As we have moved to virtual vendor briefings, I have increasingly been excerpting short segments (with permission from vendors), as part of my Analyst Cam series.
Zoho marches to a different drummer than other software companies as I have written here, here, and here.
So, during the recent ZohoDay event they, of course, had to host a very different virtual social hour for the analysts
With growing investment in Austin, TX they have been emphasizing Western themes in their events and swag (like the stuff they mailed ahead of this event). Try getting analysts to comply! In the video below you see analysts with all kinds of headgear, costumes and gestures. BTW, I am guilty as charged: I wore my Bucs gear to celebrate our Super Bowl victory and to annoy fellow analysts who have publicly said they don't like our quarterback, Tom Brady. I mean, who does not like the GOAT? :)
Sandy Lo, who heads analyst relations for Zoho, put an amazing variety show together. And she was helped by the impressive new virtual event platform Zoho showcased during the evening - Backstage OnAir.
I have excerpted a quarter of the show. It is kicked off by Sandy trying to get a mob of analysts to behave.
At 3.25 is a magician, Anders Boulanger. He is a Zoho customer. In his day job, he is CEO (and founder) of Engagify. How many customer CEOs have entertained you at a vendor event?
At 7.59 is the Zoho band, RMD (RENDU MANI DOSA) performing from Chennai, India. Read Paul Greenberg's profile on the band here. They recently also competed in his CRM Playaz Battle of the (vendor) Bands.
At 12.30 are more talented Zoho employees - dancers in the Zoho Dance Group and Zohotrix Crew.
At 15.47, Brent Leary takes over as DJ, and tried to get the analysts to emulate the Zoho dancers. Some did, some just put on their grumpy analyst faces. Did I already say it is tough to herd analysts?
Coordinating this hour with at least 25 entertainers must have taken Sandy even longer than it took her to put the ZohoDay sessions together.
Very nicely done!
