Due to COVID-19 businesses and brands have not been able to hold important PR events to help new collaborations, products and launches gain publicity and popularity through these events. Before COVID-19 PR events were usually held in large halls/suites or bars and restaurants, on some occasions they are even held abroad. These events will usually have social media influencers and other famous people there, who then use their platform to advertise the event which will be surrounded by décor and goodie bags of the brand's logo and the product launching or being released. Through their advertising, by posting on social media, a variety of audiences are then shown the new product release and the brand may receive some new customers.
Due to lockdown and COVID restrictions, some brands and businesses have made their PR events virtual for collaborations and new launches. A popular brand, who sells clothing, phone cases and other accessories, have made their PR events for collaborations continue through lockdown by holding their PR events virtually through Zoom meetings. Before these meetings, they have been sending the new products to social media influencers and other famous people, as well as sending them a cupcake decorating kit. During the Zoom meeting, the people at the event decorate the cakes and have the new products launching explained to them, e.g., the price point and when the products will be available to purchasing customers.
These virtual events still help the brands to gain publicity for their new products as social media influencers and other famous people can still post about these virtual events and the new products launching, sharing these new products to a range of audiences and potentially gaining new customers.
Although brands may be upset that they can’t hold their usual events in large halls/suites or bars and restaurants, these virtual events have not only allowed PR events to continue during the pandemic, but they have also allowed social media influencers and other famous people from around the world to attend PR events from brands based in many different countries virtually, that they may not have been able to attend to before and during the pandemic due to the amount of travelling they would have to do to attend.
