Virtual Trade Shows

The Lounge General Discussion
#1

Given the current state of the world, there has been discussion of substituting a Virtual Online Trade Show for the physical trade shows Elektronauts might go to – NAMM, Muskmesse, Superbooth, Knobcon, etc. There has been work undertaken among a few different on-line presenters to move this forward.

I expect to see a lot more activity from these “shows” soon. SonicState is involved with some organization, and BoBeats hopes to do something too. And i expect to see a lot more news in this area from organizations with deeper pockets.

Feel free to discuss here, just like we have discussed these shows in the past. That discussion can include events and specific products, upcoming shows and occasions, or various show ideas.

Note: Please suggest a better title for this thread if you have one.

And …

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Superbooth 2020
#2

Some other reasons for a Virtual Trade Show.

It makes a lot of sense, for reasons even beyond public health. Principal among the other reasons are:

  • It will be more carbon friendly.
  • It will be less costly to presenter companies in both time and money.
  • It will be more open to participation for a wider economic diverse audience.
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#3

A few hours ago WMD, a Eurorack maker in Colorado USA, streamed a “booth” in a virtual trade show. I’ll call it a first, though i know likely it’s not.

The link to the video here. (Two hour and twenty minutes.)
WMD home web-site is here.

#4

Q-Sonic

Sonic State has announced this new venture.

Taken from their announcement:
Our aim is to work with as many manufacturers as possible to record remote “ virtual booth visits ”, interviews and perhaps some artists to live stream some music. Content will be released surrounding the projected dates – April 24th-26th (ish) – via the Sonicstate, Youtube and Facebook and any other media we can muster.

Any one have some other thoughts on this? – i’m hangin’ out here alone.

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#5

I really really wish that this is the future. There’s absolutely no sense in these huge trade shows.

I have these naive dreams that the corona virus would shock us to change the way we as humans behave. Our city centres are becoming empty as all the shops are forced into these huge malls built on fields 15 kilometres outside of city centre. Everybody needs a car to go shopping. I guess it’s the ”american way” but we are in Finland. It does not make sense here.

In my childhood I could run errands for my mother and go to the nearby grocery store by foot. Now most of the small grocery stores are dead and in their place are huge supermarkets with 172 different types of milk and 600 different types of bread. Who needs all this crap?

Mankind should at the same time go back 30-50 years back in their consumerist lifestyle but regarding tradeshows and such we should embrace the future and make all of them virtual. No one needs this excess. I’d much rather watch new product videos from my favourite youtubers than book a hotel and flight to some faraway country just to go and have a wank at new gear announcements.

Rant over.

I’m sure that when this corona passes, everybody will carry on their consumerist ways and fly to Berlin for a weekend of indulgence.

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#6

So manufacturers will be running shows and livestreams to promote their new products. So in addition to WMD, that i listed above:

Arturia is setting up Livestreams and announcing them here. So they have coming up:

  • KeyStep Pro Walkthrough and Performance with Sebastien – March 31st, 6 PM CET (1 PM US ET).
  • Unleash Pigments Modulations – April 2nd, 6 PM CET (1 PM US ET).
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#7

A couple of shows coming up.

Right about now (October 4th) as I post this Synthesthesia is about to start.

And then on October 16th to 18th, there is another virtual show Synth Booth.

I’m with you PeteDorky, bring back the good old days, with people jetting all over the globe, renting hotel rooms, renting cars, and walking miles around vast halls filled with people and stuff, with a few things they’re actually interested in. I always enjoy the after show videos with people like Nick Batt recovering from something or other they caught at the show. Not to mention all the noisy videos done from the show floor itself.

That said this is a new medium, and the Virtual Trade Show has a long way to go.

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#8
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#9

So Superbooth 2021 is being planned, to be live in the flesh again, but with a limited number of exhibitors — so things are to be higher quality, and Covid safe and outdoors, with a limited number of visitors touring the show and a one-way route through the exhibits, and some exhibitors only allowed at the show by exhibiting electronically, so there is still a virtual aspect to some of this too.

I only surmise, but seems to me this will all be possible, only if they charge a premium.

Does this sound like something you’d like to visit ?
It will be interesting if this can be pulled off successfully.

#10

No elektron at sb this year it seems :frowning:

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#11

Saves some money and manpower = better for us :wink:

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