Ignite Virtual Audience Activation with VIP PaaS™ – the details

With the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world as we know it has changed. The norms of yesterday are no longer possible and, in some cases, even relevant in a COVID-19 world. There is no denying that the pandemic has hit the event industry especially hard.  Concerts, sporting events, tradeshows, festivals, any activity that draws an audience (yes, it is called an event!) has been cancelled or postponed.  And we do not know when they will resume, or in what form. 

Embrace the Change and Go Online

And yet we see almost daily companies are doing their best to embrace the change and are developing new ways that clients can use their products or services under these circumstances. The old cliché “making lemonade out of lemons” comes to mind.

We at CTM Interactive (formerly Catch the Moment) have kept our team intact during this time. We have been searching for new ways to serve our clients, to put our cloud-based personalized marketing platform to work connecting brands with their consumers and prospects.

CTM Interactive VIPPaaS™ Service

The one service that can be missing with some online efforts is a true activation that allows participation in a virtual world. In the past there has been no need for an online activation as agencies relied on their onsite activations to encourage participation and to start a relationship with the brand.

One aspect of the onsite activations has been to have fun, which in turn facilitates relationship-building. This participation can be entertaining with slide shows of all the activity. And of course, there is also social sharing. But with the socially distant audience at home, that “activation touch” has been lost. Until now, that is…

Now CTM Interactive has developed VIPPaaS that allows for an online activation, socializing, and brand communication direct with participants including slide shows and mosaics to add to the entertainment. What a great way to overcome the isolation we all are feeling and to reconnect brands and their fans! Wow…good for us!

Easy to implement

The first part to any promotion that requests a response from the prospect is determining the value exchange. The old “WIIFM” rule kicks in, tasking agencies with creating a promotional enticement to act.

Our service is geared around sending in a photo (we will show you how easy it is in a minute). So you could have them send in:

• a photo of their home office
• their new assistant (probably Fido the dog or KitKit the cat)
• something authentic such as a photo of them before they get camera ready (maybe not that one!)
• the new designer mask they made
• you get the idea

And in exchange they might receive product discounts, specials, “sneak peeks” or other offers. Promotion is what creative agencies do, so there will be plenty of good ideas available.

Now the easy part. The new CTM Interactive web uploader is now fully operational and ready for use. So within your promotion you ask them to send in a photo by clicking here (a word hyperlinked to a customized site for your brand). The mobile customer will then be prompted to take a photo, go to their camera roll to pick a photo and upload – 2 clicks and you are done. Try it now yourself, and after you have uploaded the photo, watch the magic begin! (Note: data collection options also exist).

If you tried the example you can see you are now on a custom branded microsite. Notice above the photo a link to a special message. This can be a personal message from the guest of honor or from the VP of Sales thanking everyone for their patience during these tough times or a short form video of a new product or service. Below the photo there can be links to other sites, promotions, or collateral material. If you have an app, you can have a direct link to it to facilitate downloads. And of course, there are all the sharing options. Click here to see more examples.

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You can share the photo results with everyone using one of our display themes. Below are some samples of the mosaic theme that you can stream.

Now you have created an on-line interactive promotion with displays for the participants, and the brand has a direct communication with each person via the microsite. You’re done!

… But we’re not… because we report all the stats, too!.

As we all look for opportunities in this new environment, thinking outside the box becomes a necessity, not a luxury. So let’s not be boxed in by live event thinking.  Virtual events create their own possibilities, and CTMi is here to help make them a reality. Look for ways to start your clients doing more of an online marketing campaign that gives agencies a chance to expand your services and satisfies a current need for your clients.

CTM Interactive is a photo and video activation company with over 20 years’ experience and 15,000 events.

We keep on top of technology bringing the latest engagement services to our clients.

Contact us here.