Conferences

Bored of traditional theater- or classroom-style room setups? Designing a arrangement with an assortment of furniture "is an ideal way to provide flexibility and choices for attendees’ different personalities," says Michele Wilde, the resort's director of conference services and event sales.

Comfort is a priority, especially during lengthy meetings, Wilde says. Offering multiple seating options can keep attendees engaged and also suit different personalities.

A threesided set up gives attendees a sense of proximity to the speakers.

Quartz also experimented with seating. In the front of the room there were couches reserved for V.I.P. guests, and in the back of the room there was a row of high-top tables where laptop users could work.

Bags that attendees received at registration had various charts taken from Quartz stories that could serve as conversation starters.

Q&A sessions with speakers continued in a designated space outside of the ballroom. The move allowed more intimate access to speakers.

Quartz encourages its sponsors to bring unusual and engaging activations to its events. One example was a fully functional mini planetarium from Qualcomm.

Not every event wants to meet at a hotel. Variety and WWD chose Smashbox Studios for a different feel.

An unexpected addition to the stage was a DJ booth.

Before lunch and the presentation, guests gathered in a sponsor activation area. Its design had a look consistent with the main room, with the same color palette and furniture rentals.

The summit kicked off October 16 at Boston’s City Hall Plaza with the Under 30 Music Festival, in partnership with Global Citizen. Performers included Jason Derulo, Halsey, Gallant, and Delta Rae.

Boston’s historic Faneuil Hall served as the venue for both the Capital Stage and the All-Access Stage, which was accessible only by all-access passholders and included sessions with celebrities such as Richard Branson, Ashton Kutcher, and Jessica Alba.

Sponsor Ocean Spray created a cranberry bog in the middle of the Under 30 Village and invited guests to put on waders and step inside, where they could relax at a table and talk to cranberry growers about the future of food and farming.

The Mayo Clinic Zen Lounge offered fresh fruits, infused water, and samples of essential oils.

Organizers used chalk spray paint to put the event’s logo on the cobblestone paths leading into the Under 30 Village at City Hall Plaza.

Sponsor Cole Haan created an interactive booth in the Experiences Hub. The company invited guests to design the cover of their future memoir. The book cover was then printed and wrapped around a sketchbook for them to take home.

Author and alternative medicine advocate Deepak Chopra led participants in a meditation session to start the program on the summit's third day.

Mayo Clinic was a sponsor of the Summit and brought in Dr. Amit Sood to meet with attendees and answer their questions.

To celebrate the intersection of the entertainment and sports industries in Hollywood, Coca-Cola hosted the fifth anniversary of its Gold Meets Golden event at the House on Sunset in Los Angeles. The daytime brunch event, which was tied to the Golden Globes and the upcoming Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, featured a Coca-Cola- and Olympic-theme memorabilia throughout the venue. The event was produced by Amara Studios. 

The event had appearances from a number of TV and film stars, as well as sports stars including American soccer player Alex Morgan, who autographed a giant poster. 

The event served golden mini waffle cones filled with fried chicken, paired with mini bottles of Coca-Cola with golden straws. Chef Cat Cora and Whoa Nelly Catering developed the menu. 

Backstage during the Golden Globes, which took place January 7 at the Beverly Hilton, presenters and winners celebrated with golden goblets of Moët & Chandon, the official champagne of the ceremony. Overall, the brand served more than 1,500 Moët & Chandon Impérial minis, 125 cases of Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage 2006 and Moet Rosé Impérial magnums, and 500 cocktails featuring Moët & Chandon Impérial. The brand also continued its annual philanthropic initiative, “Toast for a Cause,” for the ninth year. The program invites nominees to raise a toast in support of their favorite charities; for each toast, Moët donates $1,000 to the charity in the nominees’ names. 

Netflix hosted its Golden Globes party on January 7 at the Waldorf Astoria in Los Angeles. The event, which was produced by Swisher Productions, featured a blood-red wall where hands served arriving guests glasses of wine. 

Coinciding with Golden Globes weekend, the 15th annual HBO Luxury Lounge teamed up with Ancestry.com to create a retreat for celebrities and influencers at the Four Seasons. Ancestry asked guests to write notes and attach them to a "family" tree; there was also a historian on site who helped attendees navigate their family histories. Other lounge sponsors included Lucy Hart Ink, which provided on-site brow-shaping, as well as Pinkberry, Don Julio Tequila, and Watch Gang. 

Our roundup of stage design ideas this week included the Girlboss Rally business conference, held in New York in November. It brought together more than 600 attendees and 30 speakers to discuss the meaning of success. The event featured a feminine, cheery color palette of pinks, reds, oranges, and whites. The stage design by the Gathery offered a simple—yet stylish—backdrop of curved shapes that picked up the same colors and styles as the rest of the conference. 

Also from the stage design roundup was a kickoff event for New York Comic Con in October. Clickspring Design transformed a nightclub into a futuristic world featuring a “cyberpunk, neon-noir” look meant to evoke Blade Runner 2049, one of the movies being promoted at the convention. Designers used reflective finishes, LED video displays, glowing neon, and materials such as corrugated polycarbonate to create an eye-catching stage design. The event was produced by CAA and ReedPop. 

The 65th annual Crystal Charity Ball, held at Dallas’ Hilton Anatole's Chantilly Ballroom in December, featured "An Evening in the Alps” theme. The decor included crystals, sparkling lights, trees and winter florals, fake snow, hanging lanterns, snowy mountain scenes painted on backdrops, and more; Tom Addis Productions Inc. designed the event. The ball raised $5.8 million for eight non-profit organizations that serve children. 

Benefiting Kids Beating Cancer, the Hats & Heroes Masquerade Ball, which was held at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando in September, featured a Phantom of the Opera theme, which was reflected in the dessert dishes. The event raised $850,000 for the Kids Beating Cancer pediatric transplant center programs.