Let’s face it, the world is buzzing with digital connectivity—and as technology has evolved, so has our preference for online interactions. Apps have replaced countless banking branches, eCommerce has overtaken high streets (and after witnessing Christmas shopping in London, I’m not mad about it), remote work has gone mainstream, and learning and development unlocked a whole new era of accessibility by being available online. It’s been incredible to witness, but whilst it works for many companies in running their business operations—it doesn’t work for every aspect of life, because there is an irreplaceable richness to face-to-face engagements that virtual platforms, despite their convenience, are unable to fully simply cannot replicate.

It’s why third spaces are so vital—and why events are the perfect fit:

Your first space is home, the place where your comfort resides.

Your second space is work, the place where your ambitions unfold.

But that third space? It’s a place outside of those where you can socialise, connect, learn and rest in a communal space.

For some, a third space is a gym, for others, it’s a restaurant, a library, a bookstore, a park, a church, a bar or a club. To be honest, there are many. But for me, I think events are unparalleled in providing that space because they do something no digital campaign can do: they bridge the experience gap between brand promise and brand delivery. Events are where your messaging, culture, and operational integrity are experienced in real-time. They are guest experiences in their most vivid, unfiltered form. And in an era where expectations are higher, patience is lower, and perception is everything… It makes events even more important.

Events Cultivate Communities

Events aren’t just gatherings, they’re catalysts. They pull people together from diverse backgrounds who share a common thread: interest, passion, or ambition. Whether it’s a business conference, a comedy night, or Comic Con, these shared experiences create a sense of belonging that’s hard to fake.

Ever found yourself scanning the attendee list or texting someone to see if they’ll be at an event too? That’s because the strength of a network built through events extends far beyond the event itself, it helps to create a community that offers support, collaboration, connection and the exchange of ideas in new ways.

Events Facilitate Meaningful Communication

There’s a reason we remember the conversations we had in lobbies more than the presentations in auditoriums. Events create the kind of unscripted environments where authentic dialogue thrives. The kind that doesn’t need a moderator or a metrics dashboard. This is what makes them such powerful guest experience indicators. Every touchpoint, from how guests are greeted, to how the space is navigated, to how people linger after the final session, is a data point waiting to be decoded. And that’s where Guest Experience Auditing becomes essential: not to track attendance, but to extract insight.

Events Provide New Ways to Learn

The best events do more than inform, they immerse. They pull people out of their routines, ignite new ways of thinking, and activate emotional connection. Whether through workshops, performances, or those well-loved hallway chats, they give attendees an interactive way to engage with ideas. And that’s what makes them different from static content. Because learning is far more powerful when it’s experienced, not just consumed. This is why when brands treat events as auditable learning environments, not just logistics exercises, they begin to uncover what really resonates.

Events Give Voices Volume

From keynote stages to small group sessions, events offer platforms for stories, ideas, and perspectives that often don’t get airtime elsewhere. They showcase diversity in thought, culture, and lived experience, sparking creativity and connection.

But, this can’t be left to chance.

What voices were heard? What was remembered? What created movement? That’s the kind of qualitative feedback that doesn’t show up in a survey or on an NPS score—because it’s a subjective experience which is hard to quantify.

Ultimately, events, as third spaces (in my opinion) provide the best platform for brand-customer interactions. Digital connectivity has undoubtedly transformed the way we communicate, but the authenticity that’s embedded in real-world encounters is a powerful differentiator. Because you can’t fake it live.

Human connection is so nuanced and you can absolutely build incredible relationships online—some of my most meaningful friendships started that way. But it’s those subtle cues that make the difference. It’s part of why a song can transport you back to a moment at a concert, or a smell can transport you back to childhood. The body language, the warmth of a handshake, and the spontaneity of a laugh or bonding through a shared moment all contribute to the richness of genuine human experiences. And it’s those experiences which leave a lasting impression.