Pro Walk at the US Open Sponsored by American Express a Big Hit

American Express is a rock-star at experiential marketing and if you want to see a great example, just check out their successful Fan Experience at the US Open in New York. Creative and unique interactive, and exciting experiences for their cardmembers and well-planned brand/product placement, offered their customers a fun filled day and reminded them that they were well taken care of by the company. The US Open American Express Fan Experience marketing event was a huge success in New York this year. Fans that attended got a once in a lifetime chance to be the tennis star they have always dreamed of being…and more! Fans were definitely reminded that “Membership Has Its Privileges” when they attended this experimental marketing venture.

The company’s fan experience was creative, engaging, and worked well with the “Open Like a Pro” theme of the brand’s goal for this year. The American Express Pro Walk actually gave lucky attendees the chance to enter and walk onto center court at Arthur Ashe Stadium, just like a true tennis star.  This unique experience was a huge hit with fans and let them experience being in the limelight that is usually reserved for professional athletes.

The highlight of the 20,000-square-foot US Open American Express Fan Experience, Pro Walk, used a combination of huge tennis ball, holograms, a virtual reality feature, and other digital effects that put the fan eight smack dab into the life of a professional tennis player that started with a “Player Check-In” and took them through an emotional tour of behind the scenes fan experiences which let them walk in the footsteps of legends.

Fans were ushered through the “Locker Room” where they registered, swung a digital tennis racquet, and announced their name. From there, they entered a LED-lined tunnel loaded with graphics, surround-sound audio, and even listened while the paparazzi called their names. When it was their turn to shine, they stepped inside the dome where they saw a replica of center court, were greeted by the roar of the stadium crowd, and looked to the Jumbotrons to see themselves walking onto the court at the US Open! If that wasn’t enough, they were then handed a tennis racquet and the crowd went wild as their opponent failed to return the serve! And to top it off, fans received a video of their American Express Pro Walk experience to commemorate their day.

According to American Express VP of global sponsorships and experiential marketing, they got their inspiration for this year’s activities from their cardmembers. They look at their cardmembers as professional fans. They attend the US Open each year and know all about how to navigate the sporting event and exactly where they want to go. American Express wanted to help the fans experience the US Open like never before.

In addition to the wildly successful Pro Walk, there was also the American Express Card Member Club, which offered a variety of complimentary services, including athlete meet-and-greets, American Express radios with commentary of the games, match updates and American Express brand ambassadors to help members and answer questions.

The company’s fan experience was creative, engaging, and worked well with the “Open Like a Pro” theme of the brand’s goal for this year. The American Express Pro Walk actually gave lucky attendees the chance to enter and walk onto center court at Arthur Ashe Stadium, just like a true tennis star.  This unique experience was a huge hit with fans and let them experience being in the limelight that is usually reserved for professional athletes.

The highlight of the 20,000-square-foot US Open American Express Fan Experience, Pro Walk, used a combination of huge tennis ball, holograms, a virtual reality feature, and other digital effects that put the fan eight smack dab into the life of a professional tennis player that started with a “Player Check-In” and took them through an emotional tour of behind the scenes fan experiences which let them walk in the footsteps of legends.

Fans were ushered through the “Locker Room” where they registered, swung a digital tennis racquet, and announced their name. From there, they entered a LED-lined tunnel loaded with graphics, surround-sound audio, and even listened while the paparazzi called their names. When it was their turn to shine, they stepped inside the dome where they saw a replica of center court, were greeted by the roar of the stadium crowd, and looked to the Jumbotrons to see themselves walking onto the court at the US Open! If that wasn’t enough, they were then handed a tennis racquet and the crowd went wild as their opponent failed to return the serve! And to top it off, fans received a video of their American Express Pro Walk experience to commemorate their day.

According to American Express VP of global sponsorships and experiential marketing, they got their inspiration for this year’s activities from their cardmembers. They look at their cardmembers as professional fans. They attend the US Open each year and know all about how to navigate the sporting event and exactly where they want to go. American Express wanted to help the fans experience the US Open like never before.

In addition to the wildly successful Pro Walk, there was also the American Express Card Member Club, which offered a variety of complimentary services, including athlete meet-and-greets, American Express radios with commentary of the games, match updates and American Express brand ambassadors to help members and answer questions.

Edible Graffiti in Wynwood

It isn’t often art and food are mixed so intimately. Sara Myers’ cooking series, titled “Sprouted Chef,” returned on Monday, September 21, with an unbelievable approach to Wynwood’s already delectable art scene.

A Nontraditional Art Display

Experiential marketing efforts are constantly changing, but they’re still available to time-tested-and-true eye openers. Monday’s artistic iteration was a selection of edible masterpieces created from savory vegetable purées. Each event-goer was handed “canvas” plates—to be used for color mixing, pattern creation, texture guessing and, yes, tasting.

Each recipe, Sarah Myers revealed, was a concoction of fennel, beets, sweet potatoes, roasted red peppers, curried cauliflower, garlic spinach, carrot harissa and cashew cauliflower. Purple potatoes made an appearance, too, to spice up the color pallet. Attendees were given the option to add their own, hand-selected entree spices and sides, too, ranging across nuts, vegetables, flowers and shaved ribbons.

The Flavor Profile Creation

Primarily, Myers aimed to create a fully interactive class for participants to expand their creative horizons. By tying food and graffiti together, she was capable of ensuring the artist’s overall perspective was preserved while keeping things spicy all day. While attendees needn’t be color masters, art connoisseurs or even massively creative, the food aspect tied most together to bring visual pieces of art to life.

Collaboration wasn’t out of the cards, either. Artist Pedro Amos arrived to assist the classes. Pedro, himself, was Wynyard’s very own graffiti artist—one who’d previously painted its Orlando mural. The two hit it off, furthering the artistic allure of Wynyard. Because collaboration was more than expected, the dynamic duo succeeded in creating a truly organic event.

Combining Marketing Experiences

Sure, old dogs can’t learn new tricks. The combination of two marketing powerhouses—food and art—is, however, an entirely different beast. The Wynwood way has continuously facilitated the relationship between art and South Florida food, and Myers’ hotplate approach and homage to the historically Art-Deco-dominated area is refreshing. Where self-promotion is considered, Myers couldn’t have hit the nail squarer on the head. Her iteration of public taste tests, representation of versatility and sheer love of art carried her series, Sprouted Chef. While Sprouted Chef airs episodes on a weekly basis, events like Monday's are incredibly valuable to maintaining viewership.

It’s slightly rare to see a cooking series successfully navigate the cross-market waters between painting and food dish creation. Myers’ approach, for this reason, is both bold and innovative. Myers has wanted to propose new seasonal concepts for some time—to both elevate her show and highlight Wynwood’s community. The event crossed a communication barrier many marketing approaches fail to surpass, and Myers ability to strike up conversations about her show, on their turf, is nothing short of extraordinarily creative.

KBY Designs Livens Up the Dead Sea

When a special event needs to be taken to the very top level of specialness, KBY Designs pulls out all the stops. One recent example of their work was a beach party, which was set up to show potential customers what they could do. What made it so different from other such parties? The first difference was its location on the banks of the Dead Sea. What happened next, however, is what made it so special. Ten Truckloads of Sand Start Things Off

Bringing sand to a beach may seem strange to those who don't live near water, but it's actually basic preparation in many areas. The sand naturally found near water is often more like gravel, is muddy, or has other undesirable traits. Covering it up with a better grade of sand is often the solution. KBY Designs, however, wasn't satisfied with a small patch of improved beach. They used 10 truckloads' worth of good sand to make sure that the entire planned space would look and feel beautiful.

No Mere Volleyball Net for This Party

Since this was a high-end event, the right trappings had to be brought in. Some of the added accouterments included an eatery under an open-sided tent, outdoor market-style plants, fruits, and other themed items, market umbrellas to keep the people cool, pails of Dead Sea mud for children to play with, and plenty of services. The company worked with a multitude of subcontractors to make sure everything went off perfectly. These subcontractors included caterers, bar service providers, and a company that provides child-watching services for events.

The catering was especially notable. Instead of bringing in pre-cooked food on trucks, it brought in a big tabun oven and cooked everything on the spot. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and breads were also displayed around this stand and were used in the meals. In keeping with the overall theme, the food was of a light Mediterranean style.

The Possibilities Are Endless

This is just one example of how a special event can be made unforgettable, and how it can be used to truly show potential customers a party planner's capabilities. The key is to make such an event match the tastes of the target market and then do it in truly grand style. Word will quickly get out, greatly increasing the memorability of the brand. After it's over, consider releasing a highlight reel as an advertisement so more people know how well the company fits their interests.

If you're looking for a place to hold an experiential marketing event that doesn't require traveling to the Dead Sea, check out our space at Soho Studios. We make it easy to set up the perfect experience.

Mike’s Hard Lemonade Goes for a Guinness World Record

When Mike's Hard Lemonade decided that it needed to catch people's attention, it knew that boring TV ads and newspaper coupons weren't going to cut it. It would need to do something noticeable – and do it in a way that made people care that it had done so. That's why they decided to create an experiential marketing campaign like none other before. How did they do it?...

The first thing they kept in mind was the desired brand image. Mike's Hard Lemonade is an alcoholic brand, but it's beverages are quite different from standard beers and other alternatives. This naturally leads to positioning the brand as new, young, and different. Now, they just needed to think of how to draw a large audience and make sure that the Mike's name stayed with them.

They decided that the best way to do this would be to break a fun world record. The Guinness Book record for: "Most Candles on a Cake," was chosen as the target. Next, they needed to get people interested enough to not only spread the message, but directly partake in the history-making event.

Social Media

Social media fans have become immune to most companies' endless requests for likes and retweets. Mike's Hard Lemonade needed a way to get them to truly want to like their page. They hit on tying the number of likes to the number of candles on the cake, with each like resulting in the addition of a candle. The result? The cake ended up with 51,151 candles crammed across its entire top surface.

The Movie

The idea of putting 51,151 candles on a cake naturally leaves people with plenty of questions. How will they fit? Will they be lit? If so, how? They decided to answer them with an exciting short film that uses exciting camera angles and zooms to capture all of the critical points.

For those who watch the movie, the answer to the first question comes fast. The candles all fit because the cake is huge. Then, people are drawn further into the experience as they get to see that the candles are indeed lit – with torches! After more exciting key scenes, the finale makes every viewer cheer: The Guinness judge proclaims the record beaten!

Crafting experiential marketing campaigns that work as well as this one requires skill, experience, and plenty of creativity and verve. Contact us the next time you want to make sure that your brand stands out, not just for the presence of its advertising, but for its ability to get people to care about it.

Remember that experiential marketing doesn't just take place online and in movies. The people who partake in person need an unforgettable place to participate. Call us to reserve our venue, SoHo Studios, to make sure that everyone loves being a part of your event!

Experience Kissimmee Creates Zip Line Adventure to Get People Wishing for Warm Sunshine

Most promotional events seek to make the comfort of the visitors paramount. And when holding an outdoor event in Chicago in February, snowfall would usually be viewed as bad news. But when Experience Kissimmee they hosted an outdoor zipline in Millennium Park, snow was the perfect final touch. The goal of the event was to provide residents of the windy city with a fun experience, but also to get them thinking about how welcome Florida sunshine really would be. Though it was frigid, people waited in long lines, sometimes more than two hours, to take a ride on the zipline. Altogether, 1,362 people took the ride, warmed only by their adrenaline.

After, they were invited to sip hot chocolate while enjoying a warming tent, complete with baby alligators, ready to pose for a photo. A total of 4,220 people visited the tent. Inside the tent, visitors could speak with representatives from Experience Kissimmee to learn about the many tourist and travel opportunities they offer. Adding a community service component that tied into the staying warm in winter theme, Experience Kissimmee worked with One Warm Coat, inviting participants to donate a winter coat. 1,000 coats were donated to Chicago Public Schools because of the event.

The novelty of frigid ziplining provided by a tourism company based in the sunshine state got lots of attention—the goal of any experiential marketing campaign. All told, there were 32 unique stories broadcast in the press, including on NBC and CBS local affiliates. Word spread fast on social media as well, garnering seven million impressions across social.

Adding to the event was the fact that this was the first marketing event that has been hosted in Chicago's Millennium Park. Also, that it was held over Valentine's Day weekend made it the perfect adventure before a romantic evening for couples, and because it was free, young couples who would have had a hard time affording what generally constitutes a special day, could partake. Also, the events official title, "Escape the Cold. Warm Your Heart." tied in perfectly with all aspects of the event.

If you're interested in hosting an event that gets great organic attention and excellent press, planning the unexpected is the perfect way. Our multiple event spaces in Miami's Arts District provide incredible opportunities to go against the grain and create an experience that will get you noticed. To find out more, give us a call.

Pokémon Go: How Can Event Planners Use this New Trend

Without a doubt you've heard about this craze that is sweeping not only the United States, but the entire world. Perhaps you're even an avid player. In fact, chances are good that you are. Few apps have seen such fast success, or put out such incredible numbers of engagement at any point during their existence. Released in the United States on July 6, the app had more downloads from the Apple iTunes store than any other app in history in its first week, and on Android devices, the app was being used twice as much as Facebook. What can an event planner learn from all of this record breaking user engagement?

How is Pokémon Go Different?

The popularity of apps ebb and flow. Every so often, a new trend will stick around, but regardless of staying power, there is one thing that truly sets Pokémon Go apart from the rest, something that event planners in particular should take notice of. While many popular social media sites like Instagram or Snapchat will encourage users to go out in the world to get better pictures or stories, it's completely up to the user how and where to go, and a creative user can use those services to equally great effect by staying home. But Pokémon Go, by its nature as a location based game with a virtual reality component, dictates the terms of where its users must go to participate.

Already events and businesses have been noting the success of Pokémon Go, and taking advantage of the game directly, from the Republican Convention setting up as a Pokémon Gym (a place where players can battle each other) to a Hillary Clinton campaign event hosted at a Pokéstop (where players can catch Pokémon), it's use as an effective engagement tool, is one thing both sides of the aisle can agree on. At the recent Comic Con convention in San Diego, they created a tie-in by including pointers on where to hunt Pokémon in their city guide and a New York chocolate shop has been creating Pokémon chocolates and offering discounts to players. At this time, there is no way to interact directly with game creators for sponsorship, but there are lots of opportunities to reference the game. But there's even more to be learned.

Using Augmented Reality to Create a Real World Adventure Based on a Great Story

As Woody Allen once said, "Showing up is 80 per cent of success." For the event planners, getting their target audience to show up can feel like the single factor that determines success. In the very beginning of its popularity, a lot was made about the fitness benefits of the game, and with good reason. The first person to "catch 'em all" dropped eight pounds in two weeks. What is it about this game that gets people to leave the many conveniences of the contemporary world, from endless streaming video services, to top video games, to whiling away hours on Facebook?

Pokémon has been around for 20 years, and while enjoying a similar sort of popularity in the 90s, it's current incarnation transcends age. As any great marketer well knows, getting successful engagement is all about having a great story. But the genius of Pokémon Go lies in its integration of that strong backstory with the latest technology, from geolocation to virtual reality. By combining a gaming aspect, with a fun competitive edge, they have done a remarkable job of getting people to leave their arm chairs and engage.

At Soho Studios we take great pride in offering the cutting edge of event planning services along with state of the art and beautiful spaces. To find out how you can apply more of the lessons of the success of Pokémon Go to your next event, give us a call.

Absolut and Deadmau5 Create a Virtual Reality Game

Over the past two years, Absolut Vodka has been using their Absolut Nights marketing campaign to reestablish themselves as the trendsetter for night life. Based primarily around videos that range from 30 seconds to a minute, they show a diverse range of people having different interpretations of similarly wonderful nights, involving dancing, fireworks and watching the sunrise with friends or a special someone, and of course a cocktail made with Absolut. The campaign has garnered great success for the brand, including an increase in sales of 5.8%. They've also expanded from the more traditional videos (albeit ones with a heavy social media presence and strong use of hash-tagging) onto more innovative platforms and mediums, including the app, Hoppr, for finding the best events in nightlife. Now, Absolut is not just positioning themselves to be an industry leader in nightlife, but in teaming up with electronic music producer, Deadmau5, to create a virtual reality game for mobile devices as well as a limited edition headset, they're opening new and exciting avenues for branding. The collaboration is a great way of combining gaming and music with today's hottest technology. Deadmau5, a well-known gaming enthusiast, is also known for having fans who seek out the most cutting edge technology. Both gaming and music are ideal areas to explore through the immersive medium of virtual reality, and in what is truly 21st century marketing, the campaign pairs perfectly with a live event: on the day the game is released, July 27, Deadmau5 will be performing a live event in NYC.

The VR of the game operates in the same way as Google Cardboard, but Absolut and Deadmau5 have created their own special edition branded players, on sale now for $18 (which is only $3 more than the least expensive Google Cardboard player). Plus, the app will work with other headsets, and other apps will work with the special edition headset. The goal was not to monetize the game or the headsets, but to create a truly unique experience for old and new fans alike of both the vodka brand and Deadmau5. The game combines real footage from Deadmau5's concerts, exclusive songs as well as mini-games of running and driving.

The collaboration, the game, the music and the live event all work together beautifully to perfectly convey Absolut's brand message of having an unforgettable night. This newest addition to the Absolut Nights campaign also demonstrates how many ways there are to expand beyond physical events in addition to the regular use of social media and a digital presence.

As we continue into the 21st century, we look forward to helping our clients explore the many ways that they can use events to create powerful branding opportunities that extend far beyond four walls.  Contact us to help you get started.

Propel Co:Labs Joining the Healthy Pop Up Movement

Propel has launched a pop-up studio program that is quickly becoming one of the hottest exercise trends today. Being in celebration of their flavored water (with more electrolytes), Propel is touring their Propel Co:Labs in New York so more workout enthusiasts can understand what the brand is all about. So with a Propel Co:Lab setting up another brand experience, we're going to give you a sneak peek in regards to what the event is about and what could be expected at a Propel event. With this being said, here's a look at what Propel Co:Labs has to offer. About Propel Co:Labs

The previous Propel Co:Labs opening was such a wild success in Los Angeles that Propel has decided to launch an event in New York. The initial Los Angeles Propel launch went as follows:

• Taking place in a private home located in Venice Beach, the Propel's four day event transformed the home into every fitness fanatics' dream. The Propel Co:Lab was open 12 hours a day and allowed customers to sign up for free fitness classes (the classes themselves were one hour long) that were held by fitness personalities and Propel partners. Classes included Modelfit, Yoga for Bad People, Speedplay, Cobra Fitness Club, The Class, and Y7 Studio. One of the many fitness personalities on board included Gunnar Peterson, who is well known as a trainer for the stars.
• When the customers arrived, Bandier (a fitness apparel brand) offered outfits that included accessories and other products for their first level purchase. In addition to this, a 3D photo booth was provided so that the customers could place themselves into their desired Propel advertisement and share them with friends/family.For their "Science of Propel" space, Propel set up messaging that explained the scientific explanation of the ingredients and how the electrolytes effect your body.On the rooftop, a DJ was spinning records and a bar served smoothies that were made with Propel.The fitness classes themselves were held in the modern studio spaces of the LA home.
• On the opening day, the event held an influencer night that featured fitness media, local fitness bloggers, and a surprise performance by none other than Nick Jonas. Driving the buzz for the event was a Q&A with Gunner Peterson and an organized lunch. In addition to this, Electric Flight Crew dropped by (a savvy fitness club on social media) and shared their experience at the event.

In consideration of the information above, it's safe to say that the sky is the limit if Propel happens to come to your town.

Want to create a fun pop-up fitness event in Miami?  Contact us today for a tour of our studios.

The Pop-Up and the Consumer Experience

One of the latest trends in experiential marketing are pop-up shops. But they're not merely a fad. Rather they're one of the most effective ways to promote brands. Here's a few examples of how companies have used pop-up shops to create effective experiential marketing campaigns, as well as the advantages of how these events can help individual businesses.

Why Give it Away, When People Will Pay

When Organic Valley sought to create an event to let consumers know more about their organic half and half cream, the choice to serve coffee seemed obvious, as nothing goes better with half and half than coffee. But while coffee shops across the country give away the half and half, they do charge for the coffee. So they planned a twist, they would charge visitors $2 for the half and half, and give the coffee away for free. While if anyone asked, they'd have gladly given samples of the half and half, no one complained at the $2 charge. Instead, they were too busy enjoying themselves at the two day pop-up cafe in NYC's Nolita neighborhood, which included hosting by food stylist and writer Sweet Paul, and included talks from organic farmer Gerrit van Tol about organic farming and cows.

Advantages

Pop-up shops aren't so much about turning a profit as they are about creating brand awareness and education. But while giving samples can be great marketing, charging for a product at a pop-up sends the message that not only is your item worth paying for, it links the buying of the item with a fun experience. When you give a sample, you reach a potential customer who may choose to buy your product down the road, but when a person pays for your product at a fun event, you've just gotten a new customer, one who has positive associations with your brand from the point of sale.

Changing Perceptions

Women feeling ashamed of their monthly periods is becoming a thing of the past, and who better to take notice than U by Kotex. Inspired by a NYC college student's blog post, U by Kotex chose to launch their Period Project Campaign with The Period Shop for three days on New York's Fifth Avenue. Selling home goods, accessories and beauty products by female artisans, and of course U by Kotex products, the shop also had a truth booth featuring women talking about their period. The hip shop was the perfect place to reach the target audience of savvy young women, but U by Kotex loved the broad appeal of the shop and its contribution to making everyone comfortable with the topic of a women's period.

For Chobani, the largest seller of Greek yogurt in the United States, expanding their customer base isn't about competing against other brands so much as it is about changing the habits of their customers. Europeans eat a much larger volume of yogurt annually than Americans, and yogurt is a regular part of all three meals, while Americans limit their yogurt consumption to breakfast. By introducing Americans to all the possibilities in creating savory yogurt dishes, Chobani is confident it can expand much further than its already impressive growth. There's really no better way to do that than experiential marketing, which Chobani knows well; in addition to a permanent NYC flagship café, the company hosts events 52 weeks out of the year. Getting people to try yogurt in entirely new ways is the surest way to grow the company, and pop-up shops are an integral part of Chobani's marketing plan.

Advantages

Getting people to change their perceptions and habits is hard work for any brand, and it's definitely best done using a "show don't tell" model. Allowing consumers to experience these different ways of doing things first-hand in the fun environment of a pop-up shop is the surest way to achieve success.

Capitalizing on Place

Boohoo.com, a major online fashion retailer in the UK, chose to host a two week pop-up shop in Los Angeles' trendy Westwood neighborhood. With a music festival theme and a location close to UCLA which represents its female college student target demographic, the choice of location served two purposes. It helped expand into a new market as Boohoo.com seeks to have a larger presence amongst American buyers, and it did so strategically, as the brand is highly influenced by Southern California style, and felt there was no better place to begin its expansion to the US. What is more, by being in Westwood and using a west coast music festival theme, the brand was able to capitalize on these things for marketing far beyond the pop-up. In using social media and broadcasting the event to their followers, the brand becomes associated with the hip neighborhood and an authentic West Coast vibe.

Advantages

By strategically using place, brands are able to connect with consumers on the most intimate level, from inside the communities where they live. Additionally, companies can use the associations of a place, whether it be a hip neighborhood or one that will best resonate with their target audience, to create a stronger brand. Our event spaces, at the heart of Miami's Arts District, are the perfect place for hosting any kind of pop-up shop. Give us a call to learn more about how your brand can most benefit from a pop-up shop.

Why More Brands are Joining the "Maker Movement"

Custom Circuit Boards, robots, 3D printing. What do these things have in common? The Maker Movement! All over the country, tinkerers, amateur engineers, and tech hobbyists are creating, and what they make is useful. The Maker Movement is gaining momentum because the price for Arduino printed circuit boards, 3D printers, and CNC machining are falling into reach of the typical consumer. Projects that once were out of reach for the garage engineer because of cost have, over the past few years, become accessible. The how-to resources have exploded, too. YouTube videos exist to teach anyone how to solder, 3D print, and even design a simple circuit. That means a mentor is at your fingertips, and they're available 24 hours a day.

Brands are getting involved, too. In November 2015, Barnes and Noble sponsored mini-maker faires inside their stores. Makers were given space and allowed to demonstrate their creations to anyone who happened to drop into the store. Once customers engaged, how-to books were right there, available to buy.

Innovation occurs when makers get their hands on the right tools, and maker faires are where these creations are put into the spotlight. Major tech companies are getting involved because they recognize the innovation happening inside garages and on kitchen tables. Major tech companies like Qualcomm, Atmel, and Intel were among those attending a recent faire in San Mateo, California.

Makers are people who enjoy rolling up their sleeves and diving into a project. There has always been a segment of the population who enjoyed working with their hands. Dad out in the garage working with his scroll saw, an uncle out in the barn rebuilding an engine, or a brother-in-law hooking a television up to an oscilloscope, makers have always been around. It's because accessibility has improved since the turn of the century that the builder movement has really exploded.

It's not just for the techies. People are making jewelry, clothing, and other creative items. Websites like Etsy and Amazon's Maker Marketplace provide a platform where makers can sell their creations. General Electric continues their Garages program, where engineers educate makers on production technology. Michael's craft stores is allowing customers to participate in products and brand.

Corporations in many industries are learning to Participate in the maker movement. That helps the makers by legitimizing their work, but it also helps the corporations as they gain the trust of makers and improve their own product lines. Not all innovation is financed by shareholders. A great deal of creativity is alive and well in the hands of self-financed makers building gadgets and crafts in their garage, and the world is a better place because of it.

Are you putting together a Maker event?  Contact us today for more information about hosting your event at our studio!