Background
Exhibitions, as a vital channel for enterprises to showcase products, capture industry trends, and conduct cooperation and exchanges, have faced challenges due to the inability to hold offline events during the pandemic. To mitigate the impact on the exhibition industry, moving offline exhibitions online has not only become a remedy to break through the deadlock but also a timely solution to ease enterprises' urgent needs.
Key Information
Xin Guobin, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, stated at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office that by strengthening the stability of the industrial chain, the government will explore forms such as online trade fairs and ordering meetings to help enterprises overcome current difficulties. Many regions are actively conducting "cloud exhibitions" to address the impact of the inability to hold offline exhibitions on enterprises and industries.
The General Office of the Ministry of Commerce issued a notice on innovating exhibition service models and fostering new momentum for the development of the exhibition industry. It emphasized promoting innovation in exhibition formats, actively guiding, mobilizing, and supporting enterprises to hold online exhibitions, fully utilizing modern information technologies such as 5G, VR/AR, and big data to host cloud exhibitions, and carry out cloud displays, cloud matchmaking, cloud negotiations, and cloud signings. It also encouraged government-sponsored offline exhibitions to take the lead in going online and supported professional exhibition organizers to launch online exhibitions for their offline brand exhibition projects.
Enterprises have moved the business cooperation conducted at offline exhibitions online, creating "cloud exhibitions" that fully realize the functions of traditional exhibitions. Cloud exhibitions leverage mobile internet and digital technologies to extend exhibitions from offline to online, offering all exhibitors and visitors various functions such as online product displays, supply-demand matchmaking, online messaging, and social communication. The realization of cloud exhibitions is inseparable from the application of new technologies such as 5G, live streaming, and VR. In the transition from "face-to-face" to "screen-to-screen," effectively using new technologies not only expands enterprises' marketing channels and enhances their ability to withstand risks but also allows exhibition organizers to explore new models for future exhibitions. All operations in cloud exhibitions are conducted in the cloud. Buyers can select the exhibits they want to view, interact with exhibitors via live streaming, and even place orders directly on the exhibit pages. Live streaming can be viewed on computers, mobile web pages, and apps. VR technology allows clients to see product details and even factory conditions from their screens. By clicking into a cloud exhibition, visitors can view the full picture of products in VR sample rooms, breaking through time and geographical limitations, enabling potential clients to tour factories and experience products and services without leaving home.
At an executive meeting of the State Council held on April 7, it was decided that the 127th Canton Fair would be held online in mid-to-late June, inviting domestic and overseas merchants to showcase products online. This will be the first time in the history of China's long-standing trade fair that it is held in a virtual format. Ren Hongbin, Assistant Minister of Commerce, introduced that this online Canton Fair will mainly consist of three parts: an online display and matchmaking platform, a cross-border e-commerce zone, and live streaming marketing services, creating a 10×24-hour online foreign trade platform. It will provide exhibitors and buyers with services such as online promotion, supply-demand matchmaking, and online negotiation, allowing domestic and foreign merchants to place orders and do business without leaving home. Many new product launches hosted by enterprises have also moved online. The AI Technology Battle Against the Epidemic Seminar and Online Achievement Exhibition are innovative forms of online exhibitions. Smartphone manufacturers such as Xiaomi, Huawei, and Honor have moved their offline launches to screens, introducing new products via live streaming. Online exhibitions are not only a breakthrough for Chinese exhibition institutions and enterprises in the face of the pandemic but also a global trend. At the end of February, Facebook announced that its F8 Developer Conference, originally scheduled for May in San Jose, California, would be replaced by an online event. Apple's summer developer conference WWDC will also be held via online live streaming. The pragmatic response of the exhibition industry to the pandemic has also become a major measure for innovative development.
Related Services
As a leading event planning company in China, Towin PR offers comprehensive services in the field of cloud exhibitions, including online exhibition planning, brand launch live streaming, corporate annual meetings held in the cloud, online execution of summit forums, and digital operation of commercial events. We leverage 5G, VR/AR, live streaming, and other technologies to help enterprises seamlessly transition from offline to online, ensuring that the effectiveness of events is not compromised.
Industry Insights
Cloud exhibitions are not just a temporary measure to cope with the pandemic but an inevitable trend for the future development of the exhibition industry. They break through time and geographical limitations, reduce participation costs, and improve efficiency. With the maturation of technologies such as 5G and VR, online exhibitions will continue to enhance interactivity and immersion, becoming an important battleground for enterprise marketing and brand promotion. Towin PR will continue to monitor industry trends and provide enterprises with innovative event planning solutions.
Summary
The pandemic has spurred the rapid development of cloud exhibitions. National policies encourage online exhibitions, and technology empowers new models. From the Canton Fair to corporate new product launches, online exhibitions have become a global trend. With professional event planning capabilities and technology integration expertise, Towin PR provides enterprises with one-stop cloud exhibition services, helping brands stand out in the digital era.