COVID-19 might have made them a necessity, but the global pandemic coming to an end does not mean the end of virtual events too. Hosting conferences, trade shows or career fairs online, while won't replace the live experience, could prove invaluable in the post-COVID reality.

Everywhere we look today, we see adverts. Hundreds of them. It's estimated we are exposed to anywhere between 6,000 and 10,000 commercials daily, but only a handful of them makes a lasting impression on the customer, forcing brands to explore new, more eye-catching ad formats such as Augmented Reality (AR).

How many ads or social media posts promoting virtual events do you see daily? With thousands of global organizations switching to online events in 2020, creating a truly compelling event marketing campaign on any given digital channel can be quite the challenge. 

The past few months have required a certain degree of creativity and a great deal of imagination to cope during the global pandemic; the sudden transition to virtual events is a perfect example of this. But it feels like the main focus was on surviving rather than thriving in the event industry. 

It has been years since we first heard of Augmented Reality and its potential to completely transform our reality and yet, it feels like we're still waiting for it to happen. Nonetheless, the change is already taking place and AR is slowly becoming an inseparable part of our daily routine. 

Five years of ecommerce growth have been squeezed into just a few months as a result of Covid restrictions and social distancing rules. Consequently, the adaptation of Augmented Reality (AR) applications for online stores are also on the rise as brands seek ways to substitute that in-store shopping experience and add value to the buyer's journey. 

The concept of blended learning, a combination of two learning environments (digital and in-person) was first introduced in the 1960s. However, many higher education institutions have been somewhat reluctant to integrate the hybrid model of teaching and learning until now. What's changed? 

Previously, we talked a great deal about how Augmented Reality improves customer experience (CX) in e-commerce, but there's another aspect of the buyer's journey where online retailers can utilize AR: user experience (UX). 

Augmented Reality is already revolutionizing the way we learn, spend our free time or even give a presentation at work; there's virtually no aspect of life that won't eventually be impacted by AR and shopping is no exception. 

If there's one thing we've learnt in the past few months, it's how much we value live events. Never before have we been completely denied the opportunity for face-to-face interaction - not on this scale, anyway. And just like we're currently experiencing a COVID-related virtual events boom, no doubt there'll be one for in-person functions as soon as the threat of coronavirus subsides.