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Last year, for obvious reasons, nearly all the event graphics we produced were for virtual events. We took our extensive experience with live events and adapted it to fit, both literally and metaphorically, an individual’s screen.

Virtual event graphics are confined to the size of the viewer’s screen, ruling out massive LED walls, so we ~virtually~ always stuck to the standard widescreen 16:9 ratio. Virtual events also open the door for mobile viewing and all the questions that come with it: Will there be captions? If so, will they be visible at all times and not overlap with other onscreen text? Will our text-heavy graphics be readable for the viewers watching with no sound on their phones?

Virtual events need more of a buffer in some instances, like when individuals are slowly logging in. Since there’s not a captive audience, we usually add a looping animated logo before the event begins or a countdown so people know if they have enough time to say, grab a snack, before settling in. But in general, virtual events are snappier and need less breathing room. For example, audio announcements, which typically get a few seconds of silence as a spacing buffer for live events, are just dropped in where they need to go—no need to hold for applause.

We were in a groove with the virtual events when something new came onto the scene: hybrid events, not fully in-person and not fully virtual. Hybrid doesn’t always mean a live-streamed, in-person event. It just means it has some live/in-person as well as virtual elements. Some recent examples:

  • One client, Enel North America, wanted to celebrate their 20th anniversary “together” and achieved that feeling of togetherness by mailing printed invitations for their virtual event along with customized drinkware to their employees, so they could all toast to 20 years at the same time.

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  • Our friends at F110 were the masterminds behind the FBLA-PBL National Leadership Conference this year – consisting of both live and prerecorded virtual sessions. The sessions were treated similarly, completing as much as possible leading up to the event. Placeholders for audio and graphics kept things moving even when we didn’t yet have all the information, like award winners and future officers. (Best of luck to you all!)

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Fortunately, our experience with live, in-person events prepared us to be nimble in a changing landscape that affected much more than the event industry.

 
olivia