Author: Basilmin (Event Planer)
In this age of constant digital innovations and disruption with the future of events, the value of digital elements across the board has become evident. With continuous learning and development, digital activities have become ingrained in the fabric of humanity. However, it is vital, especially, in the age of information that brands and organisations lead […]
In this age of constant digital innovations and disruption with the future of events, the value of digital elements across the board has become evident. With continuous learning and development, digital activities have become ingrained in the fabric of humanity.
However, it is vital, especially, in the age of information that brands and organisations lead with a value over volume, to ensure that the communication going out to your audience is not only tailored to their needs but is also enticing
As the world continues to advance technologically, as digitalisation and disruption blaze the way forward for the next decade. It is critical for brands to adapt strategies around these areas now that will lead the way later.
Thriving brands are able to shift their thinking from static to dynamic. They are deliberately designed and intentionally built. Above all they create environments that enrich the lives of the audiences they wish to engage with.
By acting now and swiftly brands will be able to grow and retain their audiences, ensuring the future of their brand.
Hybrid events
As the economy slowly begins to gear up for the new normal with regards to the way events and conferences are run. Brands must rethink experiences beyond the traditional forms of mass gathering (Cook & Shepherdly, 2016).
As Jameson Hlongwane, Deputy MD of the VWV Group states: “Recalibrate and remind yourselves that experiential is a tactic, not a channel”. As event planners, it is up to us to find new and creative ways to engage with the audience on behalf of our clients through the future of events.
As the world and South Africa move from curated one on one experiences to interactive broadcasting and socially intensified strategies.
Hybrid the future of events that consolidate physical and digital experiences will be more relevant than ever.
The benefits of hybrid events
Hybrid events hold a number of advantages over the more traditional events. The largest and most apparent being the number of people or impressive reach that hybrid events provide (Nilsson,2020).
This is a result of the fact that event planners as well as the audiences are no longer confined to physical or geographic limitations, meaning an endless number of people are then able to attend.
This of cause from an organisational point of view is massive as hybrid events give a great return on investment (ROI), as they are cost-effective (Nilsson,2020). Hybrid events bring exponentially more eyeballs, attention and prospective customers to your events.
One way to think about this is instead of having several similar events you can either host one big event and host that nationwide or a series of different events that people can all attend and stream.
However, it is vital to know what hybrid the future of events are not, a true hybrid event will create the same experience for those streaming than it would for those who physically attend.
This is done through participation; those online are also able to participate in Q&A sessions as well as interact with the speaker whilst also engaging with fellow attendees.
The impact of hybrid events on South Africa
It goes without saying that the current pandemic has impacted our industry as a whole and the future of events, but also shown us that it is essential to remain relevant to the times. Technological advancements play a larger and more cohesive role not only in the present but in the long term future.
Fryatt et al. (2012b) as well as Morell (2010) both highlighted the importance that these events can have especially for the African continent.
They go on to draw attention to the possibility of using hybrid events as a way to reach an audience in different languages and repurposing the content to ensure that everyone is able to take part especially if they are not able to travel to the location.
To date we have seen that hybrid the future of events have been able to take away limitations such as travel restrictions or country borders. Further ensuring that brands are still able to reach their audience and stay connected.
Moving forward brands will need to utilise collaborations and harnessing the collective experience we’ve all shared as a result of the pandemic. It is vital that we all start thinking about the future of events and the circular economy and how work translates into day-to-day planning at the micro-level. Lastly brands and event managers will need to continue taking the necessary action needed in the face of overwhelming consequences through the future of events.
References
Cook, P. & Shepherdly, M. 2016. Remotely Engaging: How to reach new audiences by breaking out of the conference centre. 1 ed. s.l.: Amazon Fulfilment.
Fryatt, J. et al. 2012b. How to Guide: The Strategic Value of Virtual Meetings and Events, 2012: Meeting Professionals International.
Fryatt, J. et al. 2012c. Hybrid Meetings and Events, s.l.: MPI Foundation
Morell, K. 2010. How to use hybrid meetings to drive attendee engagement, s.l.: Meetings Today.
Nilsson, L. 2020. Hybrid Events: Breaking the Borders. Master´s thesis. LAB University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Business and Hospitality Management. [Cited 29.6.2020]. Available at: http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020061618890
Contact Us at WeSpeak Global and follow us on Twitter
The articles, video and images embedded on these pages are from various speakers and talent.
These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by WeSpeak Global.
Take charge of your digital habits and screen time and the added pressure of being available 24/7 can make you feel trapped and unsure of where to start. Do you reach for your phone without thinking about it? Do you interrupt a conversation to click on Instagram or WhatsApp the moment you see a notification […]
A lot has happened in the past few years since my book, We’re Really All In This Together: Creating a Team Culture of High Performance, Trust, and Belonging, was first published in the spring of 2020. I completed the manuscript for this book (which was just released this week in paperback) at the end of 2019. I […]
Some business gurus are telling people that they need to develop YOUR HIGHEST VALUE SKILL or most valuable skills.That part is right! You need to focus on the skill that will give you the highest return on your efforts. What they got wrong is that they are teaching that it is sales. Sales is […]
My mind jumped from one random thought to the next, my heart raced, and my mouth went dry, Using Are Eustressed to fuel performance. Radio calls were being made, but I wasn’t processing what was being said. I was behind the aircraft. I was experiencing a helmet fire. In reality, I was sitting securely in […]
Three small steps to help you use New Research Authentic Leadership as your strategy to improve engagement and retain your talent. It seems just about every day your news feed has a new article talking about the (admittedly catchy) “Great Resignation. And geez, so sorry about adding yet another. I’m guessing just about every leader […]
I chuckled as I read the words in Kevin Kruse’s insightful book, 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management: “Throw away your task list.” In my time management and Juggling Elephants training programs I am continually surprised at the number of people who still use such a list as their primary guide for their […]
This is a great article on Bringing the mountains home which addresses employee happiness and developing a beneficial culture that contributes to a business’ success. *** Written by Travis Gale, CEO of Appletree Catalyst Agency, which discusses how to deal with end-of-year burnout and how to ‘Bringing the mountains home’. This past festive season, I […]
We are all spending a lot of time inside our homes. How much do you REALLY need? For those whose homes are a disorganized clutter zone, this could be stressful and result in more anxiety than isolating already brings to the table. If you are constantly tripping over stuff on the floor, and having to […]
Our Mission
© All rights reserved 2025. Created using VOXEL THEME
