The Chicago iteration of Macy's fall fashion event took place at the Harris Theater on August 9. At the after-party—held on the theater's rooftop—sponsor Luna played off the event's "Fashion in a New Light" theme. Product samples were displayed on wave-like shelves and highlighted by hanging lamps. A sign read: "Snacking in a new light."
Piano prodigy Lang Lang headlined the Ravinia Festival's Benefit Gala in Chicago on July 27, and Jewell Events Catering prepared a thematic feast. For dessert, a chocolate piano was filled with passion-fruit mousse and sliced fresh lychees, then set on a starburst-shaped display of mango and raspberry sauces.
BMF Media Group returned to the Hard Rock Hotel to host the "It's so Miami Lounge" throughout Lollapalooza weekend. Starbucks hosted its first festival activation this year at the lounge. The suite offered oversize chess and Connect Four games, plus small café tables stocked with buckets of bottled iced coffee.
At the event in Chantilly, Virginia, Danielle Couick of Magnolia Bluebird Design & Events strung gift bags from the ceiling on ribbons. A stilt walker handed guests the bags as they exited the venue.
Guests at the Summer Spin Pool Party in Washington August 3 were asked to tweet about the event in exchange for gift bags with swag from brands such as Converse, Lacoste, Stila, and Kate Somerville cosmetics. Sponsors South Moon Under and Rock the Vote used the strategy to expand the reach of the intentionally intimate pool soiree.
Chalkboards are popping up in all kinds of event decor. Available through Pressed Cotton are chalkboard tags, $3.50 each, which can be used as signage or place cards or can be hung from the neck of wine bottles to designate tables.
Target and Disney collaborated on a large-scale preparty formula for the world premiere of Disney's Planes. The August 5 event at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles began with a family-focused party at the "Target Landing Zone," where the "Bullseye Balloon Pop" invited guests to toss balloon darts at red and white balloons in the shape of Target's signature bull's-eye logo. Caravents was the lead agency.
Looking for teambuilding ideas for fall? The Park Hyatt Washington has a new activity centered on the quintessential autumn treat: apple pie. During interactive culinary classes held in the newly renovated event and meeting space, chefs lead guests through the process of making a fruity, spicy pie and share details about the dish’s history.
So easy to set up, your mother could do it. That’s how the Taylor Group's business development director, Rory Amelio, describes his company’s newest modular exhibit rental product: Modulbox. "With Modulbox, you get it from point A to point B and open the doors, and everything is set up and ready to go. It’s an event space in a box."
Orlando-based artist Rock Demarco’s claim to fame is that he can paint anything in less than 10 minutes. Performing to a rock 'n' roll soundtrack, Demarco can speed-paint portraits of celebrities, C.E.O.s, and other notable figures on canvas for a fee that ranges from $6,000 to $10,000. His latest live-performance element: wearing a glove equipped with five finger-like paintbrushes that shoot lasers as he works.
Milk Glass Productions planned the 10th anniversary celebration of Rembrandt Yard, a two-level art gallery and event space in Boulder, Colorado. The second floor incorporated cool colors, such as blue, purple, and green, into its "Create" theme. A cupcake display wall made by Milk Glass Productions reflected the color scheme, with cupcakes provided by Indulge Bakery.
In the "Name Your Color" section, guests could select a color and have it made into a lipstick in front of them using a 3-D lipstick printer from Mink founder Grace Choi. Guests then gave the color a name and had custom labels printed out.
An unexpected addition to the stage was a DJ booth.
SelfieSpott is a new text-based photo branding opportunity from CTM Events. Planners can create a graphic overlay with their event’s logo and information. Then when guests text their photo to a designated number, they instantly receive a message back that provides a link to their image with the branded content added. The link has a “flip over” option so additional content, such as photos and sponsor information, can be included on the virtual “back” of the photo. Each SelfieSpott image also has social sharing links included so users can share their customized photo on Facebook and Twitter or via email or text. Planners also receive the mobile number or email of users for later permission-based follow-up.
Glisser is an audience engagement system that makes presentations instantly interactive and shareable. It launched in 2014 and recently made several updates, including a PowerPoint add-in that allows presenters to share their slides one by one to audience smartphones as they present. Presenters can also use the system to instantly send polls to the audience and display the results. Audience members can submit questions anonymously to presenters and also vote on the questions that have been asked, which moves the most popular questions to the top. Glisser collects emails and data for every interaction, and the information can be downloaded as a spreadsheet or uploaded into a CRM system. It also has social sharing options so speakers can automatically share slides to Twitter as they present.
Estimote Mirror is a video-enabled beacon, which means the technology can not only communicate with nearby smartphones and apps but also take content from those apps and display it on nearby digital screens. For example, the system can be used to show personalized content on digital signs around a venue as guests pass by or to show product information at an exhibit booth that’s based on the attendee’s interests, needs, and previous buying habits. The system provides data such as the number, frequency, and duration of visitors to each beacon. Estimote Mirror launched in September.
Optoma, a manufacturer of video and audio products, has created an app that enables users to quickly and affordably create projection-mapping experiences for their events. The Projection Mapper app, $4.99, is designed for use with a digital projector and any Android, iOS, or Amazon Kindle Fire device. The app walks users through simple steps to project images and video simultaneously onto multiple flat surfaces or three-dimensional objects. The app launched in October.
Air Events Global is one of the newest entries in the “sharing economy.” It’s an online marketplace for planners who have event work that needs to be done and freelancers who are looking for such work. The system covers all types of services, such as general event staff, catering assistance, entertainment, and more for both corporate and social events. Planners post jobs, including details about the location, time, and rate they will pay, and then they can communicate directly with freelancers whose profiles match their requests. Payments are held in the platform’s secure system until the job is completed. Both clients and freelancers can leave reviews in the system. Air Events Global will be available starting Friday.
Heineken and Japanese clothing brand A Bathing Ape (BAPE) celebrated their #Heineken100 collaboration—which pairs the international beer brand with a retail company to develop co-branded products—with a pop-up shop and restaurant that took over Japanese eatery Izakaya in New York’s East Village on December 12. For the first time, consumers could purchase products from the collection, which were sold at the temporary green, branded storefront. The activation was produced by Team Epiphany.
A dinner for influencers featured both Heineken- and BAPE-branded decor on the walls and menus, while beer bottles were used to decorate the tables.
HBO celebrated the DVD/Blu-ray release of Game of Thrones: The Complete Seventh Season with a fan event at AMC Loews 34th Street in New York on December 12 and 13. The event featured props, replicas, and activations inspired by the show, including a throne photo booth inspired by a main character from the series. Rubik Marketing produced the activations.
Another activation showcased a detailed map replica of Westeros, which is the setting of the series. Future season-seven fan events will take place at AMC River East 21 in Chicago January 5 and 6 and Regal LA Live Stadium in Los Angeles January 19 and 20.
The 16th edition of Art Basel Miami Beach took place December 7 to 10 at Miami Beach Convention Center, alongside satellite events that were part of Miami Art Week. The Faena District’s Franchise Freedom installation featured 300 synchronized drones “dancing” to classical music. The feat was organized by Amsterdam-based Studio Drift in partnership with BMW.
The Faena District also was home to the debut of Museum of Ice Cream Miami, the fourth location for the popular franchise. The pastel-painted funhouse’s localized design included a secret coconut sparkle mini room, the debut of its newest trademark treat Melted Ice Cream, and a site-specific rooftop game room and deck.
Essence and Toyota Camry held an experiential playground for consumers on December 9 at Villain in Brooklyn. The event, which celebrated Afrofuturism and brought to life aspects of the 2018 Toyota Camry campaign, featured an activation that allowed attendees to experience the new vehicle through a multi-sensory 360-degree audiovisual driving journey. The activation incorporated LightWave virtual-reality technology and analyzed real-time emotion data from guests to create personalized biometric data portraits.
The interactive "Boom" room provided drums anchored to the floor, which guests could pose with and contribute to the room's booming rhythm.
Refinery29 brought its 29Rooms experience to Los Angeles for the first time from December 7 to 10 at Row DTLA. The event, which kicked off again on Thursday and runs through Sunday, features installations by contemporary artists, brands, and celebrities, focused on the theme of “Turn It To Art,” which is about using creativity to drive positive change. Water brand Perrier and artist Hottea created a colorful installation made from 1,500 linear yards of yarn. Guests can immerse themselves in scented listening booths designed to inspire creativity. Each area is marked with a tongue-in-cheek phrase based on the flavor, such as “You’re one in a melon” and “I love your zest for life.”
Singer Demi Lovato’s installation is a black-and-white temporary tattoo parlor where guests can turn their personal journey and struggles into art. Five tattoo options, inspired by Lovato’s own tattoos, feature messages of courage and self-confidence.
