News

Why Laval Virtual Should Be on Your Event Circuit

For the past 25 years, virtual and augmented reality industry leaders and enthusiasts have descended on Laval, France, for an annual conference that showcases new products, insights, and trends. Attracting over 6,000 professionals, researchers, and the general public, Laval Virtual gives brands an excellent opportunity to reach both B2B and B2C audiences.

Smyle were lucky enough to support Pico, a leading VR company that produces headsets and technology to support VR, this year and get involved in the fast-growing sector. Smyle’s own Ellen Humphries, Project Manager, attended and shared her insights on why Laval Virtual should be on your event calendar.

Demonstrations

“At the Pico activation, the brand invited six technology partners to show how its products could be used with different apps and software. Across the whole conference, a majority of brands had multiple demos to give both professional audiences as well as VR/AR fans a taste of the latest technology. Additionally, stands that had demos were a lot busier!”

Latest Technology

“There were a lot of very technical stands; it was super interesting to learn about the latest innovation and developments in this space – although I think I only scratched the surface! One thing that struck me was the diversity in what VR technology and the metaverse can be used for – everything from manufacturing to medical training – it certainly isn’t just gaming, with a far wider reaching view on how this technology can enhance our lives and push things forward.

“The attendees represented a really wide range too. We saw people in suits and then the classic experts or bloggers who were there to absorb all the new tech.”

French Brand Awareness

 “There were loads of international tech names in attendance in addition to Pico, such as Meta, Microsoft and HP. But I was also struck by the high number of French companies, PwC France and Credit Agricole, for example. So for brands that want to grow their reach in the region, this would be the perfect event for networking and nurturing the local market.”

 Elevated Stand

“Given Laval Virtual is a relatively small event, especially when compared with the likes of MWC or Vivatech, the standard for the build tends to reflect this. However, at Smyle, we don’t think the size of the event should affect the quality of your activation.”

Alizé Amrani, EMEAI Enterprise Marketing Lead, said, “The booth built by Smyle was truly impressive. The attention to detail was outstanding, with high-quality materials and a unique, innovative shape that really set it apart from the other booths. It’s clear that Smyle takes pride in their work and is committed to delivering exceptional results.”

Looking to 2024

The entire programme of events includes talks, workshops, awards and even a hackathon! It’s certainly not to be missed, especially if you or your brand has a stake in the AR/VR sector or are hoping to develop technology relationships in France.

We’ll see you next year.

If you want to get in touch to discuss how we can support your next event, contact us: hello@smyle.co.uk

See also

Country House

The Lockhouse,
71 Mead Lane,
Hertford, SG13 7AX

Town House

Albert House,
256-260 Old St,
London, EC1V 9DD

Manchester

Studio 105, SeeSaw,
86 Princess Street,
Manchester, M1 6NG

Amsterdam

Suikersilo-Oost 22,
1165 MS Halfweg,
Netherlands