Data

January 21, 2025

Digital Transformation in B2B Events and Media: Insights from Clarion Events' CDO

# Digital Strategy

# data

# revenue

# Analytics

# Artificial Intelligence

How Narisa Wild and Clarion Events are shaping the future of B2B experiences with AI, personalization, and a customer-first mindset

Heather Holst-Knudsen

In my latest episode of The Revenue Room podcast, I sat down with Narisa Wild, Chief Digital Officer at Clarion Events North America, for a dynamic discussion about the future of B2B events and media. According to recent research from UFI's Global Exhibition Barometer, digital transformation has become more than just a buzzword – it's a critical journey that organizations must navigate thoughtfully to remain competitive in the events and media industry.

Transforming the Customer Experience in B2B Events

"It's not about us - it's about the customer," Wild emphasized early in our conversation, challenging the traditional approach to digital transformation in events. This simple yet powerful statement sets the tone for her entire philosophy about organizational change. As highlighted in McKinsey's latest digital transformation report, rather than viewing digital transformation as a technological upgrade, organizations must see it as a fundamental shift in how they serve and connect with their B2B customers.

Building a Customer-Centric Digital Strategy

Wild's comprehensive framework is built on three essential pillars:

-Customer-focused digital initiatives

-Internal culture transformation

-Operational agility in event technology

In our discussion, I emphasized how the concept of "customer" extends beyond traditional boundaries. From my experience working with numerous organizations (as shared in a previous blog on customer-centricity), I've observed that companies should consider all different stakeholders, including their employees, as customers. Successful companies understand that the definition of “customer” is broad and wide.

Implementing AI and Event Technology

When it comes to artificial intelligence in events, Narisa’s approach stands out for its practicality and focus on tangible results. The latest CEIR research states that 83% of event professionals are now incorporating AI. At Clarion, AI isn't just a shiny new tool – it's a means to solve real business challenges -internally and externally - while enhancing how revenue is captured, retained and grown and how the event experience is improved in meaningful ways.

AI-Driven Event Sales and Engagement

One of Clarion's innovative AI initiatives involves partnering with 60 Seconds, a platform that combines bespoke video creation with AI messaging to power the entire customer journey. Narisa shared how this technology has transformed their top-of-funnel prospecting by creating highly personalized video outreach that adapts based on the sender and recipient. For example, a sponsor outreach might come from one team member, while an attendee outreach features an executive vice president from that portfolio – complete with their face and voice speaking directly to the recipient. This personalization has led to significantly higher engagement rates.

Narisa then shared another transformative AI implementation: their "second screen experience" powered by RozieAI. RozieAI addresses a critical challenge at large events – how to help attendees extract maximum value when they can't physically attend all relevant sessions, which can number over 150 at a single event.

The system works by providing real-time, contextual summaries of sessions that include:

Key insights from each presentation

Relevant social media discussions about the topics

How these topics are being discussed in the broader industry

Integration of audience reactions and feedback

At the end of each busy event day, attendees receive a comprehensive debrief.

As Narisa explains,"Imagine you've gotten your 27,000 steps, you've met with 120 people on the show floor, you've had your one-to-one meetings, you've attended maybe three sessions, you've stood in line at Starbucks for 14 minutes for a coffee. You're absolutely whipped. Now you've got to go to the opening reception and you get an hour back at your room. You get delivered your debrief for the day." This debrief helps attendees stay informed about everything discussed at the event, including sessions they couldn't attend in person.

I love these two use cases…they are keepers!

The Future of B2B Events and Digital Media

According to Deloitte's 2024 Events Industry Outlook, several key trends are shaping the future of events and media. As PwC's latest research on Gen Z in the workforce indicates, we're experiencing what I characterized as "the tsunami of change."

Next Generation Event Experience

The evolution includes:

Integration of AI and machine learning

Enhanced data analytics for attendee and sponsor insights

Advanced marketing automation for to deliver hyper relevant and personalized messages

Agile end-to-end customer journeys fueled by next-generation digital platforms and tools

Real-time and predictive response mechanisms to anticipate customer preferences and needs

Conclusion: Shaping the Future of Events and Media

What makes Narisa’s insights so valuable is their practical nature combined with a clear vision for the future of B2B media events. For more insights from industry leaders, check out our full podcast series on digital transformation in media and events.

To dive deeper into these insights and learn more about the future of events and media, listen to the full conversation with Narisa Wild on The Revenue Room™ podcast. The discussion includes additional examples, practical implementation strategies, and valuable lessons from her extensive experience in digital transformation.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-revenue-room-by-h2k-labs/id1690675143?i=1000684916845

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1RysU0aMG1MTsn5qhaz4ZP?si=0521e4497758491a

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tww1Vh0ihso&t=168s

About the Author

Heather Holst-Knudsen is a distinguished figure and expert in the events, media, marketing and technology sectors. Using her extensive experience, she guides clients in adapting to structural economic and market changes, seizing the chance to innovate and evolve. She specializes in digital and data disruption and opportunity, exploring how these overarching factors can impact revenue growth, customer-centricity, operational efficiency, profit margins, and the overall valuation of companies in both public and private markets.

Her journey began at her family business, Thomas Publishing Company, where she honed her skills. She further expanded her expertise by holding positions at early industry giants Miller Freeman, Reed Elsevier, and IDG. Returning to Thomas Publishing, Heather founded and spearheaded Manufacturing Enterprise Communications, an integrated media portfolio connecting buyers and sellers in the manufacturing and technology sectors. Starting in 2015 and spanning the next seven years, she leveraged her expertise as a revenue and business leader in various SaaS businesses, including Feathr, Gleanin, Brella and Edflex.

Heather is deeply passionate about digital innovation, data monetization, and AI and how these strategies fuel revenue growth, profitability, and company valuation. To serve and create value for clients in these areas, she launched H2K Labs, dedicated to generating and leveraging value through data for media, business information, events, and adjacent technology and service markets.

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