Hybrid Events:
Future Report
VOK DAMS.Consulting GmbH
Corporate Live-Communication
VOK DAMS
Institute for Live-Marketing
Platzhoffstraße 24
42115 Wuppertal
Germany
Phone: +49 202 38 907-402
Fax: +49 202 38 907-499
Whitepaper
[email protected]
www.vokdams-consulting.de
Hybrid Events: Future Report
“The best way to predict
the future is to create it.”
Willy Brandt
(Former German Chancellor)
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
Content
_Abstract4
_Part 1: Why think of tomorrow? _Next Stop: the future!
_Event marketing between two generations.
5
6
7
_Part 2: Event Concepts 3.0
_Let the games begin! Gamification
and alternate reality
_Collaboration 3.0: smart networks for more interaction and teamwork.
12
13
_Part 3: All options, no musts.
New technologies under scrutiny.
_Number 5 is alive! – Robotics and virtual assistants.
_Brand experience PLUS: event marketing and
the third dimension.
_How does communication affect people – and why?
Future efficiency measurement in communication.
20
_Part 4: “What’s next?” – The top themes of the future in a nutshell.
32
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27
_ContaCt35
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
Abstract
This Hybrid Events: Future Report
wants to question and to explain in
what way current developments and
trends influence and form the requirements of and demands on marketing events and how they will affect
event design in future.
The youth of today are the event
participants of tomorrow. Already
today companies have to gradually
adjust their event concepts and strategies to this younger target group,
the so-called digital natives, in order
to facilitate the imminent generational
change.
Hybrid events, i.e. live-marketing plus
MoSoLo (mobile applications, social
media, location-based services) are
not a short-lived trend, but will decisively shape live-communication in
future. Event organizers thus should
not shirk from introducing their participants early on to new functions and
possibilities. They should also directly
work towards the older target groups
accepting these new options and
awaken their interest for them.
This Future Report looks at some
future event concepts in depth. It
shows how modern game tactics can
be applied to events and examines in
detail how gamification influences the
communication process and how
alternate reality games – in which the
participants actively delve into a
staged story over a long period of
time – shape the event design of the
future.
How information and knowledge is
passed on at events will also change
massively in future. Infotainment –
merging information and entertainment – will be even more strongly
shaped by collaboration and teamwork. The concept of smart networks
explains how participants and organizers alike are able to benefit from
this change by building up intelligent
information networks.
On a technological level this Future
Report shows how virtual assistant
systems and, possibly a little later,
humanoid robots can contribute to
turning an event into an individual,
personalized occasion for each
participant in future.
Also, the application of 3D technologies allows for several exciting options
for live-communication. This Future
Report introduces modern projection
technologies and describes how a
virtual scope is transformed into a
realistic environment by using visual,
haptic and acoustic elements.
Finally, we examine how the trend
topic measuring effectiveness in
events will be substantially changed in
future by utilizing social media monitoring, smart networks, smartphones
and tablet PCs. A forecast of the future
rounds off and summarizes this
whitepaper.
Enjoy reading!
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
Part1: Why think of
tomorrow?
»
Companies can gain a lot more target group attention by utilizing game
strategies and they also gain more time to playfully convey brand- and
product-related content. 5
Hybrid Events: Future Report
Part 1: Why think of tomorrow?
Next stop: the future!
Our world is in a transitional phase.
The new communication formats
and technologies of the web 2.0 have
not only changed the perception and
usage of the Internet, but have also
profoundly changed life in general.
They have deeply impacted the way
we communicate, our economic
activity and also the way products
and services are advertised.
The digitally-connected Generation Y
is gradually replacing the last analog
generation of the over-30s, the new
“inhabitants” –the digital natives –
supersede the “digital immigrants”.
Those who formerly were mere
recipients of messages have now
evolved into participating communicators; the formerly “quiet” consumers have now turned into active,
producing prosumers.
The former mass media such as
newspapers and television are now
an endangered species, while former
fringe-technology has turned into
mass media. So what is going to
happen next?
More than 110.000 innovative companies regularly launch new products.1) In Germany alone, for example 60.000 patents were
registered in 2011.2) In the past five
years, approximately 40 million Euro
went into the promotion of young
companies that specialized in software, Internet and communication
technologies. The fact that the supporting program Research and
Development of the European Union
envisages that a further 9 billion Euro
are going to be invested into supporting IT and communication technologies goes to show the significance attributed to innovations in this
technological field.3)
As the Internet has established itself
across the generations, more than
20% of all (gross) advertising expenditure is spent on online advertising.
The online growth rates here go into
double figures.4)
As far as those responsible for management, marketing and sales are
concerned, new technologies such as
mobile apps and cloud services,
social networks and virtual consultants or concierges are ideally suited
to develop new markets and increase sales.5)
1) German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, cf.
http://www.bmwi.de/BMWi/Redaktion/PDF/Publikationen/technologie-undinnovationspolitik,property=pdf,bereich=bmwi2012,sprache=de,rwb=true.pdf
2) Source: Annual Review 2011 of German Patent and Trademark Office DPMA cf. http://
www.dpma.de/docs/service/veroeffentlichungen/jahresberichte/jahresbericht2011_
nichtbarrierefrei.pdf
3) 3) German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, cf.
http://www.bmwi.de/BMWi/Redaktion/PDF/Publikationen/technologie-undinnovationspolitik,property=pdf,bereich=bmwi2012,sprache=de,rwb=true.pdf
4) OVK Online Report 01/2012 cf.
http://bvdw.org/fileadmin/bvdw-shop/ovk_report2012_1.pdf
5) Vgl. „Service in Echtzeit“ – Neue Technologien versprechen Erfolg“ unter http://www.marketing-boerse.de/News/details/1233%84Service-in-Echtzeit%93-%96Neue-Technologien-versprechen-Erfolg
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
Part 1: Why think of tomorrow?
This Future Report wants to question and to explain what effects
these current developments and
trends have on the requirements
and design of marketing events.
What are the hybrid events going
to look like in the near future?
Which trends will pass, which will
surpass in the long-term? What
are truly innovative currents in
live-communication? How does
event marketing have to adjust
itself to people’s new needs and
expectations?
Although this Future Report cannot give any final answers to these
questions, it can, nevertheless, on
the one hand, critically analyze
and assess technologies, trends
and visions, and, on the other
hand, examine requirements,
critical voices and challenges. All
these allow sketching future hybrid event strategies already today.
challenges regularly posed to
event marketing and also examines how the application of new
technologies can and will have to
contribute to live-communication
in future.
The digital natives.
The adolescents and young adults
born after 1980 are nowadays called
digital natives or Generation Y.
Digital natives and digital immigrants –
what-if scenarios …
Event marketing between two
generations.
Before the next chapter examines
the conceptual and technological
future of live-communication, this
Future Report first looks into the
basic structure of needs of two
central event target groups: the
digital natives and the digital
immigrants. An analysis of their
respective interests and communicative behavior exemplifies the
Sources:
http://adsoftheworld.com/
media/print/maximidia_seminars_vintage_youtube?size=_
original
http://adsoftheworld.com/
media/print/maximidia_seminars_vintage_
skype
http://adsoftheworld.com/
media/print/maximidia_seminars_vintage_
facebook
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
Part 1: Why think of tomorrow?
They have largely grown up with
computers and the Internet and
view life in a digitally-connected,
interactive society as a matter of
course. What characterizes the
digital natives as a future event
target group?
’Tis early practice only makes the master…
a matter of course for digital natives.
For quite some time now digital
natives increasingly turn away
from traditional communication
channels. Instead of informing
themselves via print media, television or the radio, they get their
information online and via mobile
appliances such as smartphones
or tablet PCs.
The communicative and informative behavior of the Generation Y
generally takes place within the
digital space, which is why it is
increasingly difficult and sometimes almost impossible to reach
them via the traditional communication channels.
Yet, their increasing mobility, their
desire for individualization as well
as their passion for special happenings or the unusual all make
them highly prone to events and
experience-oriented occasions.
By living in a constant surplus of
advertising and information, the
digital natives are often regarded
as having a shorter attention
span, somewhat turning them into
prototypes of the modern hunters
and gatherers. Everything that
instantly manages to attract their
attention, everything that is liked,
is perceived, taken in and (intellectually) processed. Knowledge
no longer has to be learned and
stored long-term, it is rather much
more important that it can be
accessed as quickly as possible.
Their perception focuses more on
visual content and not as much on
content based on text. Also, teamwork, i.e. interaction and networking, forms one of the main elements of the digital natives’
learning process.
In future, all factors that work
towards making an event successful and effective will have to
be increasingly directed and
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
Part 1: Why think of tomorrow?
tailored to this new generation.
The Generation Y ratio of today’s
event target groups is constantly
increasing. Already in 2020, those
born in the 1990s and 2000s will
have grown into fully-fledged
consumers and will, to a large
part, be in well into their professional lives. The children and adolescents of today are the target
group and event participants of
tomorrow. In order for companies
to smoothly manage this transition, it is vital that they gradually
tailor their event concepts and
strategies to the requirements and
expectations of the digital natives
already today.
Although this generational change
is conceivable already, it has only
been put into effect to a small
degree.
Especially in the coming years,
event producers are facing the
challenge of having to tailor their
event concepts and strategies to
two very different target groups.
They have to be sufficiently digital
for the digital natives and suitably
analog for the digital immigrants.
iPad for munchkins:
for the youth of tomorrow
handling new technologies
is a matter of course.
Source:
http://www.thetechlabs.com/
wp-content/uploads/2012/05/
ARNOVA-Archos-Child-Pad-withAlvin-and-the-Chipmunks.jpg
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
Part 1: Why think of tomorrow?
The digital immigrants.
In contrast to the digital native, all
those who did not grow up with
computers, mobile phones, the
Internet and emails, are so-called
digital immigrants, who had to
gradually acquaint themselves to
these technological innovations.
These stakeholders pose a central
challenge for future hybrid event
strategies: the digital immigrants
are often more prejudiced against
technological innovations than
digital natives. Thus, for example,
topics such as the security of
personal data and privacy are
often attributed more importance
with increasing age. Furthermore,
often an older target group has to
be very directly and consciously
activated and motivated to use
social media. A first access often
happens within the family, when
children and adolescents introduce their parents to the new technologies and their possibilities.
Here, often the first skepticism
gives way to an inquisitive play
instinct as soon as the (social and
functional) advantages of the new
technologies reveal themselves.
So what does this mean for the
staging and production of events
and how can hybrid dramaturgies
utilize these learning mechanisms?
As the ratio of digital natives
within event target groups is
increasingly on the rise, it will be
ever more important to integrate
mobile applications, social media
and location-based services into
events. Other than the new natives, for whom a life both in reality
and “virtuality” is a matter of
course and almost natural, the
older target groups first have to
be given an adequate access to
these new media and technologies. This access does not evolve
automatically, simply by the mere
existence of QR codes, the link to
a cloud or the possibility to interact on social media platforms.
Rather, it evolves by interlinking
these new technologies into an
overall communicative process
that is both useful and playful.
Hybrid events that merge livemarketing with MoSoLo (mobile
applications, social media, location-based services) are not a
short-lived trend, but will decisively shape live-communication in
future. Already today, event organizers enhance interaction with
hybrid boosting. Practical experience show how important and
how viable it is to introduce participants early on to new functions
and opportunities, as this systematically increases the acceptance of the older target groups
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
Part 1: Why think of tomorrow?
and awakens their interests. This
does not need to by done by
boring handbooks, lectures or
instructions, but can happen – all
in line with modern live-communication – in a lively, straight-forward and playful manner tailored
towards their requirements.
To allow both target groups mutual access to the next generation of
event communication, hybrid
productions will have to be geared even more to the joint basic
needs of both the digital natives
and the digital immigrants in
future.
On the one hand, honest appreciation, attention and a sense of
achievement as well as, on the
other hand, interaction with likeminded peers, usefulness as well
as fun will remain the basic of
event communication in future.
But what will the next generation
of hybrid boosting tools look like
and how will they be applied to
hybrid events?
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
Part 2: Event Concepts 3.0
»
An important added value of using game strategies is that participants
become voluntarily attached to the communication process and are highly
involved over a long period of time.
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
Part 2: Event Concepts 3.0
Let the games begin!
Gamification and alternate reality
games.
One option to successfully address
both target groups is using game
mechanisms in event communication. This, however, does not refer to
games in general, but rather to the
technics and tactics on which the
success of well-known board games
and computer games is based.
For live-communication mainly two
game concepts are of special interest: the more generalized concept
of gamification, in which the communication process itself is gamified, and alternate reality games, a
type of staged “scavenger hunt”, in
which participants become the
active figures of a story and the
boundaries between the virtual and
the real world merge.
QR Codes
can be converted into presentations, videos, music or picture galleries in a few seconds. Code readers (such as BeeTagg, Quick Scan,
QR) can be downloaded for free at the Appstore or directly via your
mobile browser: http://get.beetagg.com
scan
code
QR
BeeTagg
decode
website
Quick Scan
Sources:
VOK DAMS.Events, MoSoLo
QR App: itunes.apple.com/us/app/qr-reader-for-iphone/id368494609?mt=8
BeeTagg App: itunes.apple.com/de/app/beetagg-qr-reader/id313157282?mt=8
Quick Scan App: itunes.apple.com/us/app/quick-scan-pro-qr-barcode/id447752317?mt=8
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
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An important added value of using
gamification strategies and alternate reality games is that participants
become voluntarily attached to the
communication process and are
highly involved over a long period of
time. By staging different game
levels, individual distinctions, competitions and reward mechanisms,
participants are constantly motivated to carry on playing and are thus
attached long-term.
Companies and brands can gain
significantly more target group
attention by utilizing game strategies
and also gain more time to communicate their brand- and productrelated contents in a playful manner.
Nevertheless, the complete game
process is unforced and voluntarily.
For those who do not want to participate in the game, the event experience remains unaffected. Highly
involved participants, who are willing
to participate more intensely, can be
given attractive additional benefits.
But what do such game processes
look like in the reality of events?
The game could already kick-off
– either openly or with a hidden hint
– with the communication in the
run-up to the event, for example
with the save-the-date notification
or the official invitation. In the first
step, it is imperative to draw the
attention to the game and to make it
equally attractive to participate in it.
Alternate reality games often use
traditional media for this, such as
newspapers or television, yet onlinecontent (for example a staged video
message or an urban-hacking-action) is equally useful to initiate and
broadcast such a live-game.
The gamification wiki offers an overview
over game mechanisms and much more!
Source:
http://gamification.org/wiki/
Game_Mechanics
Source:
http://gamification.org/
A special kind of alternate reality game:
the interactive horror film ”Last Call“
Source:
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=2lrrNZSqElY
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As regards live-communication,
certain components (levels) of the
game always take place in the real
space as well. Thus, for example,
specific hints can be hidden which
can only be discovered by GeoCaching. Highly engaged participants will hunt for the hints and
should also be given a reward (such
as the participation in a raffle or a
special action) or a prize. When
these hints are finally published at
the online platform, nobody is
excluded from the overall game.
All game details can be adapted
individually and should be well
planned in advance, such as the
amount of levels, the technological
devices, the duration of the game.
All elements of the gamified event
communication, however, should
work towards the actual participation in the event itself, for which the
game ultimately has been designed.
This could be done, for example, by
In a nutshell: gamification and ARGs
What is gamification?
Gamification refers to the use of game elements or processes that are
applied in an non-gaming-environment. Game elements are experience
points, levels, status bars, emblems or accolades. Using these playful
elements is to increase motivation and participants‘ involvement.6)
What is an ARG?
An alternate reality game (ARG) is a game that refers back to different
media, and in which the boundaries between fictional experiences and
real incidents are intentionally blurred. Often, it is used in the context of
viral marketing strategies to advertise a product or a service, without
directly promoting it or without discovering its character as an advertising
or promotional event.7)
Especially suitable for:
_Hybrid events
_Public events
_Consumer events
_Trade shows
_Social media marketing
_Urban hacking
_Product launches
6), 7) According to Wikipedia.org
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
Part 2: Event Concepts 3.0
an official award ceremony or by a
playful release of valuable giveaways or special VIP-packages. It is
characteristic for the gamification
concept that it systematically avoids
the negative impression of loosing.
Participants cannot loose by participating in this communicative game,
instead they can but can win by
participating. This further serves as
an incentive.
On a smaller scale, gamification can
also be used at the event directly.
Via an event-app, for example,
individual event components (such
as the participation at a product
presentation or a test drive, scanning QR codes or participating in
special actions or raffles) can be
combined with points or so-called
badges. Participants who participate intensely at the event can thus be
easily identified and can also be
rewarded (and retained) with special advantages after the event.
No matter whether gamification is
used in the pre-communication to
gain attention or increase awareness, at the event itself to create a
more intense experience, or as a
long-term customer retention measure: with more exciting game levels
and ever new incentives and continuous rewards, modern event game
strategies fascinate both young and
old participants and thus make an
important contribution in the fight
for attention, involvement and
brand loyalty.
The internet service provider Stumbleupon structures the internet according
to your interests.
Quelle:
http://www.stumbleupon.com/
Collaboration 3.0: smart
networks for more interaction and
teamwork.
In the energy sector, so called smart
grids, in terms of intelligent energy
networks, have been an important
issue for quite some time now. This
innovative concept tries to answer
the question how intelligent networks between provider, user and
end device can improve an existing
system and, moreover, make it more
efficient.
This approach is also known in a
modified design as smart network,
such as on shopping platforms like
Amazon or the by now second
largest social network of the world
Stumble Upon: here, products which
friends or acquaintances find interesting are automatically recom-
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
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mended to the user. Although first
and foremost supplier and provider
benefit from this concept, it has
been rather successful for several
years now. This shows that people
are more than ever attracted to the
interests, knowledge and opinions of
others.
how, a symposium or a product
launch: the piece of information that
participants are interested in (and
have not already found out about
earlier or read in the accompanying
materials), is generally found and
accessed easily and quickly via one’s
smartphone.8)
Social platforms turn friends and
acquaintances into informationtransmitters. A whole new basic
need has evolved: the fascination
with the digital artifacts found and
discovered by others. And a whole
group of people with similar interests will gather much more interesting content than a single person will
ever manage gather alone. The
ongoing success of Facebook et al.
goes to show that users experience
contributions and suggestions of
others as an added value.
What are comparable products or
services offered by the competitors?
This is why the idea of smart networks will also gain in importance
when it comes to designing hybrid
events. So how can event communication in particular benefit from
these intelligent networks in future?
How many liters/gallons of fuel
does this car need for 100 km?
Is there a blog that gives insights
into experiences and tests?
What videos are posted on YouTube
around this topic?
Where can I become a Facebookfan?
Smart networks:
all information at just one glance!
In event communication, smart
networks are used, as described
earlier on, to first and foremost
facilitate the design and structure of
interesting content, and to make it
easier for participants to search for
specific information.
No matter whether before or after a
trade show, a congress, a roads17
Hybrid Events: Future Report
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All these questions can be of interest
for the visitor as much as for the
organizer himself and can increase
interaction at the event – i.e. hybrid
boosting.
On the one hand, other participants
become aware of and interested in
the interesting finds and thus save
time and effort when they search for
information themselves. On the
other hand, the organizer can also
access the sear-ches, comments
and postings of the smart network
and thus draw some very valuable
conclusions about the respective
target groups.
With a specifically designed software the different searches, content,
comments and postings are sorted
and structured and are then presented in a visually attractive way, so
that a participant can easily browse
through the smart network with his
smartphone or tablet PC. Integrated
into an event app or a homepage
with responsive design9) all participant can quickly access the smart
network, inform themselves and can
add own pages, comment or tips
with just a few clicks – whatever is to
their liking.
This in turn creates a social network
of its own for all content and information, which is contextually connected to the event, brand or product. Each visitor can thus benefit
from the postings and comments of
others. In turn, they are also activated to share their expertise with the
other visitors. Furthermore, a specific software can analyze, which
content is accessed particularly
often by the participants or which
participants are exceptionally active
and constructive in building up this
network of knowledge.
The organizer benefits both from
the added value, which the participants perceive and also from the
insights provided by a detailed
analysis. Although social media
monitoring already today illustrates
the opinions and attitudes of users
rather vividly, it gives, however, very
few information about which sources of information the users are
using outside the platform, which
bargains offered by the competition
are viewed as particularly attractive
and which bit of information is
viewed as truly interesting and
relevant.
Using smart networks thus offer
visitors a further informative added
value and also make it possible for
organizers to observe their participants’ behavior in the (digital) wild
more clearly in future.
8) 60 % aller aktiven Internetnutzer nutzen ihr Smartphone zur Verwendung
von Suchmaschinen. Quelle: http://goo.gl/j0oCe
9) Websites with responsive design automatically detect, wether they are
accessed via a PC, a tablet PC or a smartphone and adjust the layout of the
homepage respectively. Exemplary homepage:
http://www.thismanslife.co.uk/projects/lab/responsiveillustration/
You can change the size of your browser window ad libitum and experience
the variety of responsive design.
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
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In a nutshell: smart networks.
What is a smart network?
Smart networks are small social networks for event visitors, on
which they can exchange opinions about brands, products and
services anonymously. For example via an app, each participant
can contribute interesting content, photos, videos or links and get
real-time feedback from other visitors.
Event organizers can use the smart network to learn more about
the information behavior of their participants and can use this
information to improve their products and services.
Especially suited for:
_Conventions
_Symposia
_Trade shows
_Product launches
_Products/services in need of explanation
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
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New technologies under
scrutiny.
»
Robots will look after visitors and clients, they give room for what is really
important in future and enrich one’s individual event experience in a way that
is both playful and fascinating.
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
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New technologies under scrutiny.
Number 5 is alive! – Robotics and
virtual assistants.
Together with social media networks
and interactive participant sites,
smart networks form the headstone
of a new generation of digital tools
for hybrid events that is still in its
fledgling stage: virtual assistant
systems.
Already by today a large part of
guest management is handled via
virtual portals. With elements such as
the distribution of invitations, log-ins
and individual travel arrangements,
digital guest management makes a
vital contribution to the organization
and implementation of events. Aside
from basic organizational functions,
however, the future virtual assistant
systems will focus much more on the
individual requirements of the event
visitors. So what does this mean for
tomorrow’s live-communication?
Generally, assistant systems offer
participants several attractive added
values. On the one hand, they ease
the organization of the event visit
(travel preparations, planning times
and dates, creation of to-do-lists
etc.). On the other hand, the system
can also be utilized for a social or
professional exchange with other
visitors. One option could conceivably be, for example, that visitors with
similar interest are brought together
or that car-sharing-pools are formed
getting the visitors to the event.
All those participants who are interested in a particular topic could
exchange views or information with
one another via the virtual assistant
system, they could organize a meeting or even contribute to the seating
order. This voluntary self-organization is not only regarded as useful,
comfortable and personal by the
participants but is also beneficial to
the event organizer.
Instead of surveying opinions and
preferences about an event only in a
retrospective event evaluation (efficiency measurement), assistant systems already offer a comprehensive
overview about participants’ questions, wishes and requirements before
the event. Way before the event,
visitors can indicate which topics
interest them, which lectures, actions
or activities they want to attend or
whether they want a personal consultation on a specific topic – all via
an easy-to-handle event app or
website.
Video: robot ASIMO at the Sundance
Film Festival 2011 - participants describe
their impressions of the show.
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=0tRo6a4VhvU&
feature=relmfu
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New technologies under scrutiny.
With multiple-choice questions
visitors can, for example, create
their own interest profile with just a
few clicks and thus personalize their
event visit in advance. The data
collected here is automatically
forwarded to the event organizer
and can thus directly be included in
the operative event planning.
Humanoid robots today:
Asimo and NAO
Similar to social media networks
and smart networks, virtual assistant systems reproduce the visitors’
requirements as regards their
respective needs for information
and experience in a detailed manner. They show, which topics are
regarded as relevant and as important, as well as which are (possibly also important) niche topics
and sensitize the event organizers
to their target group on site.
An automobile manufacturer wants
to survey his visitors with a virtual
assistant system about their wishes
and preferences for his new trade
show appearance in advance. As
all survey participants automatically take part in a raffle for a
special day, the response rate is
high. The survey gives the following
insights: although the presence of a
celebrity guest is overall regarded
as an important side event element, a mere 5% are actually
interested in a meet & greet. As
main attraction, a special guest
appearance thus seems rather
unsuitable. In turn, 39% indicate
Source:
http://www.aldebaran-robotics.com/en/Pressroom/Photography/nao.html
http://asimo.honda.com/gallery/
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
Part 3: All options, no musts.
New technologies under scrutiny.
their interest into compatible accessories and equipment, which is
considerably higher than expected
previously. The trade show stall is
thus designed with a special accessory unit, additional information
material can be downloaded (e.g.
via QR code) and the raffle of an
accessory package is initiated via
social media channels (Facebook,
twitter).
Video: service 3.0 - robot ASIMO
waiting on guests.
In the more remote future, virtual
assistant systems also play a major
role as regards another technology
area: the utilization of robots at
events.
they will be able to socially interact
with people. This leads us to the
question which significance will be
attributed to them in the event
communication of the future?
For many decades, people have
occupied themselves with technologies of the future. Together with
flying cars or the conquest of the
universe, robotics also always had
their large and rather firm share in
such visions.
Already today, robotic systems are
sporadically utilized at events. They
are mainly used as innovative show
elements or special eye catchers at
trade shows. Functions with a truly
interactive potential, however, are
still in the fledgling stages as regards today’s trade show robots.
Though the robots can move (accident-free) in a room, can recognize
faces or even speak, they have no
ability for independent choice of
action. Specialists have to meticulously program and design in advance all the patterns of interaction
and movement, which the visitors
then perceive as independent
actions of the robot. Surprisingly,
this does not affect the fascination
potential of humanoid robots. It
even seems as if computer-operated machines, that walk, dance,
Nowadays, robots are utilized in
different fields of industry and
medicine, they mow the lawn,
dance, hoover, explore foreign
planets or compete at the RoboCup, the world cup for robots.
Thanks to sensors, modern speech
recognition (cf. Apple’s assistant
program SIRI) and with ever more
complex gestures, robots become
increasingly human (or, as experts
put it: humanoid) and can act
increasingly independently. Soon
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=V2ddSJ6a7X4
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
Part 3: All options, no musts.
New technologies under scrutiny.
wave, speak and serve drinks,
fascinate people almost inevitably.
Vision 2020: the robot as the visitor‘s
personal assistant.
In the coming five to ten years,
robotic will be developed further
and this is why we can expect to
increasingly encounter the utilization of robots on trade shows and
events. Robots will then be able
actually to interact with event
objects, to make decisions, and to
independently interact with visitors.
Soon, they will be able to accompany visitors as personal guides or
to be rented on site if necessary.
Via one’s smartphone (for example
via a virtual assistant system) important data such as name, interests and information requirements,
can be retrieved and afterwards
simply docked or transmitted to the
robot. This turns the robot into a
personal visitor assistant, able to
obtain the required information
material, show the way or organize
one’s favorite drinks.
Nevertheless, robots will not replace the interpersonal communication, but rather fulfill administrative
duties. In live-communication, the
individual, interpersonal dialog is
and will remain to be the measure
of all things.
With their deployment at events,
however, robots allow both visitors
and customer advisors more time
for the essential. And at the same
Welcoming - presenting - entertaining:
robots can be used in many ways at events.
Source:
http://asimo.honda.com/gallery/
time they enrich the event experience
in a playful and fascinating manner.
Although these developments still require quite some time, it is nevertheless
worthwhile to keep in mind (and in
sight) this innovative topic of events and
robotics.
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
Part 3: All options, no musts.
New technologies under scrutiny.
Brand experience PLUS:
event marketing and the third
dimension.
At the end of 2009, the cinema hit
Avatar heralded a new age beyond
outdated anaglyph glasses10) and the
specialized IMAX movie theatres. It
was the first 3D film to make almost
three billion dollars at the box office
at run time and is still regarded as
the most successful film production
of its times as regards its commercial
success. Only three months later, in
March 2010, SAMSUNG launched
the first 3D TV, revolutionizing the
home cinema experience.
Today, a mere two years later, it is
hard to imagine cinema or television
without 3D and the 3D technology is
about to discard the special glasses.
In future, event design will also be
increasingly inspired by modern 3D
technologies. And the third dimension can also be applied in several
different ways to marketing events.
From augmented reality to virtual
3D product presentations.
An exciting area of application of 3D
technologies is the design of artificial
theme worlds, in which the participants can immerse themselves with
all their senses and experience
complex products up close and live.
In the near future it will be possible,
thanks to modern 3D projection
Website and video: robot NAO is already used
at events!
http://www.aldebaranrobotics.com/en/Solutions/
For-Show-And-Events/
offer.html
In a nutshell: virtual assistants.
What are virtual assistants?
Organizing the arrival, getting to know new
business partners, researching information or
arranging personal appointments with just a few
clicks … Virtual assistants pursue an ambitious goal:
they are to make the event experience or trade
show visit as comfortable, as simple and as individual as possible.
Especially suitable for:
_Conventions
_Product launches
_Corporate events
_Public events
_Symposia
_Consumer events
_Trade shows
technologies, to present seemingly
real environments in a virtual room
shaped with visual, haptic and
acoustic impulses. In contrast to a
computer animation which includes
a firmly defined sequence and is
10) Anaglyph glasses:
outdated predecessors of
the modern 3D-glasses.
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
Part 3: All options, no musts.
New technologies under scrutiny.
similar to a film, 3D Virtual Reality
allows for an actual interaction with
products and the environment in
real-time. This means that the visitors can move freely in the virtual
space and can manipulate this world
to their liking. For example, buttons,
such as the button to call a lift or
buttons at a product, can be made
available interactively and in turn
trigger actual functions, e.g. the
opening of the lift doors when the
respective button is pressed. A threedimensional visualization technology
allows for a downright immersion
into the virtual world. To achieve this
effect at events, the virtual environment has to be designed as realistically as possible.
People are at the foreground here. In
turn, the computer creates an artificial world around them so that the
viewers experience it with all their
senses and can also change and
shape it. 11)
With a special tracking software the
position of the spectators in the
virtual space is constantly tracked
and their respective view onto the
environment or the object is continually adapted accordingly by the
computer. Thus, a direct interaction
with the object is possible and the
spectators navigate this virtual space
with their own body movements.
Typically, reference points near the
eyes are chosen for this tracking
system as the computer can thus
3D technology is fun
and fascinating!
calculate the respective image faster
and easier.12)
For event marketing of the future this
opens up several, exciting possibilities, which allow for the maximum of
experience and interaction.
With innovative projection technologies to 3D live-marketing.
Another exciting, visual experience
is the application of special projection technologies that create a 3D
effect on real object or buildings.
This technology is also known as 4D
Mapping.
It uses existing objects, structures or
buildings as projection surfaces for
3D animations.
The decisive factor is, that the 3D
effect is not created by glasses or
other technical devices but merely
11) Text and image according
to: http://46.38.233.136/kve/
12) http://46.38.233.136/kve/
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
Part 3: All options, no musts.
New technologies under scrutiny.
by an optical illusion. All imaginable
objects or products can be used as
projection surfaces, so that next to
buildings, cars or conventional
screens, unique effects can also be
used with display dummies or polystyrene heads.
Product presentation 3.0 - virtual scopes
and products that can be touched.
Although here the visual 3D experience is in the foreground, projections
can also be accompanied by music
or contain brand messages, which
are integrated fittingly into the
animation. Here as well, creativity
knows (almost) no boundaries.
How does communication affect
people – and why? Future efficiency measurement in communication.
Communication has to be effective
in order to be successful. Just like all
other corporate communication
instruments, events and live-marketing are also dependent on coherent
concepts and detailed planning. But
how can one measure whether a
chosen strategy is also successful?
According to a current survey, 63 %
of all companies measure their
digital success in terms of the
amount of Facebook fans and
twitter followers.13)
Transferred to event marketing this
would mean: the more visitors participate in an event, the bigger its
success. This simple comparison
shows that a merely quantitative
Quelle:
http://46.38.233.136/kve/
analysis gives very little insights into
the actual communication effect of
a marketing event.
As regards live-communication, the
measurement of efficiency is best
illustrated with the well-known
iceberg-model: only a small part of
the interesting information is detectable straightaway, the larger and
truly relevant part, however, lies
hidden and first needs to be “unlocked”. With social media monitoring
software communication in social
networks can already today be
traced and evaluated in detail.
13) Source: Study Social
Media Trend Monitor 2012
cf. http://www.newsaktuell.
de/smtrend12/
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
Part 3: All options, no musts.
New technologies under scrutiny.
Monitoring allows marketing experts and event organizers a holistic
representation of all communication
activities, which take place before,
during and after an event on social
platforms (Facebook, Twitter).
Thus, for example, they can already
find out more about the wishes and
experiences of their target group
prior to the event and can then,
with the compiled data, check,
whether these expectations were
let down, fulfilled or even surpassed.
Apart from the tonality of fan comments (whether these tend to be
more positive, neutral or negative),
recurring themes and terms, such
as arrival, program, catering as
well as distinct appraisal or criticism are especially in the focus of
the evaluation.
As the communication climate
within an online target group can
be cohesively reproduced in realtime, social media monitoring is
state-of-the-art of efficiency measurement in live-communication
already today.
Almost all hybrid communication
channels allow this so-called
Return On Insight and offer event
organizers an enormous insight into
the effectiveness of their communication measures. Nevertheless, this
also has its limitations. Just as in real
Video: 4D mapping changes whole
buildings into projection surfaces.
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=XSR0Xady02o&
feature=related
life, users of social networks and
news services have their privacy
protected and thus event organizers are refused even deeper
insights into the lifestyle of their
target groups. A formula for successful efficiency measurement of
marketing events will thus be in
future: those who want to know
more need to offer more.
Here now, the previously described
concepts take effect. The Smart
Networks, for example, will offer an
even deeper insight into the information behavior and perception of
event visitors in future than social
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
Part 3: All options, no musts.
New technologies under scrutiny.
media monitoring can do today.
Those, who use such an intelligent
network can benefit from additional services and information. For
this, they only needs to disclose, in
which way and what for the intelligent network is going to be used.
The information obtained is then
evaluated by company and event
organizer to further improve products, services or the event format
itself.
Already today
smartphones
and tablet PCs
are used to
measure the
effectiveness
of events.
Germ
an Pa
Feedb
rtner
confe
rence
ack
2011
Lectu
re nu
mber
: 1000
Active
ly sha
ping
new w
ays
Your
fe
The p
edba
resen
tation
Spea
ker 1
No
ck
was c
o
nvinc
in
g:
Yes
Spea
ker 2
No
This now goes to show that a
realistic efficiency measurement
based on a fair, long-term winwin-relationship between visitors
and event organizers should take
place, from which eventually both
sides will benefit permanently.
It can be expected that the measurement of success and efficiency
with follow-up phone calls or
standardized questionnaires will
soon be replaced by virtual instruments such as social media monitoring.
The future will come up with
further innovative possibilities,
which the usage of mobile devices
entail. The more so, as event apps,
smartphones and tablet PCs are
perfectly equipped for capturing
and reproducing the opinions of
participants in a way that is live,
discreet and straightforward –
and thus almost unaltered and
authentic.
Yes
Download Social Media Event Monitor
SOCIAL MEDIA EVENT MONITOR
Promotions, Events & Messen im Social Web
Was Teilnehmer wirklich denken!
Learn more about the Social Media Event Monitor, just send an
email to [email protected] to obtain a copy.
Der Social Media Event Monitor (SMEM) bietet Ihnen …
� … die Darstellung der Kommunikationsaktivitäten im
29
Hybrid Events: Future Report
Part 3: All options, no musts.
New technologies under scrutiny.
The similarities between an iceberg and the measurement of efficiency?
The major part is hidden.
How is the ratio of male/female fans?
Can we identify unknown target groups?
How often was the invitation to my event shared?
How many Internet fans does my company have ?
How many (Facebook) fans are going to attend my event?
Which messages do fans leave on my company profile?
What are the (attending) fans reporting about the event?
Which persons/fans are regular commentators or contributors?
How often were my messages passed
on („shared“ or „retweeted“)?
What are the key words that show up in
conjunction with my product?
How many visitors checked into the event
site via location-based services?
How high is the conversion rate as regards
intended and actual participation?
What tonality (friendly, reproachful,
enthusiastic, disappointed) dominates
the communication?
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
Part 3: All options, no musts.
New technologies under scrutiny.
For example, visitors can be asked
via push-messages14) to choose
between two or more pictures at
different stations and can thus
intuitively make a statement about
their brand perception.
On the one hand, the choice of
pictures (such as brand attribute
sporty: sailing regatta or Formula
One?) can affirm or modify the
brand image, on the other hand,
the opinion poll can via simple
picture language give deep insights
into the opinions and views of the
target audience.
place in future, the higher will be
the response rate of the participants.
14) Benachrichtigungen einer
mobilen Applikation, welche
dem Nutzer (ähnlich einer
Kurznachricht) direkt auf dem
Display angezeigt werden.
The marketplace intelligence is the
business intelligence15) of the future.
The efficiency measurement of
live-marketing is in its direct context, as the profound understanding
of consumers, markets and target
groups will become an ever more
decisive competitive factor.
15) ?
The easier, the more intuitive and
the more playful such polls take
A picture is worth
1000 words: in future, measuring
efficiency via
smartphones and
tablet PCs will be
best utilized by
using a simple
picture language.
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
Part 4: “What’s next?” –
The top themes of the future in a nutshell.
»
The marketplace intelligence, the knowledge about the consumers
and the mechanisms of one’s own market will be one of the crucial success factors of event marketing in future.
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
Part 4: “What’s next?” –
The top themes of the future in a nutshell.
1) Communication for the next
generation: nothing is as constant
as change!
2) With long-term strategies to
success: attachment is the new
attention.
Marketing experts and event organizers have to face the fact that the
target groups of today will soon be
superseded by a new participant
generation. The event visitors of
tomorrow have grown up with the
Internet and regard smartphones,
tablet PCs, 3D television, mobile
apps and social networks as an
absolutely natural matter of course.
Live-communication of the future
can be compared to a good book:
it all begins with the cover. If the
book has a catchy title, the readers
will be interested in it. But only if the
first pages are captivating and
immerse them into an exciting
story, will they read the story and
possibly even recommend it to
friends and acquaintances. The
new maxim of live-communication
is: attachment is the new attention.
Event communication has to adapt
to these new conditions in due
course and it has to evolve with
them, but without disregarding the
requirements of the senior event
visitors. Thus, already today companies should systematically learn
and also train the deployment of
modern technologies, as only those
who take into account the characteristics and the communication
behavior of digital natives early on
will be part of the winners of this
change in future.
The future of live-communication
will be less shaped by new, groundbreaking technological innovations,
but rather by how already existing
tools are applied in event communication. Mobile applications, social
media networks and locationbased services should not merely
be used as alluring add-ons, but
have to be utilized sensibly and with
taking a long-term view.
Came concepts that build on MoSoLo or gamification, such as
alternate reality games, can make
live-communication a lot more
exciting and can captivate participants over a long time.
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Hybrid Events: Future Report
Part 4: “What’s next?” –
The top themes of the future in a nutshell.
3) Knowledge is power: marketplace intelligence as future success factor.
What do successful live-communication and the search for Christmas
or birthday presents have in common? The better you know the
person, the more you know what
they will be most delighted with and
what they are really interested in.
This can also be transferred to the
relationship between event organizers and participants: the more you
know about the target groups’
requirements and their expectations both as regards information
and experience, the more these
requirements and wishes can finally
also be met and fulfilled.
groups and to monitor and observe
their communication behavior. The
utilization of smartphones, tablet
PCs, mobile applications and smart
networks will revolutionize efficiency measurement in future and allow
for event evaluations with unforeseen precision and depth.
Marketplace intelligence, the
knowledge around the consumers
and the mechanisms of one’s own
market, will become one of the
most important success factors for
event marketing in future.
Already today social media monitoring offers many options to inform oneself about one’s target
34
Hybrid Events: Future Report
ContaCt
Wolfgang Altenstrasser
Director
VOK DAMS
Institute for Live-Marketing
Platzhoffstraße 24
42115 Wuppertal
Phone: +49 202 38 907-202
Fax: +49 202 38 907-199
[email protected]
www.vokdams-ilm.de
www.vokdams.de
www.facebook.com/vokdams
www.twitter.com/vokdams
35