Destination Meetings are Starting to Occur Again; Some Lessons Learned
SCP’s The Growth Monitor
Several large conferences, as well as smaller meetings and events, have taken place around the country in a kind of “test case” scenario, according to the online resource BizBash. Each of the events described by BizBash were successfully produced and with no follow-on COVID-19 cases reported. Of course, each of the gatherings took place with intense safety measures in place.
These recent events are extremely helpful to economic development professionals around the U.S. and around the world. Most metro areas count on the meetings industry and its ancillary hotels and resorts, transportation, F&B, and off-site activities, to provide local employment and tax revenues.
Professional meeting planners are quickly adapting and embracing safe meeting practices, and taking advantage of emerging “lessons learned” from first efforts. With this backdrop we believe that metro areas accustomed to hosting destination meetings, re-starting this important economic activity is possible.
The BizBash article is a must-read for anyone wanting confidence to get their event scheduling underway. The September 2, 2020 post at BizBash.com is available here: Meetings Are Still Happening Around the Country. Here’s What They Look Like.
A Code for Age-Appropriate Design of Digital Experiences, is now in Effect in the UK
AEC’s Consumer Products Monitor
At a time when consumer privacy concerns are increasing around the world, the UK has emerged with a new code for children’s digital experiences. The ICO (the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office) has created the Age Appropriate Design Code, which comes into force from today, with a 12 month transition period. The Age Appropriate Design Code is intended to protect children, and is aimed at designers and developers of online services and products. The code is a set of 15 standards that these designers should follow so as to comply with the data protection law, and includes things like making sure the privacy settings are set to ‘high’ by default.
According to the ICO website, ” … Data sits at the heart of the digital services children use every day. From the moment a young person opens an app, plays a game or loads a website, data begins to be gathered. Who’s using the service? How are they using it? How frequently? Where from? On what device? For all the benefits the digital economy can offer children, we are not currently creating a safe space for them to learn, explore and play. This statutory code of practice looks to change that, not by seeking to protect children from the digital world, but by protecting them within it.”
The ICO office provides details about the new code on its website at: Age appropriate design: a code of practice for online services
Peer-to-Peer Rental Fashion is Taking on “Fast Fashion”
AEC’s Consumer Products Monitor
Women’s Wear Daily reports that so called “peer-to-peer rental fashion” platforms are realizing all-time revenues. By taking the consumer interest to a peer-to-peer format, these new players provide an alternative to traditional consumerism, and expensive inventories. In particular, an alternative to “fast fashion” apparel where the whole point is relatively inexpensive “current” replacements of a consumer’s apparel, to be replaced as soon as next looks roll into stores. Peer-to-peer as an “antidote” to the Forever 21 model.
During Copenhagen Fashion Week, Ganni (designer fashions) unveiled plans to expand its rental strategy across Europe and the U.S. and debut a rental-only Levi’s 501 jeans and denim shirts platform. The rental platform Hurr is partnering with Selfridges in an in-store program, as part of Selfridges’ company-wide “Project Earth” initiative.
Read more at Women’s Wear Daily: Will the Rental Market Replace Fast Fashion?