UBM Studios' Michael Kushner, VP Digital Media Strategy, to Share Insights on the State of Virtual Events at BtoB's Digital Edge - A Virtual Tradeshow for Marketers

CHICAGO, Nov. 29, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- UBM Studios, a division of UBM and a leader in virtual business environments, today announced that Michael Kushner, VP Digital Media Strategy, will share insights on the state of virtual events at BtoB's Digital Edge – A Virtual Tradeshow for Marketers, which will take place virtually on December 2, 2010.

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The session titled "State of Virtual Events; Perception Vs. Reality and the Future of Virtual Environments" will explore BtoB and UBM Studio's recent research on the state of virtual events and will provide background on virtual environments and how customers are using them today.  Kushner and John DiStefano, Vice President Research at BtoB, will compare and contrast the perceptions of marketers from the research and will discuss what is happening in the virtual events market today.  The session moderated by Christopher Hosford, East Coast Bureau Chief, BtoB will take place on December 2 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern.  To register to attend BtoB's Digital Edge, click here.

Kate Spellman, SVP, Managing Director, UBM Studios, said, "We are at a crossroads of collaboration which is driven by advancements in online communications, how we consume information and how interaction is changing.  Virtual events and virtual business solutions have reached a tipping point with mainstream marketing channels because they connect social networking, blogging, community-targeted advertising and much more to help drive business."

The BtoB study "State of Virtual Events" tracked the use of a variety of virtual events.  Overall the study showcased that virtual events in all their shapes and forms are reaching critical mass as a mainstream marketing channel and marketers are planning to use them increasingly in 2011 to augment other channels.

Key highlights of the study include:

• Virtual events are a growing trend.  Fifty percent of survey respondents said they planned to increase involvement with virtual events this year, while 60% said they planned to boost their use of virtual events in 2011.  Only 30% of respondents have no virtual events planned this year, while only 19% will not produce virtual events in the coming year.

• Virtual events are educational.  Marketers strongly embrace webinars, with 71% of respondents currently using or considering using them.  Internal learning, education and training (65%) also are popular uses for virtual events, with sales and board meetings (32%) and focus groups (23%) also used by many marketers.

• Virtual events are a great branding experience to generate leads.  Nearly two-thirds of respondents (63%) view virtual events as innovative marketing and communications vehicles, while 57% tout their ability to reduce sales and marketing costs.

• Hybrid events are gaining popularity.  Thirty-five percent of respondents said the strength of virtual events lies in their being staged simultaneously with a live event.

• Virtual events are not a replacement for live events.  Marketers are intrigued by virtual events as innovative vehicles, but they sense that they result in a loss of "personal touch."  Fifty-four percent of respondents indicated this was an obstacle to their using virtual events.

• First-class service can reduce attendee concerns.  Forty-four percent of respondents said they worry about the prospect of poor attendance at virtual events, while other concerns included the reliability of virtual event technology (26%), costs (26%) and lack of personal understanding of how to organize a virtual event (18%).

For additional information on UBM Studios or to purchase a virtual business solution, contact Kate Spellman, SVP, Managing Director, UBM Studios at 516 562 7383 or [email protected].

To follow UBM Studios on Twitter, visit http://twitter.com/UBMStudios, to follow on Facebook, visit UBM Studios and to follow on LinkedIn, visit UBM Studios.

About UBM Studios (www.ubmstudios.com)

UBM Studios is a leader in virtual events and virtual business solutions.  A pioneer with virtual platforms, UBM Studios delivers deep expertise in live and online events that brings business value to customers.  UBM Studios connects, educates and enables virtual communications through a portfolio that fits every budget.  UBM Studios is the only virtual event provider to offer platform, content, audience recruitment, reporting and social marketing and gaming.  UBM Studios virtual events include Virtual Trade Shows, Virtual Career Fairs, Virtual Seminar Centers, Virtual Resource Centers, Virtual Product Launch, Virtual Business Continuity, Virtual Corporate Meetings, Virtual Sales Meetings, Virtual Focus Group Centers and Virtual Training.  UBM Studios delivers a complete global communication solution in Asia, Europe and North America in industries including, health, finance, technology, building and education.

About United Business Media Limited

UBM (UBM.L) focuses on two principal activities: worldwide information distribution, targeting and monitoring; and, the development and monetization of B2B communities and markets.  UBM's businesses inform markets and serve professional commercial communities -- from doctors to game developers, from journalists to jewelry traders, from farmers to pharmacists -- with integrated events, online, print and business information products.  Our 6,500 staff in more than 30 countries are organized into specialist teams that serve these communities, bringing buyers and sellers together, helping them to do business and their markets to work effectively and efficiently.  For more information, go to www.ubm.com.

SOURCE UBM Studios