Growth & Jobs | Remain relevant - Professionals profit from virtual events

Several professionals in the entertainment industry have been leveraging virtual events to maintain or even increase ‘fandom’ and deepen brand equity in the wake of COVID-19, hosting a variety of events in cyberspace, given the restrictions on public gatherings.

Marketer Debbie-Ann Davis says that the events have allowed professionals in the industry to remain relevant while, at the same time, reach a wider, and even worldwide, audience to grow their fan base.

Pointing to her company’s own recent staging of an Easter Monday gospel and dancehall acoustic concert, Davis, who is also partnership and loyalty manager at JN Group, noted that the event, which reached some 24,000 people, provided a platform for artistes to maintain connection with fans and even introduce some to a wider cross section of Jamaicans, given the JN Group’s deep diaspora connections. The company has outfits in The Cayman Islands, the USA, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

“We were able to give back to the nation in music while instilling a sense of hope and perseverance in the already resilient Jamaican people, who don’t only reside in Jamaica, but all over the world,” she said.

With concerts and festivals postponed or outright cancelled, gospel artiste, Kevin Downswell has been keeping busy on the virtual scene since the COVID-19 outbreak, starring in several online events. These have included the JN Group Together We Are Strong Live Online Concert, Digicel UNPLUGGED, the Worship Watch, and his own weekend online show, Conversations with Kevin.

The JN Group ambassador said that people appreciate the fact that their favourite artiste or artistes can be right there with them in their personal spaces via the screen of their personal devices and interacting with them.

“Online concerts, interviews, talk shows, whatever the form or fashion, help us to stay in touch with those who need to hear from us. While everything else has slowed, and some things have come to a standstill, it presents some level of motion and norm between us and our supporters,” he said.

“These online talk shows and concerts create an intimate and interactive environment, plus some viewers say they enjoy the luxury of not having to pay,” Downswell chuckled.

Similarly, Matthew Campbell, soca DJ, who goes by the moniker Matt Camps, has taken to the virtual world to host trending one-man DJ parties called #MattCampsRadio and #SocaCampLive since the start of the outbreak in Jamaica.

“My following on Twitter has doubled since hosting virtual events during the pandemic, and some of the more established DJs that I look up to have since followed me on social media, and that shows that my brand has grown, ” he said.

In a bid to showcase his versatility, he dedicated one of his party segments to dancehall artiste Aidonia, playing music strictly from the DJ during an all-night session. To his surprise, the artiste started posting videos of the songs he was playing during the set and even sent him an unreleased song as an exclusive. The entertainer also sent the DJ personalised jingles after the show was over.

FOSTERING UNITY

For Campbell, this shows that virtual events can also foster collaboration and unity in the entertainment industry.

His intention is not to monetise his gigs, but to gain long-term equity. So far, all his virtual parties have been trending on Twitter in Jamaica, driving a large volume of traffic to his page and increasing his fan base.

“The main goal is to showcase my talent and build my brand so that when the pandemic is over, the Matt Camps brand still stands,” he said.

Similarly, media personality Debbie Bissoon explained that the online space has become the main outlet for ‘creatives’ to continue to showcase their work, connect with their fans, build new ones, and maintain their overall relevance in absence of concerts and festivals.

“Influencers are also benefiting from this revolution because of the almost limitless nature of the online space, Jamaican creatives have gone all over the world,” she added.

She also noted that virtual events have also helped professionals in the entertainment industry to grow their fan base, but the space has also created some divisions.

“Some social media accounts have seen some growth, and others have not, as a result of how competitive the online space has become. Fans are now divided as they now have several options to enjoy. It now boils down to the content that can pull the most attention,” she continued.

She recommended that players in the industry capitalise on the pandemic through virtual events by creating strong-quality content, being creative, and offering their products and services to the people.

Davis noted that beyond creatives and professionals, corporate companies that support the events also benefit.

“The importance of a brand in a ­customer’s eyes is paramount. Brand equity gives rise to brand loyalty in that it allows companies to engage with their customers more effectively and form their perception of the entity, thus allowing the business to expand,” she said.

She added that the events provide an avenue for corporate entities and artistes to entertain and uplift spirits.