Skift Take
While augmented reality and holograms are the sexy new technologies in the event space, the overall integration of digital tools with physical events is still undergoing a period of transformation.
What's the right balance between digital innovation and a focus on event experience or face-to-face interaction?
An integrated approach can pay dividends for both event planners and attendees, yet there's still debate on how to create the best experiences.
Brian Friedman, vice president of digital innovation at event technology company Etouches, thinks that empowering event planners with a variety of tools is only the beginning of a shift in overall event management.
"Connections are core at the event," said Friedman. "What does that mean? It means attendees can connect with exhibitors, attendees can connect with others, and attendees can connect with content. The more connections you have, the more social capital and marketing value you get from it."
Skift spoke to Friedman about the power of customization, the emergence of augmented reality, and the real limits of attendee personalization right now.
Skift: How do you look at the divide between offering individual solutions to meeting planners and the rise of platforms in the ecosystem?
Brian Friedman: We're focusing on having really intuitive and innovative platforms that have full functionality. So the idea is that you can come to Etouches, we're a one-stop shop that has really powerful solutions. There are other event companies out there where the more functionality you have, the more technical experience you need to have. And wit
