This year’s VIBE Conference brought levity and hope to an otherwise tumultuous year. The annual event brought top On-Premise beverage executives and suppliers together for three days of education, networking and fundraising at the beautiful Omni La Costa Resort and Spa.
We had over 640 attendees, representing the nation’s top restaurants, hotels, cruise lines and suppliers in attendance this year. We learned about the top F&B trends to expect in 2022, the future of cannabis in the United States and heard detailed consumer trend reports from leading agencies like Datassential, IMI, IWSR-Global, Nielsen, NPD and Technomic.
The energy throughout the event was electric, and between the engaging conference sessions, delicious meals and dazzling parties, it’s easy to get swept up in the ‘vibe’ of VIBE. But as event organizers, we’re always working hard to make sure we’re keeping up with the needs of this industry.
READ MORE: Save the Date for VIBE Conference 2022
That’s where our post-event surveys come in. These surveys are crucial to the show’s development, and help us continue to evolve and grow to fit your needs. Bar and Restaurant sat down with VIBE Conference Event Director Laddie Weiss, who was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award this year, to discuss the results of the post-show survey, and get a preview of what we can expect at next year’s conference.
VIBE Conference 2022 will be held April 25-27 at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa. Join our guest list now and be the first to know when registration opens.
Each year after the conference we send out a survey to attendees to get their feedback. Overall, how did we do?
We did very well this year, all of our scores are higher than average. The Net Promoter Score, or NPS, for VIBE Conference was 55.0 this year, which is substantially above the industry norm of the low 30's. The all-important Operator Score was even higher at 62.4. The Sponsor Score was 58.5, which is also above average. [EN: These are metrics used by customer experience programs to measure attendee satisfaction.]
According to the survey results, what did we do exceptionally well?
Networking opportunities and the educational program received the strongest positive feedback. Here are two direct quotes from the survey that I enjoyed, “Fantastic to see and meet new people. Highly organized. Great sessions that are relative and informative.” “Having the time and opportunity to meet, taste, and discuss outside of the regularly scheduled presentations was important and helpful.”
According to the survey results, what are the some of the areas vibe conference can improve on?
The survey is important because it allows us to get real time feedback from attendees. Going through this year’s results, I see that people want more beer-related content, more networking opportunities, and a simpler way to identify operators and sponsors.
READ MORE: What You Missed at VIBE Conference 2021
Looking through the survey results, it's clear people missed the breakout sessions. Will they make a comeback in 2022?
I hope so! The pandemic created the need for more spacing between chairs in the general session ballroom. As a result, the space previously allocated for workshops was needed for the general session. That will not change for 2022, but we are working on an alternative solution. Hopefully, we’ll know if it will work soon!
I saw some comments saying they want more data-driven sessions, while others said they'd like more panel discussions. As a conference producer, how do you manage to find a balance that makes everyone happy?
The VIBE Advisory Council (VAC) is a group of approximately 40 people, including operators, pinnacle sponsors, consultants, agencies and research companies. We meet two months after the conference to review the survey results of the previous conference, and discuss the program content for the upcoming conference. For operator attendees, research is most important. For sponsors, they like operator panel discussions. We always have both on the program to suit everyone’s needs.
VIBE Conference 2021 was focused on recovery after almost two years of COVID-19-related disruptions. What do you foresee VIBE Conference 2022 focusing on?
Because of COVID-19, we had to push the date of this year’s conference back to September. That only leaves us eight months, instead of the full 12, between VIBE Conferences, so we’re running on a tighter timeline. We haven’t had our VAC meeting yet, which will determine the course of the content moving forward. I think COVID-19 will still need to be addressed on the program, as well as beer, spirits, wine, low-alcohol/no-alcohol, marketing, operations, technology and hotels.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Keep checking barandrestaurant.com and vibeconference.com for show updates and all the latest news. Don't miss a moment of VIBE Conference, sign up for the exclusive newsletter today. We look forward to welcoming you to VIBE Conference 2022 this April 25-27 at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California. Join the guest list now to be the first to know when registration opens.
For sponsorship opportunities, contact Donna Bruns at [email protected], Charlie Forman at [email protected]
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