What are corporate events? (And why they matter more than ever in 2025)

Back in 2017, we published a simple blog post answering the question: What are corporate events?

Nearly 10 years on - after a global pandemic, a seismic shift in hybrid working, and major changes in audience expectations - it’s time to revisit that answer.

Because while the definition of a corporate event hasn’t changed much… the way they’re delivered, designed, and valued has transformed.

So, what is a corporate event in 2025?

At its core, a corporate event is still any gathering, experience, or activation that a business organises to connect with people. That might include:

• Internal teams (employees, leaders, resellers)
• External stakeholders (clients, prospects, partners, shareholders)
• Wider audiences (press, influencers, communities, the public)

But in 2025, these events aren’t just about logistics or hospitality. They’re about experience, impact, and strategy.

The most effective corporate events today are:

✔️ Audience-first
✔️ Emotionally resonant
✔️ Hybrid-ready
✔️ Brand-aligned
✔️ Data-driven

A lot has changed since 2017...

The last 8 years reshaped our industry, and what audiences expect from live experiences.

• In 2020, COVID-19 led to a 97% drop in in-person events across the UK (BVEP). 📉
• By 2021, 71% of corporate planners had adopted virtual or hybrid models (C&IT). 📲
• And by 2024, live events came back stronger: 83% of UK marketers said in-person events were the most effective marketing channel (Bizzabo, 2024).📈 

At Penguins, we’ve helped clients navigate all of it - pivoting to virtual, designing hybrid-ready formats, and ultimately returning to in-person experiences with more purpose, creativity and ROI awareness than ever before.

Why corporate events still matter

Today, brands use corporate events to:

🎯 Communicate purpose and direction
💼 Engage employees across regions and work styles
🎉 Celebrate milestones and culture
🌍 Launch products globally
📣 Build community, visibility and momentum

And they work.

• A recent Event Marketer survey found that 95% of marketers believe live events offer the best opportunity to build meaningful connections.
• Meanwhile, 84% of C-suite leaders say event marketing is critical to their company’s success (Harvard Business Review, 2023).

Formats that still deliver: Now smarter, sharper, and more strategic

The building blocks of corporate events are familiar, but today’s delivery is smarter:

📣 Conferences: Still a key channel for internal and external comms, but now with layered interactivity, hybrid access, and purpose-driven narratives.

🎉 Awards & Recognition: Culture is currency, especially post-COVID. Awards nights and gala dinners are now core to internal comms and retention strategies. Companies with formal recognition programmes see 31% lower staff turnover (Gallup, 2024).

🧳 Incentive Travel: Performance-linked travel is making a huge comeback. Incentives now blend luxury with purpose and sustainability. 

🎪 Exhibitions & Activations: Attention is harder to earn, so we create stands and spaces that immerse, excite, and convert. 70% of attendees say they’re more likely to buy from a brand after an experiential activation (EventTrack 2024).

🧬 Experiential Events: Events that engage the senses and stir emotion build the strongest brand memories.

🧠 Team Building & Culture Events: In a hybrid world, connection matters more than ever. Events build trust, spark collaboration, and retain talent. 76% of employees say they feel more loyal to companies that invest in shared experiences (CIPD, 2023).

So… why work with Penguins in 2025?

Because we’ve lived the change.

We’ve adapted, reimagined, and redefined what’s possible in corporate events, and helped clients do the same. With over 45 years of experience, our in-house team brings together:

🎯 Strategy & insight
🎨 Creative & brand expertise
🔧 Full-service production
📊 ROI-focused delivery

And we don’t believe in cookie-cutter solutions. We co-create with you, designing experiences that align with your people, purpose and goals.

📞 Ready to build your next event?
→ Book a free consultation
→ Explore our latest case studies
→ Discover our event services

From strategy days to stadium activations, corporate events still connect, inspire and deliver. Let’s make yours unforgettable. 🐧