Two international companies in the VR exhibitions and digital marketing sectors, respectively, have partnered to provide an integrated virtual service.
V-Ex, a virtual exhibitions platform, and Showpad, a Chicago-based provider of sales enablement technology, have jointly announced a partnership to improve upon businesses’ approach to digital exhibitions.
According to the companies, the partnership will build on Showpad’s sales enablement platform and V-Ex’s experience with virtual environments to intertwine VR and customer engagement to create improved virtual experiences.
Showpad’s content management and CRM integrations will be utilised by customers to showcase their products and services in detail while back-end analytics facilitate a deeper understanding of their joint audiences’ needs.
Andrew Chi, VP of global partnerships, Showpad, commented on the partnership saying: “The foundations of this partnership lie in our shared recognition of potential. Through joint work on mutual projects, we have witnessed the breadth and depth of V-Ex’s expertise in designing high-quality, ultra-realistic virtual environments that revolutionise the impact and effectiveness of experiential digital marketing tools.
“This paved the way for a union of two digital pioneers set to redefine the virtual corporate landscape.”
David Bedford, COO of V-Ex, added: “The Showpad platform is trusted by some of the biggest global brands around the world to curate and manage their sales and marketing collateral. Our expertise lies in creating immersive and engaging digital experiences that capture the user’s imagination and encourage interaction in a new and exciting way. The partnership integrates our flagship frontend solutions with Showpad’s backend capabilities – supplying invaluable visitor data directly to the customer’s CRM.
“We can provide an additional level of support that delivers a deeper and richer understanding of visitor behaviour.”
By integrating V-Ex’s virtual capabilities with Showpad’s intuitive content management and CRM integrations, customers can showcase their products and services in unparalleled detail.
Digitalisation impacting less than half of businesses
In a post-pandemic market, exhibition organisers are still experimenting with hybrid options and digital alternatives, usually to optimise delegate convenience and to meet sustainability goals. Partnerships like that between V-Ex and Showpad demonstrate the challenges organisers face and how providers are advertising solutions.
The 31st edition of UFI’s Global Exhibition Barometer investigated the ‘digitalisation’ of exhibitions, ranging from VR and hybrid options to the implementation of digital marketing. Only 45% of respondents indicated that digitalisation will significantly impact their business development, especially in Spain, Argentina, Colombia, and Malaysia. 55% flagged experiencing a push towards hybrid events, and more digital elements at events, however, this figure is down from 61% and 76% in previous surveys.
Despite that decreased figure, the report noted that 64% of respondents stated that they have already added digital elements to their show offerings, such as apps, digital advertising, and digital signage – especially in Europe (67%). Indicating a need for joint services such as this partnership, 33% replied that they already have a digital transformation strategy for their companies.
