How to Immerse Your Guests With the Ultimate Interactive Experience

Who doesn’t like being immersed? Successful event marketers understand the importance of attendee engagement. That said, too few impact consumers the way they want to be impacted. If you can immerse your audience, you can captivate them. In 2017, interactive technology is king.

The Future of Interactive Visuals

Technology has come a long way. Now, intuitive interfaces are being used alongside touch screen technology. Developers like MultiTaction have strategized the process, making touch display a king-of-the-hill tech avenue. Modern surfaces are using infrared cameras, “seeing” what device users are touching. When sensors can capture dynamic touch range, anything is possible.

So, where does this leave you? It’s a good idea to invest in tech which recognizes a limitless marker input range. Get big with coded event items—like Glenfiddich’s coded glasses. Interactive bars, tables and games, too, can spice up your event. Much can be said for information composition. By creating interactive displays, you can create enthralling technology.

The Modern Brand Experience Studio

If you’re gunning for a highly immersive experience, why settle for a single display? Companies like Ford are creating entire experience studios. Its FordHub, launched back in January, outfitted the Westfield World Trade Center with countless digital experiences. Ford’s innovations addressed today’s city-wide mobility challenges, creating memorable pop-ups worthy of continuous exposure.

Interactive LED displays, illuminated water patterns and innovation challenges are fantastic inclusions. By building alongside other tech providers, you can create an environment which encourages exploration. Provoke curiosity, and help your guests linger.

Downloadable Demos

Where out-of-event immersion is considered, downloadable demos go a long way. Ford’s digital record presentations are a great example, as they’ve let users download configured models in online spaces. Provoke the imagination, and create dialogue between your brand and the consumer. Anyone can install an Oculus Rift booth, and anyone can utilize the iPhone 7’s VR capabilities. In 2017, quality VR needs to be more than immersive. It needs to be memorable.

Pinpointing the Quality Consumer Experience

The goal of any event activation is to garner attention. If you can make your consumer’s feel, you can make them think. If you can make them think, you’ll make them talk. Build lasting impressions, and engage attendees at the ground level. A little immersion goes a long way, and you needn’t resort to straight-up VR displays to invoke excitement. Loyal audiences stick around, but they’re paying attention to brands maintaining a competitive edge.

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.

How to Create the Ultimate Trade Show Booth

Everyone knows: Trade shows are about the booths. If you’re managing an event, you’ll need to stick out to garner attention. Fortunately, 2017 is a year of creativity. A lot of today’s conferences have drawn attention to crowded show floors, inspiring event-goers with astounding exhibitions. Buckle up, and check out these ultimate trade show booth ideas.

Idea One: Virtual Reality

Today’s exhibitors, like Intel, are utilizing VR to engage event-goers without spending money on expensive equipment. Sure, an Oculus Rift or Vive might cost some money, but it’s little compared to the cost of a live-action car display, a hotel tour or a roller coaster ride. If you can get your guests to don headsets for at least five minutes, you can educate them with interactive games.

Idea Two: Custom T-Shirt Design Creation

You can help your event-goers craft custom T-shirts with a digital design booth. If you can pack the colors, the threads and a few iPads, you’re in business. Use the display to promote your company’s products, and help your brand’s biggest buffs implement your logo across a variety of clothing options.

Idea Three: A Home Theater Option

By presenting educational presentations via a digital display, you can outfit your trade booth for the 21^st century. Your company can live-stream a variety of sessions, launching different product options across high-quality video. Companies like Philips are taking advantage of real-time streaming, showing event-goers high-quality sessions via Periscope. If you’re really dedicated, hook your digital theater up to social media sharing resources.

Idea Four: Large-Scale Chalkboard Engagement

While your event-goers won’t necessarily be up for study sessions, they’ll still engage your brand if you let them leave notes, make company connections and interact with one another via chalkboard. Invite your booth visitors to post sticky notes, comment on industry trends and leave their own art. You’d be surprised by the amount of care some attendees will give. Every chalkboard engagement, of course, should prioritize your brand’s adaptability. Let your event-goers have fun, but offer your business’s offers through every note and connection.

Making the ultimate trade show booth takes time. Fortunately, you have a lot of elements to play with. Customers want far more than generic samples, business cards and information pamphlets. Give them an experience, and connect them to the digital world when possible. By connecting your users with Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, you can promote a sense of community from within every booth. Today’s trade show operators are working hard to promote their overarching brand. If you want to compete, you’ll need to offer something unique and exciting.

Event Trend: Live Art Demonstrations

At most events, one of the primary goals is to have everything done and perfect before the audience arrives. Now, many event planners are turning this idea upside-down. The new trend is to have the audience watch as key parts of the set are completed on the spot. Of course, this doesn't refer to having your guests watch men in overalls and scaffolds hammer plywood panels together! Instead, it's done by having live art demonstrations as part of the exhibition. In these, actual professional artists draw murals and other artworks during the events. Many are fascinated to be able to see the process as it unfolds.

Several variations on this idea have taken place over the last few months. Here are a few that may bring you inspiration:

The Discovery Venice Consumer Pop-Up Preview Event

Here, a surfboard artist was brought in to paint boards as people waited. Fitness gurus Gabby Reece and Laird Hamilton hosted the preview event, which surely made the early guests want to come back to see the full exhibition.

Outward Bound National Benefit Dinner

Who needs candid photography when you can have an artist sketch out key scenes of your event as they happen? That's what was done at this non-profit event, where artist Michael Arthur sketched on a visible screen as presenters talked.

3 Days in Miami Festival

Put on by Red Bull Sound Select, this event featured an artist who drew both posters and portrait pins on the spot. These were handed out for patrons to take home as souvenirs. The unique nature of such mementos will surely keep Red Bull in guests' minds for years to come.

Keep a Child Alive's 13th Annual Black Ball

This charity ball celebrated the spirit of the AIDS activism of the 80s with events including a live art installation by British artist Shantell Martin.

Choosing an Artist for Your Event

In order to be successful at a live installation, an artist must be able to work fast and tune out distractions. To ensure that everything goes without a hitch, be sure to ask your preferred artist if he or she can work under these specific conditions. Of course, you should also make sure all of the details are known and settled, such as: What will be drawn, what style of art you'll get, and similar aspects. This way, you can be sure that the results will match the brand image you want to portray.

For a great venue for your next event in Miami, try Soho Studios. We have 70,000 square feet of space that can be configured for almost any event. You won't have any trouble fitting a large enough canvas inside for your live art displays!

How to Create a Buzz Worthy Event

Every company wants its event to create plenty of buzz. In fact, it's usually the entire point of putting on an exhibition or other show. Despite this, hundreds of events pass by almost unnoticed every year. How can you make sure that yours is remembered and talked about instead of fading into obscurity? Set Your Goals

Your event needs a goal beyond simply entertaining people. As an event planner, you need to ask your clients what they want to accomplish with their expo. Do they want to introduce a new product, increase buzz about an older one, or promote their company in a more general way? By having a clear end-goal in mind right from the start, you'll be able to better focus your event.

Know Your Audience

An internal, corporate audience will respond to a far different type of presentation than a crowd from the general public. Playing to the media requires a presentation style all its own. For corporate audiences, keep things crisp and concise so they don't start thinking of other things they could be doing. The public and media, on the other hand, may be glad to immerse themselves in your show for hours if it's compelling enough.

Plan

One of the biggest dangers of putting on an event is that it'll seem aimless. The other danger is that it'll end up beset by snafus. Worst of all is some combination of the two. Avoiding these issues is as simple as planning everything down to the last detail. Everything from the venue to the brochures on the tables should be carefully thought out. Be sure to have backup plans just in case you have to adapt to unexpected changes in your original one, too.

Be Ready for On-Site Surprises

All of the best planning will go awry if you aren't prepared for the inevitable turns of events that occur whenever big crowds come together. Make all of your props and sets resistant to jostling, spilled drinks, and other such things. No matter what happens, keep your cool – you want attendees to focus on the event itself, not your reaction to an unplanned surprise.

Assign Clear Roles to All Staff

In order for a team to work efficiently, everyone must know what their responsibilities are. A team without clear roles is like a football team where nobody knows who's supposed to be the quarterback – it wouldn't be remotely effective. Make sure everyone has a clear plan for their own individual roles.

Host Your Event in the Proper Venue

Our 70,000-square-foot venue here at Soho Studios in Miami can be configured for both small and large events. If you're hosting an exhibition in the area, be sure to stop by. You'll find that it's perfect for both corporate and public events.

How Demos Can Boost Your Brand Awareness

In the world of marketing, brand awareness is paramount. More often than not, product and service demos are solid foundations. If you want to boost sales, increase awareness and maximize your outreach, you’ll need to prioritize presentation, usability and—most of all—excitement. Check out the top reasons brands are demonstrating with demos, and redefine your marketing strategy from the ground up.

Reason One: Higher Sales

Using demos is smart, sales-wise. In fact, a lot of brands are optimizing their expenses to streamline in-store samples and demos. Studies prove that in-store demos boost same-day sales, brand franchise sales and long-term consumer habits. Even if you’re not a food provider, samples exist in other forms. That said, food-based samples alone can greatly impact sales. As an example, Costco samples reportedly boost sales by approximately 2,000 percent.

Reason Two: Lead Generation

Today, everything is digital. Because your consumers are using smartphones, Facebook and instant-access eCommerce portals, you’ll need to prioritize your brand’s lead generation power. How? By inviting consumers to receive special deals via SMS, email and social media posts. Consumers love free demos—especially if there’s little work involved. By offering demos, samples and discounts via a digital marketing strategy, you can boost your brand’s lead generation before buyers show up.

Reason Three: More Testimonials

In our highly digital world, positive online reviews are must-haves. Brands capable of inspiring high emotional intensity, on average, achieve three times as many positive reviews as other brands. Highly differentiated brands, too, earn positive word-of-mouth. If you can woo your customers with solid demos, exhibits and free trials, you’ll be set. Prioritize your brand’s emotional appeal, first. Then, focus on general marketing tactics.

Reason Four: Ongoing Sales Security

A solid demo campaign can boost sales over time. This is why marketers often take the experiential route—as they can reduce expenses by combining PR campaigns with on-location demo events. Immediate sales are important, sure, but they’re incomparable to ongoing sales-centric campaigns. If you can offer a solid demo, you can ensure registry sign-ups. From there, you’re established to re-promote, gain more followers and ensure future success.

Reason Five: Immediate Feedback

Because today’s feedback channels are often brand forums, review websites and social media, a little on-location feedback never hurts. Ask your demo crowd if the product works. More importantly: Ask them what they liked specifically. If they don’t purchase the product after, ask them why.

In any event, more information is better. Consumer participation is incredibly valuable, and it can power long-term brand campaigns. In the marketing world, getting experiential never hurts. In fact, it’s becoming a mainstream approach for many companies. When everyone can promote digitally, hands-on demonstrations are highly memorable.

Event Trends: The 90s Make a Comeback

Marketers know that one of the easiest ways to catch people's attention and produce good feelings is to go for nostalgia. Because of this, it's a certainty that every generation will be treated to a round of advertising and marketing meant to call up feelings of the good old days. This is why we've all been seeing a resurgence of 90s-themed products and events. Millennials, companies hope, are already looking at this time period with the airbrushed memories of those wishing for simpler and happier times. These 90s-based marketing efforts have taken several forms. Here are some examples you can use for inspiration for your own company's nostalgia marketing:

Nickelodeon's 90sFest

Nickelodeon didn't just put on a few marathons of 90s shows for its celebration of the Millennials' decade. Instead, it hosted several retro music festivals, complete with 90s acts like Sister Hazel and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Attendees dressed up in 90s clothing or as Nickelodeon characters from that period in order to fully immerse themselves in the experience.

The company got down to business with its obstacle course, which was present at each event. This course was set up to promote The Splat – the network's block of 90s game show and cartoon reruns. Other Nickelodeon offerings were also promoted in fun and immersive ways.

Crystal Pepsi Summer of '92

PepsiCo was another company that made great use of old music, this time to re-introduce Crystal Pepsi to the market. Salt-N-Pepa, En Vogue, and others started off the entertainment at concerts that featured 90s sets along with the music. A retro mall was also set up, and patrons could get 90s hairstyles, play in an arcade featuring the games of the decade, and buy assorted swag just like they did as teens.

TRL

MTV revamped its old Total Request Live, or TRL, studio into Total Registration Live to promote National Voter Registration Day. Along with being able to register to vote, attendees were also able to check out various celebrities, who spoke about the election issues they were passionate about. Celebs who came included Joss Whedon and Ty Dolla $ign. Of course, the musical artists also performed to ensure that people would stay interested.

These are just some of the events that took place during the last year to target Millennials with nostalgia marketing. Such marketing isn't limited to this age group, though. You can easily use it to reach any demographic that isn't still young.

If you're looking for a venue for your next immersive marketing event, look no further than Soho Studios in Miami. Our event space can be adapted for any size function, with up to 70,000 feet available. We can also set up custom features to make sure your event is an unforgettable hit.

Why Having a Mobile App for Your Event Is a Must

It’s become more important than ever to have a dedicated mobile app for your event. Not only is a larger portion of consumers online time spent through mobile, but consumers expect the ease of navigation of real time events and life that comes from having all the capabilities of a smartphone at their fingertips at all times. While it’s still possible to use a dedicated website for an event, a mobile app will not only give your event a greater sense of importance, but in taking the time to build the app, you’ll be able to ensure that users on all platforms are having the experience you want them to be having. Here are some of the latest trends in event mobile apps as well as musts that every app needs to be sure to have.

The Latest Trends

Live Video Streaming Capability: People are using live streaming more than ever before and by offering the ability for people to do so within your app, you’ll be creating a powerful way for people to interact in and around your event.

Social Media Integration: An event can only reach those who have attended, right? With social media it’s possible for events to cast a wider net than those who are physically present, and there’s no better way to encourage tweets, hashtags and Instagramming than by making it as easy as possible, direct from the app. Combined with the live streaming, you’ll be creating an army of marketers from your attendees to promote your brand and event.

Fitness: While this one certainly sounds a little off the wall, wellness is huge right now, as is the use of technology to monitor fitness stats and stay in shape. Take advantage of this by integrating to an existing app to help people plan out healthy walks to take between sessions or including a meditation feature to relax before the event starts.

Must Haves

Scheduling and Details: If your event app isn’t helping users navigate the actual event, then it’s failing at its most basic job. From easy to use maps to allowing customized scheduling, make sure that your app is making it easy for attendees to keep track of all the details.

Keep It Simple: An event app is only as good as its UX (user experience). And the best way to ensure that your app has a great user experience is to not let things get too complex. Sometimes less is more, especially when designing an app.

Networking Opportunities: If you include in-app messaging you’ll be raising user engagement and providing a valuable service. People often attend events for networking opportunities, and being able to do so from within the app can prove invaluable.

Live Streams Can Make or Break Your Event. Here's How

Instant access is always a good plan, right? Well, not always. As event marketers expand their insight, built their toolkits and innovate on the ground floor, live streaming options are coming under scrutiny. Emergent technology should be considered, sure, but it shouldn’t be the crux of your every move. To execute effective marketing campaigns, you’ll need to stream seamlessly, promote your brand and target social media comprehensively. Before hopping into the live stream world, check out the best practices below. More importantly, check out the times it’s not a good idea to prioritize instant access.

To Make the Event

First, it’s a good idea to know when live streaming is a good idea. Above all, live streaming is a solid avenue for businesses seeking mass connectivity and visibility. If your business wants to get a “sneak peak,” or an otherwise hard-to-get shot, live streaming is often a good answer. Why? Because it’s instant. You’re guaranteed to be the first with the story.

It’s also a solid foundation for Q&A sessions, behind-the-scenes journeys and big events. If your marketing event is going to be a bash, and if you’re expecting celebrity appearances, make sure you’re using a live stream feed. In 2017, live streaming is intended to be an integral part of emergent experiential marketing programs. As marketers become well-acquainted with technology, live streaming will become a powerful low-cost alternative to lengthy film processes.

To Break an Event

Live streaming has its downfalls, too. Above all, live streaming can be burdensome to an untrained crew. While crews are certainly becoming experienced with live stream filming, the act of filming footage seamlessly is simply difficult to micromanage. You should remember that anything can happen during a live stream. It might sound obvious, but you’ll need to take extra precautions when filming live appearances.

You can’t edit live footage. So, if you’re planning a breakout event, promoting a new product or are otherwise revealing your business’s “finer” side, consider traditional media first. Sometimes, it isn’t worth the quality loss to secure a hot spot on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram media. Today, constant challenges await live streamers. Digital marketers are working hard to reduce the physical footprint, prioritize low-cost live streaming services and dish out crystal-clear video quality.

For now, however, live streaming shouldn’t be considered a “must-have” in your event marketing arsenal. If you’re planning a big party, want to capture guest experiences and draw in more visitors, a live stream can certainly help. If, however, you feel your event can’t suffer a little choppiness, quality loss and on-site improvisation, you’d best stick to traditional media.

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.