Potential of external events for strategic image building at NPOs: An analysis NPOs working in the field humanitarian aid and human rights

Events are a strategic tool for corporate and organisational communication, as they offer companies the opportunity to engage directly with their target groups and engage in dialogue. Because they appeal to all the senses and trigger emotions, they are an ideal tool for image building. Image is a particularly important factor for NPOs to be able to operate successfully. This paper explores the extent to which events can positively influence the image building of NPOs as a strategic tool and why they are so important for NPOs. In the course of empirical research, experts from various NPOs working in the field of humanitarian aid and human rights were interviewed. These experts are responsible for event management in their respective NPOs. The interviews show that events can make a significant contribution to image building. However, they should be integrated into the overall organisational communication. Furthermore, it was found that building a positive image is of great importance for NPOs and their work.