Challenge & Objectives
Existing client Tungsten Publishing carry out annual in person awards events, for a number of their publications. Each of these includes a full awards ceremony, and roster of sponsors.
They have both WordPress Support & Evolve plans with us. Due to the pandemic, they approached us to create a digital solution with their Evolve hours, which would allow them to continue their awards events.
The first of their awards events to go digital was their Leaders In Trade awards. Which became Leaders In Trade Digital Experience or LITDX.
Solution
We helped them devise a solution, which we then wireframed for desktop and mobile. We wanted to make sure the experience was engaging for users, whilst sponsors were given plenty of visibility.
Sectional Header
The client decided they wanted to release awards each day, so we came up with a sectional header to contain everything for each day of the week-long event. Within each of these sections, the information for each day, including the nominees, the winners announcement videos, sponsors etc would live. But the content in each section would only become available to users on the day in question.
We provided most of the creatives for the project, but the client provided us with the nominees and the pre-recorded 25 minute ceremony/announcement videos.
To drive interest and awareness of the following day’s awards, we added messaging on the previous day’s page and the client sent email communications, letting users know what awards were being announced the next day.
Sponsor Visibility
Clear display of the event sponsors was really important, so we wanted to ensure they would always be visible when navigating around the site. Whether on desktop or mobile. Mobile native functionality was important to create a positive experience for those visiting from all devices.
Multiple Ways To Engage
For increased engagement, and a potentially time poor audience, we added a follow on scroll so that users could still navigate around the page and engage with other content, whilst the video still played in the top right hand corner. We also added a PDF download of winners each day, for those without time to view the videos.
We created a discussion area for users to interact, to function as an alternative to the in person networking you’d have at a physical event.
Ongoing Value
This whole event area was created as something that just bolts on to their existing sites, rather than a separate microsite. We wanted to make sure it was easy for their internal teams to replicate for their future events.
Come the actual week of the event, the client chose to have us provide real time support, so that someone was on hand at all times to monitor, and jump to action should any technical issues arise. This is always a sensible precaution for any live digital event, to ensure the experience for users isn’t interrupted, and that sponsors don’t lose valuable advertising time.
Results
The event was a huge success. So much so, that the client has already replicated it for another of their publications, and once again had us support the live event.
The solution now gives them a solid digital event platform going forwards.
