19 May 2025

Embracing Phygital Experiences: The Future of Hybrid Events in 2025

Catherine Puri

The events industry is rapidly evolving, and phygital experiences are leading the way. By blending physical (in-person) and digital (virtual) elements, phygital events create immersive, interactive experiences that engage broader audiences. At Virtual Approval, we believe the future of hybrid events lies in this seamless integration.

What Are Phygital Events?

Phygital events merge the best of both worlds: the human connection of live events with the reach and innovation of digital platforms. Whether it’s interactive virtual networking or augmented reality at live venues, phygital experiences enhance participation and accessibility.

Why Phygital Matters for Hybrid Events

In 2025, hybrid events are about more than streaming content—they’re about delivering unified, engaging experiences for all attendees. Phygital approaches:

  • Boost engagement through interactive tools.
  • Expand reach to global audiences.
  • Provide valuable data for personalised follow-ups.
  • Support sustainability efforts by reducing physical resources.

How to Create Phygital Hybrid Events

Here are three key ways to integrate phygital elements:

1. Unified Experiences
 Ensure both physical and virtual attendees enjoy a cohesive journey, from registration to content access. Weave your agendas together. Popular options we like to include are: competitions, pre-event meetups, exclusive behind-the-scenes access, and live interviews.

2. Interactive Technology

Use live polls, Q&As, and gamification to engage participants in real time. Leverage tools that work seamlessly across physical and virtual formats—like virtual whiteboards, event apps, and social walls. These spark engagement and encourage more user-generated content, driving organic reach and maximum hype.

3. On-Demand Access & Analytics
 Extend your event’s impact with on-demand content and gather insights to refine future experiences. We’ve seen strong results from initiatives like book clubs, video clubs, social competitions, and sponsored activations.

Why Partner with us?

At Virtual Approval, we specialise in planning, promoting, and delivering virtual, hybrid, and live events. Our team helps create seamless phygital experiences with:

  • Strategic planning and expert support.
  • Innovative platforms and tools.
  • Live event management and flawless delivery.
  • Actionable insights to measure success.

Ready to embrace the phygital future?
 Get in touch today and let’s create unforgettable hybrid events together!

Proud to be trusted by the best!

We’ve delivered memorable moments for some of the world’s biggest brands:

Don’t just take our word for it!

“Virtual Approval helped us transform our annual meeting for over 150 senior business and investment leaders into an interactive webinar with keynote speakers, breakout discussions and a forum for feedback discussion. We couldn’t have asked for a better partner. Rachel ...

“Virtual Approval helped us transform our annual meeting for over 150 senior business and investment leaders into an interactive webinar with keynote speakers, breakout discussions and a forum for feedback discussion. We couldn’t have asked for a better partner. Rachel and the team created the perfect format, choreographed the discussion superbly and created an impactful series of post event videos for our website. The team at Virtual Approval is outstanding.”

Andy Griffiths

Executive Director at The Investor Forum CIC

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“It’s a huge testament to all of you that we had such a strong showing and a highly engaged audience. Two media in attendance said it was the best virtual experience they have attended yet - WOW!”

“It’s a huge testament to all of you that we had such a strong showing and a highly engaged audience. Two media in attendance said it was the best virtual experience they have attended yet - WOW!”

Alex Stathis Tsao

Account Director, Taylor Partners, New York USA

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“We used Virtual Approval to help us with our Online Auction for food4heroes, which raised a whopping £23,000. The Zoom show brought together presenters, performers, and video content over 1.5 hours [and] was flawless thanks to Rachel’s calm approach. If ...

“We used Virtual Approval to help us with our Online Auction for food4heroes, which raised a whopping £23,000. The Zoom show brought together presenters, performers, and video content over 1.5 hours [and] was flawless thanks to Rachel’s calm approach. If you are looking to run a live online event using Zoom, then look no further than Rachel if you want it to be a success.”

John Brownhill

Co-Founder at food4heroes

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"We engaged Virtual Approval to act in the role of administrator for the first-ever virtual trial in the Business and Property Courts. Rachel worked with us to organise, research, arrange and manage the secure registration of people to attend, the ...

"We engaged Virtual Approval to act in the role of administrator for the first-ever virtual trial in the Business and Property Courts. Rachel worked with us to organise, research, arrange and manage the secure registration of people to attend, the daily viewing and recording, and liaison with the transcription service. It is hard to overstate what a fantastic service Rachel and her company provided.”

Bill Barton

Director at Barton Legal

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"Rachel and her amazing team assisted us in facilitating a business networking dinner and they were truly exceptional. I would not hesitate in recommending Rachel and her colleagues. In the run up to the event nothing was too much trouble, ...

"Rachel and her amazing team assisted us in facilitating a business networking dinner and they were truly exceptional. I would not hesitate in recommending Rachel and her colleagues. In the run up to the event nothing was too much trouble, and they shared great ideas and suggestions based on their successes from previous event experiences. On the night, they were super organised, cool, calm, collected. The feedback we had from guests was first class. For all of our upcoming event needs, Rachel and her team will be my first port of call."

Courteney Donnaldson, Managing Director

Christie & Co

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"We have been working with the Virtual Approval team since 2020 and they are an amazing company to work with! Their team is comprised of professional, organized, talented, and extremely competent staff! They are extremely responsive and helpful in every ...

"We have been working with the Virtual Approval team since 2020 and they are an amazing company to work with! Their team is comprised of professional, organized, talented, and extremely competent staff! They are extremely responsive and helpful in every way. We host multiple virtual events a year and couldn't have done it without their expertise! I highly recommend Virtual Approval for all your virtual event needs!"

ToniMarie DiPietro, Event Coordinator

Covenant House New Jersey

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"We have a fantastic partnership with the great team at Virtual Approval working on a number of successful virtual events together, They are always really organised, creative and really enjoyable to work with. The VA team also provide support for ...

"We have a fantastic partnership with the great team at Virtual Approval working on a number of successful virtual events together, They are always really organised, creative and really enjoyable to work with. The VA team also provide support for our Social Media helping us elevate our services, really capturing what we want to say. Couldn't recommend more!"

Paul Hayes, Director

Real Time Broadcast

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“We recently engaged Virtual Approval to provide virtual hearing management services for a virtual arbitration held via Zoom. Rachel provided comprehensive and invaluable support both during the build-up to the hearing and during the hearing itself. She was always available ...

“We recently engaged Virtual Approval to provide virtual hearing management services for a virtual arbitration held via Zoom. Rachel provided comprehensive and invaluable support both during the build-up to the hearing and during the hearing itself. She was always available to provide advice and support when needed.”

Solicitor

Clyde & Co

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"Rachel’s fluency with virtual tools makes her the perfect companion of facilitated workshops. She is proactive, attentive to customer needs and helps you sort out difficulties in the moment where your mind as participant or as a facilitator needs to ...

"Rachel’s fluency with virtual tools makes her the perfect companion of facilitated workshops. She is proactive, attentive to customer needs and helps you sort out difficulties in the moment where your mind as participant or as a facilitator needs to be elsewhere. She is also eager to learn and improve, a great quality to hold in a fast moving business environment.”

Xavier Garcia - Weibel

Leadership Coach, Human Centric Leaders, Switzerland

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"Saved our home and lives. 1st online High Court case (technology and construction) managed in a very professional manner without a glitch. if it was not for Rachel's input and management, the courts would not have been confident of the platform ...

"Saved our home and lives. 1st online High Court case (technology and construction) managed in a very professional manner without a glitch. if it was not for Rachel's input and management, the courts would not have been confident of the platform and our family would have been bullied and forced into bankruptcy by the council. Can't recommend the company highly enough. Thanks Rachel"

Parvesh Patel

Client

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“Thank you for organising our first virtual event as a school. I was very impressed at your calm head in a stressful situation and your incredibly professional attitude throughout. The videos are looking fantastic.”

“Thank you for organising our first virtual event as a school. I was very impressed at your calm head in a stressful situation and your incredibly professional attitude throughout. The videos are looking fantastic.”

Jo Fife, Headmaster

Wandsworth Preparatory School

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"I cannot recommend Rachel and her colleagues at Virtual Approval highly enough. Our event, the North West Ofsted Big Conversation, has twice now been hosted by Rachel and her team. Even though our future events might be able to take place ...

"I cannot recommend Rachel and her colleagues at Virtual Approval highly enough. Our event, the North West Ofsted Big Conversation, has twice now been hosted by Rachel and her team. Even though our future events might be able to take place again in a large venue we will still be asking Rachel to help us to manage the process again Possibly a hybrid option? Thanks Rachel and all of your amazing team."

Rachel Buckler, Chair

Ofted Big Conversation North West & Early Years Hub

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“It was remarkable to learn that we had only been scratching the surface of what Zoom can do. There was so much more to it, and with your expert guidance, I now feel fully equipped to use Zoom to its ...

“It was remarkable to learn that we had only been scratching the surface of what Zoom can do. There was so much more to it, and with your expert guidance, I now feel fully equipped to use Zoom to its full potential.”

Gareth Allen

Coach at Gareth Allen Performance Coach

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"Cameron, I wanted to personally thank you so much for all your hard work, support and help. I know the project grew and grew and appreciate yours and Rachel's calm, professional and exceptional organisation to make this as smooth as ...

"Cameron, I wanted to personally thank you so much for all your hard work, support and help. I know the project grew and grew and appreciate yours and Rachel's calm, professional and exceptional organisation to make this as smooth as possible and come together. Look forward to working with you both much more in the future."

Duncan Bell

Director - Branchout Productions

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"Would highly recommend Virtual Approval to help your business take that extra step in getting you better Social Media and Marketing exposure to your working sectors. Please contact Rachel & her helpful team if you want your business to stand ...

"Would highly recommend Virtual Approval to help your business take that extra step in getting you better Social Media and Marketing exposure to your working sectors. Please contact Rachel & her helpful team if you want your business to stand out from the crowd!"

Phill Metcalfe, Commercial Manager

Protech Roofing

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"Virtual Approval did a great job working up to the event and on the day. They were professional, seamless and worked well together. Nothing was too much trouble and they tried to accommodate everything. "

"Virtual Approval did a great job working up to the event and on the day. They were professional, seamless and worked well together. Nothing was too much trouble and they tried to accommodate everything. "

Lynn Mackay-Thomas, CEO

British Society for Heart Failure

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"Virtual Approval has made coordinating our virtual sessions a breeze!  I have worked with their team on the operations/logistics side, when we needed a broader team to support our virtual offerings.  Virtual Approval came in with a fully drawn-out process, ...

"Virtual Approval has made coordinating our virtual sessions a breeze!  I have worked with their team on the operations/logistics side, when we needed a broader team to support our virtual offerings.  Virtual Approval came in with a fully drawn-out process, they assigned multiple producers with time zone coverage across the world, helped us set up trainings with our facilitators, and then trained new team members on their own without our help once they knew the ropes.  They are transparent and reasonable with their rates, and are so easy to work with!"

Audrey H

VP of Operations, Learning Solutions USA

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"Virtual Approval has become a true partner of ours in every sense of the word. Rachel and her team have been there to support our virtual and hybrid needs over the past 2 years, providing us not only with excellence ...

"Virtual Approval has become a true partner of ours in every sense of the word. Rachel and her team have been there to support our virtual and hybrid needs over the past 2 years, providing us not only with excellence service, but with support and guidance whenever we need it. We have collaborated to build a seamless working relationship with open and honest communication at the heart of it. They are organised, solution-focused and professional. No matter what the challenge is, the team has produced innovative solutions often with short notice. I couldn’t recommend Virtual Approval highly enough!"

Charlotte W

Operations Lead & Learning Solutions Manager

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"Virtual Approval are an extremely professional organisation.  Rachel, Chris and the team were very responsive to our initial enquiries, their documentation and contracting was simple and straightforward so made a stressful situation with difficult time constraints, easy to navigate.  Their ...

"Virtual Approval are an extremely professional organisation.  Rachel, Chris and the team were very responsive to our initial enquiries, their documentation and contracting was simple and straightforward so made a stressful situation with difficult time constraints, easy to navigate.  Their team of producers are all reliable, well-prepared and help above and beyond the requirements on paper, going the extra mile for the facilitators and client.  A delight to work with and asset to any team!"

Kate Burgess

Programme Manager, Learning & Development

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"Rachel and her team at Virtual Approval did a stellar job supporting our virtual summit delivered on the Zoom platform. The three-hour event required coordinating over a dozen speakers and multiple session formats. Pre and post-event support, including graphic design ...

"Rachel and her team at Virtual Approval did a stellar job supporting our virtual summit delivered on the Zoom platform. The three-hour event required coordinating over a dozen speakers and multiple session formats. Pre and post-event support, including graphic design and video editing, was top quality, cost effective, and delivered on schedule. We would not hesitate to work with Rachel and her team again."

Aaron Mann

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"The Annual Meeting is the BSH’s flagship hybrid event of the year, with over 700 delegates in person and more than 300 online. The event brings together medical professionals, patients and exhibitors all with an interest in Heart Failure, across ...

"The Annual Meeting is the BSH’s flagship hybrid event of the year, with over 700 delegates in person and more than 300 online. The event brings together medical professionals, patients and exhibitors all with an interest in Heart Failure, across the two days there are a range of sessions including plenary sessions, masterclasses and sponsored symposia. This year’s event was a huge success, and this would not have been possible without VA’s valuable contributions. Virtual Approval exceeded our expectations in the run up to our event and on the day, they listened to all our bespoke requests, and they made every effort to accommodate everything we asked for. They were organised, prepared, and reassuring throughout the process and were pivotal to making our most important event of the year a success. The Chair of BSH said “The VA team were calm, professional, unobtrusive and extremely efficient. This was my best experience with an events company to date and I have no hesitation in recommending the VA team to others."

Isabella Mcleod

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"Rachel and the team at Virtual Approval are exceptional professionals. For live, virtual or hybrid events - award ceremonies, product launches, workshops, webinars and more - this team always delivers, in the UK or worldwide. Highly recommended!"

"Rachel and the team at Virtual Approval are exceptional professionals. For live, virtual or hybrid events - award ceremonies, product launches, workshops, webinars and more - this team always delivers, in the UK or worldwide. Highly recommended!"

Sarah Turnbull

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