With Coronavirus gripping planet Earth in its tentacles, every individual seems to have taken the virtual route to adapt during these never-seen-before times. Brand Expert Devan Bhalla, DGM Brand, and Growth, Amar Ujala states that in-person panel discussions and workshops have moved online during 2020, which can be rightly called the watershed year for virtual events. The online shift has also skyrocketed the demand of Unified Communication as a Service (UCaaS) platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Hangouts, he adds.
With a promising career in the marketing industry and his stint as a mentor-cum-TEDx speaker, Devan is regularly invited for speaking events by the top marketing institutions in the country. The young marketing professional has been hosted by SRCC, BITS Pilani, NIT Rourkela, UBS (Panjab University), PUMBA (University of Pune), and various other prominent institutions.
Despite the worldwide slowdown in every industry since the pandemic outbreak, the marketing sector has not lost its momentum. Rather, the number of webinars happening across the globe have shot-up, so have virtual events.
Devan shares that he was recently e-invited by the Industry and Alumni Relations Committee (IARC) of the Indian Institute of Management, Sambalpur for an interactive session in its "InsightOut" webinar series. As part of its virtual induction for the 6th Batch MBA 2020-22, IIM Sambalpur brought several industry figures and its alumni together virtually to onboard the fresh batch of aspiring marketing and research professionals.
Devan connected with the students of the 2020 batch for a 'walk through the MBA life' to help them grasp and nurture IIM Sambalpur's culture and vision from an Alumni's perspective.
Up in the line for Devan Bhalla is a webinar for Miranda House, New Delhi. The brand expert believes that virtual sessions have become indispensable for the education sector in the new normal. Any educational institution can connect with hundreds of students and add immense value by bringing in experts from all corners of the world, he adds.
Devan also recommends that brands must connect with their audiences via webinars and virtual sessions during these times and consider UCaaS as an essential marketing tool. Webinars present the perfect opportunity for businesses to talk in real-time with their customers. The online environment also connects brands beyond geographical boundaries and adds immense value proposition to any brand, he concludes.
