Continuing our partnership with the EICC, and when it was clear that the traditional approach to delivering conferences required a rethink in 2020, we were approached to help realise our client’s ambition for ‘Make it Edinburgh Live’, their custom online events platform.
EICC's approach centres on a belief that conferences have the capacity to spark ideas, drive progression, and change the world for the better. This platform needs to provide the most authentic event experience possible in the current circumstances by delivering the event either partially or fully online, whilst being adaptable to the client’s unique vision and needs.
Our creative and UX experts worked closely with the Team at EICC to craft a solution which allows our client to offer positive alternatives to running in-situ events and the assurance that their clients’ event and participants are in the safest of hands.
Flexibility and expandability is at the heart of this online solution; enabling ideas & innovation to thrive and reflecting EICC’s in-situ Events approach. Through our initial Brand Discovery phase, we grasped the essence and attributes of an in-situ event and combined this with UX feedback from other leading online event offerings.
This established the blueprint for the core offering, allowing the EICC to engage and inspire the market and leading to deeper discussions around specific needs and how they would be met.
Richard Lloyd, Technical and ICT Operations Manager was pivotal in translating all EICC do in a real-world events environment into a hybrid one.
"Part of this planning phase was to look at the products & services already on the marketplace, test those and decide which would best fit the needs of our clients."
Many clients have certain services already in place, such as polling systems, which can all be integrated. Equally in-built features can be switched on or off as needed.
“This flexibility is part of what makes our service unique,” says Richard. “We didn't want to be in a closed environment, forcing a client to take every piece of the service. If they already have a piece of the puzzle, then we can integrate it.”
Central to successful planning involved harnessing the meaningful interactions and connections experienced in person.
Online user profile
Virtual trade stands
Streaming platform
Video Chat Function
Dashboard / Reporting
P2P networking
With the core product defined, we designed and built a prototype to allow EICC to approach the market with confidence and a genuine opportunity.
Michael Wood, Radiator Digital
Make It Edinburgh Live was launched on May 21 2020, and the EICC team supported Street Soccer with their online Gala Dinner at Home on Saturday 30 May. The event was a huge success, and with a turnaround time of only ten days from the initial conversation with the client, it was a real testament to the skill and adaptability of all involved!
Street Soccer
Street Soccer Scotland’s aim is to use the positive power of football to help people affected by homelessness, mental illness and social exclusion.
Fearing their annual gala dinner would be cancelled, Founder and CEO David Duke hit on an idea - getting dressed up; enjoying the atmosphere; good entertainment; a delicious meal served; and an auction to top it all off.
“We had begun to build a really good line-up. Scotland captain Andy Robertson; Harry and Sandra Redknapp; Judy Murray; Tom Grennan on music. But we knew it wouldn’t be enough as just a show on a screen, so we started to think about how we could make it unique. What I really liked about it was that it involved the whole family. It was more accessible, too - we had people from all over the world tuning in." David Duke, Street Soccer
Remote Coordination & Expertise
The EICC’s expertise and support came to the fore for Alt Cop’s Environmental event and RSPB’s Nature of Scotland Awards. In both cases, EICC’s ‘show-caller’ liaised live and discreetly with the event hosts using in-ear technology to coordinate proceedings and operate remote cameras.
For RSPB this required multiple contact with Steve Backshall from his home on the Thames and Euan McIlwraith in the Highlands – and for ALT COP, live contact with the host, Dr Tara Shine from Cork; ensuring remote and successfully coordinated online events.
Listen, Refine and Improve
EICC is constantly working with their clients on continual improvement and being online, there are more opportunities to track an increasing level of user interactions
This evolving ambition is based on success and includes a ‘Show Stream’ feature, allowing guests to ‘mingle’ before, during and after an event - introduced via Street Soccer and rolled out for RSPB & Green Energy.
Make It Edinburgh Live has been a resounding success for the EICC. From quickly reacting to a significant shift in circumstances, to listening and refining with each client roll-out, this platform offers EICC a truly global opportunity moving out of this Pandemic.
Nothing replaces a visit to Scotland’s capital but whether delivered online or blended, this platform and evergreen event content can be watched by a global audience in their own time – expanding the reach and impact of the EICC’s reputation, whilst driving down the environmental impact of an in-situ event through reduced travel, printing and packaging.
Developing Make it Edinburgh Live last May has enabled us to offer our clients a positive solution to go ahead with their conferences online, during a time when events all around the world were cancelling or postponing. This important development has gone some way in protecting our business during the pandemic, as well as futureproofing our long-term offering, as we move towards events which are likely to comprise a hybrid of online and in-person experiences.
Marshall Dallas, Chief Executive, EICC