THE FUTURE OF EVENTS IS HYBRID
When the pandemic hit, businesses and individuals alike turned to video conferencing software to connect, host meetings, and keep at safe distance from cabin fever. The events industry adopted this same focus by pivoting their attention to virtual events to keep the industry afloat. The event industry has been turned upside down by the global pandemic. Some in the industry have, unfortunately, folded - whilst others have been forced to pivot to virtual offerings. This year has exposed almost everyone to virtual events, and a hybrid model is now emerging.
Event businesses are working on highly engaging, interactive and bespoke shared experiences to attract and retain a new wave of internet savvy public who are always on the lookout for unusual, exciting products to implement in their team building strategies.
As we slowly start breathing (through our masks) a newly found freedom, Hybrid events are likely to continue to stick around at least for the immediate future. Their growth in popularity is driven by the fact that they allow audiences the option of viewing an event virtually or physically attending at the venue. This level of freedom is something that many people appreciate, and it’s an flexible feature that can be adjusted as needed in these times where guidelines are continually updating.
Another attractive aspect of hybrid events is that the content has been optimized so that the same social and learning experience is offered both in-person and virtually with the help of the right platform. When a guest attends a hybrid event virtually, they will not simply be passively watching livestreams, they will have the opportunity to interact much in the same way that they would if they were physically there.
Whilst events companies have familiarized themselves with new platforms and apps to make their live experiences interactive and highly engaging, they’ve also realized that thanks to the magic of technology they can reach and accommodate a broader audience. This means virtual components will likely remain as hybrid events have no travel costs, reduced environmental impact, the ability to reach a wider audience and have higher engagement. This means that many events companies are now looking to permanently incorporate a digital strategy into their business.
The Big Smoke events has quickly pivoted its business from being in-person to virtual to hybrid, adapting and extending the bespoke events offering in order to cater a growing, global audience by bringing together the best of in-person and virtual participation.
If you are looking for custom-made, effective and flexible team building activities then scroll through The Big Smoke’s Brochure and tune into some fun - all of the events can be hosted live, virtually or using a hybrid model.