Why Strongbow Teamed up to Become More Sustainable

Why Strongbow Teamed up to Become More Sustainable

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Recently, Strongbow wanted to come up with an experiential marketing effort that would get people in NYC to interact with its alcoholic cider brand. What better way to get people interested in a major city than to create a nature experience? This is what Strongbow did with its surprising and innovative floating fruit orchard from April to May 2017 within its broader Nature Remix campaign.

Strongbow's Experiential Campaign

The brand experience featured a garden and orchard on a barge that floated on the Hudson River, stopping at various piers to connect with area residents and tourists. When the barge was stopped, people were able to pick their own apples and other produce. In the process, they would learn a thing or two about the nature they were interacting with, which was planted in a sustainable way, and about the Strongbow cider, which is free of artificial flavors and colors. And of course, participants got to try a few of Strongbow’s ciders, which is what the event was designed to promote. This floating orchard was the North American campaign for the brand, which also carried out campaigns throughout the globe as part of the Nature Remix program. 

This event was a great idea to introduce people to Strongbow ciders and to provide a connection to nature that is lacking in such a large city. Even when the barge was on the move from stop to stop, it had the potential to build excitement when people would spot it and wonder what it is. The brand also created excitement through press releases, a YouTube campaign video showing work on the barge, a media cocktail party and various social media efforts. And the brand also began a program to send coasters with seeds in them to nationwide customers who can use them for their cider and then to start their own gardens. Strongbow found ways to share its natural roots and to promote the positive message of caring about the environment.

Takeaways From Strongbow’s Floating Orchard

If your brand is interested in creating an experiential event, you can gain some takeaways from Strongbow. Even if your brand has nothing to do with food or nature, there are some universal points here.

Strongbow didn’t have the know-how to create a garden on a barge, so the brand partnered with Swale, a New York City food forest on a barge. Swale helped it figure out the practical side of a floating orchard so the marketing team could focus on its specialty. In return, Strongbow’s sponsorship is helping support the Swale initiative for the rest of the year. Strongbow also gained marketing insight from PR agency Current Marketing. 

Further, Strongbow really stuck to the mission of experiential marketing by creating an event that directly tied into its product. Orchards are used to create the cider, so it gave people a chance to experience an orchard. You could try the same method by creating an event that connects to your product in some way, whether it shares a piece of the creation process like Strongbow did, ties into a culture surrounding your product or makes some other connection.

How to Map Out the Perfect Pop-up Tour

How to Map Out the Perfect Pop-up Tour

Digital communication rules the world, so how do companies make that personal connection with their target audience? They "pop-up" in some very special places, so their marketing plan is not just about promotion, but about appealing to the different emotions that drive consumers. Pop-up shops are all the rage right now because they grab their attention with hands-on interactions to dazzle them up close and personal. How can you map out your next pop-up tour to get the best ROI?

Establish Measurable Goals that Cater to the Audience

The moniker "know your audience" fits almost any marketing scenario including creating a successful pop-up tour. When Disney wanted to promote their Doc McStuffin show in the UK, they didn't set up Doc clinics in office buildings or on the street; they picked venues like Toys R Us and Smyths because they appeal not just to kids, but to parents, grandparents and aunts, too.

They took a multifaceted approach when planning their pop-up strategy. Their goals didn't focus just on increasing ratings for their show, but on retailing merchandise and creating a buzz for the characters, as well. The acted on goals they could track on social media, too, instead of just tallying up the revenue from event to event.

Find Spaces That Mesh With the Brand

Be a visual thinker when picking out venues. Visual space says something about a brand. Consider Supreme clothing stores. Each one has visual clues that related directly to the brand image such as the parquet floors and steel rails. They wouldn't think of opening a pop-up at a country fair or in a dirty warehouse because that is not the look they want.

Promotion, Promotion, Promotion

Marketing your pop-up before, during and after each event is the key to success. Adidas combined both a celebrity appearance and a fan challenge to get people buzzing about their D Rose Jump Store before it opened. Use every form of content marketing at your disposal from your website to the company Facebook page to get the word out. If sponsoring multiple pop-up locations, consider an app or map that fans can use to track each event.

Use some social media tactics to promote live as it happens, too. Trolli and 7-Eleven went with free giveaways at the beach to market both a new candy brand and the Slurpee inspired by it.

#slothsome

What's your hashtag going to be? Add some real-time graphics to make people wish they were there, too. Snapchat, Facebook Live, Vine, Instagram – set up one or more and appoint a brand ambassador to manage the show.

Before moving on to the next place on the tour, make sure people understand what they missed at the last one. Provide statistics if possible, lots of pictures and some videos of all the fun along with information for the next few stops.

Take Notes and Learn

When the final guest leaves and you pack up to go to the next venue, reflect on what you learned at this one. What worked and what didn't? Ask for feedback during the event and online afterward, too. Grow with each stop on your tour to make the next one that much more meaningful. 

How to Make Your Corporate Event or Party Eco-Friendly

How to Make Your Corporate Event or Party Eco-Friendly

Every company can get extra goodwill by making their event or corporate party more eco-friendly. However, it can seem hard to do this when you have to serve or entertain large groups of people. How can you minimize the environmental footprint of 100 or even 1,000 event attendees? Fortunately, there are ways to set up your events so that even large ones have elements that are easier on the environment than their alternatives. Here are some ideas you can implement without much trouble:

Choose Reusable Tableware

Washing dishes requires soap and water, but the alternative – paper and plastic – is even worse for the environment. Paper production uses much more water than washing, and it typically results in large amounts of pollution thanks to the use of bleaches and dyes in the production process. Plastic, of course, is a petroleum product. Even worse, plastic doesn't degrade within a reasonable timeframe (some say it takes 500 years to disappear). Eliminating both paper and plastic is clearly the eco-friendly move.

Serve Vegetarian Meals

A good caterer can make vegetarian food taste great, and if your event calls for snacks and sandwiches instead of dinners, your guests may not even notice that meat isn't on the menu. The environmental benefit results from the efficiency of growing vegetables and grains compared to that of raising meat.

Why avoid meat? Raising meat animals produces pollution in the form of animal waste, contributes to greenhouse gas levels due to methane excretion, and requires more food since the feed has to go through another layer before it gets to you. Plants are much cleaner to grow, and they're more efficient because when you eat them directly, you essentially "cut out the middleman" of the food chain.

Hold Your Event in a Big City

When you have your event in a big city like Miami, your guests will be able to reach the venue via public transportation. This, of course, cuts down on the amount of gas used and air pollution produced. As a bonus, the area will have plenty of other things to do after your event ends, and your guests will love the extra entertainment possibilities.

Use Digital Signage

Many events are festooned with a wide variety of posters, pennants, and other printed materials. When the event ends, all of this paper is simply thrown away. Avoid all of that waste by using digital signs. Thanks to today's lightweight flat screens, these signs can be mounted in stands as well as hung on walls. Since they're digital, there's no need to throw them out when the current graphics become obsolete. Simply program them with new images for your next event. Alternatively, rent digital signs and simply hand them in to the rental company after your event ends.

Use Recycled Paper for Printed Materials

Digital signs eliminate the need for much paper, but you still may want to print out programs, brochures, or business cards for your event. In these cases, use paper that is totally or partially recycled to minimize your ecological footprint.

Avoid Plastic Water Bottles

Provide reusable bottles instead and have refill stations set up so guests can get more water as it is needed. If you just can't see going without the traditional plastic kind, set up recycle bins to collect them as they're emptied. Look for water brands that use recycled plastic for their bottles, too.

Rent Durable Materials

Venues such as our Soho Studios offer the chance to rent props, carpets, and other essentials for your event. Choose this option to avoid needlessly throwing away or endlessly storing items that could actually be used for years. If you do buy your own accessories, donate them to charities if you won't be reusing them.

Use Energy-Efficient Items

Many events require special gear. Make sure to choose the most efficient versions that will do the job. One suggestion is to make sure that you have LED lighting whenever possible. These lights are some of the most efficient readily-available ones on the market today.

Mention How Eco-Friendly Your Event Will Be

Helping the environment is great on its own, but the purpose of a corporate event is marketing. Be sure to let everyone know that your event is as green as possible and mention specific steps you've taken to make it that way. This will ensure that you get the expected bump in goodwill.

These are just some of the ways you can make your event more eco-friendly. Even if you can only implement some of them, you'll have a greener event than you would if you used the old-fashioned versions of everything.

For a highly flexible venue in Miami, choose Soho Studios. We have up to 70,000 square feet of configurable space and rental options for all major event elements.

How to Transform a Blank Canvas

Even if a business has money, they’ve still got it rough when it comes to event planning. Sometimes, the space isn’t there. At other times, unconventional avenues make it hard to let loose, get the point across and attract new customers. When thinking outside the ballroom, it’s important to consider your audience. Transforming a blank canvas into a full-fledged event isn’t easy, but it’s possible. Here’s how:

Turn Small Shops into Networking Gatherings

If you’re stuck with a coffee shop, fear not. You can still use the free Wi-Fi, attract customers and dish out branded swag. Coffee shops are today’s pop-up shops, and they’re surprisingly good venues for small businesses lacking funds. You can still cross-promote your other options, staying true to a frugal budget while meeting the locals.

Use Park Space for Active Market Promotion

These days, most brands utilize the sporty, get-up-and-go lifestyle to promote. We live in a world where even videogames are getting more active. If you’re stuck with a field, make use of it. Parks might seem unconventional at first, but they’re incredibly capable event properties. Set up a gazebo, have a cookout and promote your product to passerby.

Turn a Tram Ride into a Town Tour

Sometimes, all the venues are booked. Have you considered your mobile options? Today’s town visitors—and even the residents—are using cross-city tram services, brewery carts and even carriages to see new sights. Give your customers a look through your business’s eyes, and give them something to remember. Travel is memorable, and you needn’t spend tons of money on a good trip.

Book it In an Airport

If you’ve got extra money, try out a pop-up experience in an airport. A surprising number of brands, like NGO Miseror, have created entire digital campaigns centered in airports. Aside from the obvious high-traffic benefit, airports are unique places which guarantee visibility. If you’re expressing yourself in an airport, you’ll definitely be seen.

Check Out the Local Lodge

Similar to the cross-town experience, a one-night stay in a lodge isn’t a bad idea. A lot of marketers, in fact, are bringing their customers closer by instilling a sense of sincerity. If you can get your customers talking to one another, you have an experience.

Not every event relies on flashy event spaces, huge banners and unique technology. Sometimes, simpler is better. It’s called experiential marketing for a reason. Even if the event is small, you can instill a sense of wonder by planning your event correctly. Check out your local area’s offerings, and get to work on your brand’s experiential canvas.

Event Trend: Photo Booth Ideas for 2017

Few things bring guests together like a photo booth. Whether you’re presenting a new product line, getting creative with an expo or simply want to land a new brand perspective, installing a photo booth is a good idea. We’ve already seen a few photo booth trends in 2017 worth mentioning, and we’re sending them your way. Check out these awesome, tech-centric photo booths, and take charge with this year’s latest gadgets.

One: The LEGO Photo Booth

LEGO’s UK flagship store installed the world’s first “Mosaic Maker,” which is a photo booth capable of transforming self-portraits into LEGOs. A lot of brand providers have taken advantage of the trend, coming up with inspiring, unique ways to change the visitor’s face. LEGO’s mosaic kit, available after the photo is snapped, lets customers shape their own pictures.

Two: Movie Photo Booths

Apple, among other big tech providers, has expounded upon the recent Face Place photo booth series. It’s honored as the nation’s “Manufacturer of the Year,” and it isn’t toning down its creative approach to everything customer-centric. The Movie Photo Booth utilizes marquee-style lighting, Apple’s own green screen technology and digital photo sets which harness fantasy film backgrounds. Spice up the typical photo booth experience, and give your guests something to remember, scene-wise.

Three: The TapSnap Photo Booth

Whether you’re putting together a small event, a corporate soiree or a lavish expo, a TapSnap photo booth can enhance your visitor experience. It focuses on the customer’s perspective, using today’s leading technology to offer customized digital photo options. It’s rentable, too. Powered by a well-trained staff, TapSnap is quickly becoming a leading photo booth rental option.

Four: Social Media Booths

Social media has become a popular photo booth tool, and brand are using Facebook and Twitter log-in prompts to capture online moments and build brand awareness. These photo booths still have in-depth photo options, and they still showcase a variety of digital snap options, but having social media accessibility has changed the game.

Five: Gif Booths

Gifs have been around for a while, but they’ve only just taken off in the photo booth world. Alongside slow-mo booths and g-force “wind booths,” gif booths are becoming a staple of mall-based marketing events. Once again, social media plays a part. Facebook’s introduction to short-looping video has only fueled the trend.

As technology becomes increasingly integrated into photo booth technology, customers will start expecting lavish displays. Online metrics, social media and even virtual reality have come a long way. Today, even small marketing campaigns benefit from unique photo booth ideas. Where do you stand?

How to Wow Your Event Guests Even During Breaks

Long meetings, conventions, and expos all have one thing in common: They include breaks. All too often, the potential of these breaks is wasted as participants are left to find their own entertainment. A better option is to spice up your event's break time by providing your own diversions from the main topics. Here are some of the ways other companies have been successful at keeping people's attention during these times:

Use an Area-Themed Snack Display

Every area has foods and other items that are unique to it. For example, Florida is known for its citrus fruits and beaches. A citrus-based display with beach imagery will be a sure hit for an area-specific snack bar. There's no need to exclude all other food options, either. Just be sure to have some orange things prominently present to get the effect.

Touch on an Area's Cultural Cuisine

While Florida may be known for oranges, the city of Miami is known for its people. As a Florida city, it is a mix of both domestic and overseas immigrants. Southerners, Northerners, Cubans, Mexicans, and Puerto Ricans all share the space and eat each other's foods on a regular basis. Simply serve some of each of these cultural foods for a great all-around "taste of Miami" effect. You can also aim for whichever foods your audience will find exotic in order to present a daring atmosphere of trying new things.

Hire a Professional Chef

If your event caters to an upscale crowd, you'll definitely make the right impression by having a professional chef make up the offerings. Even so, resist the urge to go for full-course meals or large desserts. Remember that this will be for a relatively short break instead of the dinner hour, and specify foods that can be picked up and carried by people who'll want to walk around and network as they enjoy the food.

Don't Forget Desserts and Drinks

Desserts are always a hit, and what better way to say "Florida" than at least one Key lime pie stand? Drinks also tend to be regional. Here, you'd be remiss to forget sweet tea – the quintessential Southern staple. Of course, Florida orange juice is obligatory as well. Don't forget to offer coffee, too. It may not be regional, but it is still one of the most popular non-alcoholic drinks on Earth and is very compelling for its fans.

These are just some of the ways you can set up food stands to make your event memorable even during the breaks. The other thing you need is a good venue. Check out Soho Studios in Miami for the perfect place to present your next Florida-based meeting, event, or expo.

Event Decor: How to Create a Memorable Floor

Yes, your event’s flooring is important. Whether you’re installing high-tech pads, decorative carpets or subtle comfort areas, your marketing event’s bottommost layer will need to be spruced up. Event-goers may look up, but they’re bound to check out the floor when navigating traffic. If you want to harness today’s latest, greatest marketing techniques, you’ll need to reinvigorate your space from the ground up. Here’s how.

Use Bricks for Branding

Don’t worry: You won’t seem too old-fashioned. Even if you’re promoting technology, all-brick displays promote class, timelessness and security. Check out your local provider’s offerings, and find a space for sponsor information, logos and branding images. This is an exceptional option for outside events, too, as you needn’t worry about these branding images being washed away. Check out gardening bricks, too, as garden bricks are excellent opportunities for complex images.

Install a Glass Floor Over a Pool

There’s a reason today’s nightclubs and bars are turning to glass pool covers. When lighting is prioritized, the effect can be stunning. You needn’t make the pool accessible, either. Simply add lighting, install a design or two, and cap it off. Make the area a dance floor, and install your brand’s innovative demos off to the side—near the wet bar. If you really want to shine on event-goers, install a neon sign, flowers or displays beneath the glass.

Install a Plexiglass Cover

If you don’t have a pool, you can still get the glass-bound effect with plexiglass. Designers like Preston Bailey offer unique, all-glass dance floors. Capable of hosting an event “focal point,” these floors can harness high-tech lights, art and even flowers. Your guests will love it, and they’re hype up your future events, too.

Create Digital Demo Booth Floors

If you have the money, try installing high-tech picture floors. Fully digital, these floors can present images and movies. They even have slideshow capabilities. They’re constructed with dense materials, so you won’t need to worry about event-goers shattering any television screens. Flash your brand’s image, write notes and—if you’re feeling creative—create a touch-sensitive space for your event’s premium guests.

Paint 3D Art

Floor-bound 3D art is becoming incredibly popular. So much so, in fact, businesses are hiring 3D landscape artists to create immersive, intuitive and funny event floors. While 3D art only pulls off its effects from certain angles, it still offers incredible photo opportunities. If you rep the 3D art, you’ll present your company’s creative side. Why not let the guests have a little fun?

In most cases, the areas your event-goers traverse will be your event’s most memorable aspects. Don’t skimp on the flooring. Align it with your event’s walls, ceiling and décor. You’d be surprised how well a high-tech floor can tie things together.

Green Events

Making an event green is easy to do with a little careful planning. Staging green events is becoming a preferred choice as people grow more concerned about reducing damage done to the environment. Going green at non-profit events in Miami helps conserve natural resources and reduces the event's carbon footprint. This will put your event in a positive light.

Wondering how to put on a green event? Here are a few ideas on where you can get started on creating green events in Miami:

1. Conserve energy use

Choose a venue where you can schedule your event during the daytime and use natural light to reduce the need for artificial lighting. Ask event participants to shut off lights and other electric or electronic equipment when rooms are not in use. For booths or displays that need lights, use energy saving bulbs.

2. Reduce Paper

Use electronic registration for your event. You can do it through a designated website or a mobile app. Go paperless with handouts and brochures whenever possible. Make these available on the website or app. If you need to print some paper documents, going with double-sided copies will reduce the amount of paper used. Distribute them by request only.

3. Recycle Everything

Paper products can sprout up faster than trees in a dense forest around your event if you let them. Put out recycle bins in conspicuous locations. Make an effort to collect paper, plastics, cardboard and beverage containers in all meeting, eating and exhibit areas. You can replace paper plates and plastic cups with reusable ones.

4. Serve Organic Food

Food sends a big message about your event and its commitment to the environment. You can go green by serving organic locally grown foods. Many restaurants and caterers already specialize in organic menus.

5. Offer Transportation

If you have guests flying in to attend your event from around the nation, offer shuttle service from the airport to their hotels and from their hotels to the event. It will reduce emissions from having a bunch of rental cars going back and forth.

Fairchild’s Garden Music Festival

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is a true gem, decorating metropolitan Miami. Here you can walk beautiful garden paths surrounded by nature’s beauties and wonders and enjoy the breathtaking sight of butterflies and birds flying all around you. Moreover, you get the chance to meet with some of the best of their kind in science, conservation and horticulture and also enroll in classes on practically everything in the garden world, from grafting to photography.

South Florida has a chance to provide stimulating educational opportunities for its young citizens, while visitors can connect music with a natural wonder. Among the numerous events that take place in a heart-stopping place like the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is the Fairchild Garden Music Festival. Here you can indulge yourself in fascinating chamber music that will take you back in time and relax you. At last year’s Fairchild’s Garden Music Festival attendees were left with a sweet taste and memorable experiences.

The combination of music with the idyllic setting of the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden creates an enchanting effect to visitors, and many grab the educational opportunities given to them throughout the festival’s duration (March 25th – May 4th 2013). In events like the Fairchild’s Garden Music Festival one can get both food for the mind and soul in a strong balance, given the opportunities springing up during the event.

What is more, there are «surprise» concerts for the visitors to enjoy that are unknown until the festival starts and you can treat yourself with some fine chamber music through open rehearsals that are held outdoors. Meeting with the musicians and connecting with them is an engaging experience that will trigger your creativity and allow you to experience the music on a more personal level. Other than that, you can just take delight in the magnificent surrounding while it blends with the musical experience of high-quality chamber music.

The 11th International Orchid Festival at Fairchild

South Florida will be abloom from Friday, March 8 to Sunday, March 10 at the 11th Annual International Orchid Festival at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. The gardens are the perfect setting to exhibit more than 10,000 traditional and rare orchid plants ensuring the event will be a visual and fragrant delight.

The event has something of interest for everyone including walking tours of the Orchid Plaza in the Rain Forest, Wings of the Tropics and the Tropical Fruit Conservatories, along with garden workshops, expert tips on growing orchids and a poetry reading by Jo-Anne Gardner, author of Butterfly Words on Saturday and Sunday.

During the three day festival, you have access to Interactive discussions and lectures by guest speakers from the American Orchid Society, University of Florida, Orchid Society of Coral Gables, Coalition of Orchid Species and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission. There's something for the children, too. OrKids at the Kidway has educational displays, discussions about the mysteries and products of the rain forest, face painting and arts and crafts projects.

Entertainment

While perusing the delicate colors, scents and textures of available orchids offered by vendors from all parts of the world, you will see live performances each day from several groups as well as music from the Seraphic Fire's Miami Choral Academy from 10:00 am to 11:30 am on Saturday.

At the quaint Orchid Tea Room, enjoy live music while sipping a cup of your choice of tea from a delightful selection of flavors along with fresh scones and specialty desserts. Reservations are accepted for the tea room.

After shopping for new orchid plants and a stop at the tea room, make your way to the Edible Garden featuring vanilla orchids where you can learn from an expert all about how to grow your own vanilla plant and its many uses. Be sure to save room for a delectable vanilla smoothie.

The International Orchid Festival provides three days of expert tips, workshops, entertainment, food and drink and thousands of orchids set amid an eco-friendly landscape designed for garden enthusiasts.