The Reason Behind Spending Billions on an Event That Isn’t Even Open to the Public

Actually, it’s only natural for an event to require billions in funding if it’s an entertainment event—like a concert, festival, or exhibition—basically something purely for entertainment and open to the public.

But if the event isn’t even open to the public, yet it still costs billions, isn’t that a loss? Why on earth would you organize a closed event where everyone is invited, and the attendees don’t even pay? WHAT’S THE POINT!?!?!?!?

Asking the question and answering it ourselves—that’s just who we are. Media Buffet has organized events like that countless times. You can see it in our track record. Closed, exclusive, with attendees who don’t pay—they’re even invited—yet the budget is in the billions. What’s the hidden agenda behind events like that?

Do our clients have so much money they don’t know what else to do with it?

The Purpose of a Private Event with a Budget in the Billions

Event = Branding

The main purpose of such events isn’t actually to generate direct profit from tickets or public attendance. Instead, exclusive events like these are long-term investments aimed at building brand image, trust, and relationships with the industry’s most influential figures.

Exclusive Networking

Just imagine—the invitees are usually not just anyone. They could be key stakeholders, executives from other companies, media representatives, influencers, or even strategic business partners. By bringing them together in an exclusive setting, a brand can position itself as a major player in the market, as if to say, “We’re different; we’re exclusive.”

An example? The Prime Video relaunch event in 2022, which was attended by hundreds of celebrities, actors, and other key figures in the Indonesian film industry. Media Buffet was the one who organized it.

Nationwide Coverage

In addition, there’s tremendous PR value. Events like this typically generate newsworthy content that’s covered by national media—and may even go viral on social media—resulting in even broader exposure than a public event. 

The long-term effect? People out there who weren’t even in attendance can still feel the “prestige” and become curious about the brand.

And don’t forget, events like this are often used as a platform to launch products or major partnerships. So, even though attendees don’t pay, the business potential generated by this event can be many times greater than the billions spent on it.

So, is it a loss? Far from it. Not all events are designed to generate immediate profit. 

If executed correctly, these closed and exclusive events can actually be a game-changer for a brand’s positioning in the market. As a result, in the long run, events like this can actually be more profitable than simply hosting entertainment events open to the public.

Want to organize an event like this? Just contact Media Buffet!