How COVID has changed… broadcast design

With live events finally set to return in more parts of the world, we thought it would be interesting to see how the different areas of our work have been impacted in the last year.

In this “How Covid Has Changed” content series, we asked some of our top experts about their respective areas of focus and how brands will need to adapt moving forward. Here is what they had to say….

Question: What do you think is the single biggest consideration for brands engaging in broadcast design to integrate into their post-pandemic experiences once live returns?

Hybrid. After being at home and watching an inordinate amount of streaming, TV, virtual everything, people have come to expect that good content, no matter who it is from, should have a high-quality broadcast finish. Brands are no exception and this isn’t going away. Brands have the opportunity to continue to show their broadcasting chops once people start to engage in live experiences again. The best way is through bespoke spaces that can be used for hybrid moments.

Nothing compares to what a live, in-person experience can provide but having a virtual space where content can be produced and created on an ongoing basis can create a special, consistent and unique feel for a brand. These spaces are where dynamic in-between moments and short sessions that are part of a larger program can occur. They can help break up the monotony and provide a consistent experience for audiences. The use of LED screens, augmented reality and interactive displays can also play a bigger role here.

For the traditional world of broadcasters, their audiences won’t change as much but the new normal will look a little different. This is where hybrid also takes on a new meaning. The older anchor desks pre-pandemic, expansive sets, and those environments that were designed for social distancing, can start to be minimized. Since we’ve gotten the opportunity to see hosts in their own homes and in intimate settings, it’s created a personal and comfortable environment that wasn’t there before. This intimacy can now be brought back into the studio or live experience space.

People miss people and they miss intimate interactions and when we get back to live, we’ll see hybrid take off, mixing elements from what we had, what we missed, and what we became.