Gifts and Activities

At Zendesk’s Relate conference, which took place in Sydney in July, the company created coloring books as a playful look at the complex relationships businesses and customers experience. Each illustration depicted two opposite forces—such as sun and moon, sea and space, etc.—along with a poem or joke that further explored those relationships. Attendees could color the books using colored pencils provided on tables around the event, and they also received a coloring book to take home in the conference gift bag.

At the opening-night party, attendees played “Networking Bingo” by gathering Twitter handles of fellow guests that met the criteria indicated in the boxes.

Havaianas gave away flip-flops, alongside an ocean wave sculpted out of the brand's signature sandals.

Last year, luxury wedding business summit Engage took place in Asheville, North Carolina. On attendees chairs were custom clipboards and pencils from Gifts for the Good Life. Notepads by Trisha Hay Design encouraged guests to jot their "top takeaways” from the event's speakers.

The V.I.P. gift bags were clear backpacks full of on-theme goodies, such as in-home massage certificates, notebooks with cheeky sayings like “Smile like a boss,” and Luna bars.

Facebook Messenger used a similar idea at the third Girlboss Rally, held in Los Angeles in April. On a wall dubbed "Messages That Matter,” attendees and speakers left hundreds of messages of encouragement for each other throughout the day, such as “Just write the draft,” “Be fkn nice,” and “Be a self-made dreamer.”

HBO held an interactive pop-up exhibit inspired by the network’s new late-night series, Random Acts of Flyness, in August in New York. The exhibit, which was produced by Team Epiphany, featured vignettes inspired by the themes and cultural idioms featured in the series, which explores patriarchy, white supremacy, and sensuality through a stream-of-conscience style. The “Black Women Won’t Save Us All?” room recognized black women who have made history by broadcasting names on a screen. Attendees were invited to write the name of a black woman who has inspired them on two walls that flanked the screen.

At the 29th annual Glaad Media Awards, held in Los Angeles in April, biopharmaceutical company Gilead had a photo booth with images printed on-site; guests could post their photo on a wall and write messages about how they will help end H.I.V./AIDS in the United States. Gilead representatives were also on hand to discuss the company's initiatives.

At the "Pandora Sounds Like You: Summer" concert, held in Los Angeles in July 2017, feminine hygiene product brand Always created the Always Empowerment Wall. Guests were invited to write messages of women’s empowerment, then take photos to share on social. Always also activated in the women’s bathroom, placing custom decals on the mirrors and handing out samples.

The Renaissance Hotels “Navigators Hot(e)line” was designed to highlight the local and personalized service offered by the brand’s Navigators—hotel employees that give guests tips on finding local experiences. Five rotary phones were placed on plinths in front of a black wall showcasing quotes related to destinations including Dubai, New York, and Beijing. Guests who picked up the phones heard pre-recorded audio from Navigators offering tips for that particular destination.