2Heads breakdown their eight factors for hosting successful hybrid events

What are the key success factors to a hybrid event? With live events returning and virtual events still a much-needed format, creating the happy marriage between the two in a perfect hybrid event is still a challenge.

Our short insight videos explains the principles behind what we believe are the eight factors for hybrid event success and provides a ‘how to’ for including these factors in your hybrid roadmap.

Hybrid Event Success Factor 1 | Agnostic Design

Hybrid Success Factor 2 | Onlive Hosting

Hybrid Success Factor 3 | Audience Engagement

Hybrid Success Factor 4 | Celebrity Appeal

Hybrid Success Factor 5 | Hybrid Production

Hybrid Success Factor 6 | Experiential Toolkits

Hybrid Success Factor 7 | Experience Intersections

Hybrid Success Factor 8 | Immersive Technology

If you would like to learn more about 2Heads approach to hybrid events, take a look at some of our award-winning work, or contact the team for more information on our hybrid event workshop sessions and live talks.

2Heads Global are proud to support Community Charity Freely Fruity, a local food growing organisation with a big heart and even bigger ambitions. Co-founded by our very own Design Director Ryan Simpson, we’ve been following their journey with interest as Freely Fruity bring fresh fruit and vegetables to those who so badly need them during these difficult times.

Our mission is to plant more fruit for people to enjoy in local communities for free and reduce our carbon footprint as we do it

Freely Fruity

In March 2020 three friends Ryan, James and Matt decided to follow their dream of making fruit freely available to everyone and Freely Fruity was founded. The vision to provide food to people and wildlife through planting fruit trees and bushes in local communities.

Beyond sustenance, there was the added benefit the trees would directly reduce carbon emissions and lower the carbon footprint of shop bought fruit. They currently farm a compact two-acre, organic site in Sindlesham, inclusive of large, netted enclosures, a 60ft polytunnel and several raised beds.

Aside from this Freely Fruity also have our fruit tree nursery; these trees are destined to be planted in various local community projects. All food grown on site is donated to local food banks and other charities. In 2021 Freely Fruity donated 2 tons of fresh organic produce to the local foodbanks.

2Heads support the community charity by donating a fruit tree for every client event held live, virtually or in a hybrid manner so that our clients support continues evergreen out in the countryside.

To learn more, visit website @ www.freelyfruity.org

As the fundraising partner of BC Cancer, the BC Cancer Foundation works with donors and communities to advance research and innovate care for people. Our man in Canada, Stephen Ing, speaks to Sarah Roth, their President to find out a little bit more about their amazing work.

Stephen: Can you tell me a little bit about the BC Cancer Foundation and what they were set up to do?
Sarah: The BC Cancer Foundation (BCCF) was established in British Columbia, Canada in 1935 as the fundraising partner for BC Cancer. Every dollar we raise advances care across BC Cancer’s six centres and world-class research programs.

Stephen: Can you explain how the Foundation supports cancer care and what makes the work you do so crucial?
Sarah: I’ll share a staggering stat: cancer will touch one in two of us. More than 30,000 British Columbians will be diagnosed with cancer this year. And with an aging population, the numbers will only rise. This will put increasing pressure on our already overburdened health care system. We are fortunate in B.C. – we have world-class, population-based, comprehensive cancer care. However, it is about more than current patient outcomes-it’s about fueling a greater understanding of the biology of cancer. And the Foundation is making sure that our patients get access to cutting-edge treatments and screening programs, as close to home as possible. Innovation, at scale, is critical to our success.

Stephen: What attracted you to this cause?
Sarah: My personal reason for supporting cancer research and care is my Aunt Leesa. My mother’s younger sister is a loving mother and grandmother, and one of my favourite people. I was devastated to learn that she has pancreatic cancer. This has been a personal reminder to me of why it is so important to support progress in science and medicine.
In my role as CEO, I have also had the privilege to get to know our broader cancer community. This community is unique in how they have been able to mobilize — they are large, unified and determined to make a difference. Our donors come to us with their own goals and ideas, based on their lived experiences with cancer. We partner with them and BC Cancer to make it happen. I am inspired every day by the amazing work we are able to do

Stephen: Is there a particular Foundation story that stands out for you?
Sarah: One of our esteemed Medical Oncologists, Dr. Anna Tinker, told me “In the clinic, I’m treating mothers first, followed by their daughters. This must change — I don’t want to be treating granddaughters next. We must do more to prevent ovarian cancer and help women across generations.” More than one in five women diagnosed with ovarian cancer has an inherited BRCA gene or other gene mutation. The current model of testing based on family history is missing more than half of them. A family who experienced ovarian cancer saw this first-hand, and came to us with a mission: how do we put in place a more comprehensive screening program to drive improvements in early detection? With this donor’s support, our world renowned Ovarian Cancer team (OVCARE) and our Hereditary Cancer Program joined forces to launch a new and innovative research program. Our goal is to identify more women at high risk sooner and expedite access to life-saving risk-reducing preventative surgery.

Stephen: What contribution made by the Foundation you are most proud of? Why?
Sarah: A proud moment was when we announced an $18-million donation towards a $30-million particle physics lab. A physics lab! The donation came from a patient who had prostate cancer. He developed a very close relationship with our Foundation, and BC Cancer’s global expert in prostate cancer, Dr. Kim Chi. This is a powerful example of the impact of philanthropy. And it’s an example of how donors are becoming much more invested in the science and innovation of cancer research and treatment.

Stephen: What have you learned from the doctors and scientists at BC Cancer? What is most surprising about their work?
Sarah: I have been with BC Cancer for five years now, and over that time I have seen the science accelerating rapidly. It is truly inspiring. Technology is being used to better understand the biology of cancer. Medicine is becoming more data-driven, the science more granular. Scientists used to talk about cells, now they are analysing at a cellular level. This is a paradigm shift for research, diagnostics and patient care — and will ultimately impact how cancer centres are designed and operated.

Stephen: I’ve heard a lot of inspiring stories from the foundation, is there one that really inspired you?
Sarah: One of the great joys of my job is hearing the many stories about how BC Cancer’s life-saving research has impacted people’s lives. One that immediately comes to mind is Jackie Ellis, who at the age of 39, received a diagnosis of Large B-cell Lymphoma, with multiple tumors located in her chest. Jackie underwent a series of surgeries and CHOP-R chemotherapy treatments, including receiving a drug that was part of a clinical trial at BC Cancer. These treatments, and advanced PET scanning technology, saved Jackie’s life. Jackie recently said, “The connection between surgery, diagnosis, research, and clinical
practice in Vancouver has created a symbiotic relationship that has advanced medical treatments, global research, and ultimately, healing.”

Stephen: What was the biggest challenge the Foundation has faced over the last 12 months?
Sarah: The challenges we have faced over the last 12 months have not been unique to us. We had to pivot very quickly — connecting with donors via Zoom, cancelling in-person events, creating new digital engagement opportunities — and we have actually become stronger as a result. We have been able to challenge “what we’ve always done” and make some tough
decisions. We have focused on connecting with our donors, even if just virtually, and they have stood behind us. I’m proud to say that, despite a challenging year, BCCF was recently named the top charity in B.C. with over $50 million raised.

Stephen: Tell me a little bit about your event this November? How do you plan to build on last year’s success?
Sarah: Last year we had to quickly pivot the planning of our in-person event, so we created a Virtual Gala, which was essentially a broadcast of what we would have hosted in person. While it was successful, this year we knew we needed to innovate and be more creative to keep our donors and supporters interested and engaged. So, we’ve curated a virtual event and rebranded it as “An Evening of Inspiration” to really focus on the world-leading research being undertaken at BC Cancer, and to give our donors the opportunity to connect with our clinicians and scientists.

Stephen: Is there anything about the event that really stands out for you?
Sarah: This year we are very excited for our guests to have the opportunity to engage and interact with each other and with our experts at BC Cancer. This rebrand has also allowed us to connect with our donors in communities all across B.C. Cancer is the greatest health issue in our lifetime, but it is our collective efforts across B.C., Canada and around the world that will evoke change and truly make a difference for cancer patients everywhere.

Stephen: What other events do you have planned that people can get involved with?
Sarah: An event that recently took off for us in the last two years is Workout to Conquer Cancer. It’s a virtual challenge asking people to commit to move every day in the month of May. In this new virtual world many people are looking for a way to connect, give back and stay active, so we’ve seen an increase in participants from B.C., Canada, and all around
the world participate in this virtual event. Registration is open now at workouttoconquercancer.ca

Stephen: What are your hopes for the next 12 months?
Sarah: We have seen the power of community over the past year. Our global science community mobilized to create a vaccine in record time. Our broader community has come together to keep each other safe. I hope that we can continue to rally the global community around fighting our largest health crisis, cancer.

To learn more about the BC Cancer Foundation and the ways you can get involved in supporting their amazing work, please visit their website. 2Heads are very proud to be supporting the Foundation with the production of their Virtual Gala and look forward to seeing some of you there.

An industry focused vlog series for event professionals

2Heads Talks Insight Channel, we launched our vlog 2Heads Talks in 2020 with the pilot edition; Brave New World.

Since then, a series of expert talks have discussed everything from the event worlds evolution to technological wizardy and the future of experiential spaces.

Here is a taster of some of our favourite talks. Visit our YouTube 2Heads Talks Insight channel to watch more, or register here for future releases.

E12: 2Heads Presents EventHive VX

E13 : Immersive Halloween Experience

E10: A Vision for the Future

E9 : How Clients Help Evolve Solutions

E7: How to Innovate Online

E5 : The Role of Creatives

E4 : Building Innovative Virtual Events

E2: A Hybrid Future

Our latest 2Heads Talks discuss the affects of adversity on innovation.

Industry renowned creative Jordan Waid discusses the affects of adversity on innovation, moving past the present and deep-dives into future potential for technological innovation and experimentation

Reviewing a world beyond events, Jordan discusses the opportunities presented by uncertainty.

Learn to look for new possibilities through listening and understanding what is truly needed, then applying that to a new frontier for brand experience.

For more thoughts and views, check out the 2Heads Talks Insight Channel.

Sam Drew | Head of Experiential & IT

What a crazy time to be living right now. The power of physical human contact has been brought to its knees. People who once got their kicks from experimenting with LED and 3D printing for gamified attractions are now confined to their garage with a box of cables and microcontroller boards, wondering “what we can create next?”  Or is that just me? My name is Sammy Drew and this is not your standard company insight.  I head up Experiential and IT at 2Heads Global Design, conceptualising and actualising creative encounters that leave our client’s customers saturated in unforgettable experiences.

Normally working away in the figurative ‘engine room’, turning an array of tech into a piece of interactive event hardware, I wanted to take some time to talk to you about the latest developments in immersive art that I feel all event professionals should be aware of.

Immersive art doesn’t just inspire me to get out of bed each day; it excites me to my very core. The creation of an attraction that completely submerges the customer’s sense is such a powerful and intriguing way of delivering a company ethos and promoting their products, it was easy to see its place in the events world. But then came the lockdown and as we adapt to this brave new world, I’ve had the freedom to appreciate some of the amazingly creative designs people are coming up with and have chosen five top experiences I think you’ll enjoy.  From Mixed Reality, Kinetic, Light to Projected and Sound, I’ve chosen an interesting project to open your horizons. Let’s do this!

Unreal Garden | Onedome, San Francisco

First up is a jaw-dropping mixed reality experience; mixed reality in that it combines physical objects with incredible digital overlays, viewed through (in this case) a pair of Microsoft HoloLens Glasses. What they have achieved with Unreal Garden is a chimerical, Avatar-like world, where all manner of fauna interacts with your very presence. I’m personally excited by mixed reality as, with new developments in hardware and software, it’s becoming more and more prominent within the realms of interactive design. Certainly, at 2Heads, we are becoming increasingly involved in developing design software to support Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality experiences.

Kinetic | Pool, by Brixels

This next piece is so unbelievably cool that I literally shivered when I saw it. The concept is remarkably simple – take some motors, strap mirrors to them, place a device to map moving objects above it, wire the whole load up to a computer in an array and get some software to interpret it all. Take a moment to appreciate the magical process Brixels have gone through, creating a beautiful artistic experience, perfectly accomplished. Bravo.

Lux Partum | Optikalusion

Honestly, this is quite simply the coolest way to deal with a global pandemic. The brainchild of Chris Moylan, Lux Partum is an interactive lighting experience that you can enjoy in your home RIGHT NOW. When faced with the shared feeling of doom amidst the Covid crisis, Chris Moylan and his team took over Motorwerk in Berlin, installed a huge array of movable lighting and released a link to an online platform that enables you to take over the whole lot. Every part of this is nothing short of joyous, bringing an immersive experience into your home for the princely sum of ‘on the house’. Fantastisch!

Whirlpool | teamLab

At 2Heads we’ve created our fair share of incredible projection mapping experiences, but I would like to take a moment to admire the efforts of teamLab, an international collective of… well… awesomeness. The simplicity of this art installation, to my mind, is the very sum of its breath-taking qualities. The piece immerses you in a moony, hypnotic environment that subtly interacts as you wander around. At this juncture, I’m firing up TouchDesigner and recreating something at home. If you’re really good, I’ll make a video on it and release it in the coming weeks.

And we’ve come to the final video, which has a short story behind it. A few days ago, I was in a meeting with my illustrious team leader, Digital and Content Director, Nick Rosier, and the fountain of knowledge that is Paul Godwin, our Executive Director. We were discussing an 3D Interactive experience that we are creating to incorporate a manner of cool functions.  Paul suggested  harnessing the power of spatial sound to its fullest capabilities and Nick recalled a video he’d seen in 2007 demonstrating the effective use of binaural microphones (think of a box with microphones inside and with rubber ears either side, mimicking human ears). I’d never heard it before, but instantly knew I was going to recommend it to all of you stuck at home, with your hair growing longer and longer:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUDTlvagjJA  Grab some headphones, close your eyes and visualise getting all that hair chopped off, in an excellent example of spatial sound.

I hope this insight into immersive art has been a timely break for you all. For myself, even though I may be constrained to the limits of my garage, I am diving straight into designing using the work of my peers as inspiration. Until next time, stay safe, keep that chin up and soon we’ll be back out there showing the world what we can do.

If you are interested in how some of these creative techs can enhance your digital or physical event, or would like a demo on some of the immersion techniques we are creating, please drop us a line @ hello@2heads.com

Creating Meaningful Experiences, Virtually Anywhere

2Heads have long had an in-house digital team. We ran our first live stream conference in 2000 and in 2010 began the development of EventHive, a software solution created with brands to resolve event specific challenges such as online meeting management and content engagement.

Prior to events of 2020, our team were working on an online solution for the sustainable future. A platform created to be the long-term hybrid bridge between virtual and live interaction and a solution that uses cutting edge technology to give customers a deeper, more personalized experience online.

March 2020 saw those efforts accelerated as we move to a work from home structure and invested in virtual events to maintain consumer connection. We partnered with twenty blue-chip brands including Disney and Airbus to discover what key engagement features they needed and blended them together to create one of the most immersive and customisable experience platforms available – EventHive VX.

We were very proud to launch VX with new client Vodafone, hosting their immersive virtual events and are now working on curating VX for the majority of our existing clients as we all look to a hybrid future.

 The Virtual Experience tool for creating and hosting events that are as meaningful online as they are live.

CONNECT: Build emotional connections with your consumers.

EventHive VX is a Virtual Experience tool built from the feedback of twenty big brands for creating and hosting events that are as meaningful online as they are live. From online meetings and chat to scheduling and live streaming.

ENGAGE: Curate immersive events with unique VX functionality.

EventHive VX is fully loaded with proprietary engagement features designed to ensure audiences stay connected throughout events. Utilise VX’s bespoke event timeline, visual networking, live hosting and Sync integrations to create a virtual event that lives long in the memory.

INSPIRE: Allow content and storytelling to take centre stage.

An all in one platform for building a compelling event online, VX provides immersive storytelling through branded spaces, gamified 3D worlds and content libraries.

By utilising 2Heads award-winning collective of creatives and digital specialists to power their EventHive VX platform, institutions such as the World Business Council for Sustainable Development are now delivering immersive experiences that merge the possibilities of live and online.

• Interact with meaningful 3D content
• Customise with self-guided tours or video call hosts
• Own your brand via story-telling features
• Integrate with your tools anywhere, anytime, any device
• Cloud render in real-time with no software downloads

Create your own story, your way.

Contact Us at Hello@Eventhive.com to book your free demo.

Future proof 2021 with top tips on creating hybrid events that generate real brand connection with your audience.

The future of the live events industry is universally accepted to be ‘hybrid,’ but when exactly is this happening? The answer is; it’s up to you. When are you ready to take the step?

As we cautiously plan for the months ahead at 2Heads, we thought we’d share our planning criteria for hybrid events to come. Some key things for you to consider that will protect your brand and budget while still allowing you to engage with audiences in creative, meaningful ways.

The secret for getting ahead is getting started | Mark Twain

Part 2 of our ‘Change’ insight is all about creating the right blueprint for getting ahead of the curve and to practice what we preach, we’re also sharing a field guide from one of our recent hybrid success stories, a multi-award winning project with our client Airbus called ‘Level Up’. Download your free copy of the ‘Ahead of the Curve’ below. Short on time? Watch the video version instead.

If you’d like to talk about staying Ahead of the Curve in 2021, connect with us via our Future Proofing Lab which is outlined at the back of this report. Top brands recommend it.

Drop us a line on hello@2heads.com to find out more.

2Heads Talks hangs out with Jordan Waid, our ECD and Futurity Expert.

Join Jordan as he explores important sustainable developments of recent months and triangulates them into a forward-looking brief for the events industry.

As the first of our Green 2Heads Talks, this vlog begins our journey of exploration into Return on Environment, the small investments all brands can make for a better future.

As the event world enters a new era, the rush to virtual events fulfils the need to perpetuate conversations.

It’s a pertinent need, all companies need to network together, but in the rush to practical solutions and white-labelled off-the-shelf software, have we left something behind?

Hybrid events are an exciting proposition where physical content will be given lasting life online and online content will be rejuvenated by a human orientated twin, but we aren’t there yet. Physical events are only just returning in select areas and in the meantime, the need to create engaging online content is ever-present.

Here are 2Heads key drivers when creating meaningful content for online events and a peek at what is inspiring our team right now

Immersion | Interaction

One of the key principles for engagement … Get your guests involved. If your online virtual event schedule features presentations and screenings where 100% of the content is one-sided, chances are your guests will at some point switch off, or at least go make a cup of tea.

Engagement tools that reward guests for waiting until the last event of the day, and or require full audience participation are an obvious go to, while measurements of interaction are also a useful sales tool, capturing user data and ROI information that provide a template for a better event next time. These are some of our more successful interaction tools:

• Interactive Timelines
• Easter Eggs
• Gamification and Reward
• Linked App Polling

Inspiration: We love Vredestein’s New Horizons portal which combines interactive product data with promo video and strong narrative all within a virtual Hall of Fame premise. Click the image below to see for yourself.

Personality | Identity

With off the shelf software and a digital blueprint that focuses on function not style, virtual events can often have a generic feel to them. As organisers provide one-stop online networking markets to replace the physical, it is likely that we will see more of this type of conformity and white-labelling.

For us, this is a short-term solution, and if virtual events are going to evolve, brands will need an online identity that is specific to them and instantly recognizable to their followers. Brand loyalty is even more important online, so tone, voice and narrative are all key factors in creating subtle long-term engagement. Our media clients are already well ahead with creating their own online persona’s through some of these investments:

• Customisation
• Experience Tailoring
• Concierge Avatars
• Product Launch Portals

Inspiration: Vanmoof have never shied away from their online identity. Their online launch portal is intuitive, informative and easy to use, while staying completely on brand.

Narrative | Storytelling

As a form of engagement, storytelling needs no introduction. A long-term stalwart of a physical event, creating a brand narrative journey is what agencies are all about.

The online reality is harder though with video, light and sound requiring enhanced production levels to keep guests in seats. This is where strategy is key and also where off-the-shelf platforms fail. 2Heads are using green screen AR studios and Academy-awarded directors alongside story-boarded 3D journey design to create engagement that works:

• Game Engine Tech
• Hosted Table Networking
• Talent Endorsement
• Virtual Environment design

Inspiration: Our very own Sam Drew prototyped a virtual environment where identity was everything. Take a tour through Mad Man Don Draper’s office …

Subvert Expectation | Disruption

Typically reserved to screenwriters, the ability to twist a plot and shock an audience is one of the most powerful ways to engage an audience and keep them hooked until the end.

The same is true with an online event, but the subversion must have a clear motive behind it and leaves the online audience with a positive memory from the disruption. Some of our favourite online subversions are:

• Event Hacks
• Takeover Moments
• Augmented Reality Pop-Ups

Inspiration: Short but sweet. We love how Street artist Shane Fu disrupts expectations with his Augmented Reality Aquarium installation.

Would you like to know more? Please contact saral@2heads.com to book on online engagement demo and experience some of these solutions yourself.