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RESEARCH
ANALYSIS
Facing the challenges of B2B marketing The Chinese word for "crisis” is, in Western popular
TRENDS culture since John F. Kennedy’s quote speech,
communication
frequently but incorrectly said to be composed of two
Formats, marketing content, distribution channels, type Chinese characters signifying "danger" and
of products and even the role of marketing must adapt "opportunity", whereby the latter means more
to the new digital requirements. Looking at events and something along the lines of "change points”. Anyway,
trade fairs, this year has shown painfully how quickly what it symbolizes is to be aware of the danger in a
creative solutions, an agile mindset, and technological crisis, but to recognize the opportunity/needed change,
know-how can be put on the agenda. too.

The fact is that the current crisis is good for VR, since Let’s just look at another good example to make this
due to social distancing measures, people need to be more clear: VictoryXR, an AR & VR school curriculum
apart, but want to be together. For instance, due to the provider that also uses the Engage platform is in the
virus outbreak, HTC changed its annual Vive process of becoming accredited in the United States
Ecosystem Conference (VEC) in China to a virtual (Iowa and California) as an online VR school.
world built by Engage, a product of Immersive VR
Education. By advances in network technology Of course, we will continue having face-to-face
participants could use any kind of VR and AR device, meetings in the future, but more of them are going to
even a smartphone, to be present in the simulation. use XR as things change. The time is over when
According to HTC, the Engage team added multilingual marketing departments only had to print brochures and
support, spatial conversations for 1:1 chats, and host events. Today, marketing can become a major
upgraded the server capacity to allow for up to 5k VR sales driver when it embraces increasing requirements
users live, representing a new standard for how and complexity. With travel restrictions the future is
industry events will be done in the future. getting local and sustainable, so technology, strategy
and organization must work seamlessly together to
The advantages are reduced travel and production succeed. ◊
costs not to mention zero carbon to the environment!
Win-win-win for organizers, speakers, attendees and By Daniela La Marca
the world!”

July 2020: Virtual-, Augmented & Mixed Reality: revolutionizing the customer experience 8