Conference Matters 141

TECHNOLOGY

space shuttle. We even had a launch take place in the room with a thousand people.”

them time every week to work on non-client pro jects. This way we can see what is available and how we can apply this to our client’s demands.” That’s also where the idea came from: letting people communicate with their mobile phone as a digital character in a virtual environment. “We didn’t know exactly when to make use of this because we may have been too early. It had been on the shelf for a while until the health crisis came. Then we thought, it’s time. Our phone blew up, as clients were extremely interested.” Unreal Engine The techniques are there to further develop vir tual events. Janssen names Unreal as an impor tant software package behind the technique. Almost all major games are built using Unreal Engine, and Hollywood uses it as well. “You can generate live graphics and create live virtual environments, which is relevant for events, of course. The same goes for all develop ments around AI, VR and AR, for example. We’re constantly working on that.” More experience Janssen expects the frequency of live moments to decrease. “The mix of live and online will decre ase somewhat, but when we do go live, there’ll be much more happening. There’s still much more focus on the experience and immersing people in an adventure”, he predicts. He refers to an event where a thousand people came together that linked the FX Agency to a fictional mission to Mars. “The visitors had to compete to be able to go on the mission. The entrance to the event was like walking into a

can assume that the whole room is slouching in their seats. That’s why it’s important to offer interactivity or gamification. We would rather get started with the story itself and the related experience. Storytelling, humour and emotion work really well together, as they draw people into a story by tou ching them emotionally and creating a memory. This way, it ensures that the target group will also actually remember what was said.” Fictional commercial break As an example, Janssen gives a fictional com mercial break during an event for a large FMCG group. “Well-known commercials were amusingly parodied but also contained a message about a part of the strategy. Thinking about fun formats or telling your story in a different way makes a difference. Applying gamification, where participants always have to actively answer questions or even contri bute something and score points, can also have a simulating effect. Participants get the feeling that they’re winning or doing it right.” Latest techniques FX Agency tries to be a leader in the latest tech niques and innovations available on the market. “We’re also looking at how we can use them in corporate settings as quickly as possible. Tech nology and innovation are indeed fantastic, but when the target group is not ready for them, it’s no use.” Since Janssen expects virtual events to develop rapidly, his agency is keen on innovation. “There are five people in that department, and we give

More campaign-oriented Another trend Janssen sees is that brands and companies are going to focus on the long term and think more campaign-oriented about using their fans. “One story, one experience, of which your event is a part. From in-person to online and back: mixed reality. It all blends together seam lessly.” He also mentions data as an important aspect. “The interesting thing about using smart data is that you can communicate much more personally with individuals and keep track of their interests, which works very well with digital channels. We can immediately see who is looking at what and what choices they make.”

Leiden where science meets culture

Leiden is a city where the past meets the future on a daily basis. Home to the oldest university in the Netherlands, Leiden proves to be a city where the quest for knowledge and science is engrained in its DNA. The compact city centre showcases Leiden’s extensive history, with its rich cultural heritage and its many remarkable and historical venues. Just outside the city centre is the Leiden Bio Science Park: the largest Life Sciences & Health Cluster in the Netherlands and a leading world-class innovation district. Leiden’s venues o„en play a double role as cultural institution such as museums, churches or theatres. Because of this, Leiden offers a wide range of unique possibilities for your event for up to 2500 guests. Leiden is the perfect destination for your scientific conference and event. Do you want to know more about Leiden? Leiden Convention Bureau offers advice on the possibilities in our city free of charge. Let us know how we can help!

' Technology and innovation are indeed fantastic, but when the target group is not ready for them, it's no use'

Info@leidenconventionbureau.nl

ONLINE LOCATION WAS THE MOST VISITED During the health crisis, FX Agency organised an online variant of the open day for the InHolland University of Applied Sciences. It also stayed open once people could come to the physical locations. The online location was the most visited, and the interaction with the target group was also bigger. “Visitors thought it was a more comfortable way to come into contact with a teacher or a student, making it more accessible”, says Niels Janssen.

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