The Development of Digital Live Events: The Experts’ Perspective

Abstract

Events are important instruments that generate emotions and enable multisensory experiences. Hence, companies use as a part of their strategic communications efforts. Following the technological developments live communication formats adopted digital and hybrid formats. This trend was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Within the theoretical framework of the Technology Adoption Model, the present research investigates the usefulness of digital and hybrid live communication in business-to-business events. Eight experts were interviewed and highlighted both the opportunities and challenges that such types of live-communication are associated with. Hence, flexibility of content creation, new strategic approaches, the inclusion of new target groups, and a differentiated approach to communication towards certain target groups were mentioned as advantages of digital or hybrid live-communication. However, there are also disadvantages of digital live-communication which detract from the positive effects such as the limited interaction among participants, less emotional involvement of participants and lack of attention. The present study has both theoretical and practical implications.