The Bulb’s CEO and Founder, Selina Donald, joined emc3’s Saskya Liney to discuss, ‘The Death of the Mega-Event.’

As part of the discussion, the following key takeaways were highlighted:

1. A key focus for mega-events is the impact. That’s impact across audience numbers, media engagement and broadcast but also, importantly, environmental impacts, social impacts and legacy .

2. Cost is a huge factor of why organisers and host cities pull out of hosting a mega-event. A commitment to such a large investment takes money away from other areas and ‘pressing issues’.

However….

3. There is very much an opportunity for return on investment. The creation of jobs, upskilling the local workforce, increased tourism and putting a city ‘on the map’ are all available opportunities.

4. Example of mega-events include: the Olympic and Paralympic Games; Expos; the Commonwealth Games; FIFA World Cups; the Super Bowl; Pride; Notting Hill Carnival; COP.

5. Unfortunately, one bad headline can outweigh a multitude of great headlines – it’s a concern for organisers and host cities.

6. When hosting a mega-event, make sustainability training mandatory. Ensure everyone involved in the event is committed to sustainable practices.

7. ‘Start at the end’. Before purchasing any assets, understand and plan the life cycle of those assets. Think about partnering with charities, community groups, ethical waste management companies etc.

8. Sustainability is one of the best creative briefs – something that mega-event organisers should grab with both hands and implement into their planning and execution.

If you need support with creating a sustainability strategy for your mega-event, The Bulb can help. Having worked on FIFA World Cup campaigns and Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games, we know how to scale a strategy to fit the world’s biggest stages.