"Agencies have named ways to hold a corporate event in the era of COVID-bans"

Further quote: "The pandemic has sharply reduced the demand for the services of event agencies organizing New Year's corporate events. However, companies in these conditions find an opportunity to earn.

The coronavirus pandemic and related restrictions imposed by the authorities in most regions have led to the fact that this year companies began to massively abandon traditional corporate events. RBC interviewed agencies that specialize in organizing holidays, and found out how they get out of the situation. Some corporate events will be held at skating rinks, some go online, others go into the shadows. Among the know-how of this year is Santa Claus, whom children "accidentally" meet on the streets.

In previous years, corporate events began in November and went on until March. The farther away from the New Year, the more money was saved. In 2020, according to Nikolai Andreev, General Director of the Big Jack event agency, only individual companies organize offline events. "According to my observations, the figure of "cancellation" may be close to 95-99%," the interlocutor of RBC said.

Nikolai Andreev noted that for the successful involvement of people during an online celebration, for example, lotteries are well suited. "A person will be ready to sit until the end if there is a raffle of good, expensive offline gifts in an online event – iPhones, certificates. As a rule, people are motivated by everything that is more expensive than 5-10 thousand rubles, even if they are well-to-do people, "he added.

An alternative to online events is the organization of New Year's holidays on the street, at the skating rink, although in this case customers have certain concerns. "If you, as HR, ordered an event, and because of this someone got sick, the management will have questions. People are not ready to take responsibility," Andreev said.

Another option is to organize events in closed, non-public venues. For example, in lofts and apartments in Moscow City. "If the conditional Rospotrebnadzor decides to conduct a raid, then, most likely, it will go to restaurants, and in the apartments more onuntil you get there. Roughly speaking, the market is partially going into the shadows," he said.

Material from 25.12.20

Source: RBC