A Rewind Before EEMAGINE 2016 Becomes A Memory

by  Gitikka Ganju Dhar Business Events | May 31, 2016 | Guest Article

EEMAGINE 2016 Gitikka Ganju Dhar EEMA

EEMAGINE all the people, living in harmony. A few years back, I would have said, you’re dreamer. But you were not the only one…

Before 2008, integration was not a feature of the Indian experiential zone. And then was born, EEMA for India. The rest is history, as they say. History, that you are all a part of.

We still have a long way to go. But, we are on the road.

Why do EEMA India office bearers, other members of EEMA, many partners and artists set aside their profitable businesses for many weeks and come together to execute EEMAGINE. It is because we all share a dream. A dream of ensuring EEMAGINE finds its place amongst the best topical summits in the Indian subcontinent. I hope in the years ahead, this baby is given as much love as it has been given in the last few years. It is not only the best way to give back to an industry that one has gained so much from but is also a joint effort to take towards greater heights, what we all are apart of.

So, as one of those who heard every single word that went down at EEMAGINE 2016, by virtue of the fact that I anchored the summit and was glued backstage, I want to share very humbly, my takeaways with those of you who did not attend EEMAGINE.

E E M A G I N E said -

E - Efficacious

A pattern emerged of those who were effective as communicators for their brands. Those who painted with the colours of the heart, topped in the rankings. Whether ace marketeers, advertising gurus or experiential experts, those who stayed true to their inner voice, those who executed a unique vision in a unique language, were the ones who arrested attention for their brands. It has to tingle each of the six senses. No compromises. It has to be efficacious. Heart-effective is still the divine weapon, it always was. Technology is still a means to an end.

M - Men

I saw that mostly, men dominate the land in leadership positions across industries. Women in the driving seat, are brilliant, but comparatively, are few. Our world is still rented out to gender- imbalance. Even EEMA India as a body needs to have more women as office bearers, more women need to step forward to participate. They will be welcomed. The collective, giant talent pool of women, needs to contribute. Glaring at us are questions of what is not right with us as an industry, as a society and what will make the numbers balance out.

A - Alliance

Collaborations and alliances are the jets of the future. The live industry is on its way. The cement is right. No to-do lists here.

G - Government

We have caught the Government’s attention. We have caught the bureaucracy’s attention. These are important times that we live in. The time is now. And EEMA is at work.

I - Integration

Event and Entertainment Management Association of India is young in body and soul. But it has achieved something that was unimaginable a few years back. It has brought together, stakeholders of the Indian experiential space as one mighty circle of specialists, who are now sailing in the same boat, on their way to acquiring industry status. It is the coming together of those who are otherwise competing fiercely at work. Coming together for a greater good is possible and eventually profitablefor all those involved. Integration has won.

N - New

Over the three days, experiences were shared by trailblazers from the worlds of marketing, advertising, media, and sports. As I listened, another pattern emerged in my mind. Those who were breaking through the clutter were those who were doing something new, or doing the already-done, in ways that were new. Whether a business, an organization, a brand or an individual, this seemed to be the unsaid precept. However good you maybe, if you are not innovating, you will be a follower. Ifthe old has to stay, it will have to become new. On Day One, President EEMA India, Sabbas Joseph delivered the Welcome Address to live music wafting from a Piano. It was new. It was done well. We lapped it up.

E - ENERGY

What also shone through at EEMAGINE 2016 and what is most noteworthy about us as an industry is that we are truly secular and tolerant as a people. In the seventeen years that Yours Truly has spent in the Indian event space, never has a single moment demanded to know whether I am a Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or Christian. And that is why a huge contingent of delegates can set to sail on a three-day journey whose theme reads-India Unimagined. We as an industry right now have the right energy. United, secular and tolerant.

So, the bar was raised yet again. But in ways that were different from the last edition. EEMAGINE will be back, next year. Until then, here’s to EEMAGINE and here’s to the experiential industry’s contribution to an India Unimagined!

Footnote -

If you are designated official host of EEMAGINE, you take on a full-fledged project that spans three very enriching but three very long days. It is a summit that offers the anchor the freedom to innovate, create and express. The delightful opportunity to write copious amounts of delicious content, the opportunity to innovate, to introduce the most relevant topics and the most accomplished speakers, design his or her presence in terms of every element directly related to or supporting speech and to create looks for three days that will resonate with the theme of the convention. As anchor of EEMAGINE, you will draw from your energy reserve to execute every entry to near perfection, not faltering, not tiring, and each moment, giving it better than your best. At the end of the three days you will need three more days to recover from the exhaustion, but a job well done for the fraternity is always worth it. EEMAGINE’s host needs to feel a true passion for EEMAGINE.

That, I believe, is the kind of respect this platform should get.

P.S. It was heart-warming to see the chieftains of some of the biggest experiential agencies welcoming guests on arrival, sorting out a million minor issues of the force that was descending upon The Grand, New Delhi, co-ordinating with guest speakers, constantly manning the backstage and coping with many changes that lacked mercy in nature. I bet otherwise, they don’t handle any of these minionic tasks, their armies do it for them! But there they stood, the veterans on Ground Zero, enjoying it all. It can safely be said that the happiness quotient was at a happy high through the three days.