5 Trends for Virtual and Hybrid Events

The global economy, and almost every business sector, has been dealt a blow by Coronavirus in 2020. While most sectors have been negatively affected, some have suffered more than others. The events industry was hit hard by the pandemic with over 70% of the UK’s planned events for 2020 being cancelled or postponed. According to a report by Data Connectors and NowSourcing, the global events industry is worth $1.5 trillion per year. In addition, direct spending on airfare, hotel stays, dining and transportation are responsible for generating more than $1 trillion annually. If postponed events do proceed later in the year, or in early 2021, the likelihood is reduced attendance and footfall until the spread of the virus is under control and public and consumer confidence increases.

 

While the events industry has faced significant challenges this year, it has also been a revolutionary time for the sector with the significant rise in popularity of digital and virtual events. Video communications platforms Zoom and Slack are estimated to be worth $50billion more since the Coronavirus pandemic started, and a recent study conducted by the PCMA Education Foundation found that 67% of respondents expected to leverage technology to remotely participate in events for the next three years. The popularity of these digital solutions, however temporary, has seen a drastic increase in delegate uptake and participation in the first half of 2020 in events such as online webinars, seminars, workshops, facility tours, conferences, and trade shows.

 

The use of event technology such as digital registration processes, event marketing software, event-specific mobile apps, and digital event entertainment such as branded photo booth hire in London, was steadily increasing in popularity in recent years. However, the forced shift in 2020 to digital and virtual only events has resulted in creative and innovative event solutions that have been adopted and rolled out across entire industry sectors, and among demographics who previously would have been adverse to online only events.

 

Going forward, as we emerge from lockdown restrictions and begin to recover from the impacts of COVID-19, it is predicted that in-person events will see a surge in popularity as people – who are naturally social creatures – crave and appreciate more than ever before in-person interactions and networking. However, for a wide variety of reasons, individuals will also have grown to appreciate the cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and flexibility of digital and virtual events, so it is more likely that events in the future will require a blended approach to benefit from the positive aspects of hybrid events.

 

Based on current trends and behaviours within the events industry, we’ve compiled five key trends we think are going to have a lasting and long-term impact on the sector for in-person, digital, and hybrid events going forward:

 

  1. Live Streaming

For those who are unable to attend an event for a range of factors such as clashing commitments, or expensive travel and accommodation costs, live streaming provides the opportunity for delegates to benefit from ‘attending’ the event, without having to be physically present. For events in very large venues, live streaming conference session and keynote addresses on screens or in hubs throughout the venue also enables more participants to engage without having to run from one side of the venue to another.

 

It’s worth noting that this is not as simple as live streaming an event on Facebook from your mobile phone. Proper investment will be required in the right technology, equipment, and likely a specialist technology and communications company to ensure live streaming and any other digital interactions at your event are streamlined, seamless, and integrated.

 

  1. Enhanced Experiences

Attending an in-person event is all about the experience. The attendee experience can be enhanced in a wide variety of ways through personalised communications, at-event entertainment, and through engaging attendees in interactive experiences. A recent survey of event planners found 78% placed immersive experiences at #1 above all other types of live entertainment. This can include photo booth hire London, escape rooms, and activities that are specifically designed to engage an individual or group directly.

Enhanced experience also includes streamlined and simplified processes – registration should be a breeze, event itineraries and maps should be easily accessible, and post-event follow-up should be seamless. Get these things right to make sure your event stands out.

  1. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality

While these technologies are available, they are not frequently used – yet. As they become more accessible expect to see more projections, 360-degree installations, virtual reality headsets and demos, and a myriad of other ways to educate, entertain and delight event attendees.

  1. Data Security

With increased digital and virtual event technology, including hybrid events, more personal and real-time data will be collected than ever before. While this can be incredibly useful when utilised correctly and offer a greater analysis and return-on-investment, with increased data collection comes the need for increased data security.

This is important on a practical level to ensure compliance with legislation, but it is also important for delegates to know that data security is taken seriously and that their data is being adequately protected. A 2020 report by PWC highlighted that 84% of consumers will gladly take their business elsewhere if they felt they couldn’t trust a business with their data.

  1. Inclusivity

Just as in-person events should be as inclusive and accessible as possible, so should digital and virtual events. This can include the use of clear language and instructions, appropriate font style and size, good colour contrast, and the use of sub-titles and translators. In addition, the same considerations should be given to the diversity of panels and speakers.

Let’s engage your audience and drive your brand forward with the latest Event Rhino Virtual Photo & Video Experiences!

Our new virtual photo marketing experiences create virtual events and supporting digital marketing campaign to deliver:

– Brand awareness

– Product education

– Consumer engagement

– User generated content

– Data collection

– Drive sales

 

Virtual Events – Utilizing our software and the advancement with photo marketing we can make virtual events even more interactive and most importantly measurable!

For example: A sports clubs New Kit Launch

The brand launch and host an online virtual launch party using technology such as Zoom or

Google Teams. Customers are invited to the party via their social media sites and email marketing.

Once they join the party, they are shown the new product and offered the chance to win prizes by taking part in the virtual photo experience!

HOW IT WORKS

– Click the link

– Use the brand photo booth on their device to take their selfie

– Receive their branded selfie by mobile or email

– Upload it to social media with the campaign hastag

– Scratch and win during the event

– Receive an exclusive discount code for money off the product in the final photo received

 

POST EVENT RESULTS

We show you the return on investment with a full data report including:

– Number of people in attendance

– Number of photo uploads

– Compliant email and phone numbers for re marketing

– Social reach using the event hastag

– use of the discount code

Hybrid Events – So let’s bring together an instore experience with virtual for the New Kit Launch!

Hosting an instore event and bringing together industry leaders and some of the players

for talks and Q&A’s (social distancing taken into account) or these people can be in multiple locations, and having the event streamed online for customers to join.

The launch will be pre promoted on social media and via digital marketing platforms – company website, blogs, emails etc. Launch posts will introduce what people can expect from the event and create a reason to attend.

Customers join the event online via a digital platform and enjoy the education on the new product before being invited to the virtual, interactive booth for the chance to win a products etc and receive their discount code for the new kit.

 

HOW IT WORKS

– Click the link

– Use the brand photo booth on their device to take their selfie

– Receive their branded selfie by mobile or email

– Upload it to social media with the campaign hastag

– Scratch and win during the event

– Receive an exclusive discount code for money off the product in the final photo received

You can supply the client with the following results post event:

– Number of people in attendance

– Number of photo uploads

 

POST EVENT RESULTS

We show you the return on investment with a full data report including:

– Compliant email and phone numbers for re marketing

– Social reach using the event hastag

– Sales via the discount code

 

READY TO TAKE YOUR BRAND OR EVENT VIRTUAL? CONTACT OUR CREATIVE TEAM TODAY!

Giving shoppers more

The way we shop has changed completely.

Shopping in physical stores offers something unique compared to what online has to offer. Think about it, there’s the social aspect of the whole experience, where you come together with friends and interact with experienced assistants.

And of course, instore shopping offers something that online cannot – you can actually try, touch and take home your purchases right there and then!

But the latest research shows that today’s shoppers don’t see the value and pleasure in heading to the high street.

Today’s consumers have more knowledge, power and choice than ever before.

And when they do decide to go shopping, armed with all that info, they expect more from their shopping experience.

Retailers need to step up to these expectations and become more than just a shop.

Customers want an experience, where their online expectations of personalized, hassle-free shopping are realised.

But that’s not all. Consumers

brand activation

want to be entertained, excited and delighted in store.

And that’s where we come in.

Event Rhino work with retailers to showcase what they do best, offering photo booth hire in London for retail events.

We recently worked with House of Fraser to showcase their Beauty Event.

Beauty is one of the most personal shopping experiences and House of Fraser’s team delivers personalized, stellar service every time.

And they wanted everyone to know about it!

Event Rhino wanted to deliver maximum impact for House of Fraser and chose to use the full power of the Rhino Boom Booth Roamer.

This is the newest photo experience in our arsenal and we knew it was the perfect way to interact with customers, promote the services in store and increase House of Fraser’s online visibility.

brand activations
House of Fraser Beauty

The Rhino Boom Booth Roamer was fully customized with a branded start screen and overlays that highlighted all brands included in the event and showcased customers in their very own Vogue magazine cover.

Using both the Roamer screen and the booth in stand mode allowed Event Rhino to capture as many customers as possible.

We roamed the beauty hall, capturing happy customers following their makeovers and master classes. The Rhino Boom Booth stand was a star attraction in the centre of the hall, with groups and individuals making their way to the booth to have their moment in the spotlight.

GIFs, Boomerangs and of course selfies, were captured and shared straight to social media, via text and email.

In-store activations like this are a great crowd pleaser, giving consumers a reason to come into your store and interact with you and your products.

And with footfall decreasing on the high street, it has never been more important to give customers a reason to come into shops!

Even better, users cannot help but share the branded content that they create. They love the novelty of their VIP moment and in the age of all things social – they definitely know that they need to share pics or it didn’t happen!

For brands and businesses, the benefits of our photo booths to hire in London don’t stop there.

Our photo booth rentals in London & technology is designed not just to drive your digital reach; we also use our products to collate customer insights. The GDPR compliant data we collect can then be put to use in future personalised marketing campaigns.

Customers today want more, they want in-store experiences that they can’t get online or at home.

Retailers can’t afford to hold back and Event Rhino can help you create in-store activations and experiences that will get consumers off their sofas and into your shop.

Ideas To Make Your Corporate Golf Day Stand Out

Corporate golf days are all the rage at the moment and there’s a reason why. They’re inclusive, engaging and fun. They are also an excellent excuse to get out of the office for a few hours. For those who enjoy golf in their spare time it’s also a fabulous opportunity to show off some skill

Taking part in a corporate golf day is a completely different dynamic. After all, it’s with colleagues or business associates. This creates an unpredictable element, especially where competition is concerned, who knows what wild cards your opposing team, or even you own has. Although competition is rarely the most important factor when planning a corporate golf day, fun is. It’s also a chance to bond and improve business relations.

The question is how can a company ensure the day will be entertaining? Here are some ideas to help get you started:

Keep the bar stocked and ready

The bar is where everyone will eventually end up. It may be the only thing some colleagues are there for. Even if the bar is not free, ensuring that the company has put at least some money behind it will make sure the day is well attended. A glass of champagne on arrival would also set a positive tone to proceedings.  

Pick excellent caterers

Many venues have their own caterers, but if not choose some which are professionally themed and classy. Canapés go well with a golf related function. They feel high-end and sophisticated; this is exactly what the day should encapsulate, especially if the aim is to impress clients. 

Do everything you can to promote good PR

This is the most important thing to remember. Pictures of this day that portray the company and its clients in a positive light need to be prioritisedRelying on colleagues to take selfies isn’t enough. 

Here are some master class ideas to turn your pictures into marketing gold: Consider hiring a professional photographer, but don’t stop there, also consider taking advantage of Event Rhino Photo Mosaic Wall. This creates a mosaic of the pictures taken at an event along with so creative customisable options during and after

Every picture taken can be added to the mosaic wallNot only does this happen on a physical mosaic, but also in real time across your brands social media channels. The mosaic can begin at the very start of the day, as you arrive at the golf course and end as you all say goodnight. Your followers may not be there, but they will see every carefully curated detail that you’ve allowed them to see. Maximising your brand’s exposure and reputation. 

Attendees can also receive a digital folder containing all the pieces of the mosaic as a keepsake, to ideally to share on their social media channels. This keeps the momentum and any hash tags you’ve created in circulation long after the event has ended. 

For maximum impact you can also consider our digital photo booth hire. These are frequently used in conjunction with the Media Photo Mosaic. One we can recommend is the Rhino 360 photo booth hire. This high-spec booth, as the name implies, is fully rotatable 360 degrees and can create video, pictures and special effects while doing so. These outstanding videos can be used to document your golf day and update your mosaic as they do. From a PR point of view it really doesn’t get anymore technically advanced than this and the company will reap the rewards.

 

Evening entertainment

If the plan is for the event to last into the evening,then it’s unlikely to stay on the golf course all day. Consider some classical entertainment like a band or a singer. Some more modern and creative ideas are to hire a professional comedian to “roast” your boss. As long as it’s kept good natured this can be incredibly fun and makes the company CEO seem like a good sport after a days golfing. This is especially true if the staff let him or her win. 

Let us make your corporate golf day awesome by considering photo booth hire for corporate events. Contact our creative team today!