How to Make Hybrid a Hit: Takeaways From MIX 2022
May 18, 2022
Live streaming, in-person watch parties, virtual viewing around the world, and broadcast-quality production—that’s what Mastering Immersive Experiences (MIX) 2022 looked like. A terrific hybrid event indeed.
So terrific, in fact, we thought it would be unfair if we kept the gems of knowledge learned at our first hybrid event away from you. So we sat down with one of Hubilo’s premier event professionals, Jessica Connolly, who spearheaded the planning, management, and execution of MIX, and picked her brain to get the top takeaways from the event. Here’s what she had to say.
Create pre-event buzz to tease the audience for the event
“Building excitement with your online community before the event is a time investment well-spent. We ran a social media contest before the conference that drove a lot of awareness about MIX. It allowed attendees to get excited before MIX started. And to find out if they’d won, they had to tune in to the event. So our pre-event social contest ended up being a great way to convince those who signed up to attend and discover what else was in store.”
Separate engagement experiences for virtual and in-person attendees
“There truly are two separate audiences that you’re trying to engage during a hybrid event. You have to create different experiences for both of them because they’re in different settings.
And while we kinda knew this going into the event, we really learned the ways that this manifested. For example, with contests that we set up online, our virtual audience loved them and leaned heavily on the chat feature; however, our in-person attendees really embraced face-to-face networking. Everything isn’t going to translate, and that’s ok.
Get your event a “Rachel”
“If you go back and watch something on demand, maybe you’re just watching that particular session. But for a live experience, when we wanted people to be engaged, Rachel Moore really tied it all together. She connected with the audiences both virtual and in-person. Sometimes she’d talk while a session was happening, or when the virtual audience went to break she’d be giving directives to the in-person audience. She was just so personable and that was huge.
On top of that, Rachel had a co-moderator, Sabrina Meyers, who made the experience even better because there was that banter that broke up the session content and ensured that both physical locations got on-screen time.”
Wondering if there’s more where these came from? There is! Check out the on-demand recording of MIX 2022 here.
Partner Voices
HERE, hosting responsible meetings and caring for our communities are top priorities. Through its 'Focused on What Matters: Embracing Humanity and Protecting the Planet' philosophy, MGM Resorts commits to creating a more sustainable future, while striving to make an impact in the lives of employees, guests, and the communities in which it operates.
Water Stewardship Efforts
MGM Resorts understands the importance of using water efficiently, especially in the desert destination of Las Vegas. Conserving water has always been part of the mission, but MGM Resorts has expanded its ambition into water stewardship.
In 2022, MGM Resorts President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle signed the CEO Water Mandate—a UN Global Compact initiative mobilizing business leaders to advance water stewardship. MGM Resorts International was the first gaming company to take this important step.
MGM Resorts replaced 200,000 square feet of real grass with drought-tolerant landscaping in Las Vegas.
MGM Resorts pledges to reduce water withdrawal intensity by 33% by 2025 and by 35% by 2030.
From 2007-2021, use of more than 5.6 billion gallons of water was avoided because of conservation efforts.
Caring for One Another
MGM Resorts’ Food Donations Program collects and preserves unserved food from conventions held at MGM Resorts properties, then safely donates to food insecure people in the community. Since the program’s launch in 2016, more than 3.7 million meals toward a 2025 goal of 5 million meals have been donated into the community. Donations include:
Unserved perishable prepared foods from events
Perishable unprepared food from MGM Resorts’ kitchens
Nonperishable food items from minibars and warehouses
The collaboration with Southern Nevada’s primary food bank, Three Square, has developed the infrastructure needed to safely collect, transport, and store food from MGM Resorts properties in Las Vegas, reducing food waste while serving the community.
Fostering Diversity and Inclusion
To MGM Resorts, a diverse and talented workforce is essential to success. By cultivating innovative strategies that consider multiple perspectives and viewpoints, the company creates an inclusive workplace culture that benefits its employees and community. MGM Resorts takes pride in being a welcoming home for veterans, individuals with disabilities, people from diverse backgrounds, LGBTQ+ community members, and more. This commitment to inclusion is reflected in the company's recruitment and hiring practices and its social responsibility initiatives. From the workplace to the community, MGM Resorts' commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion remains unwavering, and its efforts continue to create a more equitable and sustainable world for all.
MGM Resorts understands its responsibility to contribute to the social and economic progress of the communities in which it operates. HERE, we embrace humanity.
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