Exhibition News December 2020 | Page 35

Tech & Trends

Continuous events for global reach

James Morgan looks at PAX Online x ERG Digital , a nine-day continuous event for global gamers
The Engagement Strategy The point of the show is about games and gaming so exhibitors are keen to launch new games , game add-ons such as new characters as well as accessories and other related products . Lilley states that ‘ discoverability is very important ’ so that visitors can find their way around the platform intuitively , linking in and out of booths and the various sessions at any time they feel they want to over the course of the show . Part of this discoverability was enabling gamers to network with each other , providing a serendipitous activity that is positively engaging . Creating a sense of belonging and community was deemed as one of the most important functions .

The latest iteration of a handful of gaming events – PAX Australia , PAX USA and EGX Germany and UK – has recently culminated in PAX Online x EGX Digital , a continuous global event , which followed the sun . PAX events are held annually in Boston , Philadelphia , San Antonio and Seattle in the USA , and , in Melbourne , Australia . EGX is held in Berlin and London each year . In 2020 , the events combined to create PAX Online x ERG Digital . The online event ran from 12-20 September and provides a template for good practice in running a continuous global event over
more than one day . Each day started with activities programmed for UK audiences from 12 noon . Then at 6pm UK time , the U . S took over and ran their activities for 12 hours . The event was then taken over by the Australian team who ran a six-hour session ; and then production control came back to the UK . The ever popular PAX panels were featured in the online version with a full programme of continuous 24-hour panel sessions . Sponsor and exhibitor booths were also open 24 / 7 throughout the nine days . The booths offered video content , e-brochures and game trials . Some of the
sponsors added special promotions and exclusive content , and some booths ran their own panels . “ The aim was to try and bring the show floor to life with human engagement , on top of the strong content sources that exhibitors were offering ,” David Lilley , head of events at organiser Reed POP says . “ By running over 24 hours , we allowed attendees from anywhere in the world to engage locally or internationally but importantly when it was convenient for them to do so . Added to this , all streamed content could be watched in real-time or on-demand via Twitch .”
The Takeaways For Lilley , the secret to running continuous events across timezones is having a dependable global team , each with their own in-house technical outfit whilst knowing what the audience ‘ really ’ wants by working with the event community . Other organisers of continuous global events agree . Graham Simon ran a five-day continuous event with 25-minute slots for Jacobs Media Group . He adds that using technology to avoid content clashes is vital and advises to avoid planning a worldwide event over a period when clocks go back or forward since it causes e-calendar diary malfunctions .
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