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The IPA Bellwether Report Reveals Events as the Fastest-Growing Marketing Channel – Here’s What It Really Means

By Max Fellows Founder of allpoints

The Q4 2024 IPA Bellwether Report paints a promising picture of renewed marketing budget growth in the UK. Events have emerged as the top-performing category, with a robust net balance of +12.3%. The outlook for 2025/26 suggests further gains. At first glance, this is fantastic news for the events industry. But let’s dig a little deeper.

As always, there’s more to the story than meets the eye.

The Bigger Picture: It’s Marketing, Not Just Events

While the report highlights growth in marketing budgets, it’s important to recognise that these budgets encompass a wide range of channels. Events are just one piece of a much larger puzzle that includes digital, direct marketing, PR, main media, and more. When marketing budgets increase, it’s often the “bigger lumps”—such as digital and main media—that receive the lion’s share of investment. Events, on the other hand, often sit further down the priority list, acting as part of an integrated strategy rather than the primary focus.

This means that while the events category is growing, its relative share of marketing budgets may not always reflect a seismic shift for our industry.

The Lag Effect: When Will We Feel It?

Another critical point to consider is timing. Marketing budgets may have increased, but the impact on events won’t be immediate. Events—whether they’re internal activations, external campaigns, or top-of-funnel experiences—typically require longer lead times and are tied to broader strategic planning. This often means:

  • Events planned now might not take place for six to nine months after budgets are finalised.
  • Calendar vs. fiscal year budgets: Many organisations operate on financial year cycles, which could delay the real impact of increased marketing spend until late 2025 or even 2026.

The positive sentiment is encouraging, but as an industry, we should manage expectations and prepare for a gradual, rather than immediate, uptick in activity.

What This Means for Events and Experiential Marketing

The data from the Bellwether Report reflects the strength of events as part of a well-rounded marketing strategy, but it’s not exclusively about our industry. This nuance matters. While events and experiences continue to gain traction as high-ROI channels, they’re still competing for budget share against other priorities like digital performance marketing or AI-driven personalisation.

So, what does this mean for us? Here are a few key points to keep in mind:

  • Positioning is crucial: As the fight for budget allocation continues, we must position events as an essential channel that drives measurable business outcomes. ROI storytelling will be more critical than ever.
  • Consultative capabilities: By operating in a more consultative capacity, further up the chain, you can gain insight into the broader budget and use your expertise to help steer how it is allocated and ultimately spent.
  • Collaboration is key: Events rarely operate in isolation. By integrating with other marketing channels—digital, PR, and direct marketing—we can amplify impact and justify investment.
  • 2025/26 will be pitch-heavy: Be ready! A reported 73% of businesses will be reviewing their current agency/supplier rosters over this period. Stay prepared and ensure you’re part of those conversations.
  • Innovation will win: With advancements in technology and AI, the events space is ripe for creative disruption. Brands will be looking for experiential marketing that goes beyond the traditional to deliver hyper-personalised, high-impact experiences.

Looking Ahead: Building for the Future

The report’s optimism for 2025/26 is worth celebrating, but we’re not out of the woods yet. Budget increases in the broader marketing landscape are great news, but they don’t always translate directly into immediate growth for the events industry. As we move forward, here are three things to focus on:

  1. Stay proactive: Engage with clients early to secure your share of the increased marketing budgets. Demonstrate how events can drive value within broader campaigns.
  2. Prepare for delayed impact: Align your business strategy with the reality that significant growth may be felt later in 2025 or even 2026.
  3. Champion collaboration: Events thrive when they’re part of an integrated marketing ecosystem. Build partnerships and align your offerings with complementary channels to maximise impact.

Final Thoughts

The Q4 2024 Bellwether Report offers a sense of optimism for the broader marketing landscape, and events are undoubtedly in a strong position. But as an industry, we must remain realistic about what these figures mean in practical terms. Growth in marketing budgets is encouraging, but for events, the impact will likely be gradual and require strategic effort to capture.

Let’s celebrate the positive sentiment while also staying focused on the bigger picture. Together, we can ensure that events remain not just a part of the marketing mix, but a driving force for meaningful engagement and measurable success.

What’s your take on the report? Let’s discuss how we can shape the future of events together.


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