As we begin to move through the phases of the Covid-19 recovery strategy businesses are beginning to come out of hibernation, look to the future and explore the challenges presented by going back to work.
On Thursday 4th June, creative communications group DRPG brought together special guests from publications and associations representing events, comms and digital for a roundtable discussion and temperature check of the various sectors. The Big Debate, which was broadcast through their bespoke portal and included notable names from each sector, addressed issues such as the future of communications, how sectors and industries are persevering and collaborating, and what support is available amidst the disruption as businesses re-evaluate their strategies and move forward to adapting to the new norm.
The panel represented many of the channels which make up the internal and external communication sector, from PR to live events, film and video to digital solutions. The breadth of expertise on the panel meant a balanced overview of the challenges of the last 10 weeks, and more importantly the opportunities for the future.
The panel included:
Caroline Clift, Editor at Stand Out magazine
Claire Fennelow, Executive Director at EVCOM
Martin Fullard, Editor at Conference News
Holly Hall, MD at BIMA
Simon Hughes, Vice Chair at BVEP
Francis Ingham, Director General at PRCA
Andrew Thomas, Publishing Editor at Communicate magazine
The overriding sentiment from across the board is that the UK creative service industry are particularly good at adapting, changing business models and moving forward in times of crisis. This has been achieved through effective collaboration between sectors, associations, and businesses.
Holly Hall, MD at BIMA spoke from a digital point of view, “We’re seeing digital offerings and digital experiences are absolutely paramount right now and a lot of our members are the ones who are driving that and making it happen and they are busy as a result. A lot of companies are looking at their digital transformation. Maybe it was on their list of things to do pre-covid and now they’re seeing it’s an absolute priority.”
Key Takeaways:
– The digital industry is faring better than a lot of industries despite huge cuts in ad and media spend and of course those reliant on clients in hospitality and travel.
– Many companies are using this time to look at digital transformation, and digital offerings and experiences are paramount. These are items that have always been on the to do list but have only now become business critical. With 15 years’ worth of people coming online in 15 days, the companies who are making that happen are prospering.
– Smaller companies who rely on referrals are suffering. New business is tricky and many don’t have the cash to weather the storm.
– Hybrid events are the ultimate collaboration between the digital and event industries. People have seen the benefits of that kind of working and hopefully it will continue to work that way.
– Confidence is low and events are on the backburner until 2021. Businesses still need to communicate so this service now sits heavily with comms and digital.
– The success of virtual events depends on the event and the industry. The quality must be high in order to compete as live events come back in.
– Some content and messaging is better online. This situation has forced companies to look at the content and evaluate objectives and realise that live events aren’t always the best solution. Hybrid and online events are a viable solution, but new revenue and commercialisation models need to be made around virtual events.
Dale Parmenter, CEO at DRPG commented after the broadcast, “While the outlook may look bleak for certain sectors of our industry, there is most certainly grounds for optimism. Gathering experts from each field including those from both press and associations has been a fantastic chance to share an overview of the challenges faced but most importantly to discuss the learnings that have resulted from this time of crisis.
As has been expressed throughout the debate, it is the collaboration within our industry that is paramount to its survival. All parties are equally committed to seeing the industry successfully weather this storm, and the first step to achieving this is open and honest communication. We must continue to work together and support each other to see our industry flourish once again.”