The world of Events and Experiences is suddenly flooded with a whole new vocabulary these days. The days of pixel ratios and LED seems like a hazy blur now, with new technology terms like ‘hybrid’, ‘virtual’ and ‘platforms’ elbowing them out to grab the spotlight! While India had a few virtual events and launches from across the globe to audiences in India and elsewhere, Aura Integrated recently planned and executed the hybrid launch of two new tractors pan India – a ‘Chota Tractor’ for Gujarat market and a ‘Smart Tractor’ for the Punjab/Harayana markets for TAFE Massey Fergusson.
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The complexity of the launches was compounded by the fact that both launches were tailor-made for both the territories with two different themes including two different sets of regional communication on the same day.
It was the client’s desire to simulate a real-life launch for their dealer network as they felt that the audience was saturated with endless virtual interactions! Two complete sets of Pre-event collaterals right down to countdown mailers were sent out not just to the two territories but to states like Maharashtra, UP, Rajasthan, etc and were invited to the shows as Special Invitees.
For the first session approx. 1247 dealers logged in while the second had an audience of approx. 863 dealers!
Teaser AVs kept the excitement going until the launch moment when a full-fledged curtain raiser set the stage for the ‘Live’ dramatic reveal. Two ‘Chota tractors’ were hidden away in a box which was rigged from the overhand truss, unboxing to a height of 14’ to reveal the truck accompanied by cold pyros and launch GFX. For the ‘Smart Tractor’, it was once again a different reveal with the vehicle being driven out of a double split screen.
Along with this real-time bookings were also initiated. The first session had 207 bookings and the second session initiated 303 orders. The numbers were played out Live as the orders kept pouring in! Later, the Senior Leadership Team went on to introduce the products and their benefits, live from a film studio that was hired, with all the action of a live broadcast. Unlike Pre-COVID days, safety was the highest priority with Aura’s SOPs rigorously followed on set – for every single person involved. Given the stringent reduction on the number of people, a set-up that would have normally taken 24 hours was stretched out for 36 hours to complete as the production & technical teams came in shifts.
Siddharth Ganeriwala, Director & CEO, Aura Integrated said, “It had all the ingredients of my very first event! Anxiety, nervousness, grappling with a whole new world, not knowing if things will work but overarching the entire process was the unmistakable adrenaline of exploring and conquering new horizons. Yes, it was new. Yes, it was not only Aura’s first Hybrid event, but India’s first Hybrid launch. But we, along with an extremely encouraging client are proud to have delivered a seamless product. Here’s to a whole new world!”
Kumarappan AL, Sr. AVP – Marketing, TAFE remarked, “Truthfully, this was beyond my expectations, as it required an amazing amount of coordination, presence of mind, innovation, technological ease and man management to have executed two launches back to back, pan India, so faultlessly. The Aura team pulled this off so seamlessly!”
The Aura team was completely outfitted in PPE suits, gloves, and face shields to avoid any kind of physical contact with each other! Social distancing norms were of course strictly adhered to for all parties concerned. It took a while to get accustomed to this new way of working especially for the Creative team for whom interaction is an inspiration and this challenge that was quickly overcome with incessant Zoom meetings and screen sharing!
