Editor : Mike Fletcher
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With all things hybrid making-up the key talking points at International Confex recently , by mid-way through the second day , I was beginning to think I ’ d heard it all .
Yet , that ’ s the thing about this format - since planners are in the experimental phase of discovering the best ways to engage both virtual viewers and in-room delegates without diluting the event as a whole , there ’ s always someone who comes up with something new , something bold that they ’ re happy to share .
I didn ’ t catch the lady ’ s name who raised her hand and was handed a microphone but her creative solution for encouraging participation from an online family-orientated audience during a hybrid awards ceremony was nothing short of genius .
She told how prior to in-person guests arriving for the event , the after-party DJ did a pre-show set , just for the children of online viewers .
This early-years disco gave parents a reason to log-on and a fun pre-bedtime activity for the kids .
Then , when the physical guests were gathered for the pre-awards drinks reception , the online viewers could put their children to bed and were
Hybrid creativity will evolve expectations
more likely to return to watch the main awards event , appreciative of the fact that their childcare commitments had been considered and incorporated into the event planning .
How good is that ? This special hybrid edition of Digital Event News is full of such gems . Those who have now staged hybrid meetings and conferences share their experiences and impart their wisdom to inspire your future plans .
Incidentally , the kids pre-awards disco sparked a debate about planners being obsessed with who ’ s in the physical room . One of the panelists even cited an example of a virtual exhibition platform , which literally features the doors to the venue closing behind avatars as they enter the space .
Surely that ’ s the opposite of what virtual and hybrid event planners need to be doing ?
As Colja Dams says on page 25 , it ’ s these kinds of digital features we ’ ll look back on one day and only remember as ‘ one of those Covid events ’.
Mike Fletcher Editor Digital Event News
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Contributors
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Showcase ’ s Dave Harding-Lyle states the case for not rushing into hybrid |
Glisser chief evangelist , Vanessa Lovatt shares her personal experience of running Hybrid Events Ignited |
Collaborate Global ’ s , Ollie Biddle discusses what we thought we knew about hybrid versus what we now know |
Gavin Newman , CEO of Ivent discusses format options for hybrid events |