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Connecting 900 in person and 400 virtual participants

Case Study

 

Industry: Risk management

Service: Hybrid conference

Location: San Diego, US

Objective

When our client’s events agency couldn’t transform their annual face to face conference into a virtual event, CWT M&E was contacted to support a fully virtual 2020 Conference. The success of this event provided CWT M&E the opportunity to manage their 2021 hybrid conference. This conference connects attendees focused on risk and insurance with resources, education and sponsors. The challenge in 2021 was to provide a similar engaging experience for both live and virtual participants in a major conference.

Solution

In collaboration with our client, CWT M&E designed a three-day hybrid event for approximately 900 in-person and 400 virtual attendees and sponsors, which included plenary and training sessions. Broadcasting live from the conference center, attendees could easily join in-person sessions digitally. To unify the experience and boost interactions between the in-person venue and virtual attendees, the team channeled communications via a mobile app to allow virtual and onsite attendees access to the same information.

 

 

For those attending in-person, we organized all logistics ensuring strict adherence to local COVID-19 rules. We managed on-site execution of the touchless on-site check-in and partnered with an organization to confirm vaccination status digitally with on-site staff and a nurse conducting rapid testing. Given the unpredictability of the pandemic, the conference team also developed a comprehensive communication and engagement campaign that included contingency plans to move to fully virtual, if needed.

To maximize the participation of virtual attendees, our team knew we had to go beyond mobile app badges and leaderboards. A sense of connection is critical to heightened engagement. The conference included online polling and other engaging digital activities to promote live interaction.

The mobile app offered bite-sized, visual and rewarding challenges. Using progressing game narratives, attendees engaged with the conference’s content and sponsors with prizes sent to virtual winners. 

 

Hybrid Sponsorship

Sponsors showcased their products and services using a hybrid sponsorship structure that combined live and virtual opportunities at three levels: gold, silver and bronze.

CWT M&E worked with our client to redesign their live sponsorship strategy allowing an easy pivot from fully live to fully virtual and then to a hybrid strategy. This included identifying additional sponsorships that would fit well within the virtual space.

The offering ranged from traditional lanyards and refreshment breaks to appearances in the virtual platform, including virtual sponsor booths and gamification. Push notifications highlighted sponsorship functions and inclusions in the platform. The high level of interactivity created unique networking opportunities.    

For virtual participants, it maximized interactivity and connection and, for sponsors, it ensured high visibility within the digital audience, which can be out of reach otherwise. 

An additional sponsorship opportunity was facilitated through a unique and supportive local community give back activity: Ar-can-tecture. Using canned food donations, individuals were encouraged to build an on-site structure with craft supplies that resembled the U.S. Capitol Building. All cans were then donated to a local food bank with virtual attendees encouraged to donate locally or monetarily through an online link.

Results

Combining in-person and digital participation is a challenge; however, a well-executed hybrid event can unify and amplify brand and content messaging.

The CWT M&E team received positive feedback and was recognized for their flexibility, creativity and fully virtual contingency planning.

Synchronizing in-person and digital sessions during the event yielded high satisfaction scores from attendees. In-person and virtual participation tracking were compiled to measure ROI on interaction with sponsors and sponsor virtual exhibits.

 


“The CWT M&E team exceeded our expectations throughout the planning and execution of our annual conference. Responsibilities were clearly defined and consistent communication to all stakeholders was key to instilling confidence that nothing was being overlooked. Their calm demeanor and hard work on-site to fulfill every request was much appreciated by us as well as our sponsors.”

Feedback received from client

More positive attendee feedback

 
“Your personal touches and genuine interest and dedication are what sets this conference above and beyond. Thank you for taking great care of us.”
 
“It was very well organized and I appreciated the extra COVID precautions.”
 
“So happy to have had the opportunity to be in person again this year. Great job again this year.  The sessions are informative and timely. The workers are helpful and happy to be of help.”
 
“I really enjoy the Virtual Conference as it allows for attendance without incurring additional travel expenses.  I always enjoy the mix of topics and learn something new.”
 
“Motivational, informative, engaging positive experience overall. Extremely happy I was able to attend virtually. Looking forward to future events and maybe one day in person.”

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