Transcript
The European Best Event Awards are like the Oscars for the European event industry. Today I talk to organizer Salvatore Sagone.
Hi Salvatore, welcome to our studio.
Hello to everybody, it’s a pleasure and an honor to be here with you.
You are the organizer of the European Best Event Awards. -Yes. But maybe to start with, some of our viewers may know the awards, some of them might not. Can you explain what it is about?
I launch the European Best Event Awards 11 years ago as you can see from my background. So this year we will celebrate the 11th edition of this, that I consider a European platform for events. Which means that we establish the benchmark in terms of quality, innovation of the events ideated, created and produced from European agencies. Some numbers, some figures. Last year we had 290 entries from 85 agencies throughout Europe from 24 countries. So after 10 years we can say that really EuBea can represent the best of the event industry in Europe. The best in terms of, as I would say, benchmarking the quality. Which doesn’t necessarily mean that the jury awards the most expensive, the events that have the highest budgets. Not at all. We award the quality, the innovation, that can also be found in small low budget events, but where creativity is very relevant. So it’s a competition open to those who feel to play the champions league of events in terms of innovation, in terms of creativity. So that’s why all these agencies participated last year and will look forward to having many more events also this year.
You started 11 years ago, you started the European Award show, why was there a need to have a European award show?
Two years before I launched a local award which is simply called BEA, Best Event Awards. Was dedicated only to the Italian market. And so from what I saw at that time trying to see if I could find some inspiration all over the world. I didn’t find any competition dedicated to the events as medium of communication. Because this is what I mean for events. For me, and for EuBea, events is a medium of communication like television, radio or digital. So there was not. So I just said ‘Why not launch it, an European competition for this market?’ And it was successful, I can say.
Okay, and as an agency why should I participate in this award?
Good question. And then I will also answer: as a company, why should I participate? As an agency we start with an agency of course as an agency it’s very important for several reasons. The main reason is that you have the great opportunity to meet companies, clients. The jury is composed about 30 people representing the most renewed companies that invest in events. So for this reason agencies have the great opportunity to present their shortlisted event live in front of them. So first of all, it’s an important source of business. Because the members of the jury are companies with a European or EMEA responsibility. So they can choose, they have the power to choose or select new suppliers, new agencies. On the contrary, the clients have the same opportunity to see what the competitive scenario is. And they can meet new agencies, new people and connect with other companies. So for me I like to represent the EuBea as a kind of a platform where the demand and the supply market can meet together make connection and then also be able to make business.
If I have an agency or I am a client and I want to participate, what should I do?
If you want to participate you can go to the website, eubeafestival.com and download the call for entries... and see what the program of the three-days festival is. And also having all the information about content, speakers, the members of the jury, the leisure program that will be provided. I want to remember that this year the EuBea festival will be in St Petersburg, Russia from the 13 of October to the 15 of October of course. And St Petersburg is a wonderful town, the Russian market is very interesting and we are preparing a great event. And I hope that many people, many delegates will join us.
Salvatore, we are really looking forward to it. We will also post updates on the event on our website.
Yes, thank you very much.
I really want to thank you for your time.
Okay, thank you very much, I hope to see you in St Petersburg of course.
And you at home, thank you for watching our show. I hope to see you next week.
