Synergy Effect spotlights business challenges for 2024 and launches innovative event solutions

Sydney-headquartered brand experience specialists, Synergy Effect, has spotlighted some of the business challenges their clients are experiencing and also launched an array of innovative event solutions in response to these top business challenges.

With the way we live and work having changed significantly, creating challenges for businesses alongside great opportunities, the co-Founder of Synergy Effect and 2023 Atlassian Women Leading Technology winner for Entrepreneur/Founder, Ruth Hirst, has outlined the key business challenges her clients are reporting – and the innovative solutions driving success:

1.Customers and staff are based all over the country, the region, the world.
Digitisation means customers and staff can truly be based anywhere. When it comes to work, hybrid is here to stay with 94% of Australians wanting to complete at least part of their work remotely (June 2023 Taking the Pulse of the Nation – Melbourne Institute and Roy Morgan), while consumers who are based far and wide are all seeking higher-quality customer experiences – with nearly 90% of buyers saying experience matters as much as a company’s products or services (Salesforce).

Ruth Hirst believes events that provide flexibility, while being innovative and providing quality brand experiences to all guests - no matter where or how they attend - build culture, loyalty, inspire and ignite.

Hirst notes “Multi-site events which can also attract further online attendance to boost your wider reach, and which are centred on brand immersion, are incredibly powerful.

“Perhaps your objective is to educate and motivate audiences based around Australia or the Indo-Pacific through an extraordinary brand experience. Traditionally, you might do this through a multi-city time-consuming roadshow. But by redesigning your event with smart, wide-reaching, sustainable solutions from the beginning you can immerse more people in less time. Position your speakers on dynamic branded 3D virtual stage, have beamed-in international and local speakers together on stages, with all sites engaging with the same presentations, panel discussions and activations, and incorporate ongoing guest participation and live feedback.”

An example of this was the aesthetics industry symposium, First Impressions by Galderma, produced by Synergy Effect in 2022, which was awarded at the Australian Event Awards national winner of the Best Live or Hybrid Brand Event, with Galderma Australia also awarded the internal, International Global Best Practice Award for this brand experience. Over 6,000 delegates from 15 cities in 12 countries engaged simultaneously with interactive and educational presentations. Key to the event success was 3D, 360-degree branded dynamic sets which allowed remote international speakers to be beamed on stage to join in-person presenters.

2. Largescale need to train and upskill
With research showing six out of 10 employees will require training before 2027, with a focus on analytical and creative thinking, social influence, resilience and agility (2023 World Economic Form Future of Jobs Report), a challenge is how to engage large numbers of employees in professional development.

Hirst adds “Immersive online or hybrid experiences designed right from the beginning are hugely effective in delivering professional development models and solutions.

“With customers too, providing educational and enriching experiences centred on products and services builds loyalty and trust – and multi-site localised events which deliver consistent high-quality brand immersion and VIP experiences to all customers eliminate barriers and allow you to engage with customers across your region at the same time.

“Everyone can participate at the same time with real time engagement, entertainment, surveys, polls, Q&A, and live two-way conversations.”

3. Struggle to make connections and distinguish brand
Around 60% of people want brands to connect with them, and will increase spending when they feel connected (Sprout Social), underpinning why real, meaningful connections power brand success.

Hirst believes immersive experiences which deliver direct to consumer widescale education are a powerful way to connect and distinguish a brand, and positively influencing the buying cycle. Hirst adds “Imagine directly engaging with your customer base through localised, small-group live events across your wider region where all engage with your own brand-centred interactive live TV show. These multi-site hosted events can be in places of your choosing - venues, showrooms, offices, points of sale - and allow dispersed customers to join a VIP experience, eliminating borders and time delays in reaching the market.”

4. Finding impactful ways to champion environment and corporate social responsibility
Studies show that 63% of Australians want brands to deliver change on climate, and 80% want to see brands delivering against social equality (Research by Nine and FiftyFive5), and when it comes to events, there are ways to deliver on both of these.

“By building your event as a hybrid-multisite or online experience you can reduce the carbon footprint by 50 to 99%,” said Hirst.

“And with research showing the global event industry responsible for 10% of all CO2 emissions – equal to the entire United States – increasing sustainability of events has the potential to deliver significant positive change.

“At Synergy Effect, we are passionate about helping brands to enhance diversity and inclusion – through creating events that everyone in an organisation or customer base can attend – not just a select few – and by providing presentation platforms that pave the way for more diverse team members to be centre stage – from the factory floor or the remote farm to the full spectrum of the office to align with the message.”

Earlier this year, Synergy Effect was awarded a Gold Medal for Sustainability from EcoVadis, incorporating environment and human rights, and recognising the company in the top 5% of events management businesses internationally.

5. Tight budgets and time pressures.
Hirst shares “With economic pressures, many businesses are experiencing a cost-reduction era. But understanding low-quality experiences pose brand risks, we are focused on helping our clients achieve high quality experiences to stand out and reach more people for significantly lower per person costs.

“Time too is hugely valuable, and our solutions are designed to deliver jaw-dropping brand experiences while in particular, reducing travel time and allowing for simultaneous engagement – reaching all your people.”

Synergy Effect’s new range of Connect360 solutions include:

Ignite60
Ignite60 allows organisations to connect online with people across the region through live, interactive, highly engaging, and immersive sessions in as little as 30 minutes, engaging 5000 people for $8 per head. Ideal for key strategy or product launches, or education needing to be distributed widely and quickly. Ignite 60 turns the ubiquitous webinar into a television experience on dynamic, branded 3D sets with audience engagement. CLICK HERE 

Reach360
Reach360 allows you to connect with all your customers or staff at multiple locations through live, highly engaging, and immersive hybrid multisite and online events - reach everyone across your region at the same time. Designed to run from 4 hours to a full day (or multi-day), this is ideal to deliver a simultaneous regional roadshow, major strategy kick-off or conference. Reach 7000 guests spread across 10 multi-site in-person events plus online for $10 per person for event creative and production (cost does not include venue, food and beverage). CLICK HERE    

Influence360
Influence360 allows businesses to directly connect with consumers region-wide by creating localised VIP events all engaging with your live-audience TV show providing high-quality, consistent educational inspiration to spark conversation and business opportunity. Reach 5000 guests spread across 20 multi-site in-person events (250 guests at each event) for $32 per person for event creative and production (cost does not include venue, food and beverage or local site AV). CLICK HERE

More information on Synergy Effect 

Image top: Aesthetics industry symposium, First Impressions by Galderma, produced by Synergy Effect in 2022