02.19.21
By Lisa Major
While 2020 was the year of virtual events, 2021 will be the year of hybrid events. With many unknowns surrounding attendance numbers and consumer behavior, hybrid events will bridge the gap between in-person events and virtual ones by combining the best of both worlds. In this week’s Happy Hour, we look at a few things to consider when planning a hybrid event. We also feature tips for creating safe multi-sensory experiences, and we take a look at how experiential marketing will evolve over the next ten years.
“There are new challenges to be solved when it comes to hybrid — largely around finding the right mix and reminding ourselves to always start with strategy.” ~Kelly Parisi, Freeman
As venues reopen and we ease back into in-person events, some people may be leery about attending. But by taking a hybrid approach, event marketers can cater to the needs of both in-person and virtual attendees. In theory, hybrid events are the perfect solution to meet the needs of all consumers; however, as with any new event tactic, there are challenges and things you’ll need to consider. Before you make hybrid event plans, consider these eight questions.
“While some brands can get by with compelling visuals and avoid any touching, that’s not the case for everyone. In these cases, companies need to develop innovative brand activation ideas to overcome the absence of touch.” ~Department Zero
Sensory elements within an experiential marketing activation play a pivotal role in creating memorable experiences for consumers. Engaging the senses through touch, sight, sound, taste, and smell evokes a powerful brand-to-consumer connection. Pre-pandemic, experiential activations were filled with multi-sensory elements like brightly colored ball pits, interactive touch screens, virtual reality experiences, and so forth. But in a world that cringes at the thought of high-contact touchpoints, experiential marketers are now tasked with engaging consumers’ senses in low or no contact environments. Here, Department Zero delivers tips on how to provide a safe yet effective sensory experience for consumers.
“Overall, the next 10 years will see experiential marketing better able to personalize at scale, as the reach of digital is combined with deep sensory engagement.” ~Tom Gray, Imagination
Photo: Event Marketer
When the new decade began, the experiential marketing industry was booming, and the predictions for the industry’s growth were undeniable. But the hopes and dreams surrounding those predictions came crashing down just a few weeks later. For experiential marketers and live event professionals, the pandemic dealt a devasting blow. But here we are, almost a year later, and a return to normalcy doesn’t seem that far out of reach. 2020 taught us a lot, and new ideas were born that will live on indefinitely. In this article, Imagination examines what experiential marketing will look like over the next ten years.
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For almost two decades, ATN has been the go-to event staffing company for marketing agencies and brands across the nation. If you’re looking for event staff for your hybrid or virtual event, or brand ambassadors for your next in-person activation, we’ve got you covered!
