Introducing Bespoke Live, a new way forward for virtual events
The shift to virtual events is inevitable. However, there is a serious problem: most virtual events are boring.
Major exhibitions including Tokyo Game Show have announced their decision to move to an online-only format. Global companies including Twitter have cancelled all in-person events for the rest of this year.
Why? The reason is simple. Up until now, virtual events have mainly been seen as a cheap, simple alternative to a “real” in-person event with a live audience. Without receiving the same level of attention or budget, most virtual events are destined to be less engaging than the in-person keynotes, symposiums, and exhibitions that make up Japan’s ¥17 trillion Yen ($160 billion USD) event industry.
The risk of losing out on all of this engagement is astronomical.
Here is our solution:
Bespoke Live, a new service for virtual event production and promotion developed by Parthenon Japan.
Bespoke Live is a comprehensive solution for planning and execution of virtual events that provide an engaging audience experience.
Using a strategic combination of experience in public relations, communication training, creative direction, video production technology, and digital promotion, Bespoke Live delivers virtual events that Look Great, Sound Great, and are Safe and Reliable.
What makes Bespoke Live different from other solutions is an unparalleled commitment to creating quality digital video content from live virtual events that would not have been achievable with an in-person event.
A virtual event should be more than streaming an in-person event online or using a consumer video conference software.
The key to success is understanding that virtual events are completely different from in-person events. Now that virtual events are becoming the new standard, people’s expectations are quickly changing. There is rising demand for virtual events that offer completely new value propositions.
For successful content planning, here is where virtual events should focus:
- Shift to two-way communication that engages your audience
- Optimize content for recording that has long lasting value
- Take new creative directions that go beyond the limits of real events
Shift to two-way communication
One difficulty of in-person events and a core benefit of virtual events is the ability to engage in dialog with your audience. Events that lecture their audience are already in declining popularity. A successfully interactive event is created together with the audience.
Optimize content for recording
When doing an event that is streamed live, you must anticipate that the content once released will remain for life. From the perspective of reputation management, careful content planning is an absolute requirement. However, if you are too cautious and create content that is boring, this is also not ideal. A strategic balance of proper messaging and creativity is required. It is also important to produce a live video that will not just be timely, but also age well and not be seen as embarrassing in the future.
Take new creative directions
Because virtual events have completely different conditions from in-person events, they should be arranged with a different approach. For example:
In-person event: must be done on stage facing audience, and take into account limited audience visibility
Virtual event: can be done anywhere with internet, with anything that you can put a camera in front of
Keep the fundamental differences in mind while planning, because there are opportunities to do new and unprecedented things that will create a more memorable virtual event.
Does this sound familiar?
“We want to do something new, but are not sure how to approach planning and execution.”
“We’ve never hosted a virtual-only event before, so we don’t know where to start.”
“Virtual events are the only way forward, but we are concerned about the risk because it will be recorded.”
“Our virtual event is already planned and scheduled but we don’t have the streaming equipment or production team.”
If so, we can help you.
Virtual events produced by Bespoke Live utilize industry-standard live video production techniques also used by popular TV programs. The broadcasting technology that powers this service has been jointly developed in partnership with Tokyo-based production agency Boomachine, a team of creative professionals led by film director Marc-Antoine Astier. With broadcast-grade video and audio recording equipment, including the same grade of gear used in film production, and a crew of skilled technicians, we can help you produce virtual events that rival Hollywood.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you host a virtual event that looks great, sounds great, and is safe and reliable.
