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.

How to Host the Ultimate Virtual Reality Event

Many brands are helped by the creation of a feeling of excitement and physical activity. The hard part is getting people to feel like they're part of this action. Most people aren't athletes and have a hard time imagining themselves doing strenuous physical activity, especially when that activity involves something unique like riding a zip line or playing football like a pro. One of the easiest ways to jump this hurdle is to provide the audience with a virtual reality experience. Thanks to the development of VR goggles, there's no need for expensive 360-degree surround screens to get the job done. Virtual reality also allows for user participation, so it's far more immersive than any regular movie.

Combining Virtual Reality with the Rest of Your Event

Even with virtual reality, you need more elements to keep people excited all through your event. Keeping some traditional elements, such as display booths and presentations, will help get people in the mindset to consider your company's products and services. It will also allow you to build up the excitement for the virtual reality portion.

One thing you'll need to consider is how to handle the scheduling for your VR show. Each set of goggles is an investment, so you might not want to buy 200-300 pairs. Instead, it's usually best to have the audience come through in smaller batches so you can use far fewer goggles. Staggering arrival times will keep your attendees from having boring waiting times.

What Types of Content Work Well with Virtual Reality?

Action content is one of the most popular types for conversion to virtual reality. One great example is SAP's Quarterback Challenge, which puts participants on an NFL field in the quarterback position. Eye position, combined with a handheld controller, determine where the ball goes and how hard it is thrown. Sports fans love this sort of experience.

Another excellent example is IBM's cycling-based demonstration, which promotes its Watson Analytics system. Cyclers are subjected to a variety of wind and road conditions, all without leaving their seats.

Virtual reality is also great for explaining details about products, services, and processes. One company uses it to transport viewers to an active construction site, where they get to see exactly how to install its products. Another, a brewery, gives an in-depth look at their processes.

This technology is sure to become a standard part of events in years to come, but don't wait for that to happen. Get started with it now to position your company as a creative leader.

Of course, a comfortable venue is essential to any corporate or entertainment event. Contact us here at Soho Studios for the perfect venue for your extravaganza.

Happy New Year!

From all of us here at Soho Studios we want to wish you a wonderful and prosperous new year.  Happy 2017!

Event Marketing Trends: What to Watch for in 2017

Event marketing has come a long way. In 2016, marketers innovate constantly to offer unique, engaging displays. In recent years, a few trends have risen to the top—and decision makers are utilizing the world’s newest technology to create unprecedented initiatives. Check out these winning event marketing trends guaranteed to make a splash in 2017, and set your sights on creativity.

One: Event Sponsorship

In the past, event hosts and sponsors united with logos, branding partnerships and insight seminars. Now, intensive sponsorship opportunities highlight the relationship. Today’s experiential marketing platforms are expanding to event marketing initiatives, and both brands and hosts are joining hands to elevate sponsors. They’re boosting ROI while furthering symbolic partnerships. Unlike the symbolic partnerships of the past, however, these partnerships are highlighted, grown and promoted via intensive funding campaigns.

Two: Event Streaming

Live events are here, and they’re only getting better. Already, platforms like Facebook Live, Periscope and Meerkat are emerging to create next-level events. Hosting quality content at break-neck speeds, these platforms are advancing the world of seamless event presentations.

While live steaming is still being improved upon, it shows a lot of promise. Initiatives like Thursday Night Football, created by Twitter, reached 243,000 streamers. Audiences are being primed for real-time event broadcasts, and event marketing is next in line for the batter’s box.

Three: Augmented Reality Mobile Apps

You’ve probably heard about the much-touted augmented reality initiatives. AR, too, is still being worked on—but it’s gained a lot of ground in recent years. Brands are expected to experiment with augmented reality quite a bit in 2017, utilizing mobile platforms as jumping off points. If Pokémon Go is any evidence of AR’s capabilities, event marketers had better hustle to catch up. Already, brands are utilizing the iPhone’s visual overlay services to create scavenger hunts, product promotions and in-store sales events.

Four: Data Analytics

Big data is already a major marketing tool. In 2017, experts believe it’ll emerge in the event marketing world. Mobile event apps aren’t new, but in-event data gathering is still fresh. With mobile beacon technology, mobile polling, real-time surveys and social media mobile analysis available, decision makers have incredible resource power. State-of-the-art cloud computing services, too, are making headway in the event marketing world, giving event marketers total reign over gathered data to further entire marketing campaigns.

Advanced marketing automation is likely to boost many of 2017’s event marketing initiatives. Technology is growing at a rapid pace, and it’ll expand upon business opportunities as the Internet of Things grows. Big data, of course, is a leading factor. In any event, real-time services will probably frame leading event marketing initiatives. After all, who doesn’t like seamlessness?

Come Be a Kid Again with MCM and Soho Studios

At Soho Studios, we believe everyone gets the chance to be a kid. It’s time to enrich the lives of others, fostering a love for everything cultural while promoting community involvement. By meeting children across the multicultural community, Soho Studios and the Miami Children’s Museum offer extensive meet-ups with programs, exhibits and art displays.

The Community Connection

The Miami Children’s Museum is all about community. Here at Soho Studio’s, we’re all about networking. Florida residents can kick back, enjoy the festivities and engage community efforts at every level. At every turn, an exhibit waits to be found. The Miami Children’s Museum’s “Be a Kid Again” Gala presents the area’s leading cultural displays. While networking is a major event feature, entertainment, culinary delights and education, of course, are promoted.

Every child in the community is welcome, as are parents, to engage in the Museum’s teaching goals. The community connection is far-reaching, connecting event-goers with a variety of exhibits. Co-chaired by Christy and David Martin, alongside Daniela Swaebe and Michael Comras, the Be a Kid Again Gala excels in connecting Soho Studios with its wonderful surrounding community.

Fundraising at the Family Level

Soho Studios believes every fundraising opportunity thrives upon family involvement. To meet the community’s needs, Soho has connected with museum professionals. Programs, interactive exhibits and art-related learning materials are only the beginning.

Powerful fundraising excels when children of all ages are allowed to imagine, learn, play and create together. In the past, Soho Studios has assisted with similar community involvement initiatives. No great idea is created alone, and we believe fun begins with helping others. Miami Children’s Museum is one of the area’s premier institutions, serving entire families by inspiring them about their surrounding community’s needs. By prompting involvement via literacy programs, art workshops and childhood education, Miami Children’s Museum succeeds in raising awareness.

A Wonderful Outreach Location

Soho Studios is located in Wynwood, Miami’s Art District. Over the years, it’s evolved to encompass the city’s expression. Soho Studios is Miami’s epicenter of expression, creativity and opportunity. Every campaign, fundraising event and initiative is treated with sincerity. Soho Studios believes in Miami Children’s Museum, and we’re proud to create a platform of continuity for future efforts.

Visit our studios, and check out our extensive art, culture and education showcase. At Soho Studios, events are constantly changing. The community always comes first, as do its needs. With over 70,000 square feet available, we’re ready to host extravagant, yet intuitive, community support events. Come on over, and be a kid again at one of this year’s biggest gala’s. We’ll be waiting, and we’ll be ready to show you the enthusiasm of our community’s bright, intelligent minds.

Community: Adobe's Stunningly Effective MAX 2016 Pavilion

Pavilion-based events are all about bringing attendees into the experience, and Adobe MAX's Community Pavilion did not disappoint. It used a variety of unique and offbeat methods to get people fully immersed and keep their attention throughout the event. There's no doubt that this area was noticed – not just for its many electronics-based exhibits, but for the scattering of pool float-style seats on the floor in one area. Here, patrons got to relax in inflatable geese, flamingoes, and turtles to play with Adobe software on tablets or just take a load off their feet. In the background, a big LEGO-style bench provided more elevated seating in a more solid form.

Elsewhere, the exhibits took on a more traditional look for a software/electronics event, but they didn't skimp on providing activities. A project area with big screens was dedicated to Adobe's Make It software and gave visitors a chance to check it out in person. Other hands-on exhibits included one that let users make custom t-shirts, an examination of the emotions involved in creativity, and an area that included real Airstream trailers indoors along with recharging stations for patrons' devices.

Overall, the Adobe MAX event did two very important things for the company. It let the firm showcase its overall look and feel, which is one of creativity that can be taken in any direction a customer chooses. Next, it allowed users to see all of its offerings in a way that got them to actually try them out. This is very important for companies whose products are better off experienced than merely explained.

Your company doesn't have to be Adobe to put on a great, fully-immersive show. All you need is an exciting theme and some exhibits for people to interact with.

You also need a venue large enough to hold your expected audience. Our venue, Soho Studios in Miami, can provide up to 70,000 feet of space that can be adapted for any event. We can even repaint it to match your specs or transform it for more extensive extravaganzas. Just give us a call. We'll be glad to work with you.

The Real Deal 2016 Took over Soho Studios Miami

Hiten Samtani, Venus Williams and Kobi Karp (Credit: Jose Larrotta) via TRD.com

On October 20, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., The Real Deal presented its Third Annual South Florida Real Estate Forum and Showcase in Miami’s Soho Studios. The Wynwood district, renowned for its high-energy events and diverse panels, was host to major topics, real estate innovation, exhibitors and the promotion of local merchants.

A Mass Exhibitor Collection

The Real Deal is South Florida’s biggest event yet, featuring over 50 exhibitors alongside five expert panels. Both event-goers and industry impactors were welcome, discussing real estate insights, strategies and deals with the market’s biggest forces. Among popular influencers was Venus Williams—who shared her love of marketing design.

The market, itself, has changed quite a bit. The Real Deal’s pop-up crowds, early in the day, were standing-room-only visitors. As the panel spaces developed, however, discussion about the industry arose. Developers discussed the condo market, hospitality leaders took to office sectors and commercial brokers discussed retail’s changing environment. On the event’s other end, residential brokers discussed market slowdowns while financial professionals discussed real estate debt.

All About the Resources

Aside from real estate discussion, The Real Deal prompted a collaboration of lenders and investors. Today’s real estate loans have changed, requiring different priorities and professional approaches to succeed. The event’s real estate professionals were, of course, invited to luxury booths. The Estates of Acquilina, One Sotheby’s International Realty, Paramount Miami Worldcenter and One River Point were all there, and each contributed to the healthy network of borrowing and discussion.

As many professional attendees discussed, the event’s networking was its core. Bustling solution booths offered virtual reality goggles, and new developments were shared with patrons in real-time extravaganzas. Every project, having received a careful touch, served to cast away the market’s growing uncertainty. While the Real Deal served to promote real estate discourse—even health—the event’s heart existed as a safe place for many like-minded professionals.

A Twist on Modern Discussion

The global market’s uncertainty is deserving of new construction designs, plans and innovations. Because of its lacking velocity, real estate may reveal dangerous waters for some. Developers attending the event were urged to wait—discussing land options before new projects were launched.

The Real Deal’s event, while a marketing one in its core, subverted the age-old “come and talk” vibe most leading impactors promote. Discussion, trade opportunities and celebration permeated the Real Deal’s event environment. At the end of the day: It isn’t a bad thing at all.

What Century 21 Wants Everyone to Know

Real estate continues to dominate the business space, capitalizing on the future. Imagine this – an event that captures the top talent in the industry with an interactive appeal. You’ve found it with Century 21. Realizing the need to attract and keep an audience of professionals that cater to their specific markets, Century 21 introduced not just an event, but an experience. Dubbed “The City of the Future: Where Technology is No Longer Just a Handheld Device, but a Way of Life,” event goers got to mix and mingle, discuss new real estate trends, and network with industry gurus that can help them find a place to thrive.

A casual and informative event, attendees interacted via a 3D cityscape, highlighting what’s coming down the pipeline in the real estate market. Dramatic lighting, signage and contemporary furniture throughout the venue made it a hip and cozy environment to get down to business. Armed with a database, attendees (also known as agents) were able to create custom searches and notifications that will assist in understanding the business and new landscape consisting of micro housing and repurposed malls.

Held in creative and progressive venues, event participants enjoy signature cocktails, plenty of food, entertainment and guest speakers. Designed to adapt to different part of the country, these events leverage their strategic plan to recruit and retain individuals who can make an impact in the industry. As part of this experience, a more formal event is planned to enhance the relationships created during the initial event.

Understanding that real estate is unique and consistently evolving, CEO and president of Century 21 Rick Davidson takes this opportunity to reinforce the need for real estate agents and brokers to be versatile, unafraid to diversify, and ready to make a difference.

A step into the right direction, Century 21 capitalizes on their strong brand and progressive insight to reach prospective candidates for moving the needle a little bit more into the 21st century. With these types of events addressing the new needs of real estate agents and brokers, the company is poised to make a definitive impact for the near future.

Sony Joins the "Escape Game" Trend

Sony and Times Square go hand-in-hand, but they’ve amped up the customer experience with two fully interactive puzzles that give visitors the opportunity to become one of the actors in two popular NBC series. Capitalizing on the trend of virtual reality, Sony also offers visitors a chance to take a journey with Playstation VR, becoming part of five unique experiences that will give them a glimpse into the future and what to expect from Sony. For those photo buffs, Sony helps budding photographers (or those that are photographers in their heads) the chance to borrow a Sony camera, participate in a photo walk, and take pictures of memorable experiences.

Sony takes things to a new level with Sony Square NYC, designed to showcase their products while engaging visitors and the general audience on why Sony is at the top of their class. From October 24 – December 2, 2016, visitors connect with Sony on a variety of levels. While many people long for the chance to become part of a hit series, Sony is making it possible for their fans.

Sony understands the concept of engaging their audience, and what better way to do it than with an immersive experience in New York? Making an impact on their brand, Sony continues to introduce concepts that keep user engagement at high levels. Imagine the bright lights of New York City with a chance to feel like you’re a part of the Sony family.

A little bit more about the games – 10-minutes each, staged in an open showroom that houses the time machine from the show Timeless, and a decoding game staged in a cube on the show The Blacklist. Both games have three puzzling stations that makes users think. Designed with top engineering, they are solidly constructed, and compelling enough to get users to want to play again and again.

Patrons and visitors have come to expect a lot from the Sony family, and these offerings do not disappoint. With the opportunity to play a game with or without someone else, this is a great way to interact and meet new people while being part of something fun and exciting. Complete with staging areas to accommodate a real-life experience, these games are completely free.

Visiting the Sony Showroom itself is exciting, with the Playstation VR and vast collection of photography taken by Sony as the perfect ending to visiting the space. Sony’s in it for the long haul, and Sony Square in New York proves it.

How Corona Brought More Light to this Year's Electric Beach Event

In partnership with Live Nation, Corona celebrated a beer-exclusive event at the country’s favorite EDM music festivals. The Electric Beach program has been around for a while—five years, in fact—but has revamped its proprietary approach to fun with Corona’s newest, brightest additions.

Fun at the Auto Club Speedway

Electric Beach was sparked at the Auto Club Speedway at Hard Summer. Celebrated in Fontana, CA, the event was followed by San Bernardino, CA’s Nocturnal Wonderland between September 2 and 4. Lounge-in experiences, dine-out options, parties and an environment charged to excite were present—as were intimate performances.

The End-All Party Scene

Corona isn’t a stranger to all-in party ideas, and its presence at Nocturnal Wonderland displayed its capacity for Vegas-like experiences constructed to emulate parties which never end. Packed with sand, palm trees, turf grass, dj sets, misters and cabanas, the beer brand’s presence at Nocturnal Wonderland didn’t come lightly.

Famous artists like Grandtheft, Keys N Krates, Autograf, Astronomar, Giraffage and Sluggers and Wuki arrived, fulfilling their annual promise to Corona’s flashy events. Electric Beach celebrated Corona’s outstanding industry successes with interactive experiences, giving partygoers the option to use its underwater photo activation display.

Targeting with Visuals

The underwater photo activation wasn’t an event-only deal, either. Partiers could link their photos to Instagram, creating stenciled artwork promoting the event’s “Nocturnal” presence. With logo assets and body paint galore, Corona lovers were never far from visually stunning stations designed to carry the brand name far into digital realms.

Yes, there were cold Coronas. The brand’s experiential events, however, have historically focused upon the consumer—not the consumed beverage. Beach resorts, rooftop bars and pools are only as great as their visitors, one must remember, and the Electric Beach Instagram account reflected this. The event’s followers could receive updates, receive RSVP information and check out future renditions.

Love for Beer and Everything Music

Beer and music match well, and Corona didn’t cut corners in tying multicultural Millennials to Corona via EDM. Each Electric Beach program prioritized the music world’s biggest listeners, and the brand’s inclusion of local artists, musicians and cultural gurus has only enhanced its popularity.

Where local artists are considered, social media influence is an undeniable factor. Sure, Instagram might’ve been at the event’s front-and-center angle, but it didn’t receive all the attention. Facebook and Twitter are notorious Twitter accessories, and each promoted Corona via EDM. Music, while a wonderful addition to any beer-heavy event, rarely gets the cultural attention it deserves. Corona’s event serves to rework the way marketers view classical promotion with tunes. Electric Beach isn’t going anywhere, and that’s certainly fine. After all, the world of marketing deserves a little excitement during late night hours.