At a time when everyone is feeling well and truly Zoomed out we decided to bite the bullet and invite our PurpleBeach friends from around the world to “Zone Out” with us in a relaxed evening of fun, laughter, connection, stimulation and a zebra! Yes, the back to back zoom calls have been relentless and draining for everyone, and really the last thing people might think they need is an evening on Zoom with a bunch of strangers, when the lure of Netflix beckons, but we proved that at the right time, in the right way, with the right content and the right mix of people, you can still “bring the boom” via Zoom…
We had almost 300 guests join us from all over the world, and each of them able to tailor their evening in whichever way they wanted. We abolished all rules and gave people choice and control over what to engage with and how, and let’s face it, we’ve not really had much control over anything this year! Some opted for an intellectual evening with discussions about asteroids heading to earth, cities of the future and neuroscience, some hung out in our virtual book club featuring top tips on this year’s best books, blogs and boxsets, and other’s just kicked back and laughed with our comedian Daliso or chilled out to music from our resident PurpleBeach musician Paul. Some wore funny hats, some kept their cameras off, some dressed up formally over the comfort of their leggings (how liberating!), and we even had a pineapple and zebra costume make an appearance for charity!
We stuck closely to the format of an in-person event, allowing everyone to come and go as they please. The atmosphere we created brought back the importance of human connection and genuine fun that has been lacking this year, and it was wonderful to see everyone engaging on their own terms, relaxing, laughing and sparking great conversation. In a world where everything has changed and nothing is as it was, we must find ways to adapt and fill the gaps that we are all experiencing. Although challenging, the pandemic has provided an opportunity to start afresh and reinvent how we communicate, connect and continue with our daily lives. Many things would never have happened under different circumstances, and many doors have been opened as a result.
We thoroughly enjoyed delivering our Zone Out evening and are very grateful to everyone who attended for making it such a success. We had a great turn out full of diverse and interesting people, enthusiastic contributions and a brilliant atmosphere, allowing everyone to come together, enjoy a relaxing evening on the beach and revel in some of the much needed human interaction we have missed over the past months.
Here at PurpleBeach, we pride ourselves on our ability to bring real human connection and meaningful engagement that is crucial for success now more than ever into organisations, in much the same way as we brought it to our Zone Out event. We would be delighted to hear from you, so do reach out to us if you’d like to discuss and explore further.
