5 Things #EventProfs Can Learn from Wearing a Chewbacca Mask

What does a mom making a video of herself wearing a Chewbacca mask going viral have to with event professionals! After all, aren’t we in the industry of delighting, engaging, and attracting our event attendees?

Whether it’s making sure we have the best seating diagram charts to optimize event engagement, the most amazing event audio/visual experience, the most engaging mobile event app, the many other components that go into making events successful – before, during, and after. 

So how can we take a mom laughing about wearing a Chewbacca mask video and learn from it as #eventprofs?

5 Things #EventProfs Can Learn from Wearing a Chewbacca Mask

1.) The Value in Preview

If you watch Candace Payne’s Chewbacca mask view – one of the first things you realize is that she didn’t immediately reveal what her video was going to be about. She began the video showing how excited and amazing she thought this item (the mask) was going to be- and even at one point gave a ‘sneak preview’, before finally revealing the ‘amazing Chewbacca mask’.

Similar for events, you don’t have to reveal every single detail of your event to start building momentum and attracting attendees. By giving ‘sneak previews’ and providing a way to build the excitement, you are creating a way to engage your potential attendees, and keeping them engaged as you reveal more and more through time.

2.) There’s No Masks in Events

Sadly, event professionals don’t get to wear masks. What Candace Payne did right in this video was not begin with the mask on. She showcased her magnetic personality and laughter even before featuring the product. Event professionals are tasked every day with attracting event attendees, sponsors, vendors and more to their events – even before their event has occured. By being transparent prior to the event, and then living up to expectations (i.e. delighting) your attendees and such after the event, there is never a need to wear a mask.

3.) On The Whim Skills

Candace Payne wasn’t a mastermind (or at least we think not) of marketing ploys or mastermind skills. Yet she pulled off an insanely talented feat – the most live views of a Facebook video ever – purely based on her ability to ‘rock’ on the fly. Event planners and event professionals can truly learn the value in this ‘on the fly skill’ ability – but odds are, most #eventprofs have probably mastered this long ago! (Perhaps Candace Payne needs to become an event professional!

4.) Learning to Laugh 

If you read the multitude of follow up’s to Candace Payne’s Chewbacca mask wearing video – or listen to any of her interviews – one of the most attributed reasons for the success and ‘viralness’ of her video – is her laugh. Candace has mastered a truly authentic and contagious laugh – and one that has even been reported to help lift depression, an autistic child laughs for the first time in 2 months, and more.

 As event professionals, being in such a serious and often high strung field, learning to laugh seems almost non beneficial. However, the truth is, regardless of what your industry is, or what your job title may be – laughing not only can help us regroup, refocus, and positively uplift and effect those around us – including the vibes we spread to our event attendees, vendors, and sponsors!

5.) Make it Remarketable & Memorable

Candace Payne originally shared her video live on Facebook’s live video platform. And yet since, not only has her video gone viral, countless reaction and remake videos been shared on YouTube and other video platforms – Candace has been featured on major news networks and television shows including ABCnews, Good Morning America, even meeting J.J. Abrams (the director of the latest Star Wars on the James Corden show. Her one-time live video has brought so much delight and joy, it has long lived past it’s one time live Facebook video.

When planning your next event, don’t fail to think about how make your event so remarketable that your attendees are talking about it for you after your event – that it it’s so memorable, that they can’t wait for follow up events.

In Conclusion

Being an event professional is no easy task – no matter how much we can liken it to a simple viral video of a mom showcasing a silly Chewbacca mask. The bottom line is with hard work, dedication, and the ability to improvise on a whim – the success of events happens every day because of every single professional in the field.

We applaud you, event professionals!

(And in case you haven’t seen the video, take a moment or two to laugh today, and watch this Chewbacca mask loving mom!):