Events: A waste of marketing money or a growth engine?

This post is sponsored by Bravo Events & Entertainment.

For many marketers, events are still seen as a cost centre, ala splashy showcases that consume budgets, but fade quickly after the applause. The perception is they deliver more “ra-ra” than ROI.

Bravo Events & Entertainment is rewriting that narrative. With deep-rooted expertise in beauty and lifestyle experiential marketing, the agency has become a partner of choice for global names such as L’Oréal, LVMH, ParagonCorp, Coty, Dior, Onitsuka Tiger, Estée Lauder Group, HSBC, Nespresso, Fujifilm, Montigo, Sincere Fine Watches, and many more.

By specialising in high-touch, immersive experiences, Bravo doesn’t just stage events – it designs them as strategic growth engines. Through a blend of cultural insights, multi-sensory storytelling, and purposeful engagement, the agency has proven that live experiences can shift perceptions, deepen loyalty, and deliver measurable results.

That impact was validated at the MARKies Awards 2025, where Bravo secured two major accolades: Best Strategist for Cyrus Chin (founder and director) and bronze for Most Effective Use – Event (Physical) for its work on Wardah Skinverse 2024. The recognition underscores what Bravo has been championing for years: events, when designed strategically, are not expenses, but investments.

Strategy at the heart of experiences

For Bravo, execution alone does not justify the spend. The true value of an event lies in how it drives growth beyond the venue.

“Marketers often ask: are events just a cost centre, or can they actually move the business forward? At Bravo, we start with that question,” said Chin, founder of Bravo Events & Entertainment and newly crowned Best Strategist at the MARKies Awards 2025.

“Our job isn’t to stage a spectacle. It’s to design experiences that change how people think, feel, and act towards a brand – and to do so in ways you can measure.”

Chin, who also serves as president of the Malaysian Official Designers’ Association, brings a cross-industry lens from fashion, design, and culture. This perspective fuels Bravo’s belief that events aren’t just about creativity, but about cultural relevance and commercial impact.

His takeaway is simple: when done strategically, events are not a waste of marketing money, they are one of the most powerful growth engines a brand can have.

Case in point: Wardah Skinverse

When Wardah Malaysia staged its first and largest roadshow, Wardah Skinverse at The Exchange TRX in July 2024, the objective went far beyond showcasing products. The brief to Bravo was clear: strengthen Wardah’s positioning as a science-driven skincare innovator, educate consumers, and build lasting advocacy. Bravo’s response was to design a strategic brand ecosystem rather than a typical event.

The centrepiece was the launch of the Personalised RoboSkin™, an AI-powered analysis tool built on skin genomic research to create personalised regimens. Around this innovation, Bravo constructed a journey-based format: QR-enabled checkpoints guided visitors through themed zones on skin concerns, SPF education, barrier health, and brightening science. Each stop was deliberately crafted to serve dual purposes: consumer education and product storytelling, and turning participation into discovery.

Content was equally critical. Across five days, Bravo curated 10 expert talk shows, brought in eight beauty influencers to amplify conversations online, honoured female pioneers in the Brave Beauty Awards, and staged a special performance by international star Yuna. The programme transformed Skinverse into a hub of authority and aspiration, making science relatable and beauty aspirational.

The results underscored the effectiveness of this strategy:

• 3,411 consumer registrations across five days, with a 74% completion rate of the full journey.
• Visitors spent an average of 40 minutes on-site, with the longest dwell times at the Skin Science Clinic (16.4 minutes) and Skinverse Lounge (13.5 minutes), proving the pull of expert consultation and retail immersion.
• Over 3,343 branded bottled drinks redeemed, reinforcing gamification as an effective incentive for engagement.

By fusing technology, curated content, and purposeful engagement design, Bravo turned Skinverse into more than a roadshow. It became a strategic platform that delivered education, advocacy, and measurable brand lift – a performance recognised at the MARKies Awards 2025 with bronze for Most Effective Use – Event (Physical).

A portfolio of impactful work

Wardah Skinverse is one benchmark among many. Bravo’s work consistently demonstrates how experiences rooted in authenticity can drive results by elevating perception, fostering advocacy, and reinforcing market positioning.

Expertise that sets bravo apart

Bravo’s leadership is built on three clear strengths:

• Beauty & lifestyle depth: Over 18 years shaping experiences in the category, giving Bravo unique insights into evolving consumer behaviour.
• Strategy first: Every activation is designed to do more than look good. It connects brand heritage and innovation with measurable business outcomes.
• Design precision: With an in-house styling team, Bravo ensures every touch-point – from textures to ambience – aligns seamlessly with the brand’s identity.

At the core of Bravo’s approach is a strong client-first mindset. The team prioritises building partnerships and understanding each client’s business goals, allowing it to design events that deliver both creative impact and commercial value.

Together, these strengths enable Bravo to deliver events that don’t just impress in the moment, but also build loyalty, shape perceptions, and drive growth long after.

From a cost centre to a growth engine

For Bravo, the MARKies Awards were more than trophies. They were proof that events, when built on strategy, can drive measurable business outcomes. In a landscape where many still dismiss events as “ra-ra” spend, Bravo makes the case for their role as powerful levers of growth.

“An event isn’t just a show,” Chin said. “When done right, it drives advocacy, builds loyalty, and shapes consumer behaviour long after the lights go down.”

The question for brands, then, is no longer whether events are worth the spend, but how strategically they can be designed to deliver real growth.

Follow Bravo Events & Entertainment on its Instagram @BravoEventz.