teams calls can be transactional, and often forgettable. In 2025, we’ve been helping our clients stand-out by nurturing genuine human relationships, and they’ve been reaping the rewards. 

Incentives are making a comeback. 

What better way to build a relationship than whisking someone off on an all-expenses-paid trip to Dubai? Honestly, I wish someone wanted to build a relationship with me that badly. 

Of course, it doesn’t have to be as expensive as Dubai, apparently some people really like Flamingo Land too (I’ve never met one, but I’m sure they exist). The principle is the same, any touchpoint along the customer lifecycle where you can reward loyalty and have a face-to-face conversation is golden. 

Looking ahead to 2026, this kind of personal engagement is becoming critical to many of our clients’ customer strategies. Getting in front of people, nurturing relationships, and investing in real human connection isn’t just nice-to-have, it’s essential. 

So, what are our recommendations for 2026?

1. Invest in true relationship building moments, transactions alone don’t build loyalty. 

2. Create meaningful touchpoints across the customer lifecycle. 

3. Collaboration not presentation – people want to share experiences with you, not passively watch. 

   
   

2025 taught us that events aren’t just events anymore. They’re strategic & human. Whatever the event type, the goal is the same: make it personal, make it matter, and make it memorable. 

The companies that will win in 2026 are investing in real connections and insights that actually drive action, and moments people will remember long after Freddos are more than 50p. So, plan boldly, collaborate loudly, and never underestimate the power of a little human interaction… and maybe a dancing monkey.