ENCORE® HYBRID EVENT SOLUTIONS LEADING THE WAY FOR INDUSTRY REBOUND

Learnings from proprietary customer insights inform new hybrid solutions

SCHILLER PARK, Ill., February 9, 2021 – Encore, a leading global event production company, announced the development of enhanced end-to-end hybrid solutions to address the growing needs of meeting planners and venue partners to manage the transition to integrating in-person and virtual events.

An outcome of its study of more than 2,600 meeting planners in November 2020, the Company identified key trends and insights regarding how planners are approaching hybrid events as well as best practices for the future. These learnings have already been put into practice through the more than 3,000 virtual and hybrid events Encore has delivered since last fall, and formed the foundation for the Company’s new hybrid solutions, which includes a design approach, solutions toolset, and industry-recognized training curriculum to better connect audiences in a hybrid environment. This resulted in the development of the Company’s Hybrid Event Handbook, which showcases these solutions along with methods to help achieve specific hybrid event goals.

While Encore has provided customers with hybrid solutions for more than a decade, innovating enhanced solutions in response to the rapidly changing environment of the last year ensure a more engaging experience for in-person and remote attendees for events of all types and sizes – from boardroom to conference to convention.

“Hybrid incorporates many elements that have long been in place for our customers,” said Ben Erwin, President and CEO. “The last year has taught us that purely virtual events struggle to fulfill the need for personal and professional connections. As the world recovers, it’s critical that our customers understand the expanded possibilities to reconnect their communities by integrating in-person and remote attendee forums to work on what’s most important to the success of their organizations.”

Hybrid solutions from Encore provide planners, sponsors, presenters and attendees the ability to reach more people. And a great hybrid experience bridges the in-room set up and technology with a digital event platform to ensure all attendees can maximize engagement and participation. Whether the goal is to educate, collaborate, motivate or network, great outcomes are driven by achieving the right mix of in-room technology and digital platform such as videoconference, webinar, microsite, or the Chime Live™ platform from Encore. Based on in-person and virtual audience size, Encore offers numerous configuration options, from a single room with remote attendees, to multiple in-person sites that connect remote participants. Through its network of more than 35 Presentation Stages^TM worldwide, other alternatives are available to record or broadcast in high quality from a dedicated space.

While hybrid events have evolved over the years, the importance of gathering people remains stronger than ever. Encore has outlined six drivers to create a successful hybrid event of any size. These include environment, experience, engagement, connectivity, content and production. These drivers must work cohesively to ensure success in the hybrid meeting and event space.

A strategically planned environment creates a purposeful experience for in-person and remote attendees. The best meeting experience keeps everyone focused on the content and allows them to revisit it in their mind or on-demand later. Whether it’s a basic cloud video solution or a fully customizable platform, engagement methods should be kept top of mind. Connectivity and bandwidth at the venue needs to support a clear, uninterrupted video stream to remote users. It is also important to journey map the event content through the eyes of each participant. Finally, production has the power to set the tone for a professional and engaging event experience.

“Hybrid is a key part of how events will take place and how people will remain connected in the coming years,” said Tara Higgins, SVP, Commercial & President, Hargrove. “Effective hybrid solutions are critical to restarting the meeting and events industry and helping businesses succeed. In the last six months, we have delivered more than 3,000 virtual and hybrid events in addition to thousands of in-person events that were still able to occur with our MeetSAFE™ protocols in place. We are proud to have the depth of experience, expertise and solutions to help our customers achieve this on a global level, re-imagine their event and marketing portfolio, and connect with their communities.”

For those interested in learning more about Encore’s hybrid event solutions, visit https://encoreglobal.com/hybrid-virtual-events/.

About Encore

Encore creates memorable experiences that engage and transform organizations. As the global leader for event technology and production services, Encore’s team of creators, innovators and experts deliver real results through strategy and creative, advanced technology, digital, environmental, staging, and digital solutions for hybrid, virtual and in-person events.  Encore operates in more than 20 countries across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia and Asia Pacific. Encore is the trusted partner of choice for leading hotels and venues worldwide and was named to the Forbes 2018 and 2019 America’s Best Employer list. The company is headquartered in the Chicago metro area in Schiller Park, Ill.

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