Virtual Events are helping brands launch products in India

Posted by Ankit on January 29th, 2021

“Excelsior” is the catchphrase that the great Stan Lee used to close out his comic book columns with. It also happened to be the last word he said before his demise. The pandemic forced us to look at possibilities that we as marketers were simply not ready to entertain a few months ago. COVID-19 in a way was the excelsior for physical events. At least the ones that we are used to. It is time for us to go virtual. 

Virtually eventful - How does a normal event compare to a virtual event platform. 

We readily went about our daily conversations on Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger and tweeted to the world our thoughts on Twitter. Little did we know we are getting accustomed to a new way of communicating and participating in a common cause. So while the entire concept of virtual events was still catching up with the rest of the world, the working professional unknowingly took baby steps towards joining webinars on Skype, MS Teams, and Zoom. It allowed us to familiarise ourselves with the nitty-gritty of online/virtual events that will be here to stay. A normal event was a place swarming with people in all their glory, blood and sweat interacting with the exhibitors. In a virtual event, there is scope for all the glory, minus the hassles that it brings along. 

More, mightier, infinite - The towering advantages of going virtual.

Virtual events are simply the online version of physical events with one tiny little change, it is limitless. Limitless in its potential to accommodate people, limitless in its reach, limitless customization options, creativity, and presentation capabilities. The scope of the grandeur of a virtual event is only limited by the creator’s imagination. A few advantages of going virtual are, 

1. More – The cost-effectiveness is undeniably evident for the attendee and the organizer. It is one of the biggest factors to make the switch. A virtual setup is nothing but a collection of cameras, green screens, recording and editing professionals who put together a flawless presentation. 

2. Mightier – Virtual events are reliable since there is not much that can go wrong with them. There is hardly any wastage of resources, which makes it friendlier towards the environment and reports suggest interaction within a virtual event can be more engaging as compared to the one in a physical event. 

3. Infinite – Anyone with a device that supports a web browser can be a part of the event. They can choose their activities, visit it while it’s happening life, or simply at any other time that would be convenient. 

The new launchpad.- Apple, OnePlus, BMW, and countless others used the virtual medium to launch their products.  

The WWDC20 was Apple’s shift from physical to virtual events. It conducted the event with typical apple minimalism and understated grandiose while maintaining the format of their physical events. OnePlus launched its flagship device the OnePlus 8 in April while keeping the format engaging. The live stream was later available on YouTube and OnePlus’s very own website. Due to the cancelation of the Geneva Auto Show, many carmakers had to move to the virtual platform to showcase their new products. One such brand was BMW, it’s virtual tour covered all the new products from its line up and gave the visitors the experience of the BMW booth that they would have at the Geneva Motor show 

The Crystal Ball – Predictions for now and beyond

Virtual events are here to stay since attendees will refrain from participating in events involving large crowds. Virtual events guarantee safety while progressively being the torch-bearer for a new age of marketing. Virtual event software, digital avatars, incorporation of VR and AR can broaden the horizons for brands to think more creatively than ever before. This is a door that once we walk past, we will have no turning back from. A new world with endless possibilities,