Real life benefits of sponsorship in the virtual world

Can virtual event sponsorship deliver tangible results? We talk to the FCM Meetings & Events’ team about the brave new world of sponsorship in the virtual space.

For FCM Meetings & Events the secret to securing sponsorship for virtual events, lies in educating organisations about the powerful branding opportunities available to them.

“To create sponsorship packages that harness a business’ involvement, event organisers need to balance strategy, content and technology to deliver their sponsor’s brand message in a relevant and organic way,” said Christian Marchand, Senior Producer, FCM Meetings & Events. “At the same time, sponsors need to understand that during virtual events they can actually take a more strategic and targeted approach to integrating their brand.”

Online events offer event planners the ability to create a one-of-a-kind sponsorship experience, which captures powerful analytical data, including real-time information.

“Data can clearly demonstrate how delegates are interacting with a sponsor’s brand by revealing - how many delegates visited a sponsor’s virtual showcase, opened a PDF, watched a video or participated in a live chat,” explains Christian. “So sponsors can see the value for money they are getting in a very tangible way. Plus post-event reports can provide a range of detailed information, allowing sponsors to manage ongoing connections and communication with the audience.”

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Putting theory into practice, FCM Meetings & Events found themselves pivoting to a virtual event when they recently hosted Illuminate 2021, for parent company Flight Centre Travel Group’s corporate division. With travel restrictions impacting delegates’ ability to attend the face-to-face event in October, the entire event was moved online. Despite the change in format, all of the high profile sponsors were keen to continue their involvement as event partners. The FCM Meetings & Events’ production team created virtual branding and gamification opportunities, which delivered visibility, targeted messaging and brand interaction via the Illuminate virtual event platform.

These cool examples below demonstrate how Illuminate sponsors were creatively and seamlessly integrated into the virtual schedule once the broadcast went live.

  • Event sponsor Crown Hotels, known for their entertainment and hospitality venues, sent all delegates a pair of slippers so they could relax while attending the event from the comfort of their home.
  • Another business sponsored the morning tea session, by sending delegates a tea and muesli package to enjoy during the break.
  • Virtual Partner Showcases (like a virtual display booth) were hosted on the Illuminate platform for each of the Bronze sponsors, allowing them to highlight their business and interact with online delegates.
  • Creatively branded ‘Partner Showcases’ provided audience members with a way to engage with sponsors’ products and services. Sponsors used traditional marketing methods of engaging with guests as well as tailored gamification opportunities that offered prize incentives.
  • FCM Meetings & Events delivered value to top-tier Illuminate partners by integrating them into the conference content, with representatives invited to sit on discussion panels when the topic aligned to their brand. For example, Accor Hotels was represented on the Responsible Travel panel, as global sustainability is one of the brand’s key areas of focus in 2022. This gave them additional exposure to the virtual audience and showcased their expertise in the area.
  • Key Illuminate partners also featured more prominently in the major event giveaways and prizes, creating further awareness of each brand and business.
  • A networking hub created for Illuminate guests was available during and after the event for virtual guests and businesses to connect, chat and also share information.

By thinking outside of the box, event organisers can offer innovative and engaging ways to not just replicate, but to improve on, traditional event sponsorship methods.

Illuminate 2021 was brought to you by FCM Meetings & Events

For a virtual experience like no-other, FCM Meetings & Events has the latest in virtual platforms and technology to bring your event to life.