SCMP Event’s Inspiration: The Future Is Digital

The future of the events industry is digital.

The future is digital. Specifically, the events industry will be abuzz with hybrid events, combining the best of in-person and virtual events in a year that are still filled with pandemic uncertainties.

2020 has been filled with Zoom events, virtual classrooms, and many other digital events. While many look forward to the return of in-person events, the advantages and operations of digital events have never been clearer.

This week, we take a look at how the digital experience has transformed the events landscape and what changes may be here to stay.

Designing a Digital-First Event Experience (by PCMA).

• COVID-19 has pushed the focus of hybrid events to a holistic digital perspective. PCMA made this the focus during their Convening Asia Pacific: Global Recovery Forum, held Nov. 10 in Sydney, Australia.
• For their event, PCMA embraces a hybrid strategy from the get-go, limiting in-person speakers and attendees and making the virtual aspect the priority.
• More than 500 virtual attendees logged into the event.
• Despite a browser challenge during the event, PCMA was able to engage and validate participants with live Q&As and chat messages.

Virtual events are here to stay: and they’re a digital channel (by MarketingLand)

• While there’s still uncertainty about the return of in-person events, 80% of those surveyed believe in-person and virtual events will co-exist in the future.
• Research suggests that people generally think the post-COVID events landscape will not be the same as the pre-COVID one. Hybrid events seem likely for the beginning of 2021, but they are a big challenge for marketers.
• In-person and virtual events are really two very different beasts. Overall, engagement is much poorer at virtual events, with 20% of attendees responsible for 80% of the live chat.
• Virtual events are another digital channel for marketers to embrace in the buyer journey.

Covid-19 And How It’s Changing The Event Industry (by HospitalityNet)

• Reed Exhibitions studies 3,000 exhibitors and 9,000 attendees across 201 events to examine how COVID-19 is altering the events industry.
• COVID-19 is speeding up changes in consumer behavior and boosting acceptance of digital tools.
• Consumers are willing to adopt digital technology in the form of online events, and they are expressing more positive attitudes toward virtual events.
• However, in-person events still hold immense value and consumers are interested in engaging with digital and in-person events in the future.

How Dubai’s Live Events Industry is Deyfinig Glocal Decline (by Graziame)

• Dubai reacted quickly to the pandemic and has benefited greatly from the early action, but their local live entertainment sector had to get creative.
• The streaming platform Platinumlist Live was created during the pandemic and has featured over 200 local and international artists, with over two million streams.
• The Be Live in Dubai campaign was an excellent way to showcase the talents of people at home and stay connected with fans in the community.
• Even as restrictions in Dubai have eased and live in-person shows have returned with restrictions, the digital entertainment area is still very strong for Platinumlist.

World Economic Forum moves 2021 annual meeting from Davos to Singapore to escape COVID-19 (by Fortune)

• For only the second time in two decades, the World Economic Forum is set to host its annual meetings outside of Davos, and in Singapore in 2021.
• The annual WEF is scheduled for May due to the unease with COVID-19.
• Before the WEF, there will be a virtual summer, The Davos Agenda. This online forum will allow politicians and business leaders to discuss driving the post-pandemic economy.
• In April, WEF will host the Global Technology Governance Summit in person in Tokyo.

Till next week!

(SCMP Events’ Inspiration is a series of weekly post on interesting articles from around the web on the events business as we continue to transform ourselves for a new normal post-Covid-19. These articles are relevant to anyone working in the events industry)