AWS re:Invent - Focusing on the Customer

Celebrating its 11th year, AWS re:Invent stands as an invaluable conference for AWS developers, offering opportunities to obtain certifications and stay in the know about the latest advancements in the AWS realm. Drawing over 50,000 attendees, the event unfolds across a sprawling five-hotel campus, featuring exceptional content, keynotes, a vibrant expo hall, exciting parties, and all the elements one anticipates from a premier tech conference in Las Vegas.

Despite some minor changes for 2023, the core AWS re:Invent experience remains remarkably consistent with previous years. Unlike many other conferences, AWS re:Invent does not chase new or different lightly - unless it directly improves the attendee and sponsor experience. Against the backdrop of inflation and constrained budgets, this commitment reflects a lesson in operational efficiency and fiscal responsibility.

What sets AWS re:Invent apart is its unwavering commitment to understanding and addressing the core concerns of attendees and sponsors – whether it be the quality of content, food and beverage offerings, comfortable lounge spaces, brand visibility, lead generation, and more. This deliberate focus stands in stark contrast to the pursuit of creative vanity, award accolades, or social media likes.

Our big takeaway is the reminder that simple optimization of a client’s event or exhibit experience can be the smartest approach. Creative agencies and event professionals often want to "reinvent" their experiences every year, but sometimes investing in expensive “new” creative that is vanity-driven or unstrategic may not be the wisest course of action.

Kudos to AWS.