As attendees continue to embrace virtual events, we as Event Producers continue to refine and reformulate how to push the envelope and make an impact. The move to virtual events has allowed so many brands to show off their creativity, particularly in the realm of experiential events.
As a refresher, experiential events — as defined by our friends at BizBash — are “functions that incorporate sensory elements to create a memorable experience. Experience-rich events evoke feelings, sensations, perceptions and emotional responses”. A sense of real immersion is certainly a challenge to execute remotely, or even in a socially-distanced or hybrid event setting.
In light of the Covid-19 outbreak, brands have had to switch gears to bring these fully immersive experiences onto a digital platform. Check out some of these impressive experiential executions from the virtual events world, and how they each represent a key trend within virtual experiential:
1. Travis Scott’s first Fortnite concert turned the entire Fortnite island into a stage. Read the full article here and check out the Youtube recap here.
TREND: Charitable efforts are key.
Brands are reading the metaphorical room and keeping their initiatives charitable. Between the pandemic and the social justice movement, there are no shortage of organizations who could use help. Successful brands (both product and personal) have been keeping their virtual initiatives centered around those who need it most at this time. A major win-win if you ask us!
2. The Weeknd raised $350,000 for the Equal Justice Initiative all through social media during his virtual TikTok concert. Read all about the virtual experience here.
TREND: Live music is a touchstone.
We miss concerts almost as much as we miss planning live events, and it seems like we’re not alone. Brands have answered this collective cry by recreating the live concert experience virtually. Music brings people together and lifts the energy of a group. While we’re all going through this together, brands have utilized music to keep us strong.
3. Heineken live-streamed concerts to bring their customers a taste of the good old, pre-lockdown days. Learn more about the unique elements that Heineken included here.
TREND: Gaming platforms are an asset.
Online gaming was originally designed to create a sense of community on a digital platform. These gaming platforms, such as the popular Fortnite, allow gamers to build out the worlds they play in and what their characters look like. Really, these gaming platforms are a virtual experiential dream! Many players are already extremely comfortable navigating their virtual worlds, so brands are capitalizing on this and bringing the experience into a virtual world that already exists.
This is just a sampling of what’s possible on a large scale within virtual experiential. Thinking “outside the screen” is a must not only for brands, but for all types of organizations looking to interact in a fresh and impactful way with their remote audiences. We look forward to discovering how your organization can embrace experiential today and to bringing your virtual event to another level.