If you’re trying to coax your delegates back to live events, you had better make sure they are entertained. With the right technology and a skilled production partner, we discover some of the AV trends that hold the potential to take your expos to the next level.
After a whirlwind of virtual innovation over the past year, it can be easy to forget just how far live event production has come. The virtual event revolution started with Zoom, but it has swiftly evolved to incorporate sophisticated immersive platforms at the cutting edge of audience interaction. When we’ve come this far in just over a year, it’s exciting to consider what could be coming next when these technological developments are brought into a live event setting to engage audiences in new, exciting ways.
In only a few years, the typical exhibition audience makeup will look very different.
According to the most recent census, by 2023, Gen Z will account for 62% of the UK events workforce. More readily embracing technology, while statistically possessing shorter attention spans, the rule of thumb is if your event isn’t interactive, the younger generation aren’t going to stick around. The audience of tomorrow needs to be entertained and is hungry for events with those Instagramable moments. Holding our audience’s attention has been a crucial concern for planners in a virtual world, yet we shouldn’t expect the return of in-person events to act as the panacea for this ever-present challenge. Fortunately, the wealth of event production companies we are lucky to have here in the UK, are continually pushing boundaries to help our industry make a splash. If you’re seeking an edge over your competition in inventively engaging delegates, utilising this AV expertise is a sure-fire way to put your brand at the forefront.
So here, we indulge in just a little bit of future-gazing, as we discover some of the technologies that could help drive the next wave of AV innovation…
Transform your space with projection mapping
With its ability to captivate live audiences, projection mapping has exploded across the industry, creating an immersive experience like no other. Given the development of
new technologies, the lower cost and ease of implementation, projection mapping is positioned to be one of the most requested trends by event professionals in the months
ahead. Using a projector to throw imagery onto a surface, projections can be as simple as indoor stage effects or as complex as video projected onto buildings and industrial landscapes.
Whether 2D or 3D, the technique allows objects or spaces of any size to become canvases for light. No matter your venue, projection mapping can bring new life, with
delegates able to walk through a blank canvas space feeling as if they are in a completely different environment. Effectively painting with light, you can easily add textures, colours and atmospheres to your event environment. From creating a buzzing skyline inside a foyer space or transforming a bare wall into a dramatic stage design behind a presenter, manipulating lighting can turn everyday objects and surfaces into interactive, 3D displays, from sponsor branding, all the way through to film-style narratives.
You’ll find ways to integrate projection mapping everywhere from galas to conferences, but if your budget is limited your AV company will be able to advise what is within the realm of possibility in terms of the scale of projection to ensure you achieve the best bang for your buck.
Bring your event to life with holographic imaging
The technology of the future, holographic imaging is no longer confined to a galaxy far, far away. Greek for ‘message’, holograms were famously brought to the public
consciousness in 1977 when R2D2 projected a hologram of Princess Leia imploring Obi-Wan Kenobi for help. Once the stuff of sci-fi, holograms have quite literally taken centre stage in the music business. Michael Jackson, Tupac Shakur, and Whitney Houston, to name but a few famous musical personalities, have taken to the stage in holographic form in recent years. But as well as concerts, holographic technology is being used in the world of corporate events.
As the technology becomes more affordable, smaller scale events and venues are expected to embrace it. Beyond the traditional floating logos and displays often seen flying around exhibition halls, you can use it to incorporate 3D images into a set design or to add excitement to a presentation, bridging locations and pushing geographic boundaries with immersive, interactive elements. Event planners can even leverage holograms to produce stunning promotions for sponsors. While the pandemic has restricted travel, the virtual revolution has meant event organisers have been able to harness talent from all corners of the globe – a silver lining that will undoubtedly persist as we embrace the new normal. This ultra-realistic telepresence experience opens up the scope for bringing overseas speakers to your event in a far more visually engaging way. Rather than using a Zoom uplink, you can use hologram technology to bring remote presenters on stage, even having them appear in many
locations simultaneously, whether live or pre-recorded, as an incredible ‘wow’ moment for delegates.
Dazzle your audience with virtual and augmented reality
Although nothing can replace face-to-face interaction, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) will undoubtedly be shaking up the event landscape as the perfect tools to educate, entertain and excite audiences. From interactive 3D exhibition stands to unique virtual product demos and presentations, AR enables exhibitors and event organisers to take their event experience to new heights of sensory immersion. Offering unparalleled engagement compared to a presentation or even a video – for tradeshows, think about a 360-degree tour of a product or space or an immersive product demonstration. With COVID and Brexit causing the perfect storm of logistical constraints and sending the cost of worldwide shipping skyrocketing, VR will be a huge part of exhibits and tradeshows, as key products and equipment will be on-site, but the more cumbersome and costly to transport can be virtually demoed in a booth.
In opposition to the more personal, immersive headset-based VR experience, AR tends to be used socially. It doesn’t remove you from your surroundings but combines real and virtual worlds with a smartphone or wearable glasses. There’s a reason VR and AR command attention – attendees want to experience new things. These technologies are here to stay, and our endlessly innovative production companies have shown how the event space can maximise the technology’s potential.
