Success of online GN event underlines audiology's shift to virtual communication
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As with other sectors, hearing healthcare has been pushed into virtual spaces to get across its messages, but the shift to remote needed a landmark event to underline not just its arrival, but perhaps also its effectiveness as a post-COVID medium. Enter GN Hearing.
On September 1, the Denmark-based hearing aid manufacturer embraced the remote concept with unprecedented gusto and imagination, launching its new ReSound ONE device worldwide through a 24-hour show across three time zones. But the inclusion of features such as a virtual exhibit hall—an attractive enough appetiser—was not the news from this event; it was GN's claim to have attracted over 6,200 visitors (from over 10,000 enrolled) that makes this a breakthrough happening.
It would be a euphemism to say the figure must have pleased the organisers. Upwards of 6k persons at any live event would close in on the 8,000+ visitors that physically attend the world's biggest overall audiology event, the EUHA Congress, which this year also had no choice but to go online.
No breakdown of that 6k+ figure is offered by GN Hearing in its announcement, so we don't know how many of these came to take a momentary look and then made their exit (much easier virtually than physically, as most hosts who espy the freeloading drink and canapé gorgers will attest to). Nevertheless, the figure means that the online launch will be thought about in post-pandemic times as a highly viable alternative to the physical event. Perhaps it also opens the door—or clinks the link—to the hybrid launch.
The September 1 event matched the physical experience of introducing presentations by technology and design, but in this case online. Participants have access to the training resources and learning materials for the next 90 days.
Source: GN Hearing
