InfoComm 2023: Hybrid Events Offer Diverse Live Streaming for Customers that Companies Remain Slow to Embrace

The annual InfoComm 2023 took place from June 8-14 in Las Vegas. One of the subjects of conversation was how rapid technological advancement has led to a fundamental shift in events. Today, a burgeoning emphasis on hybrid events — a blend of in-person and virtual participation — is noted, fueled by uncertainties in our dynamic world and lessons learned from the recent past. 

However, the real potential of such events remains largely untapped because often the technology is employed in a way that could fall short of enhancing the event experience, particularly for some attendees. Hybrid is seeing a significant rise that distinctly peaked during the pandemic. While live streaming persists as a trend, viewers, without a doubt will experience a different type of event. Despite some challenges, there are companies prioritizing the necessity of ensuring that their live streams or hybrid events deliver significant impact for all attendees.

Russ Callahan, the Vice President of Sales and Operations at Quest Events, talked to Pro Av Today at InfoComm 2023 and said that companies are more welcoming to hybrid events now. He added that by gearing more towards it they could stand to see more improvement and effective live streaming events.

Callahan’s Thoughts

“You’re seeing much more people with an emphasis and still paying attention to the hybrid event, even though the hybrid event has kind of really fallen by the wayside recently. People are still keeping in mind that need to always be ready in case the other shoe falls. You know, it’s really a matter of, okay, we’ve been through it. We didn’t necessarily do hybrid as well as we thought we could in most cases, and we have to be ready, so let’s embrace technology still, but they’re still not embracing it in a way that makes a positive impact on the show, unfortunately. So, I’d really love to see them get around the basis on how to get into a real hybrid event. Not many people are doing it very well. 

For technical trends, live streaming is the piece that people are still going up forward with, and the unfortunate piece, I think, is the end customer still doesn’t have their mind around the fact that you’re always going to have a different feel in the live stream than you do in the actual event. Face-to-face is face-to-face for a reason. Humans thrive on that connection and that interaction between people. The companies that are doing it right are making sure that they have a live stream or a hybrid event that has an impact for the people who are at home.”