You want your event to connect. To be remembered. To make people feel something. And most importantly, you want it to work.

But too many event marketers skip the hard part: crafting a story that actually moves people.

This episode peels back the curtain on what it really means to build a strategic event narrative—one rooted in customer insight, emotional resonance, and purpose. Matt Kleinrock and Pablo Gonzalez break down:

✅ How story-driven pitches outperformed every other idea at Event Marketing Congress 2025

✅ What it means to design for both emotional and strategic outcomes

✅ Why understanding what your audience cares about is the real unlock and how to build everything from that

If your event strategy feels stuck or stale, this is the clarity you didn’t know you needed.

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Connect with Pablo Gonzalez
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablotheconnector/

Connect with Matt Kleinrock
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/
Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/

🚨 Register for the show: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined

Trade shows are back in full swing and at InfoComm 2025, the energy was real.

The booths were bigger, the tech was smarter, and the stakes felt higher for event marketers trying to drive business and make their brand stand out.

But the truth is, success doesn’t come from flashy screens or clever activations alone.

It comes from alignment, authenticity, and a whole lot of behind-the-scenes strategy that most people never see. From prepping sales teams to planning customer dinners, managing internal politics to executing last-minute surprises—it’s all part of the job.

That’s why in this special episode, we’re handing the mic to the real event marketers behind the booths. Rockway Exhibits + Events’ Coty Adams, Mollie Stahl, and Karen Adair caught up with leaders from brands like Williams AV and Barco to talk shop:

✅ What’s changing in how they plan and measure success

✅ How they're tackling event challenges with small but mighty teams

✅ What they wish more people understood about the role of events today

It’s a candid, insightful look into the evolving reality of trade shows, and a must-listen for anyone in the events world.
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Connect with them
Coty Adams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cotykadams/
Mollie Stahl: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molliestahl/
Karen Adair: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-adair-18b747a/

Connect with Matt Kleinrock
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/
Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/

🚨 Register for the show: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined

Events are evolving—and fast. But many marketers are still stuck in rinse-and-repeat mode, defaulting to outdated formats, shallow experiences, and one-size-fits-all ideas.

And that’s exactly why Bibi Brown, Senior Vice President Business Development at GES, kicked off our 2025 Summer Live Show Series with a much-needed reality check (and roadmap forward).

Because if we want our events to connect, convert, and inspire today’s audiences—we’ve got to break up with the old playbook and design with more purpose.

In this episode:

✅ What to retire from your event strategy ASAP—and what to try instead.

✅ Real-world examples of how brands are rethinking networking, swag, and content with modern audiences in mind.

✅ How to sell leadership on newer strategies that still align with business impact.

Tune in to get inspired, take notes, and start rethinking your own approach—because “Back to the Basics” doesn’t mean boring. It means getting intentional again.

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Connect with Bibi Brown
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bibibrown/

Connect with Matt Kleinrock
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/
Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/

🚨 Register for the show: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined