We have created a humorous cartoon series to help ease the business meetings and events sector back into live events and celebrate the joy of meeting face-to-face once again.
The QEII Centre commissioned cartoonist Will Kevans to create the exclusive comic strip, which takes a light-hearted view of re-integration to ‘normal life’ within the industry when all Covid-19 restrictions are lifted.
During the last 18 months, much of the conference, meetings and events industry has skilfully transitioned live events to the virtual space.
However, after several months of conducting life through screens, many event professionals are suffering with ‘virtual fatigue’ and are keen to see the return of in-person events.
Nevertheless, returning to live events after conducting meetings from our desks and living under restrictions such as social distancing for so long, could understandably be a challenge for many of us.
Diane Waldron, director of sales and marketing at The QEII Centre, said: “The business meetings and events industry has done a phenomenal job over the last 18 months despite most face-to-face events not being able to go ahead.
“Now, with restrictions set to lift I think we are all excited to be able to set plans in motion for in-person meetings and events, but after such a long time living under restrictions there will undoubtedly be some trepidation about re-integrating ourselves back into the normal world and meeting face-to-face again.
“As we began to discuss our re-opening plans for The QEII Centre, we started thinking about the questions event professionals might have about in-person meetings this side of the pandemic: How should we greet one-another, what should we wear, would we remember how to hold a conversation without having access to a mute button?
“Many of the answers to these questions threw up some scenarios with amusing consequences so we decided to translate them into cartoons for the industry to enjoy.
“The QEII team is excited to host meetings and events and is ready to welcome delegates back in a safe and secure way. We want to allay any concerns clients and delegates might be having about returning and will always take these seriously, but we hope these humorous cartoons will help us face them with a smile.”
With just the top-halves of our bodies on show during virtual meetings and events many of us opted for comfortable attire on our bottom halves. This strip illustrates how a speaker might have got a little too comfortable with their ‘lockdown look’.
The Government’s ‘stay home, save lives’ directive meant that our work and home lives blurred. This cartoon shows what might happen if we brought our home-working life to a conference.
Another nod to lockdown attire, but with more embarrassing consequences.
This strip is a nod towards some of the technological mishaps of virtual conferences that we definitely won’t miss.
It has been a long time since many of us met face-to-face and we might question our meeting etiquette (how will we greet one-another) and although we will be glad to leave virtual behind, it has got some benefits as this strip demonstrates.
