Google’s industry leader for agencies in Hong Kong delivered the opening presentation at a digital technology seminar aimed at corporate event planners and buyers, organised by MCI.
Lars Bratsberg (right) told the audience at the “MCI Sharing Session Vol 2” that Google was now an “AR-first company” with Augmented Reality “at the core” of its activities.
Bratsberg, who speaking in a personal capacity, described AI and AR (Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality) as enabling “computers to mimic human intelligence”.
The “VR/AR Enhancing Brand Experiences” at the Work Project, in Causeway Bay, was the second in a series by MCI Hong Kong that will be followed by two more during 2017.
Alex Yau, director of meetings and events for MCI Hong Kong, said the Sharing Sessions also fostered a sense of community among the agency’s clients and partners. This helped raise awareness of how the technologies enhanced brand experiences and live communication.
“AR/VR are key technologies shaping how companies are communicating their brands via corporate events and live experiences,” said Yau.
“Everyone who is in marketing and live communications is keen and interested to know how these can be utilised to differentiate and enhance their events.
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“There is vast interest to know more about these technologies and how these can be embedded within the overall marketing strategy and further, in differentiating and enhancing events,” he said.
Banks and other companies have been clamouring to learn how AI and AR could benefit their businesses.
Peter Yu, CEO of Jet One Motion Asia, and German Cheung, founder of Market Trend Interactive Solution, also presented at the MCI event.
“We are getting daily enquiries about AR and VR, particularly from utility and live communication companies,” said Cheung.
Yu said Jet One Motion’s AR and VR technologies had been used at 290 corporate and charity events. Products range from 360-degree live virtual experience, to flight simulators and technology adapted for teambuilding.
Global market valuations for AR and VR were forecasted to be US120 billion and $30 billion respectively by 2020, said Yu. “This tells us it’s about to become mainstream,” Yu told the audience.
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Yau added: “At MCI, we are focused on building community, and communicating topical content to our clients and relevant stakeholders.
“The MCI Sharing Session series is aimed at being a platform to share content, knowledge and expertise on topics that matter to our customers, and topics that are trending in the business world. We started the MCI Sharing Sessions in December and aim to organise such sessions quarterly.”
