Tech
and the shutting down of supply
chains. But it is important to try and
find silver linings in dark times and
Michael Piddock, CEO of Glisser,
believes the limitations imposed by
the coronavirus could actually be a
boon for creativity in the long run.
On the subject of streaming
event content remotely, Piddock
says: “By forcing yourself to think
about making something really
engaging through the content
alone, it can allow for a clarity of
focus and ruthlessness about what
your audience wants, and which
speakers can deliver that. When
the world returns to ‘normal’ those
lessons could put many events in a
stronger position going forwards.”
So what resources are out there
for virtual events and streaming?
You can find a few examples in
Options for going digital (box,
right), but there are many more
companies providing these services.
In fact, a number of virtual event
and streaming companies seemed
to pop up almost overnight as the
coronavirus crisis deepened – and
some of their marketing strategies
w w w.exhibitionworld.co.uk
Digital Events Experts
Above:
Michael Piddock,
CEO of Glisser
Above: Jason Anderson,
Digital Director at agency
Avantgarde
struck me as somewhat cynical.
I asked Anderson whether he
thought there was a line to be
drawn between advertising to
fill someone’s need, and taking
advantage of their misfortune. He
replied: “Sadly, there will always be
someone who takes that approach
when there is money to be had.
At Avantgarde, we never push
technology for its own sake – only
when it can genuinely augment an
experience.”
Anderson’s sentiment mirrors
the tone I have increasingly seen
across social media in the events
world. It has been heartening to
see venue management companies
like Easyfairs making their spaces
available to government services,
and suppliers offering the use of
their fleets of trucks during a lull in
business.
Now is not the time for
opportunistic land-grabbing. To
ensure the health and prosperity of
the events industry in the aftermath
of Covid-19, we all need to work
together. And we might need to get
creative with how we use tech to
keep our events running.
Options
for going
digital
Below you’ll find a few
companies which offer
streaming and/or virtual event
services. The list is far from
exhaustive, so if it is an option
you are considering we would
urge you to do your own
research.
• Virtway. Provides a virtual
conference/exhibition
environment that can be
accessed across Windows,
Mac, tablet and mobile,
implementing real-time voice
communication
• Glisser LIVE. Brings
together video streaming with
interactive elements such
as quizzes, polls, Q&As, and
gamification
• NetworkTables. Links the
attendee list of an event to a
video conferencing/webinar
platform. Users can schedule
one to one appointments,
watch presentations, and set up
virtual roundtables
Issue 2 2020
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