The unique circumstances of the last couple of years have forced B2B companies and their marketing partners to be ever more resourceful. The most successful companies have identified new opportunities and continued to develop new products and services. And while physical events are still limited, virtual communication tools have proven to be extremely effective in introducing and promoting their innovations. Last week Atlas Copco Rental Australia held a virtual product launch event using a platform and 3D environment created by Vintage.
With physical events such as trade fairs being cancelled or postponed, many for the second year running, virtual events have become an essential communication tool for many B2B businesses. Using digital platforms, companies can showcase their products and services, launch innovations, promote their brand and interact with customers and prospects on a global scale.
Virtual events continue to deliver benefits long after the date of the launch or trade show itself. They enable brands to maintain their presence and availability at all times. Visitor data and pathways through the event can be tracked and used for monitoring and follow-up purposes. Such events are also extremely cost effective: platforms and 3D settings can be adapted and reused for events organised by different sites and departments within the company, providing both savings and brand consistency.
The Atlas Copco event is a good example of how these advantages come together. The platform was developed by Vintage for a virtual event held by Atlas Copco Europe in November 2020. Highly successful, the event was repeated for the Middle East and India in June and for the US in July. Seeing the positive reaction and knowing that a physical product launch would be unfeasible due to local corona restrictions, Atlas Copco Rental in Australia opted to host a virtual product launch for their new steam boiler.
Vintage was able to start from the existing platform and develop a 3D showroom to present the new product. A flexible set-up means that the environment can be adapted for future product launches. Instead of shooting a welcome video on location, Vintage created a state-of-the-art time-lapse video in 3D. Where possible, seminar videos and case studies were reused from the previous events. Other shared features include the chat function (enabling direct communication with visitors) and the ongoing availability of the platform and its information online.
“The Atlas Copco Rental platform perfectly illustrates how a virtual event can be very beneficial for B2B companies,” says Vintage CEO, Claudia Voss. “Once it has been set up, it provides a high return on investment, since it can be easily and flexibly launched worldwide. Information and visuals can be customised if required. And unlike a physical trade fair booth, which has to dismantled after the event, the virtual platform remains online, is accessible 24/7 and can serve as a sales support tool for future product and marketing campaigns.”
