A virtual reality: What Singapore’s social scene is like in the new normal
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A virtual reality: What Singapore's social scene is like in the new normal
Virtual events look likely to be the modus operandi for a while every bit the world remains jittery nigh crowds.
With mass gatherings and big-scale social events off the cards for now, initiatives like Zouk's Deject Clubbing livestream are the style to go. (Photograph: Zouk)
05 Jul 2022 06:30AM (Updated: 04 Jul 2022 07:31PM)
Back in Apr, while bugles were sounding the call to salve the food and drink industry and other businesses, some other industry was disregarded: The events trade.
As early as Feb, the VIP previews, networking dinners, trunk shows, exhibitions and festivals were starting to drib out of social calendars equally coronavirus fears spread.
Now, under Phase Two, shops and restaurants take reopened with condom distancing measures in identify, but the future of events remain uncertain as big-scale ones are nevertheless non allowed.
The natural recourse has been to go digital. But in a world that thrives on physical interaction and sensory experiences, how practise yous replicate the feeling of property a luxury accompaniment or piece of clothing in your hand, or the buzzy temper of a networking event?
The uncomplicated respond is: You can't.
But in this challenging climate, luxury brands have come up to the realisation that it is imperative to stay in bear upon with their customer base of operations as much as possible. All of a sudden, bonding over spirits and pasta masterclasses or playing games with vino and cheese take get part of the new public relations strategy book.
Premium vodka characterization Belvedere, for instance, worked with its brand ambassadors from different bars such equally Jigger & Pony and Manhattan to stream a series of #CheerswithBelvedere cocktail classes on IGTV. Viewers then shared their ain creative spin on the cocktails in a contest to win bottled drinks and Belvedere spirits.
Roger Vivier, the luxury French retailer of shoes, bags and accessories, had a cocktail masterclass with its customers in a Virtual Viv Fourth dimension event where the brand director also shared on the latest drove. Meanwhile, Korean beauty brand Sulwhasoo launched its updated kickoff-care activating serum with an online demonstration on how to use the products.
Vihari Poddar, manager of Vihari Jewels, said that she has been receiving updates on the latest product launches and their pricing from her favourite brands via WhatsApp.
Her own make was supposed to introduce a new jewellery drove over a VIP dinner in February but it was cancelled. During the circuit breaker, she chosen her customers personally and sent them videos of herself wearing her pieces and explaining how they would fit in their everyday routine.
She added: "After June 1, 1 of my sales staff would send pieces to their homes for trying while they waited outside the house. As health was the biggest business concern, I also sent them fresh mangoes from India and passionfruit and yellow dragon fruits from Ecuador."
For luxury brands, white-gloved services, concierge shopping and video consultations are at present the new forms of face-to-face interactions.
French beauty retailer Sephora launched personalised video chats and one-on-ane skincare and makeup consultations with its experts during the circuit billow. Even though its stores take reopened, customers tin can nevertheless shop in the comfort of their homes through the Virtual Artist function in the Sephora app. Facial recognition technology scans the user'due south face up and places the products on the optics, lips or cheeks on-screen for customers to see the overall expect before purchasing with an instant click-to-buy push.
Chaumet's customers can contact the French jewellery and timepiece brand's dedicated advisors, who volition adjust for the items to be personally delivered. Bvlgari and Louis Vuitton also provide doorstep drop-offs for items purchased via their e-commerce websites.
Diana Ong, director and founder of The PR People, which represents Sephora, said: "For luxury brands, a personal bear upon is very important, and nosotros foresee more intimate i-on-one or small-group events for high-profile customers with a high level of customisation to farther drive the brand DNA."
"For luxury brands, a personal affect is very important, and we foresee more intimate one-on-one or small-group events for high-profile customers." – Diana Ong
A CAUTIOUS Arroyo
It appears that virtual events will exist the modus operandi for a while as the globe remains jittery about crowds. Nevertheless, customers and event attendees exercise pino for the buzz.
Anaesthesiologists Dr Adrian Ng and his wife Dr Loh May-Han, who are regular fixtures at VIP events, said: "Do we miss physical shopping? Definitely! Along with the sensorial stimulation that brings endless delight to the states, seeing familiar faces, communicable up, indulging in a flake of retail escapism!"
While Zoom sessions can exist entertaining, technical difficulties practise happen. Ng recalled 1 that was rescheduled because of glitches and the couple ended up missing it because information technology clashed with their work commitments.
"Do we miss physical shopping? Definitely! Along with the sensorial stimulation that brings endless delight to us, seeing familiar faces, catching upwards, indulging in a bit of retail escapism!" – Dr Adrian Ng and Dr Loh May-Han
This is something that the couple – and others like them – just have to contend with until things go back to the style they were. Which won't be for some time nonetheless. Public relations agencies that CNA Luxury spoke to said that all events and launches for their clients are well-nigh downward to zero.
Lynn Chua, Acquaintance Director, Access Communications said: "Even with the recent announcement of Phase 2, brands are cautious about planning for events due to the doubtfulness of the state of affairs. While it'due south true that things are recovering, nigh brands are however adopting a wait-and-come across approach and are just making plans for events in Q3 or Q4 of 2020, or even early 2021."
"While it'south truthful that things are recovering, almost brands are still adopting a wait-and-see arroyo and are only making plans for events in Q3 or Q4 of 2020, or even early 2021." – Lynn Chua
Tjin Lee said that the live events manufacture has faced an "lxxx to 100 per cent" drop in revenue since February. The managing director and founder of Mercury Marketing & Communications, who is backside the #saveeventssg movement, shared: "Plans are being explored for rubber reopening, including temperature checks, on-the-spot virus tests, safe distancing measures, but it's likely that clients volition remain cautious for a time to come."
To support their corporate clients' virtual entertainment events, mobile bar companies such as Aristocracy Bar Solutions and Mixes from Mars devised bottled solutions.
Elite Bar Solutions launched the Gudsht bottled cocktail platform together with the team from grill-bar The Refinery and organised "drink from home" employee engagement sessions with cocktails and bar snacks.
Its director Denver Low said: "This has been a straightforward and well-received package by our corporate clients and some of them have already made orders for commitment in Q3 or Q4 2020."
Roger Yip, co-founder of Mixes from Mars, said: "People wait towards dissimilar forms of social entertainment such as getting on apps like Business firm Party and Plato. There'southward a proliferation of virtual workshops beingness conducted and I feel that's swell as they embody the social and entertainment element of events while still serving the clients' purposes."
On a bigger scale, Zouk is keeping the party jive and Mambo dreams alive through cloud clubbing alive streams with gaming company Razer and its Zouk Digital programming of DJ sets, fitness and cocktail classes, and inspiring conversations with creatives.
Andrew Li, CEO of Zouk Group, said: "We thought almost cloud clubbing quite early on every bit we saw the initiative in China when clubs were shut. And with teams all over the world we could create a lot of content and push it out on our unlike country channels. It is not so much a revenue stream as it is about staying connected with our audience."
"Plans are being explored for safe reopening, including temperature checks, on-the-spot virus tests, condom distancing measures, but it's probable that clients will remain cautious for a fourth dimension to come." – Tjin Lee
READ> What volition having a drink be like when Singapore'due south bars reopen in Stage ii (or 3)?
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Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/experiences/virtual-events-singapore-social-scene-242346
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