In recent years the event sector has experienced strong growth. Even if the event has always been present in the world of business, increasingly it becomes a communication tool for businesses. Many solutions can be implemented either in media or non-media communication. The biggest advantage of the event is the impact generated from targets defined.
In a world increasingly open and competitive, all companies are looking for notoriety, to improve, spread their brand, be able to differentiate them and gain a competitive advantage. Indeed, for a company to make use of events agency requires a certain budget, therefore it’s difficult for a small or medium enterprise to integrate events or more widely holographic events in their communication strategy.
First we should define the event in order to understand its aspects.
From Business Dictionary: “1. Occurrence happening at a determinable time and place, with or without the participation of human agents. It may be a part of a chain of occurrences as an effect of a preceding occurrence and as the cause of a succeeding occurrence. 2. Arrival of a significant point in time. In project management, an event marks the point in time when a task is completed. See also events.”
An advertiser who wants to promote an event on behalf of the company gets two possibilities, either through communication media which includes all communication activities through traditional media either through communication out-medium (direct marketing, alternative advertising, communication actions …). Those who have a sufficient budget as large companies use both types of communication. It is important to do not separate the event communication to the communication media. Media involved as information bias, whose goal is to create media impact even when the event ended.
This chart identifies the importance of choosing the events in the corporate strategy because it can be used on all types of communication.
a) Issues :
An advertiser chooses to do an event based on communication objectives previously set in its strategy. The interest of the event is that it has the ability to reach a large target advertising investment with a strong media coverage carried by information’s relay (journalists, opinion leaders and other influencers invited to the event).
Journalists invited to the event broadcast the information, causing press coverage and can therefore have the choice to create the trend.
The opinion leader is an individual with his reputation, image, is able to recommend a business, promote a brand, and encourage the purchase or use of a product. This person is important in the communication strategy of an advertiser.
His choice must be strategic and logical in relation to the business sector, and the ideas reflects to a significant impact on the image and profitability of it. Other influencers generate word-of-mouth and create buzz around the launch of a new product, a new brand. The purpose of a buzz is to speak up about something before its official launch. A successful event is an event that is remembered, it must mark the spirits.
It must allow audience to meet, make contact and let them live each moment strong, unique and unforgettable. Participants will then share emotions, feelings, passions together. The event must meet these objectives to be considered as successful.
The event must be talked about and communication around it should be implemented. More events will be relayed by the media and more impact it will have. Thanks to other media such as television, radio and press relations, the event will be able to increase awareness of the advertiser. The event allows an advertiser or brand out of his daily life. It can boost a brand and company value by putting it on the front of the stage.
The event can unite and mobilize the staff of the company. Active participation of staff in its development is evidence of success. The event’s goal is to be talked about and thus create an impact on the company, its brands, its image, and its products. The most important objectives of the event are the objectives of reputation, image and information.
b) Limits :
Advertisers who chose communication by event want a return on investment when they use a means of communication as expensive. The return on investment can be measured in various ways, but so far there is no real way to define quantitatively the impact of an event compared to other media such as television (audience, target …). This is a difficult choice for the advertiser not knows the exact return on his investment.
Media coverage is the most accurate way to evaluate an event. An event must be in contact with journalists. This leads to benefits such as media relations for the company to be beneficial for it. We can quantify the value of its benefits by calculating the equivalent in purchasing advertising space and compare the overall cost of the event.
We must take into account that the press coverage is not necessarily positive for an advertiser because they are not controllable. The ethics of the press itself is not to be dependent and have the opportunity to write an article without influences or limits.
The advertiser in this case, must then try to maintain regular contact with journalists to master the most of these benefits. It is a work in parallel with the organization of a very important event that the advertiser unfortunately sometimes forget to put in place.
Monitoring of media relations in parallel event should be performed both before and after, so that it is a success. Because of this impact will be more effective and will have a global view on the effectiveness of the operation.
There are other ways as the rate of return invitations, surveys and participant satisfaction. All these resources will allow evaluating the success of the event. The event is expensive for an advertiser. It should be treated and followed precisely by a team of professionals. All advertisers have not human and fiscal capacity to do so.
Some advertisers who want to create an event decide to appoint incompetent staff in the field and this has a negative impact in terms of operating cost and success. It is difficult for small and medium advertisers to cope with this major constraint because they do not have enough communication budgets. Some advertisers prefer to invest in the media and non-media. One very important thing is that investments in the media and non-media must be consistent and not disproportionate to one another, so that the merger between the two works and provides a real return on investment for the advertiser.
c) Different kind of event where holography can interact :
Products launch :
It aims the introduction of a new product or a new service, which will take a different form depending on the audience. We have the case with the Iphone 5, a hoax made the buzz on Youtube with a supposed holographic application.
– Product launch objectives: to inform, present and seduce his audience, to convince the new product.
– Targets : internal (staff) and external (suppliers, consumers, media …).
Convention :
It aims to bring together a targeted audience, known individually to send a common message. It can occur in one or several locations simultaneously (video conferencing, video conferencing …) or successively and in this case it will be a road show.
– Objectives of the Convention: to adhere to inform, motivate and stimulate the public to convince him.
– Targets : internal (staff) and external (partners)
An inauguration (e.g. World trade center, holographic projection):
Its purpose is the presentation of a new place, a new service within a company … whose shape is adapted to the audience.
– Objectives of an inauguration inform, promote a new place, strengthen the image the company to its employees, clients, and increase brand awareness.
– Targets: internal (staff), external (partners, customers, opinion leaders, media …)
The seminar :
It aims to present the form of internal working meetings in a company, a new strategy, financial results… The seminar is often held over several days. A form of alternation is often implemented: Morning Work Session. Afternoon: Relax
– Objectives of the seminar: to motivate, stimulate, persuade, develop, and enhance a sense of belonging to a team.
– Target: internal (staff).
A public event (e.g. Fashion show of Burberry or Diesel):
It aims to communicate around a brand, product, and company to create awareness and sympathy with a target public.
– Objectives of a public event inform and meet its targets, generate benefits through media reporters present at the event.
– Targets : external (consumers, specifies, buyers, journalists …)
The Street Marketing (e.g. Empreintes):
It aims to promote the launch of a new product or service in stimulating the dissemination of information by the buzz and word of mouth.
– Street Marketing objectives: to inform, to talk about the brand, product, creating word-of-mouth, buzz, sampling the product to be tested by the consumer.
– Target: external (public)