CASE STUDY
Launching FCM Meetings & Events through a hybrid event
Key Insights
Purpose
To officially launch FCM Meetings and Events. Here we shared our new branding and story with our industry, and gave our customers a first-hand experience of just a little of what we can do.
This gave us a chance to show off a little. Showcasing our event technology expertise; our virtual attendees had exclusive access to content housed within an FCM Meetings & Events branded Hopin virtual event environment.
Speaker content was a heady mix with live customer interviews and a presentation from Michael McQueen, sharing knowledge on the future of global meetings, events and travel trends. Melissa Elf, General Manager of FCM Australia and members of the Flight Centre Travel Group executive team came along too, giving customers a great opportunity to meet our people.
Objectives
- To present our rock stars - the meetings, group travel, and events team whilst bringing our new brand narrative to life
- A ‘how to’ experience for the in-person and virtual audiences
- Showcase FCM Meetings and Events as experts and knowledgeable thought leaders
- An impressively smooth, polished delivery
- Leverage supplier networks and relationships to provide engaging content components in return for measurable ROI
- Build confidence, create a buzz and get the conversation started on the hybrid experience
- A carbon-neutral event in partnership with SouthPole
- Reinforcing our partnership goals with SolarBuddy, including the International Day of the Girl (IDOTG) hybrid event in October 2021 and local Indigenous Education programs, eradicating energy poverty in affected communities
“When we knew we had to move to that virtual space, I knew my team were amazing at delivering face to face events but we had no experience whatsoever in the virtual arena. I knew we needed a really strong guiding hand and that's where Mel and the team at FCM Meetings & Events stepped in.”
Danna Brown, TAFE NSW
Challenges
- Reliable internet connectivity
- Programming and content development for a mixed-attendance audience
- Educating a virtual audience on a unique and unknown platform
- Reduced lead time
- Building delegate confidence in returning to an in-person event with COVID-safe best practice
Approach
This was all about our rock star team. Total Game-changers with passion, energy, and enthusiasm, and not to mention years of experience. They are the creatives, designers, producers, storytellers, technology experts, event and travel specialists who bring it, every time.
We combined the talent, technology and global reach of our new brand to authentically demonstrate our human side and expertise.
Content and show programming were developed with a dual audience in mind.. We mapped out two delegate journeys depending on whether the attendee was virtual or in-person. We ensured that information was direct and to the point. We used dynamic multimedia combination of live presentations, video content and live-cross virtual presenters.
Elements of the virtual platform were applied to the Hopin platform so both audiences not only had all the event information, but understood how the platform worked.
To ensure a slick delivery, we used our own wireless internet connection so we weren't reliant on established venue connection speeds.
Educational elements were extended into our pre-event communication and virtual expo floor. Detailed communications were sent to the virtual audience so they understood how the platform worked and how they could get the best out of it. A Senior Producer and Product Manager were available in a pre-show Q&A session to talk about the platform’s functionality.
Outcome
Vibe created. FCM M&E was able to communicate our messages seamlessly to a dual audience.
The virtual event platform itself was sleek and professional, and it generated high engagement:
- Online retention rate - 73%
- Online survey engagement rate - poll (during Q&A) - 14%
- Expo booth interactions - 54%
- Chat - 56%
Feedback, interactions and conversations were extremely positive during and post-event; our audience felt invigorated by the possibilities and confident in our ongoing ability to deliver experiences that create memories, even in a hybrid environment.
“The content was excellent. The clarity, production, also excellent. It was so uplifting and really actually made me feel great just watching it. The interview with Danna and Mel was so interesting to hear as we got the client perspective. Loved it. Well done to you and your amazing team for delivering such an incredible event.”
Caroline Borland, Account Director, Global Sales Sydney, Marriott International
Conversations about hybrid events have been ignited with our prospect and incumbent customers. In the lead-up and the event itself, those conversations have resulted in videos, thought leadership and long-form content that will continue to build on FCM M&E’s expertise in the market.
Post-event engagement on social media was four times higher than the industry standard:
- LinkedIn: Engagement rate 28% and click through rate 26%
- Facebook: Engagement rate 47%
- Instagram: Post interactions through Instagram stories and feed were up 665% compared to the previous month due to posts related to the launch event
Those attending in person were curious to know what the virtual experience was like. By effectively and creatively sharing each other’s experience the two audiences are more directly connected to each other.
“Tonight was fantastic, everyone did such a great job, as the FCM Meetings and Events team always do. I think now being a part of it I can see the merit of a hybrid event, having never really participated in one before…I've really seen how it can unlock a whole new audience that we may not have reached before.”
Chris Byrne - Marketing Manager, Finsure