Chairman Richard John introduced a team of leading events industry professionals to debate the benefits and the development of blended, or hybrid, events in some detail. The viability and effectiveness of the eStream streaming solution was clearly demonstrated on the day, with 25% of the audience watching and interacting online as remote participants.
Topics and questions from the room and from the online audience were discussed, broadcast and captured, using the Saville iDEA iPad platform to sample opinions and display results on screen. Nearly half the audience comprised professional event organisers and 60% saw the benefits to accessing a wider audience coupled with the ability to respond to changing market trends that the hybrid model provides.
The event also included a spectacular projection mapping demonstration using a specially designed 100ft wide set, created by the on-site Saville conference team.
Saville digital events production manager Gareth Lloyd said, "An event of this size takes a considerable amount of time and effort to produce, but the feedback we've received has been exceptionally positive, making the whole thing really worthwhile. We were particularly impressed with the enthusiasm shown for the hybrid conference model."
(Jim Evans)