A journey without maps
In July 2021, TFI Lodestar’s Josh Willmott won Online Event Producer of the Year at the CN Agency Awards. For Josh and his company, the previous year had been one of rapid learning and adaptation. Matthew Gidley, TFI Lodestar’s Head of Strategy, spoke to the company’s clients to discover how the pandemic had affected them, how they had adapted, and what it might bode for the future of live events.
Whether it was the construction industry events lead who hoped it would all just blow over, the automotive and mobility comms director who assumed it would be tricky but manageable, or the pharmaceutical business unit director whose company saw it coming and went into lockdown before we were even into March, nobody could foresee the full havoc that Covid would wreak on the live events industry. The disruption was unprecedented, but the signs are that we may just emerge smarter and wiser as a result of it.
“It gave us a chance to reset,” our pharma client told us. “In events we’re working a million miles an hour, but it gave us the chance to stop and look around. It enabled us to change, do things differently, recognise what works and what feels outdated.” The automotive director agreed, especially when it comes to digital and hybrid events formats: “Covid has been an enabler, an accelerant. We’re so much better with digital now – the technology is better; we’ve learned the etiquette – it’s changed everything.”
Change can be painful though, as our pharma client attests, and in the early days of the pandemic it felt like we were embarking on a journey without maps, making it up as we went along: “We had a rulebook in Events, and the rulebook was completely ripped up. It was scary, we just didn’t know how to engage with our audience, or whether our audience was even still there. It was a constant process of learning and lightbulb moments.”
In the short-term, virtual events became the global panacea. Events companies quickly developed the capability, and everyone jumped on board. But how effective was it? Were we using new tools to answer old questions, and in the process missing something crucial? “Virtual conferences are not the same,” a financial services client told me, “If I attend a virtual conference I’m usually also working and taking calls. I’m not ‘in the room’, literally or otherwise. My customers will be doing the same – we’re losing engagement.” Our automotive client recognised this immediately, and was quick to embrace hybrid as soon as restrictions eased: “Hybrid, when it became possible, was a big help. It didn’t take long for media to start complaining about everything being digital, and disengaging. When we started to engage face-to-face, in a Covid-secure way, they were very happy.”
It’s the ‘making people happy’ part that’s always been such a powerful aspect of the live experience, as our construction industry client pointed out: “It’s all about fostering relationships, the emotional connection you build with someone. Whether they’re a well-established customer or a prospect, it’s so much easier to connect in person. Digital tools have their uses, but we found that we couldn’t tick the box on the human and emotional connection. There’s definitely recognition within our company of the importance of that emotional connection and the power of face-to-face.” Our pharma client agrees: “During the pandemic, virtual was absolutely booming. It felt like it was going to take over. But we’ve taken a step back now, because we found it so hard to make the one-on-one connection. When you’re physically together everyone is signed up and mentally checked in. Virtual has been powerful for us in so many ways, but it isn’t a cure-all. I still don’t think we’ve nailed down what the right balance looks like.”
Finding the right balance is the big head-scratcher in our industry. Much of what used to work probably still does, but through necessity we’ve developed tools and formats that make going back to the old ways seem impossible. Our financial services client again: “Hybrid gives you greater flexibility; you can reach more people at less cost. You have to invest a bit more in creativity and production, but the multi-channel approach is worth it, it keeps the bar above our competitors. We’re learning where the value is. But I’m still trying to understand what audience expectations are going to be. That’s the missing piece of the puzzle.” For our automotive and mobility client, the effects of the pandemic and its resulting innovations are likely to be long-lasting: “Digital helped us change the format of our events. Hybrid allowed us to raise the bar. We’re giving our audience more of what they want, which is content, and because there’s not as much travelling involved, we’re doing it in ways that actually improve their quality of life. I’m not sure we could ever go back.”
It’s been a difficult time, a strange journey – but like all disruptions, many positives have emerged. Maybe it nudged our industry towards better, more flexible, and ultimately more efficient ways of working. If that’s the case, despite the pain, we’ll all be the better for it. Our pharma client definitely thinks so: “Covid made us stop and think. It made us question what we were doing. It was a horrible shock at first, but without Covid we wouldn’t have found these efficiencies and improved our performance. It gave us the time to focus on how to make our lives better and our work more efficient. I’m very positive! I’m not depressed!”
