Events have become more complex. What was once a single day of programming is now a coordinated experience that spans promotion, live participation, sponsor integration, and post-event follow-up. As expectations have evolved, so has the role of communication.
Attendees expect timely updates. Organizers need flexibility when plans change. Sponsors want visibility that feels integrated rather than disruptive. And increasingly, teams are recognizing that email alone can’t reliably support those demands.
Across media brands, associations, and large-scale festivals, direct messaging has become a practical way to manage that complexity. Marketing Brew, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia, and The New Yorker Festival each approach events differently, but all three use text to support promotion, logistics, engagement, and long-term audience growth.
When Morning Brew Inc. hosts the Marketing Brew Summit, communication plays a central role in the attendee experience. With 300 marketers attending a tightly scheduled day of panels, activations, and networking, clarity and timing matter.
Since 2023, Subtext has served as the Summit’s primary attendee communication channel. Prior to the event, attendee phone numbers are imported directly into the platform, allowing the team to centralize outreach rather than relying solely on email. Panel reminders, room details, and key announcements are drafted and scheduled in advance, creating a structured communication plan that runs alongside the programming itself.
The impact is measurable. Messages sent during the Summit consistently see a 98% open rate and a 36% click-through rate, indicating that updates are not only being delivered but acted upon.
During the event, the channel also supports participation. Attendees submit questions for live panels via text, giving moderators direct input from the room. The team incorporates interactive elements, including three $100 gift card giveaways, to further encourage engagement. Subtext is also used to promote the Marketing Brew weekly podcast, extending the relationship beyond the physical event.
After the Summit concludes, organizers distribute a post-event survey with an incentive through the same channel, capturing structured feedback while the experience is still recent.
Over time, text has become more than a reminder tool for the Summit. It functions as a parallel communication layer that supports logistics, drives measurable engagement, and extends audience connection beyond a single day.
The Association of Alternative Newsmedia Conference brings together 142 leaders from independent news organizations for multiple days of sessions and networking. As with many conferences, the schedule is dense and subject to change.
One constraint shaped their approach: AAN did not collect phone numbers during registration. Any text-based communication would need to be built intentionally rather than pulled from an existing list.
In the weeks leading up to the conference, organizers promoted their Subtext opt-in through newsletters and pre-event communications. On-site, a prominently displayed QR code made it easy for attendees to subscribe.
By the end of the event, nearly 60% of the total participants had opted in.
Across the conference, 19 messages were sent, including session reminders, evening event details, and time-sensitive updates. When the weather required the cancellation of scheduled boat tours, organizers were able to notify attendees immediately, minimizing confusion.
Subtext also created additional sponsor visibility. Messages acknowledged sponsors in context — for example, highlighting companies supporting coffee breaks or encouraging attendees to visit booths and participate in prize drawings. This extended sponsor recognition into a direct, high-visibility channel without adding friction to the event experience.
Churn remained at just 1%, suggesting attendees viewed the messages as relevant and useful. What began as a logistical solution ultimately expanded AAN’s owned audience. By converting nearly 60% of attendees into mobile subscribers, the organization didn’t just improve communication during the event — it added durable first-party data it can use for future programming, promotions, and member engagement.
The New Yorker Festival has worked with Subtext for nearly four years, and during that time the role of text has evolved.
In earlier iterations, event messaging required more manual coordination. Lists were managed with additional support, which limited scalability as the audience grew.
Today, the Festival operates through a fully integrated API setup using Subtext's SMS API. A custom form on its website collects both email addresses and mobile numbers, feeding subscriber data directly into Subtext. This integration removes manual uploads and creates a seamless opt-in process tied directly to event promotion.
As a result, the Festival has built a text audience of nearly 7,000 subscribers.
The primary channel is used to promote the event and share key reminders, but its value extends beyond announcements. During breakout sessions, QR codes allow attendees to sign up on-site and submit questions for live Q&A. This provides a structured way to collect audience input while maintaining the flow of programming.
The shift to Subtext's API integration reflects a broader change in approach. Rather than using text as a short-term campaign tool, the Festival has incorporated it into its ongoing event strategy — supporting logistics, enabling participation, and maintaining a direct connection with its audience beyond a single weekend.
Across different event types and audience sizes, several common patterns emerge.
Text messaging offers visibility without additional friction. Messages are delivered directly to attendees’ devices and are typically viewed quickly, reducing the likelihood that important updates are missed. Unlike event apps or email threads, there is no need to download a new platform, log in, or search through an inbox to find relevant information. The communication lives in a channel that attendees already use daily.
It supports immediacy. Events are dynamic environments, and real-time communication allows organizers to respond to schedule changes or unexpected developments without delay.
It enables participation. When attendees can submit questions, engage with sponsors, or respond to prompts from their phones, communication becomes interactive rather than one-directional.
And it builds owned audiences. Each opt-in creates a direct relationship that extends beyond a single event, giving organizations a channel they can activate for future programming, announcements, or initiatives.
As events continue to grow more complex, communication is becoming a defining part of the experience itself. For teams across media, associations, and large-scale festivals, direct messaging has become a practical way to support both the moment and the long-term audience relationship.
Every event has its own format. The teams that stand out are the ones that treat communication as part of the experience itself.
If you're exploring new ways to strengthen engagement at your next event, learn how Subtext helps teams build direct, lasting audience connections.