COVID has severely limited offline interactions and events, even making them virtually impossible in some parts of the world. Naturally, being the visual product that HYPERVSN is, it has posed a huge challenge in terms of demo opportunities for our clients.
Ghizlane Bouzidoune and her team at Gizmo came up with a smart way around this problem, and tried renting a demo space at the local shopping mall. In the article below, they share their insights.
Gizmo is based in Kenya, and specialises specifically in 3D holographic solutions. We partnered with HYPERVSN at the end of 2019. Our plan to enter the market was delayed due the pandemic, and since no physical meetings were allowed, and live demos were made impossible, we found it very hard to showcase the true power of HYPERVSN’s technology.
Once the market started opening up and businesses got active and ready to invest again, we started looking for unique ways to introduce ourselves as HYPERVSN partners on this territory.
Gizmo team
Why we Chose the Mall
Since all the major consumer events were still virtual at that point, we knew we would have to set up something of our own and get the technology to where the foot-traffic was. The shopping center turned out to be the not-so-obvious, but the best option we came up with.
Overall, we were inspired by the HYPERVSN CES videos, seeing the huge crowds at the HYPERVSN stands and the reactions of the audiences, we wanted to offer a similar experience to our potential clients.
How we Chose the Mall
The choice of the mall demo venue was critical.
We prioritised the following points when deciding on it:
The availability of the meeting facilities, as more and more people in Kenya are opting for outdoor meetings to minimize the virus spread. This is why we checked that the mall had open air cafes and restaurants.
The availability of the biggest retail brand stores, which meant good foot-traffic.
The overall mall location. We chose the Village Market Mall due to its proximity to the United Nations, embassies, headquarters of the International Chambers of Commerce and corporate offices, as well as the luxury residential area surrounding it, which increased the probability of meeting the decision makers.
What We Setup
In just 3×5 sqm of space, we exhibited the multiple solutions:
Solo M in the Glass Box
Solo L on the tripod, covered with the dome
HYPERVSN Wall 6 on the Wall Frame.
I believe that by showcasing the various HYPERVSN solutions available, we empowered our potential clients to imagine, create and choose the display that would fit their specific needs. I would not change anything about the choice of products we used.
We also set up the 3D Studio demo, placing an internet-ready laptop out for users that had the CMS Platform open. The clients would send us their logos on the spot, and we in turn would convert them into 3D visuals and showcase them on the live demo device in front of them. It allowed for more interactivity and much greater brand personalisation.
3D Studio live demo
The Time it Took Us
We rented the demo space for 7 days. Based on our experience, this is just the right amount of time: it made it easier for people to find the time to visit, but it wasn’t so long people delayed their visits and forgot about it.
We are planning to do a similar activity in January, with the same number of days.
The Content We Used
We relied on the best 3D content from the HYPERVSN Media library for this demo, and also made sure there were relevant examples for different industries so that clients could relate to them easier.
Video of the installation
How We Promoted the Demo
There were various leads in our pipeline already, so we sent the invitations to them prior to the event.
Other than that, we relied on the Shopping Mall traffic. Luckily, there were visitors constantly passing by while shopping or heading to meetings within the mall. During the weekend, there were numerous local business owners shopping with their families or spending time with kids for Halloween too.
By seeing how much attention the HYPERVSN solutions draw, the mall representatives got interested in the technology as well. We are already working on the Christmas Evening installation with them, as well as the advertising area within the food court area and a couple of other stores. We will make sure to share the videos and pictures of this activity as they come.
One of our visitors asked me the following question: “How do you feel waking up in the morning and knowing you’ll be selling such an amazing visual experience – must be very exciting?” 🙂
More Useful Tips
The shopping mall choice was key, for both its location and foot-traffic; make time to choose your Mall (or other venue) properly and consider the various external factors, such as the location, the neighbourhood it’s in and the type of stores that are inside.
In terms of the timing, festive and seasonal weekends are the busiest and therefore, the best. Depending on the size of the city you are based in, there is a good chance you might meet some prospects otherwise unreachable during the holiday season.
Make sure to showcase various product options that fit different client budgets. Encourage people to see for themselves how easy the content creation is by setting up the 3D Studio demo for them to try.
Prior to the start of the activation, we specifically instructed the team to provide visitors with enough time and space to experience the magic of the technology; try visualising whatever they have on their minds on the device with the 3D Studio and only after that, proceed to business discussions. Make that magical connection, and show them the power of holographic visuals.
One of our visitors asked me the following question: “How do you feel waking up in the morning and knowing you’ll be selling such an amazing visual experience – must be very exciting?” 🙂