The Future of Event Management is Digital

Event management involves a multitude of roles and responsibilities for physical, hybrid and virtual events.

Digital event management can be referred to as the process of facilitating and coordinating events that are delivered through technology. This umbrella can also include facets of digital marketing, PR liaison and post-event data analysis; it includes all internal and external activities that exist from the start to the finish of an event project. Alive’s services mostly involve the management of our virtual event delivery, making sure we are constantly innovating our products, having the most up to date technical advances and a team of creative tech-savvy event managers on hand to ensure the best outcome for our clients.

In order to elevate our digital game, Alive rolled out an entirely new product offering in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic, known as Alive TV. This is a key example of the most up to date event management activities we engage in, ensuring our online delivery is curated in a bespoke manner, for both live and pre-recorded event activities.

Our intent was to internally develop a product that would connect our external clients on a global scale. We listened to our clients and conducted 3 months of research and development to come up with a unique alternative to ‘webinars’ with a fully realized, immersive content platform launched as Alive TV. This TV show experience is curated to provide a bespoke client broadcast programme. The product allows for creation of a custom virtual studio, providing a unique stage themed according to client branding and event theme and was launched successfully for Luxottica’s store manager roadshow – transforming its traditionally in-person annual business summit to a virtual TV studio delivery for the first time. By branding the offering as ‘Alive TV’, this helped clients understand better what was possible by comparing the experience to a TV type chat show rather than ‘Webinars’ or ‘Zoom meetings.

Like many event companies, webinars do require organisation, technical capabilities and the ability to creatively plan client content. However the bespoke nature of the ‘Alive TV’ product requires our team to combine satellite streaming, with pre-recorded studio content that allows for maximum brand exposure (think on screen animations, transitions and backgrounds). This could include filming in the studios locations we have across Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, or building web platforms for our clients in which quizzes, interactive games, live performances and guest speakers can engage with audiences tuning in from the comfort of their own home. The digital side requires a degree of trouble-shooting and liaising with our online suppliers and technical support staff to ensure a seamless virtual event.

The difference between digital and traditional event management means juggling with the necessity to physically cater for the needs of large groups, like food, drink, OH&S regulations, capacity limitations and selecting the most appropriate venue that the client is happy with.

The intricacies of digital require a more detailed imagination and propose a slight challenge when it comes to ensuring audience engagement, participation and enjoyment from an event delivered in the virtual space.

A resounding benefit is being able to measure engagement metrics throughout an event, which is easier to gauge through technology than it is in person. Thus, a big push for hybrid events which include both virtual and physical aspects has occurred, making it easier for businesses to adapt their future event experiences based off the engagement levels of previous virtual event strategy.