CASE STUDY
Event Wizards to Virtual Event Wizards
The Case Study
Event: EXXARO PIT SYMPOSIUM 2020 Brief: Although the event always had a hybrid element, the Wizards were asked to deliver a complete virtual event production for the 2020 Symposium. With this year’s global disruption the task at hand was more complex and challenging than usual. That did not prevent Event Wizards’ Herkie du Preez, who has organised this symposium for the past four years, to deliver a very successful event. Who is Exxaro? EXXARO is one of the largest, blackempowered mining companies in South Africa. They are a constituent of the JSE Top 40 Index and are in the top echelon of coal production in the country. EXXARO is more than just a mining and resource company and believes in empowering local mining communities and employing sustainable mining practices to limit the negative impact of mining practices on the environment.
About the PIT Symposium: The EXXARO Professionals-in-Training (PIT) Symposium was held on 22 October 2020. Project presentations focused on minerals of the future as well as building up the mining industry while taking climate change and unemployment rates into consideration. EXARRO’s virtual symposium held productive discussions to brainstorm projects that aim to work towards running their business more cost-effectively, with a focus on sustainable practices.
The Challenge The PIT Symposium requires high level engagement between the presenters
and judges, EXCO members as well as the audience. The event was previously held over a period of 8-10 hours, providing enough time for evaluating, scoring, celebrating and networking but, stepping into the virtual event space, a new strategy had to be developed in order to keep the process interesting, functional and engaging. The idea of an attendee staring at a screen for 8 nonengaging hours was just not an option.
The Solution With the help of event technology such as online event platforms and event mobile applications we could engage with all event guests prior to the event to ensure they fully understood the new virtual concept and followed all the exciting steps and processes leading up to the symposium. Creative and highly effective content strategies were developed to keep the audiences engaged from the moment invitations went out, during and after the event and onwards. The entire event will be available online in the future. The event was divided into two parts: 1. All the presentations were prerecorded in the Event Wizards Green
16 Business Events Africa November 2020
www.businesseventsafrica.com
