In July the second round of the Burda Digital Degree was celebrated. CEO Katharina Herrmann and Marc Al-Hames presented the graduates with their well-deserved certificates and a toast was raised together.
We foster digital talent: 10 months, five modules, mentoring from senior management. The story of a project that could transform the UK B2C events market.
An idea turned into a pitch - and ended with an app, a team and the funding to make it happen. As part of the Burda Digital Degree, an interdisciplinary team developed a digital solution for Immediate's live events business in the UK. What started as a concept in a training module is now on its way to implementation.
How did the idea come about
Immediate Live the events division of Immediate, is the UK's leading organizer of high-quality consumer events. Whether food, gardening, dance or arts and crafts - Immediate Live always finds a way to bring visitors joy and connect exhibitors and sponsors with their target audience.
Now the Burda company is planning the next step: an app to connect visitors, offer exclusive content and simplify navigation at events. The app will help solve a range of challenges for visitors including finding their way around large event halls, or lack of opportunities to connect with exhibitors and sponsors.
Surveys clearly showed that an app is demand:
Adam Parker, Data and Digital Marketing Director at Immediate Live, has been working on this idea for some time. Inspired by the idea of his colleague Amy Curtis, Senior Commercial Marketing Manager, he took the opportunity to take part in the Burda Digital Degree and pitch this idea. The response: great!
From the idea to strategic development
Thanks to the Burda Digital Degree, the app-project took off. The Burda Digital Degree is our internal development program in which participants learn comprehensively how to build and expand digital businesses. Starting with brainstorming, product development through to monetization concepts. All within a ten-month framework and with the support of digital experts and internal mentors from the management level.
Adam quickly found colleagues from other areas who wanted to grow the idea together with him. Together with Miroslava Harcegova (Head of Marketing at BurdaMedia Extra), Sarah Klöpfer (Senior Brand Manager Garden and Living at BurdaVerlag) and Christina Nickel (Senior Project Manager Production & Operations at BurdaVerlag), he formed a team.
"It was great to see the range of different ideas, knowledge and skillsets each member of our group brought to the project. Throughout the course we got know each other’s strengths and played in to that." Adam recalls the collaboration.
What should the app functionality be? To understand this, they analyzed the target group, conducted interviews with event experts and visitors and identified the most important features.
During the entire product development phase, the team was able to rely on data and feedback from Immediate Live. With the expertise of BDD module leaders Katja Felke, Managing Director of Silkes Weinkeller and Meravino, and Richard Weber, Managing Director at BurdaForward, the concept was further refined during the five modules. The final concept of the event app was presented at the BDD closing event.
The next step is to realize a prototype in order to test the app cost-effectively.
Successful completion – and a promising start
Immediate offers an internal innovation fund to promote a culture of testing and learning. CEO Sean Cornwell was so convinced that he doubled the amount requested to test the prototype at two events to accelerate the learning process.
“I'm very grateful to our Managing Director of Live Events, Paul Byrom, and Katy Gotch, our Strategy Director, for their helpful feedback on the idea and their support throughout the process,” says Adam.
Paul Byrom sees a lot of potential in the app project: "This app is an opportunity we can't ignore. Adam's study shows that our audience wants a digital solution. Technology has transformed B2B live events and it's time to utilise it for B2C events too."
What’s next?
The team is looking forward to the results of the events and will continue to stay in close contact with the BDD network. Without the expertise from the BDD and the opportunity to test theories in practice, this project might not have come this far so quickly.
Professional Development at Burda
Burda employees with digital business ideas have the opportunity to apply for the Burda Digital Degree and work on their projects with an innovative and interdisciplinary team over the course of 10 months. They receive support from senior management mentors, digital experts, and trainers.
Find all professional development programs and the latest news about career growth at Burda here.
