Surprises... do you hate them or love them?
In its definition, surprises are an unexpected or an astonishing occurrence,
something of which most events want to avoid. The idea of not having control
over, of having to deviate and improvised from plans tends to threaten most
individuals. However, positive or negative, surprises are a natural part of
life, they are experienced everyday…so why resist them at events?
All events have one thing in common, that is
to satisfy their guests. Satisfaction is
based on how a person feels their
experience is, whether their expectations have been met and how it compares to prior
experiences. Surprise is human emotion;
however it is more than just that. Best selling author and keynote speaker, Soren
Kaplan, in his TED talk: ‘The
Power of Surprise’ highlights that surprises are also a social experience.
What do we do when we get a surprise? We share the experience with others. Take
for example popular pop band, Maroon 5. In their recent hit song Sugar, the music video featured the
band ambushing and playing at several weddings. In response to how the stunt
turned out, lead singer Adam Levine told Entertainment Weekly, "It felt good
to surprise these people and make them happy.”
Still not sold on the power of surprises?
Here’s more. Most events are planned with the intention to sell a product, an
idea or even a lifestyle. The relationship between surprise and selling is
attention; in other words, surprises reduce boredom. Imagine going to a gala
and all of a sudden the waiters turn in to dancers and before you know it you
have a flash mob. Imagine the thrill you would feel…that is definitely one
event you would not forget! Therefore memories aren’t just facts, they are
remembered emotion.
Thus next time you plan an event, think
about embracing and incorporating the element of surprise.
2 comments:
Hi Kim, I think surprises certainly make life much more interesting. We live in a world where we are bombarded with so much information that sometimes it’s the element of surprise that actually makes the memory of the event, image or experience last. I also love how you included that dancing scene from Step Up 4 in your last paragraph, even though you didn’t mention the name I remembered that scene so clearly because of its element of surprise! In order to differentiate yourself these days thinking uniquely and out of the box is a prerequisite especially in the PR industry. This was a great reflection!
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