Leveraging 3D for your next virtual event

The coronavirus pandemic pushed us towards a contactless, digital lifestyle: weddings happening over video calls, acceleration of eCommerce and retail delivery, remote work, online meetings, virtual showrooms, etc.

Large events have become particularly risky and challenging. As a result, event planners have come up with digital alternatives to align with social distancing measures and ensure the safety of those involved.

But what do virtual events look like? The possibilities are limitless. And as we’re getting more and more requests regarding digital events and 3D, we thought it would be a good topic to discuss.

Since the eruption of eCommerce and online marketplaces such as eBay and Amazon, brands have put a considerable amount of thought into leveraging the digital playfield.

With restrictions due to the pandemic, companies are urged to close brick-and-mortar stores and cancel showrooms.

Even if it may be impossible to replace the feeling of physically walking into a store, touching the products, or trying them out, brands have no choice but to rethink their overall distribution strategy and leverage digital tools.

In the apparel industry, for example, companies are looking for more interactive content to add to their websites and a way to replace their physical showroom.

One of the solutions is to create a 3D model of your product and share it on your eCommerce website or in 3D virtual showrooms. 

The great news is that it has become easier and faster to create 3D models—and the barriers to adoption of 3D are quickly disappearing.

Hoka One One created 3D models of its shoes for online display. Shoppers can observe their products from all angles, and zoom in and out.

Sharing 3D assets online allows shoppers to actively engage with your products and explore them in detail from all angles.

To replace a physical showroom, brands can create a virtual showroom that showcases 3D representations of their products.

For example, you can navigate within this virtual Timberland showroom by clicking on the different 3D annotations. 

The timeline is often tight for virtual showrooms —brands only have a few days between the moment they receive the samples and the delivery day. You should check out our network of partners who can create beautiful 3D models on a tight timeline for you.

We also know that 3D models of brand new products, which have not yet hit the market, can be very sensitive data. We take security very seriously, all data is encrypted, and 3D models can be uploaded privately to Sketchfab. To facilitate private and secure sharing of 3D models within organizations, we recently launched a content management platform for teams.

For many companies, trade shows are essential to present exciting new products and generate leads. Unfortunately, many of these events have been postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

How can brands effectively showcase their products when trade shows are canceled and face-to-face meetings are limited?

They can leverage 3D to re-create their booths digitally.  Check out the 3D booth example below. Communication Exhibits easily replicated a physical booth in 3D and created a unique experience for prospects.

Sketchfab also supports music, links to any kind of media, and animations. After the HD expo was canceled due to COVID-19, Sandler, an online furniture company, created this amazing 3D booth using Sketchfab’s 3D viewer. Try it out: simply use the arrows at the bottom for a guided tour around their 6 virtual rooms.

After the HD expo was canceled, Sandler created a virtual booth to let visitors view all their models online.

Still yearning for that trade show experience? Design a 3D booth and share it online to your audience. You won’t be limited by physics, budget, or space—have the booth floating in the middle of the ocean or in a beautiful castle!

Cultural institutions are already familiar with 3D, which plays a major role in the conservation of cultural heritage. 

The ability to bring cultural and educational experiences—such as art galleries—to homebound individuals has been vital during this pandemic. 

It’s possible, for example, to travel to North Macedonia and explore the Medieval Church of St. Sophia or visit an immersive MoMA art exhibit, all from the comfort of your home. 

All 3D experiences shared via Sketchfab are viewable in virtual reality. Below is a great example of how the MoMA leverages 3D and VR thanks to Sketchfab. You can explore the installation below in 3D, and view it in VR on a compatible device.

The MoMA museum created a 3D experience of a Rainforest as it was installed in MoMA’s Studio.

Furthermore, with 3D annotations, users can interactively navigate scenes and learn about these art and cultural works in a novel, engaging way. Try it yourself with the beautiful art gallery below. Navigate by clicking the different 3D annotations.

Visit this virtual gallery from the comfort of your home. Our technology allows you to add music, annotations, animations, and links to any kind of media.

If you need help creating 3D content, reach out to one of our partners to create your 3D models.

If you already have 3D models, our 3D platform readily accepts a wide variety of file formats. Securely share 3D assets within your teams and easily embed 3D on your website using our 3D viewer. Visit our Plans page and subscribe to one of our licenses.