Industry events are powerful moments to connect, influence and amplify brand presence. They bring together customers, prospects, partners, analysts, investors and media in one place, creating rare opportunities to shape conversations and showcase innovation on a bigger stage.
We spoke with Catherine Laferriere-Vitali, CRO at Memnon, about how they approach events strategically and the role PR plays in making them a driver of growth and credibility.
What does a strong PR presence at an event look like in practice to you?
“For me, a strong PR presence at any event is more than just having a booth or your logo on the show floor. It’s about creating visibility, credibility, and consistency in the story you’re telling. That means not only securing media briefings, but also taking the time to connect with clients, prospects, and partners. It also means extending the reach of those conversations beyond the event through real-time storytelling, for example on social channels and in blogs, and making sure that the messaging is consistent at every touchpoint.
What happens when PR, marketing and sales work as one connected team at an event?
“When they’re truly connected, the impact is powerful. Instead of treating events as isolated sprints, they become growth accelerators. Sales brings the client and prospect insights, marketing builds the campaigns to reach them, and PR crafts the narrative that makes it resonate with the wider industry. Together, the three create a unified story that solves real industry challenges in ways that matter to our clients. It’s that alignment that makes the conversation stronger and more memorable.
How do you use events to connect your brand to the bigger industry conversation?
“Events are an opportunity to be part of the wider industry conversation. We make it a point to connect our messaging to the themes that are shaping the industry, while also bringing our own insights and real-world use cases that add value to those conversations. Events like IBC are also great springboards for content that continues to engage audiences long after the convention doors close, helping us stay relevant beyond the event itself.
How do you use partners to amplify your story at events – and vice versa?
“Partners play a huge role in amplifying our story. We see events as a platform for co-marketing opportunities, whether that’s through shared speaking slots, co-branded content, or joint announcements that highlight alignment in the market. Having that mutual amplification is key. When we promote our partners’ news and they share ours, we extend our combined reach and credibility. Beyond that, we focus on strategic storytelling, integrating partner narratives into ours to demonstrate the strength of the ecosystem we’re building together, rather than just promoting a single solution.
Why should brands treat events as more than just lead-gen moments – and how can PR help to drive longer-term value?
“If you treat events purely as lead-gen exercises, you’re leaving most of the value behind. PR helps stretch the impact of an event far beyond the convention walls. Strong media coverage builds brand authority, and every panel, demo, or customer story can feed into your content pipeline—blogs, case studies, and thought leadership—that fuels long-term engagement. Events are also critical for strengthening investor and analyst relationships, and for reinforcing customer loyalty by showing existing clients they partnered with the right team. When PR drives the narrative, events shift from being transactional moments to opportunities for building trust and credibility that strengthens over time.
What we think
Memnon’s perspective highlights what we see across the industry: when PR is at the heart of event planning, it transforms participation into influence that endures. Strong coverage and aligned messaging turn the energy of a few days on the show floor into long-term brand equity.
Events are also moments to inspire confidence. They show customers they have chosen the right partner, give analysts and investors proof of momentum, and position a brand as a thought leader within the industry conversation. PR ensures that these signals are amplified and remembered, so the impact continues long after the event closes.
If you are planning your next event, let’s talk about how we can help you unlock its full potential and make it a platform for sustained growth.
Chat with us at the event or get in touch at hello@rlyl.com or here.
