Explore the top four engagement trends emerging in February below, then head over to the full report for more cultural moments, speaker recommendations, entertainment trends, and talent recommendations.

Engagement Trends Emerging in February 2024

Here are the latest experiences, content, and people grabbing consumers’ attention.

‘Nowstalgia’

While 2023 was the year of nostalgia—a longing or yearning for the past—we are seeing the era of ‘nowstalgia’ entering. Nowstalgia refers to the phenomenon where culture moves so fast that people start to miss things the moment they can no longer do or have them.

Experts say modern circumstances may have rewired people’s perception of time and the function nostalgia serves in their lives.

“With COVID, the lockdowns, and social distancing, it was like we were trapped in a time warp. People became nostalgic for things that happened just last week, or just last month, or just last year,” says Krystine Batcho, a professor at LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New York.

Netflix capitalized on this recently when they retired their mail-order DVD business and introduced a sleeping bag that mimics the signature red envelopes that same day. Event designers can also draw on “nowstalgia” trends by incorporating activations or design elements reminiscent of (not so) long ago. 

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Growth Eras

With the start of a new year, Gen Zers are honing in on self-improvement and acceptance. As reported to Instagram, the top eras they intend to explore are their “Growth Era,” “Lucky Era,” and “Unapologetically Myself Era,” making health and wellness, travel, and career development the top trends that will drive global culture in the year ahead.

Brands can lean into this trend for their events, incorporating elements of popular “eras” in wellness activations or career development experiences. It’s also a fun bit of cheeky copy to include in scripts or comms, i.e., “You’re in your networking era.” 

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Ins-and-Outs Lists

A low-pressure alternative to New Year's resolutions has taken the internet by storm with “Ins-and-Outs Lists” circulating on social media to declare what is ‘in’ and what is ‘out’ for 2024—with brands like Glossier and Google Maps jumping into the trend. The lists are a mix of lighthearted jokes and personal preferences—not necessarily predictions but more a list of manifestations. 

Companies can share their Ins/Out trends on social media to generate pre-event buzz, encourage audience engagement, and strengthen brand love on platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.

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Return to Print

While digital advertising has dominated marketing and publications alike for the past twenty-five years, we are seeing a swing of the pendulum. Nostalgia and the desire to collect tangible items have led to a resurgence in print, along with mounting data privacy changes and an increasingly crowded digital marketplace. 

The glory days of quick and digital customer acquisition may soon be numbered, per Digiday reporting. Consumers are inundated with so much content that what should be a relatively simple decision-making process can become paralyzing. Therefore, marketers are looking toward a more traditional route to capture and retain customers.

Retailers like Nordstrom and Zappos are taking note and getting serious about investing in print marketing to boost brand awareness and reach offline shoppers. EBONY released a limited-edition print magazine, and NYLON recently announced their return to print magazines.

Event designers can incorporate printed materials like well-crafted, highly creative event programs and keepsake posters. Bonus points for sourcing sustainable vendors and materials. 

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Want More?

Head over to the full report to explore more engagement and entertainment trends and to listen and learn about up-and-coming talent.