Why Hybrid Events Is Here to Stay
Hybrid or carbon-efficient events are an emerging trend and have caught the attention of many corporate planners. These types of events are ones that utilize technologies like biomass, electricity from solar panels, and other renewable energy sources in order to create an environmentally – friendly and just as successful event as a typical event that requires hosting larger numbers of attendees and set up tents and stages with expensive lighting and audio equipment. Additionally, this type of event offers the convenience of an outside party with an indoor stage where attendees can meet and socialize. All of these perks add to the benefits of a successful event: producing an environment that’s safer for people to be in, using fewer fossil fuels while creating and promoting a unique experience for attendees.
The concept of hybrid events began at Burning Man Festival in the summer of 2021 when the annual event moved from the San Francisco area to the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. With its focus on attracting a more diverse group of attendees and creating a more intimate setting, Burning Man quickly established itself as one of the premier events of the Burning Man Festival International and one of the most popular and influential cultural events of the decade. But why do event organizers choose to incorporate this type of event into their planning? What are its advantages over traditional festivals? And how has it benefited its organizers?
One of the main reasons why organizers choose to incorporate a hybrid event is its potential for growing the size of their in-person audience. Typically, Burning Man offers its attendees a one-of-a-kind experience of a festival held in the open air – and with few restrictions. However, with the increasing popularity of Burning Man, more people are becoming interested in attending the yearly Labor Day Weekend festival, which is held in the summertime. Because of its uniqueness and the fact that it offers an alternative to a traditional venue, more event organizers are finding that they can attract more visitors and participants by making their events more “transparent” in the sense that they offer more than one in-person audience member a chance to attend.
It is important to note that the term “hybrid” does not refer to any kind of technological innovation or manipulation of the medium. Instead, it refers to how the medium is used to increase the overall value of the event and its appeal to specific target audiences. The event allows the organizers to tap into more sources of potential audience members, thus increasing the potential audience size. For example, the popularity of Burning Man’s annual Labor Day Weekend event can be attributed to the fact that it allows attendees to participate in the festivities via various media such as television, lasers, and pyrotechnics – all of which are forms of multimedia.
Similarly, traditional festivals tend to limit participation by limiting the demographics of the audience. It is common practice for event organizers to attract a very diverse crowd by playing music especially popular with a certain kind of crowd. However, virtual events allow organizers to circumvent these restrictions. The increasing popularity of such hybrid events is due to their ability to immediately build a larger base of customers. This means that the organizers can build greater loyalty and engagement from the very beginning.
The attraction of such hybrid events is the fact that they allow the organizers to reach audiences that could not be reached through more traditional means. Traditional ways of attracting audiences are limited and often inaccurate because they tend to only target certain kinds of audiences and typically to a smaller extent. For example, it would be difficult to draw an audience that includes people of a certain ethnic background, as they are not typically included in any mix. Likewise, many people do not identify with the medium of live events. But by incorporating various forms of visual and audio entertainment, virtual audiences are much more likely to be included.
The growth of online video and podcasting has also played a vital role in the growth of hybrid events. By incorporating a popular social media platform into the promotional mix, businesses can attract more interactive viewers, who are more likely to become brand ambassadors or consumer advocates. This is particularly useful for smaller companies that have yet to establish a good online reputation.
There are various hybrid events that can be promoted online, ranging from simple drawing contests to live events with DJ sets and everything in between. To attract the most attention from the audience, the best approach is to combine the best of both digital and physical mediums. An effective hybrid event will combine some form of online interactivity, like blogging or tweeting, with elements of live interactivity, like video. But the real trick is to build up an engaging content strategy that allows users to feel engaged in the experience. The content should engage the audience and the product and allow them to leave comments on the event planners’ website, share videos of the event and/or the performance, and rate or comment on the performance.
