Social distancing measures and restrictions set by the Covid-19 Pandemic influenced how
brands interact with their consumers and how consumers experience brands. The present study
addresses the influence of the Covid-19 Pandemic in event marketing, specifically in online
events. Due to social isolation during the Covid-19 Pandemic, marketing events were transferred
from a face-to-face format, to an online or hybrid format. To understand how this change
affected consumer brand experience, a mixed methods approach was implemented. This
methodological approach was chosen because marketing events comprise two perspectives: the
consumer’s perspective and the brand’s perspective. To gather the consumer’s point of view,
100 surveys were conducted among individuals who attended events during the Covid-19
Pandemic. The quantitative approach served to characterize the events attended during the
Covid-19 Pandemic and to assess five dimensions of consumer experience, respectively the
affective, physical, cognitive, novelty and social dimensions. The survey analysis showed that
consumers felt less stimulated during online events versus face-to-face events in all experience’s
dimensions. Regarding the qualitative approach, three in-depth semi-structured interviews were
conducted to a creative director, a brand manager, and an event organizer to understand the
brand’s point of view. The results of the qualitative approach showed that it was a challenge to
maintain consumers’ engagement during online events held during the Covid-19 Pandemic, and
that consumers are demanding brands to hold face-to-face events or hybrid events instead of
online events. Besides, in-depth interviews helped to develop a set of guidelines that contribute
to enhance consumer experience in events. The analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data
revealed that brands had to adapt to the changes set by the Covid-19 Pandemic on a fast pace,
mostly through trial and error. As for consumers, they felt that their experience was negative in
online events versus face-to-face events they attended in the past. In special, the social
dimension of event experience was affected when attending online events
