There's potential in NFTs and blockchains for the incentivisation and tokenisation of event touchpoints, according to experts.
With 2023 just around the corner, it’s a good time to assess what trends have taken off this year and what might be in the pipeline. Event professionals turn their attention to all things tech and what they can do for your events and your time management.
Metaverse and IoT
Pico has been developing a new HTML5 platform that businesses can use as a ready-made entry point to the metaverse. By using Yaoland, brands can invite their audiences to an immersive, gamified marketing platform where users can create personal avatars and explore a world of experiences and stories as they collect NFTs, shop, socialise and play.
“We see a lot of potential in NFTs and blockchains for the incentivisation and tokenisation of event touchpoints, both physical and online,” says Andrew Chia, general manager in the Integrated Activation team at Pico Singapore.
“They can be a great omni-channel tool for creating lasting impressions on audiences. We’re also keeping an eye on supportive infrastructure and hardware, including 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT).
"While it’s easy to get excited by the latest tools, the important thing is getting these event technologies across to a wider audience. Creating digital experiences that are stable and accessible are key to ensuring that they have maximum take-up and are as hassle-free as possible.”
NFTs, VR and AR
Invnt developed an interactive activation for Meta at Advertising Week APAC, which took place in Sydney in August, blending technology and art. It featured a custom virtual reality and augmented reality brand experience, allowing audiences to experience both the digital and physical world in one space.
Taking place in ‘The Future Now’ capsule, which featured colourful and dynamic artworks, attendees were guided by Meta Mates and brand ambassadors as they experienced the power of Meta Quest 2 with over 960 minutes of a VR demo experience in the Kingspray Graffiti app.
“We’re leading our clients daily into the future of brand engagement and global community with Web3,” said Elvin Tan, managing director of Invnt.Atom, the agency’s Web3-focused digital innovation division.
“In keeping up with new forms of communications channels, brands need to engage the consumer with authentic messages and purpose that is relevant. Many new possibilities are enabled through Web3, whether it be communicating, working, or playing games. Now more than ever, we need to elevate these technologies to build emotional connections and create meaningful narratives for brands and their customers.”
The agency also applied Web3 and metaverse concepts to an event for Lamborghini in February, to mark the production of the last-ever Aventador Coupé before it switched to a hybrid model. Lamborghini auctioned a super sports car linked to an exclusive NFT, which created the world’s first metaverse supercar.
Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
The events industry is known for its long intense hours, where high levels of stress can easily come into play. With much of the focus post-pandemic on helping employees to achieve a better work/life balance, tools that can help them save time, energy and boost efficiency are likely to be in demand.
Chris Davis, director of applications development at BCD M&E, recently outlined in a blog how RPA can automate simple, mundane tasks and actions in order to increase efficiency and free up time for humans.
For event professionals, the technology can allow teams to focus on specialist value-add activities, speed up data entry from/to multiple sources, and enable timely notifications to be sent for key events. For example, it can be used for data consolidation across different systems for reporting and can provide prompts, ensuring delegates’ queries are dealt with quickly to avoid escalations.
“Automation will impact jobs over time but in a positive way, by allowing teams to focus on more strategic activities,” says Davis. ‘It's important that teams are engaged early in communicating the benefits of automation to them, and not just to the business’s bottom line.”