The Marketing Illusion: Why digital alone won’t cut it anymore

The latest IPA Bellwether Report confirms what leading marketers already know: events aren’t just back, they’re dominating.

In Q4 2024, events emerged as the top-performing marketing category with a record-breaking net balance of +12.3%, the highest in the survey’s history. And this isn’t a temporary spike; investment in live experiences is set to continue to climb throughout 2025 and 2026 as businesses double down on face-to-face engagement.

Why? Because in a world of algorithm shifts, declining engagement and relentless digital noise, live experiences offer something no other channel can - undivided attention.

Digital fatigue is real - Marketers are losing the battle for attention

Marketers are being pulled in every direction, investing in paid, earned and owned media while grappling with shifting consumer behaviours. The explosion of digital channels has led to fragmentation, making it harder than ever to create meaningful engagement. Attention spans are shrinking, ad fatigue is real, and brand-building tactics that once worked are losing impact. Marketers are not just competing with direct competitors - they're battling for seconds of attention in an endless sea of content.

The numbers tell a stark story. Research from Forrester indicates that 65% of B2B buyers disengage from brands that provide generic digital content, while Gartner reports that 80% of B2B buying decisions involve direct human interaction, even in a digital-first world. Meanwhile, event-generated content earns 4x more social media engagement than static digital campaigns. This is where live experiences change the game.

The ROI wake-up call: Events are the smartest investment in marketing right now

The data speaks for itself - events aren’t just holding their own; they’re outperforming every other marketing category. The latest Bellwether report shows that businesses are making a renewed, long-term commitment to live experiences because they deliver measurable returns. Events build brand equity and drive immediate action, making them one of the few channels that deliver short-term impact and long-term growth. 

Digital campaigns might provide reach, but events deliver results. Deals that might take months to nurture online are being closed in days through face-to-face interactions. While digital advertising fights rising costs and declining engagement, events deliver results that marketing teams can’t afford to ignore. Unlike online ads that compete for milliseconds of attention, live experiences create immersive, distraction-free environments where brands can build genuine connections.

According to the Event Marketing Institute, 74% of attendees leave an event with a stronger opinion of a brand, and 70% go on to become regular customers. It’s why Bizzabo reports that 87% of executives are increasing their event budgets - because face-to-face engagement converts at a higher rate than digital marketing leads. Events don’t just generate brand awareness; they accelerate pipeline movement, making them one of the smartest investments in today’s cluttered marketing landscape. 

The science is clear: People remember experiences, not ads

Events tap into something deeper than clicks and impressions - they create moments that last. Neuroscience tells us that emotionally charged experiences are stored more vividly in our memory. This is known as ‘flashbulb memory’ - the reason we remember powerful, real-world moments far more clearly than yet another ad scrolling past our feed.

Beyond memory, there’s also the impact of shared experiences. When people come together in a live setting, they don’t just absorb information, they feel it. This amplifies emotional connection and brand loyalty. The result? Attendees don’t just engage in the moment - they carry that engagement with them, becoming brand advocates long after the event is over.

Smart events: The data goldmine that marketers are ignoring

Events are no longer just about the experience on the day - they are a goldmine of data, feeding into smarter, more targeted marketing strategies. With seamless CRM integration, brands can track attendee engagement, capture real-time insights and personalise follow-ups with pinpoint accuracy. Every interaction at an event - who attended which session, who engaged in conversations, who showed buying signals - translates into actionable intelligence that drives revenue.

This isn’t vanity metrics; this is real behavioural data that gives marketers the power to make smarter, faster decisions. In an era where AI and automation dominate digital marketing, the ability to blend deep human connection with intelligent data is what sets brands apart. Events don’t just create moments; they create momentum, fuelling ongoing engagement and long-term brand loyalty.

The brands winning in 2025 are investing in experience, not just exposure

The IPA Bellwether findings send a clear message. Live events aren’t just surviving in the marketing mix; they’re thriving. In an era of rising promotional spend, smart businesses are putting long-term brand building at the forefront, using experiences to drive both emotional connection and bottom-line impact. 

As businesses plan for 2025 and beyond, the most successful brands won’t just be seen and heard - they’ll be experienced. 

In a world oversaturated with content, the real challenge is standing out in a meaningful way. How does your brand ensure it isn’t just another name in a crowded digital feed, but a presence that commands attention, drives action and delivers lasting impact? In a world saturated with marketing messages, the ability to create meaningful engagement is what sets brands apart - not as a standalone tactic, but as a force multiplier that amplifies digital, content and brand strategy. 

The brands that will lead in 2025 and beyond will be the ones that embrace the power of presence, bringing people together in ways that digital alone simply cannot achieve. The question is, how will your brand rise above the noise and create real, lasting engagement?

At First Event, we design experiences that command attention, forge emotional bonds and inspire action. Because in an age of distraction, the most valuable commodity isn’t content. It’s connection.

Ready to turn live experiences into real business impact? Let’s talk about how we can help your brand accelerate deals, strengthen customer loyalty, and drive measurable growth through powerful events. Get in touch with us today.

Written by Claire Knox, Marketing & Communications Director, First Event

Claire has 25 years of experience in marketing across B2B and B2C sectors, having worked both agency-side and in-house. At First Event, she is driving the company's growth as a full-service event agency, setting the direction for how the brand engages with clients, partners and industry talent, while strengthening the company’s end-to-end services.