Brian Wilson is the New Face of Virtual Events

Brian Wilson shows YOU the Golden Gate

​Brian Wilson excels at plenty of things -- he knows how to both shock and entertain while maintaining his credibility.

Which is why he might just be the perfect public speaker. ON24, a virtual event and webcasting S.F. company, has announced that Wilson (sans the machine) will be the first athlete ever to host a virtual event. And guess what the topic is? Virtual events.

That's right, the Giants' relief pitcher will use this virtual event to explain how virtual events can better address corporate needs.

ON24 surveyed 100,000 business executives, and the findings support the bearded choice: Over half say that athletes are easier to understand and more interesting than business speakers, about a quarter agree that business and sports are related (think teamwork, adaptability), and a quarter think that watching athletes perform instills a sense of trust in us -- which means we're more likely to believe that they say.

The survey also explains that viewers prefer a virtual speech for lots of reasons -- 43 percent of respondents want to be able to fast-forward if it gets too dull, and 8 percent would like to watch watch it in their underwear or while taking care of business on the toilet.

With ON24's technology, that means the Beard will be leading people through virtual events -- including taking a virtual cable car through S.F. locations.

"I'm hosting the VUE because I know what it takes to win, in both sports and business," Wilson says in a statement. "Just like in baseball, business success requires confidence and communication. You also need the right equipment.... Remember, fear the beard, not the technology."

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