In a world of digital and AI saturation and rising attendee expectations of live events, IMEX today publishes a new report arguing that intentional design is one of the most powerful—and most underused—tools available to the global meetings and events industry.
Why design matters: The invisible force shaping connection, brand and impact brings together research, data and perspectives from leading voices across brand strategy, creative, research, sustainability, events and urban development. The report argues that the human craft of intentional design, far from being a question of aesthetics or production values, is one of the most underleveraged strategic disciplines available to event professionals today.
It quotes a five-year McKinsey study of 300 publicly listed companies which shows the top-quartile design performers outpaced industry peers by 32 percentage points in revenue growth and 56 percentage points in total shareholder returns. For an industry that has often treated design as a production consideration, and not necessarily a business one, the implications are significant.
Three core themes
Why design matters is structured around three core themes: designing for human connection and joy; designing for brand power and differentiation; and designing for sustainability and purpose. Each chapter combines original insight with real-world examples, including Freeman's research into Gen Z professionals' appetite for live events; Corona's brand work at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina and the UK Design Council's push to embed green skills across the design profession by 2030.
Carina Bauer, IMEX Group CEO, says: "All planners want to make a positive contribution to the P&L but, especially in 2026 and beyond, that calls either for a radical shift or a more nuanced appreciation of what live event attendees really want. We believe that gap is an exciting and important playground, especially for an upcoming generation of event planners who can elevate their work by joining forces with designers—not just experience designers, but trained creatives. We live in an attention economy. Design is the invisible force that commands that attention."
Contributors to the report include David de Bruijn, Chief Creative Officer at WINK; Tahira Endean, IMEX Head of Programming and author of Our KPI is Joy; Prof. Greg Clark CBE, a global authority on urban strategy and place leadership; Matthew Burgess, Senior Events Manager for the Design Council; Ben Moorsom, founder of Debut Group; Anna Abdelnoor, founder of sustainability non-profit isla; and Mark Thomason, Managing Director of Elevations.
Good design is good business
Anna Gyseman, Head of Design at IMEX and three-time D&AD (Design and Art Direction) Award winner, whose conviction underpins the report, summarizes its central argument: "Good design is good business."
Several contributors to the report will be speaking at IMEX Frankfurt 2026, where they’ll explore themes of connection, brand power, sustainability and place leadership. Four of the show’s 11 education tracks are also design-related: Design matters; Regenerative design; Designing for human needs and Experiential event design.
Design thinking also underpins a new approach to Messe Frankfurt’s Hall 9, which links to the main Hall 8 IMEX exhibition hall. Hall 9, which is home to the IMEX hosted buyer lounge, its education theaters, association education, German Impact Zone, food services and various experiential activations, has undergone a complete remodel for 2026. The experienced IMEX team went back to foundational design principles, combining them with UX best practice to elevate the space.
Frankfurt RheinMain has been designated World Design Capital 2026, making this an especially fitting moment to publish this report.
- Download Why design matters here
- IMEX Frankfurt takes place May 19-21. Registration is free
- The show’s 200+ session education program is now live. Browse sessions here
