Dia Wolf started her professional career at the TOPreklám/BBDO advertising agency, and later worked as the marketing director at Euro AWK, where she focused on optimising outdoor advertising campaigns. From 1998 to 2019, she held roles as strategic and coordination director, then managing director at leading advertising agencies in Hungary. She oversaw numerous advertising campaigns for major companies in various industries, handling brand communications for companies like Unilever Hungary, OTP Bank, Porsche Hungária’s SEAT brand, FrieslandCampina, and Heineken Hungária as a strategic expert.
From 2010, she coordinated campaigns and events for the Agricultural Marketing Centre and the National Infrastructure Development Corporation, and worked on organising and managing state celebrations and campaigns. In the summer of 2019, Antenna Hungária invited her to establish the event management business unit, which she successfully grew into a significant area of the company by early 2022. In February 2022, she became the head of the event management agency at Lounge Group. In addition to her duties as managing director, she also oversees the professional work of the event management agency, which employs seventy people.
Q1: What are your thoughts on recent research findings suggesting that the average person spends up to six years of their life attending boring events? Does this statistic surprise you?
Honestly, yes. We are in a fortunate position because every event we organise is special, although it’s true that many of them are quite specific in their focus. I can imagine that at certain events, there might be participants who feel bored, but fundamentally, this is not necessarily due to the event itself. Often, it is simply a matter of choosing an event that doesn’t match their interests. In Hungarian, we usually say they ‘went to the wrong address’ – meaning they did not pay attention to what the event was actually about.
Of course, it can also happen that the style of the presentations is not engaging enough or lacks interactivity, making it difficult to maintain participants’ attention. But, we should also take into account that nowadays people tend to seek constant stimulation – they almost flee from silence or deeper reflection, which generally decreases their overall sense of happiness.
We have six years of untapped potential ahead of us – six years to keep bringing something new.
As event organisers, it is a challenging task to meet such a wide range of expectations from the audience. However, we can also look at these statistics from a more optimistic perspective: we have six years of untapped potential ahead of us – six years to keep bringing something new.
Q2: In your opinion, what are the main factors that render an event or meeting boring, and why does this still happen so frequently?
When it comes to events, we always have to ask ourselves a few questions right at the start of the planning process: what interests our guests, what will keep them engaged and what new experiences can we offer them? Very often, people focus solely on the message they want to deliver, rather than considering the actual needs of the audience.
Another common issue is that during the planning process, there is neither the demand, nor the time, nor the energy for innovation. As a result, organisers opt for safe, standard solutions to avoid risks, even when they know these solutions are less effective.
Unfortunately, this often leads to events that feel lacklustre, monotonous, and outdated.
In today’s event ecosystem, the baseline for participant engagement has significantly evolved over the past few years. The broad adoption of digital and hybrid event formats has reshaped audience expectations, making digital interactivity, real-time feedback, and adaptive content delivery indispensable components for success. Leading organisers harness data-driven insights and granular audience analytics to fine-tune experiences on the fly, transforming traditional static schedules into dynamic, responsive programming. This approach not only reacts to but anticipates participant needs, deepening inclusivity and ensuring relevance throughout.
At Lounge Event, we strive for success by stepping off the safe path and incorporating fresh, creative elements, whether it is throughout the entire event or within individual presentations.
As for meetings – well, that is a different matter. Sometimes, people feel their time is wasted if the topic does not directly concern them or falls outside their area of expertise. However, I believe it is important to approach every issue from as many angles as possible, and that all parties involved should be aware of every aspect of the topic being discussed. That said, I think excessively large meetings that drag on endlessly and go into unnecessary detail are too long and end up being a waste of time. I believe in small, efficient, and action-oriented meetings.
Q3: What elements are, in your view, crucial for creating engaging meetings? Would you say there is a “formula for success”?
If there is such a thing as a recipe, then it is to successfully involve the partner or guest in the topic during meetings. For the sake of efficiency, it is also essential that discussions focus only on relevant issues and that every stakeholder gets answers to their questions.
Although there may not be a single universal recipe, there are certainly key elements that guarantee success, such as engagement, relevance, rhythm and surprise. If an event is interactive, its content resonates with the participants, and the format is varied, that is already a strong guarantee.
The ultimate goal is to create a sense of “flow” – when someone is so engaged and present that they stop checking the time and completely lose track of it.
Q4: How do you approach event design from the participant’s perspective? What must an organiser do to prevent attendees from mentally checking out within the first ten minutes?
A good event is like a well-written Netflix series: you need to know within the very first minute that you are going to stay. So there has to be something unusual – a special taste, a piece of music, an interactive element – anything that makes people not just be there, but actually want to be there.
The goal is not merely to have guests show up at the event, but to ensure they truly experience it. To achieve this, it is essential to have a carefully chosen, interesting theme, a varied programme that maintains their interest, and a stunning visual environment. An effective tool is to save a unique attraction for the end of the event – something that makes it worth staying until the very last moment. And if all of that still is not enough, there is always the guarantee of high-quality hospitality.
Q5: What modern practices or tools would you recommend to organisers aiming to create more inclusive and dynamic events?
Getting to know our guests – that is perhaps the most important thing. As a first step, we need to gain a clear understanding of who our invitees are in terms of age group, interests, and social background.
Once we know who they are, it is crucial that the event speaks their language. This way, engagement becomes easier, guests feel comfortable in an environment that feels familiar to them, and they are more open to receiving the information we want to share.
“Unfortunately, many still choose the safe, overly planned route because spontaneity feels risky. But that is exactly what brings an event to life.”
Q6: How crucial is the role of spontaneous interaction, informal networking, and unexpected moments in crafting a memorable event experience?
It is the spontaneous moments, genuine connections and unexpected experiences that make an event truly unforgettable. People remember meaningful conversations, shared laughter, and surprises – not the perfectly rehearsed programme.
Unfortunately, many still choose the safe, overly planned route because spontaneity feels risky. But that is exactly what brings an event to life. The best programmes always leave room for magic.
A good networking corner can be worth more than an entire panel discussion. It is the spontaneous smiles that create lasting memories.
Q7: Can you name a best practice case – either one of your own events or one you attended – that was truly extraordinary and remains a testament to the idea that “no more boring meetings” is not just a slogan but a tangible reality?
The ultimate goal is always to evoke emotions. Whether it is making people laugh or surprising them, keeping the audience engaged requires emotional involvement. There are many techniques to achieve this, but ideally, it comes down to having a competent host who knows how to apply these methods effectively.
We have seen this many times at conferences, where the moderator brings genuine relief between presentations by adding something exciting or humorous. This not only makes the topic more tangible but also ensures it leaves a lasting impression.
Interactive elements are also powerful tools in achieving this goal. Moving away from safe, conventional formats and embracing unconventional solutions can make a huge difference. Hybrid formats, interactive apps, small-group discussions, visual note-taking, and live polls all contribute to better engagement.
Spatial design is also key. If a space naturally invites dialogue, it immediately creates a more open atmosphere. One good example of this is Open Space Technology, where there are no predefined frameworks for the event, and from the very beginning, participants can raise any topics they want to discuss. This is a great example of how a well-thought-out yet relaxed structure can evoke that often longed-for feeling: “This was finally something different.”
Everyone loves to play. At our events, we regularly invite the audience to engage in games, such as quizzes or live polls. These tools are highly effective at elevating the atmosphere and creating real shared experiences.
Q8: In your experience, which event format is the most boring?
An event where the chair is more comfortable than the programme itself is dangerous territory. If the audience is only listening to endless presentations without anything to break up the flow, and if there is no consciously designed rhythm to the event, then although one objective may be achieved – the message is delivered – in reality, it is wasted time, because we cannot be sure that the audience has actually absorbed anything.
It is just like school used to be – sitting through those never-ending maths lessons that felt like they would go on forever.
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