How to Boost Your Brand by Hosting Themed Proprietary Events

Sponsoring events has long been a staple of marketing, but it may be a good idea for your company to take that concept further than just putting its sign on someone else's attraction. The most impactful way to do this is to host the entire event so that it's all yours. Not only does this give you unlimited ad placements, it allows you to engineer the entire experience for both the participants and the audience. This type of extravaganza is known as a proprietary event.

Companies that have done well with these events have learned to focus on a few powerful goals that will help their brands and marketing efforts. Here are two of the top effects that your own events should seek to achieve:

Authenticity

When you host a proprietary event, you have total control over the experience. Use it to project a feeling that is authentic in light of your existing brand image. A good example has been set by beer company Corona, which typically advertises using beach imagery. At their event, they included underwater photos as an attraction. They also used several themes that fit beer in general, such as parties and music, to associate their brand with fun. Corona's proprietary events are tied in with larger EDM festivals, which gives them an easy way to bring an audience over to their areas.

A Connection with Attendees and Participants

Proprietary events are the perfect vehicles for providing a fully-immersive experience that will form a bond with those who partake. Such an effect was achieved by energy bar maker CLIF Bar, which recently held events involving costumed teams of four who raced through an obstacle course. Seventy-five teams partook in the challenge, while 8,300 spectators looked on. This themed event was perfect for the company since it established a connection not only with fans, but with its own image as a brand for physically-active people.

Other Opportunities to Consider

As the host of an event, your company has the chance to bring in appropriate sponsors of its own. For example, when CLIF hosts events, it often allows local companies like bicycle shops to join in on the fun.

Done correctly, allowing smaller companies to get in on the show will simply further your theme and help cement your own brand's position in the market. Of course, sponsors also help to defray the costs of hosting the event.

If you're looking for a Miami venue for a proprietary event, contact us here at Soho Studios. We have up to 70,000 square feet of configurable space for your new extravaganza.

Coachella 2017: When Brands Create Experiential Marketing Trends

Who doesn’t like sun, drinks, music and fashion? Coachella, the much-loved CA-based music festival, is packed with fashion brand representation. This year, a slew of brands flocked to the desert, capitalizing on Coachella’s rad fashion collection. It wasn’t all about the brands, but they certainly made a splash. Whether it was shop-able runways, hip bars, social media activations or entire branded festival lines, Coachella was the place to be. Here’s our coverage of the hottest Coachella marketing events.

Levi’s Creates Neon Carnival

Posted up in an Airstream, Levi’s gave eventgoers a power-packed experience via Tequila Don Julio. We know, it’s an odd partnership. It worked, though, and Levi’s-lovers reveled in the specialty drinks from dusk til’ dawn.

Jeremy Scott’s Moschino Party

Produced by XA, Jeremy Scott’s Moschino party featured a kitschy, Candy Crush theme. It was larger-than-life, giving guests the chance to slide into a massive ball pit. The balls were made of lucite, ignited by the pool’s neon glow.

As if that wasn’t enough, the party also featured an oversized Absolut Lite-Brite installation. Guests could place different pieces into different slots, crafting their own art, patterns and long-lasting displays. The display took on Absolut’s lime flavor color, casting a memorable light.

Victoria’s Secret Angel Escape

The Angel Escape was an islandic tent, offering comfortable seating, shade and pillows for guests. While it covered a large amount of land, it was surprisingly low-key—in a good way. Customers looking for a reprieve from Coachella’s frequently rowdy atmosphere need only step into the tent’s intimate enclosure, taking a load off the feet.

The Katy Perry Footwear Easter Sunday Recovery Brunch

For the afterparty-goers, Katy Perry Footwear featured a Sunday Recovery Brunch powered by the H.Wood Group. Sure, it might’ve been a graphic, neo-art doughnut wall, but it certainly ignited holiday cheer with an awesome nod to pastel.

The Ciroc Summer Take Over

Ironically—or, perhaps unironically—alcohol brands promoted, well, themselves at Coachella. Ciroc, in particular, hosted memorable experiential events for patrons’ eyes. The Ciroc Summer Take Over, hosted by the Hard Rock Hotel, presented the brand in a new light—a vintage one, to be exact. Ciroc bottles were displayed alongside vintage objects, florals and vinyl records, giving event goers a taste of all things classy.

Coachella is a wonderful opportunity for brands. Featuring some of today’s leading brands, the event was a powerhouse of experiential displays. We’ve kept our eye on Coachella for a while, as it always highlights emergent experiential marketing trends. We'll likely see more great displays next year. For now, however, we'll make due with this year's awesome brand contributions—powered by today's leading providers.

Why You Need to Use Drones for Your Next Event

Who wants aerial coverage? We do, and you should too. Drones have made several appearances in 2017, and they’re popping up more frequently. You should invest, because they’re becoming a go-to resource for event marketers, brand promotion teams and event backers. If you want to have a successful, engaging event, take to the skies. Here’s why:

Outdoor Safety Precision

What? You don’t need a weather radar? Well, not exactly. You should still check the day’s forecast. You should also still invest in a security guard. Drones can pack high-end cameras, however, and they can hit regularly inaccessible angles. Whether you’re fearing crowd control issues or security breaches, a droned camera, really, is your best bet.

Facebook’s Favorite Livestream Tool

Facebook is already a popular event media platform. If you want to ramp up your event’s visibility, you should outfit your platform with a drone. Already, event marketers are using DJI drones to stream Facebook Live video. Let’s face it: Social media visibility is the best visibility. Live video via drone provides an immersive experience. It also offers an unrivaled POV.

Mobile-Controlled Mobile Hotspots

Strangely enough, you can use a drone as a WiFi hotspot for mobile devices. Drones can be makeshift cell towers, if you launch them correctly. If your WiFi networks are getting crowded, consider using a drone to boost patron reception. Your attendees will thank you.

Everyone Wants Quick Action

If you’re tired of wheeling around massive equipment, settle for something more agile. Today’s event drones weigh under 55 pounds, on average, and they’re capable of covering tight angles with the push of a button. Sometimes, the event area is too tough to cover, ground-wise. If this is the case, circumvent the headaches by using aerial coverage. Just makes sure you have FAA permission, first.

The Bird’s-Eye View

If you thought mobile-controlled drones were cool, you haven’t seen anything yet—literally. Pilots, now, can use specialized goggles to get a drone’s-eye perspective. You can also have a copilot who watches the physical equipment. Assuming you’re not understaffed, the combination makes for excellent footage coverage. A lot of todays’ event planners are hiring professional pilots to manage their drone activities. Yes, professional drone pilots exist.

At the end of the day, a drone is worth its weight in maneuverability. Before you invest, make sure you’ve got the gumption to repair, upgrade and replace when needed. Move your events at the speed of flight, and outfit your brand with a high-in-the-sky view.

How Tupac Shakur Continues to Inspire in 2017

How Tupac Shakur Continues to Inspire in 2017

Tupac might be gone, but his memory is strong in Tupac’s Powamekka Café. Inspired by the late Tupac Shakur, the New York soul food restaurant, Sweet Chick, transformed itself into a full-blown display dedicated to music, specials and the rap artist’s earliest visions.

Inspired by Music

Tupac Shakur’s history is packed with power and talent. One of his visions, alongside being a sensation, was to be a restaurant owner. His vision for a Southern comfort restaurant, today, has come to life in New York.

Lower East Side soul food restaurant founder, John Seymour, partnered with the Estate of Tupac Shakur to present Tupac-inspired art, personal childhood photos, poetry, music memorabilia and other defining mementos. While being a rapper, actor, record producer and activist, Tupac Shakur was—himself—a brand image. The Lower East Side restaurant, Sweet Chick, featured the artist’s creative vision in grand detail. Tupac constantly worked on pans and ideas, reaching far beyond film and music.

From Menu Concept to Management

Tupac’s original plans for opening a restaurant went far into the drafting stages. A menu concept was drafted, and the same menu was used by the Café’s creators to keep Tupac’s image true. Tupac’s Powamekka Café, at its core, is an ode to music, fashion, art and culture.

The event gave attendees first-hand looks at Bravado’s new, limited-edition Tupac by Vlone clothing and merchandise line. Powamekka Café offered the line to reconnect to the artist via his passion for food. C.E.O. of Bravado, Mat Vlastic, carried out the artist’s creative vision by giving fans new ways to engage with music, Tupac’s life and the artist’s surrounding lifestyle.

All About Southern Comfort

The Powamekka Café featured a slew of Southern Comfort entres, including gumbo, chicken and waffles and fried chicken wings. The chicken wings, in particular, were inspired by Tupac’s own family. His cousin Jamala offered the recipe, adding a touch of life to the menu. Fans were invited, but they needed to book reservations via Reserve’s exclusive restaurant technology.  

Even the location’s bathrooms had Tupac’s special touch, wherein men were referred to as ‘Playaz.’ The women, meanwhile, were ‘Divaz.” In the words of John Seymour, owner of Sweet Chick, Tupac practically gave them the manuscript for creation. They simply had to “fill in a few pieces of the puzzle.” The rap artist’s name lives on, and his vision is accessible via the Powamekka Café pop-up Facebook page. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you should.

How Nike Likes to Celebrate Anniversaries

Are anniversaries promotional? We’d like to think so. Nike’s shoe-inspired pop-ups have come a long way. Now, they’re extending into dynamic promotional territory with the brand’s “Sneakeasy” in promotion of its Nike Air Max. Air Max Day is a thing, and it’s been celebrated every year for the past four years. Highlighting the company’s past and present designs, Air Max Day is a much-celebrated event guaranteed to turn heads.

From East Coast to West Coast

In promotion of the Air Max’s 30 years of success, Nike’s Sneakeasy pop-up stand took an always-accessible approach. It traveled from New York City to Chicago, stopping in Toronto and Los Angeles on the way. Select locations featured the VaporMax model—which is one of the company’s newest, coveted, model.

Yeah, the event was based on R.S.V.P. interactions. That said, Nike’s interactive experiences don’t come cheap. Marketing real estate in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto and Chicago is top-tier, and the brand excelled in highlighting its strategy while throwing a rad party.

All About the Art

The Sneakeasy, while inherently a promotional stand, offered interactive art experiences. Hosting live music performances, curated exhibits and local influencers, the Sneakeasy was a one-stop culture shop for locals and travelers alike. The interactive Air Max display was, of course, the centerpiece. Alongside the Nike Air Max 1 Flyknit, the Nike Air VaporMax made quite an impact.

Nike pulled it off by showcasing its many innovations, remixes and re-releases. According to Matthew Kneller, Nike North America’s communications director, it was the brand’s first-ever stab at a speakeasy-inspired pop-up. Understandably, speakeasies and sports don’t always mix. By commodifying quality products, however, Nike succeeded in giving consumers full product access while retaining the classiness and intimacy of a true-blue speakeasy display.

An Unorthodox Event Space

The Sneakeasy’s event spaces are worth mentioning. At every destination, Nike planted its feet in urban locations to engage consumers. The Toronto Sneakeasy, for example, was established in an unoccupied Chinatown warehouse. While unorthodox, the location still garnered attention. Guests who procured golden tickets from Nike’s much-advertised Air Max Bus were given VIP access. At every location, interiors were inspired by the much-loved Air Mx 90 style. There were upside-down shoe portraits. There were benches. Yes, there were Nike-themed history displays. Nike relied on intelligent modern artists to pull off the look—and it worked.

The first Air Max shoe rolled out in 1987. This brand cornerstone was highlighted by Bryan Espiritu—an artist who created a “Tear down this wall” display in homage to President Ronald Reagan’s Berlin Wall speech. Nike is a brand of culture. Like all cultural displays, its anniversary paired class with a modern edge. It was memorable, serving as modern proof that anniversaries still have great marketing potential. 

Richard Branson Adds New Venture to Virgin Group Family

Richard Branson never rests. Instead, he's always starting new ventures while continuing to run his successful Virgin Group businesses. The latest venture combines old standards like musical performances with massive participatory activities. These activities include standbys like running and cycling while adding newer ones such as mass yoga, boot camps, live art exhibits, and other modern favorites. The new company overseeing these ventures is known as Virgin Sport.

Fitness is trendy, but few have been able to actually make it fun. This is what Virgin Sport hopes to change with its massed events. It combines mass participation with easily-reachable goals to get people to come out and be part of the spectacle. Short runs, such as its upcoming 5.5 kilometer race at Hackney in East London, ensure that plenty of people can partake without feeling overwhelmed. Similarly-reachable goals are common at many of its other events, including some scheduled to take place in the United States, though there are some advanced activities as well.

One of the things that make the new company's events different from the typical mass sporting situations is the entire "festival" aspect. The fitness aspect is just one part of this. Musical performances, other entertainment, mass dance classes and parties, mass yoga classes, a free fitness boot camp, free photos of the race, a bagful of swag, and more all happen on a festival day. This makes it so even couch and desk potatoes can attend and have plenty of excitement and fun.

Unlike many festival presenters, the point of all of this isn't simply marketing. Virgin Sport intends to make money from the festivals themselves. This gives the company extra incentive to ensure that there are plenty of attractions to keep people entertained all day long.

To keep the festivals from getting repetitive, Virgin Group moves them to different cities instead of having them as ongoing events in just one place. This provides new audiences for the company and keeps things fresh for attendees. On top of that, it brings a compelling aspect to each festival: the "now or never" feeling that gets people to go ahead and attend.

While not every company is ready to take over part of a city for a day in order to hold an extravaganza, it is possible to put on an unforgettable show by renting a large indoor venue. Our facility here at Soho Studios can provide up to 70,000 square feet of customizable space – enough to set up a large massed event on an indoor track, rock climbing face, or other sports-oriented set. Just contact us to learn more about how we can help you put on an unforgettable festival of your own.

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 Draw a Crowd to Your Live Stream

Live streams are invaluable marketing tools, but they’re constantly evolving. If you’re struggling to gain viewers, broadcast effectively and garner audiences, check out our tips below. Today, an impactful livestream utilizes relevancy, excitement and adaptability to succeed. If you want to boost your viewership, take charge with your creativity.

Tip One: Make a Scene, and Stick to It

While adaptability is important, you should still stick to a general voice. Consistency is key in growing a fan base, and it’s vital to your stream’s success. Be on time, and make sure you have at least 15 minutes set aside for early and late viewers. Your live steam’s predictability, overall, will determine its success.

Tip Two: Get High-Quality Equipment

Poor quality video deters viewers. You won’t sustain a long-term fan base unless you’ve directed your dollars into high-quality equipment. High-quality equipment circumnavigates server congestion, prevents viewing issues and assures good content delivery.

Tip Three: Make the Steam Easy to Find

Don’t try to control your audience’s viewing habits. Make your platform accessible—and make it adaptable. Hook it into Facebook and Twitch, and make sure viewers at all locations can sit down at a moment’s notice. As for location: Make sure it’s flexible. Few things kill a live stream like a rigid, inoperable filming location.

Tip Four: Shareability is King

Invest in engagement tools. If you’re like Toy Group—who’s shareable on Facebook, Twitter and everywhere else—you’ll make a difference. Instead of having thousands of shareable photos, you should align them with your video strategy. Shareable content is well-curated, beautiful and easily digested. Even if your content is text-based, it should be enticing for readers. In the social networking world, power is derived from enticement.

Tip Five: Prioritize Mobile Accessibility

In 2017, mobile access governs digital marketing strategies—and for good reason. If a media campaign is mobile-accessible, it’ll succeed. Don’t segment your audience by restricting mobile access. Instead, make sure mobile access is more than an option. Make it a primary avenue. Today, a large percentage of Internet surfers conduct research, use Facebook and share media via their smartphones. If you can secure a quality viewing space in the mobile world, you’ll succeed.

To draw live stream viewers, make sure your content is worthwhile. Nearly everyone is on a livestream, and modern livestream quality isn’t very high. There’s a lot of white noise out there, and you’ll need to surpass it to survive, thrive and become a sensation. Take your time, plan out your content and prioritize social media and mobile access.

How Virgin Atlantic Took to the Streets

January might be gone, but Virgin Atlantic’s flight attendant surprise event is pleasantly engrained in our memories. In promotion of its all-new Seattle-Tacoma International Airport departures to London Heathrow Airport, Virgin Atlantic hosted a recognition party in Emerald City. Emphasizing the airway between Seattle and London, the airline successfully highlighted its newest business routes.

The Reignmakers

The Virgin Atlantic campaign introduced “Reignmakers” which was a community reflecting London and Seattle’s “reign” and “rain.” We know, it seems a little forward. The display was, however, surprisingly poignant. All about cultural recognition, the Reignmakers hosted a massive, two-day party. Flight attendants zipped around Seattle in Virgin Atlantic labeled Mini Coopers, flying the airline’s flag.

Meanwhile, the event’s later hours hosted parties for the airline’s dedicated fans and passerby alike. Handing out swag to social leaders, radio stations, influential shop owners and small business owners, Virgin Atlantic connected consumers to industry trendsetters. High-traffic locations, naturally, were prioritized. In Seattle, refreshments were dished out on plane drink carts. Branded umbrellas and luggage tags were among the Virgin Atlantic swag collection.

Planes, Plans and People

Virgin Atlantic successfully aligned its newest business route with customers, prioritizing people above all. The approach might ambitious at first, but Virgin Atlantic has historically provided fantastic service. This time, indeed, was no different. The airline’s relationship with its customers has always focused on the incomparable Virgin Atlantic experience, and the Reignmakers honored such a tradition.  

Virgin Atlantic paired its consumer base with media influencers, hosting private breakfasts with big-time travel and lifestyle impactors. Hosted at Seattle’s The London Plane, the dinner dished out more branded gifts, exclusive messages from the airline’s founder Sir Richard Branson and even free onboard flight opportunities. Here, the airline’s goal was twofold: Eventgoers could experience the Virgin Atlantic hospitality while prepping for a high-end blogging experience.

Taking to Social Media

Reflecting the Virgin Atlantic attention to blogging detail, it pushed for additional promotion via social media. Seattle played host to the airline’s Reignmakers contest, and visitors could nominate their favorite brand supporters. There was heavy consideration of Virgin Atlantic visionaries, and rewards were given to those who subverted typical Virgin Atlantic ideologies, presentations and displays.

The contest took place until February 28, giving the Reignmakers ample time to get prepared, get social, get visible and—of course—party. A Seattle-based Twitter campaign gave eventgoers a place to post photos, link to Instagram and type their favorite tags. All around, the Virgin Atlantic experiential marketing approach was highly visible. It’s rare to witness such a social-heavy airlines marketing campaign. It’s also comforting. Virgin Atlantic displayed an uncanny knack for social relevancy, and it highlighted its most profitable marketing segment while remaining relevant to others—which is always a difficult hurdle.

How to Maximize Your Donations With an Amazing Fundraiser

Whether you’re a nonprofit or a small business, one universal truth shouldn’t be forgotten: Donations are tough to land. That said, 2017 has presented a slew of donation-centric solutions. If you’re creating a fundraising platform, you needn’t stick to age-old approaches. There’s a lot of fundraising ‘white noise’ out there, but you can still get donations by following the advice below:

Hold Raffles and Auctions

Auctions, raffles and games are excellent moneymakers. The best auctions and raffles, however, offer feature items, services and experiences which reflect your community’s interests. Tap into your local networks, and align your marketing goals with in-house fundraising resources. This year, Mercedes-Benz showcased a car via the 2-17 Heart Raffle. The result was an extra $46,332.36.

Get Wild with Lighting

You can boost brand recognition, as well as overall donations, by designing an event around your brand’s logo. Get wild with the lighting, and don’t be afraid to use black lights, either. Event producers like Julie Hanson crafted awesome interior designs to assist the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s campaign, helping them garner a massive $1 million overall.

Hire a Comedian

We’re all tired of the age-old keynote speaker approach. Get wild, and hire a comedian instead. If you can boost your event’s entertainment factor, you’ll give your eventgoers something to talk about—primarily, your headliner. Even if it’s a last-minute plan, it’s an effective one.

Create a Lounge Area

While your eventgoers might not empty their pockets over a couch, a lounge area can give them a much-needed breather. Get crafty with the pillows, the flowers, the signage and the accents. If you can give your guests a respite from the events, you’ll give them more time to consider your donation needs.

Take Advantage of a Check-In Area

Check-in areas are effective for maintaining eventgoers. They’re also great resources for gathering guest information. A large number of donations are procured from memberships and return visitors. By installing a donation station, a kiosk or a membership VIP lounge, you can make the donation process as easy as possible.

Showcase Your Brand’s Work

If donors know how their gifts will be used, they’ll donate more. Don’t be afraid to showcase your brand’s efforts. Events offer a highly unique opportunity to present your motives to your community. Skip statistics-based speeches. Instead, illuminate your foundation’s positive impacts. Share stories, give live demonstrations and give hands-on education opportunities.

At the end of the day, donations are procured from a positive outlook on a foundation’s motives. Use technology, if it’s available, and connect your guests to social media. You should, however, never forget why you’re seeking donations. Make sure your guests don’t’ forget, either.