Fête launched its free iOS and Android apps in September. The foundation of the app is what it calls “invitation cards.” Hosts create the card, which can include event details like time and location, or it can be used to initiate a group chat to decide where and when to hold the event. The card can be sent to anyone in the host’s contact list. Guests don’t need to have the app to participate in the chat or respond to an invitation; instead they can do it via text.
In December, Evite launched a comprehensive update to its iOS app. Event organizers can use the free app to choose from thousands of invitations organized by category and keyword. Hosts customize time, title, location, and host information and can also personalize invitations with photos from their camera roll. They can create the guest list from their phone’s contacts or their Evite address book. The dashboard offers real-time notifications of R.S.V.P.s, the ability to message guests about any changes, and the option to track adults and kids separately. Guests receive the invitation via email and can respond, comment to the group, or ask the host a question. Attendees can also share photos to the event’s activity feed. Evite’s Android app is expected later this year.
Hobnob is an iOS app that launched in March 2015. The app asks hosts to confirm their mobile number, but it does not require them to create an account or provide an email address. Hosts add the details of their event, including name, location, date, and time, and then select an invite template or upload their own design. After selecting recipients from their phone’s address book, the invitation is sent to those people as a text message with a photo of the invitation (it can also be shared via email and social media). Guests don’t need the app to R.S.V.P.; they simply reply “yes” or “no” to the message. Clicking the link in the text takes guests to the event’s Web page, which includes driving directions and a calendar integration option. Plus, hosts can use the app to chat with guests and manage photos. An Android version is expected soon.
Steve Carlton launched Invitd in July 2014 after testing text-message invitations for his daughter’s birthday party. The rate of R.S.V.P.s was so much better than any other method he had used, such as email and Facebook, that he decided others might see value in a text-message-based invitation system. The free Invitd app, available for iOS and Android, has now been used to send nearly one million invitations. Hosts create a custom invitation by entering the name, location, and time of their event and selecting contacts from their address book to receive it. Recipients get a text message addressed to them by name with a link to the event details and R.S.V.P. options; they don’t need to have the app installed to view the invitation. In addition to responding “yes” or “no,” recipients can indicate how many people will attend, and they can add a reminder to their calendar. While the app can handle an unlimited number of invitees, Carlton says he will soon release an update that will add an easier interface for planners who want to use it for large meetings and events.
Red Stamp’s free iOS and Android apps can be used to send invitations via email or text or to post to Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Hosts choose from more than 2,000 designs that can be customized by changing the font and color scheme and by adding photos from their camera roll or taking photos in the app. A virtual mailbox helps hosts manage correspondence. The app also integrates with the device’s contact list so hosts can use it to order printed cards that ship directly to recipients. The app launched in 2011.
Paperless Post offers all the features of its original desktop-based invitations in a free iOS app that launched in 2012. Hosts can choose from thousands of designs, including cards from Kate Spade New York and Oscar de la Renta, and they can customize invitations with photos, fonts, and colors. Guests receive invitations via email or in the app, if they have it installed. The app can also serve as a communication portal, where the host and guests can post group and private messages and upload photos that can include comments and tags.
Meerkat launched in late February, and just two weeks later it became the breakout app of South by Southwest in March, as dozens of the conference attendees used it to share live streams from the event from their phones and other mobile devices. The buzz only grew when, on the first day of SXSW, Twitter cut Meerkat’s access to its social graph (in preparation for the launch of its own streaming app, Periscope). The app has released several updates, including the ability to create instant polls for viewers and to allow someone else to take over a stream for 60 seconds.
Live-streaming app Periscope launched in March, shortly after it was acquired by Twitter. Apple recently selected it as its iPhone App of the Year. The app, which is available for Apple and Android devices, allows anyone to share live video and audio from an event from their mobile device. The app now has more than 10 million accounts.
Foto Master's Mirror Me Booth is a new portable photo option for events, with a camera embedded behind a mirror. As users step in front of the mirror, colorful animations appear on the surface with instructions such as “touch here to begin” and “say cheese,” and the animations can also include sound so they appear to talk to the users. Hosts can customize the experience with specific instructions—asking people to wave their hands or to scream, for example. Guests can also sign the mirror to have that signature printed on the hard copy of the photos. The 65-inch mirror comes with a selection of frames. It launched in April.
Events.com is an event management platform that launched in February. The cloud-based application includes registration, social media, and communication features to simplify events for organizers and attendees. In August, the company announced a partnership with CrowdRise that adds fund-raising capabilities to the Events.com system.
Communication is a key component of a successful event, and InitLlive is focused on streamlining the process for planners. The mobile and Web app launched in January to coordinate real-time communication and scheduling among event staff. Volunteers and staff can sign up for shifts, and the system can automatically send reminders. At the event, the planner can use the app to check people in and to send instant messages.
Georama is a new option for planners who want to check out destinations, venues, entertainment, or other elements for their events without having to travel to see them in person. The company has nearly 200 guides around the world who provide private, customized tours using either a smartphone or a GoPro. Tours are conducted in real time with two-way audio so those watching can ask questions or request a closer look at something. The stream is private, viewable only with an access code, and each tour is also recorded for viewing on demand.
In October, Facebook began rolling out several updates to its event tools intended to help hosts create and promote events more efficiently. The updates include the ability to schedule an event to publish at a future time, the creation of QR codes that can be shared online or in printed materials, and the addition of “interested” as one of the RSVP options. Facebook Events also now allows organizers to add co-hosts to events and to add their events to the calendar on their corresponding Facebook pages. In early December, Facebook began rolling outs its live video tool to iOS users (it was previously only available to celebrities). Unlike Periscope and Meerkat, Facebook live streams don’t disappear after 24 hours—they stay in the host’s timeline until deleted.
In October Social Tables released a new app, SiteInspector. The app is intended to help planners catalog, compare, and share site inspection information such as capacities, audiovisual options, budgets, and food and beverage details. The system can store notes, photos, and videos. It also includes a tool to test Wi-Fi strength at a venue. The existing Social Tables platform was also updated to include floor plans from more than 10,000 properties.
Eventbase, a mobile technology platform for events, has created new tools focused on lead retrieval and creating connections between exhibitors and attendees. The system now uses iBeacons around exhibit booths to detect nearby attendees based on industry and interest tags in their profiles. Exhibitors receive notification of relevant attendees in their area to help them get meaningful content in front of those attendees as they pass by. The company unveiled the new tools at I.A.E.E. Expo! Expo! in early December.
Snapchat unveiled updates to its Live Stories feature in November. Previously, the Stories displayed a selection of snaps from a particular location—such as a festival, concert, sports match, or other event—with the images curated by Snapchat. That curation will continue, but now the new Story Explorer gives users the ability to see an event from different vantage points. By swiping up, users see multiple shots of the same real-life moments.
In July, Event Farm acquired ClearHart, a digital innovation agency that specializes in bridging online and offline engagement for events. ClearHart’s work has focused on turnkey wearable technology using tools such as R.F.I.D., N.F.C., and Bluetooth low-energy. Event Farm is using that expertise to develop an experiential platform that it says will “bring the Internet of Things to live events and experiences.”
Boomset added several new features in 2015, including session scheduling, which can be displayed on smart boards so attendees can edit their schedules in real time. The system also helps planners monitor available seats in every session with real-time updates. Boomset also added lead retrieval functions to its app so guests and vendors can exchange contact information without additional equipment. Exhibitors can scan badges using their smartphone’s camera, add notes, mark leads as “hot, warm, or cold,” and search leads by name, date scanned, or priority level.
Twitter is making it easier for users to find all the tweets around big events or topics, without needing to follow those accounts or use a hashtag. In October the company unveiled Moments, indicated by a new lightning bolt icon. Tapping it opens a new tab that shows tweets about big stories unfolding on Twitter, such as “conversations between world leaders and celebrities, citizens reporting events as they happen, cultural memes, live commentary on the night’s big game, and many more,” according to the company blog. Moments are assembled by Twitter’s curation team and contributed by partners like Buzzfeed, Entertainment Weekly, Getty Images, Mashable, The New York Times, and more.
Topi unveiled several updates to its mobile app in 2015. A new networking tool takes inspiration from dating app Tinder: users swipe across a profile to indicate interest in meeting that person. If the recipient accepts the request, the app creates a chat room where the two can communicate. The app also launched PeopleRank, an algorithm to automatically suggest the most relevant people to meet at an event. The company is now testing two additional services—Bitcoin payment for registrations and an integration with Uber to allow attendees to share rides to and from conference venues.
Event management system Bizzabo launched Ticket Boost this summer as a way to create incentives for attendees to promote an event. When guests register they received a unique discount code to share with others. If someone signs up using their code, the attendee receives money back on registration.
In February, DoubleDutch launched “Event Performance,” a new analytics platform that uses data from the DoubleDutch mobile app to help planners monitor content and engagement metrics as an event is taking place. The system allows planners to see top search terms in the app, trending hashtags, and popular discussion topics. It also has tools to help planners understand how their guests are using the app by tracking every stage of adoption, from the invitation email to log-ins and actions within the app.
In June Zkipster launched a new seating feature for its guest list app. Planners can now design and collaborate on seating charts in real time using floor plans from several hundred venues with more coming in 2016. The system can also create custom plans at no additional cost. Hosts can use the app’s drag-and-drop feature to assign guests to seats and to make changes instantly.
On December 1, EventMobi unveiled its new “Live Display,” an enhanced social wall for events. In addition to a live feed of social media tied to an event, the display can include schedule and speaker information, games, alerts, sponsor information, and a ticker showing world news, weather updates, and customized information such as the event’s Wi-Fi password. Content on the display is synced with content in the EventMobi app. Also this year, EventMobi created a new platform that allows hosts to create games for their events.
In August, Splash unveiled an integration with GIPHY, a search engine for animated GIFs, so planners can easily add a GIF to their Splash event page and email invitations. Splash also released an update to its email communication tools. The new “Event Email Sequence” is a dashboard with five preloaded emails that are tied to specific stages of the event cycle (save the date, invitation, and thank-you) and can be set up to send automatically. The dashboard also provides data such opens, bounces, and clicks for each email.
In March, BidPal introduced a new D.I.Y. mobile bidding option to manage fund-raisers. The system provides the same software and services of a BidPal full-service event without the additional cost of on-site staff or peripheral hardware.
Tagkast has added animated GIFs and green-screen options to its branded photos sharing system for events. Using the green-screen technology, planners can customize the background for their guests’ photos. Tagkast also offers a kiosk option for hosts that want to use the system without additional staff.
Jewelry brand Tiffany & Co. hosted a panel discussion, "Modern Love: The Rules of Engagement," on April 15 at the Academy Mansion in New York. The event featured a giant gift box photo op for panel guests, which included Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt star Ellie Kemper.
The official card of the Golden State Warriors, American Express hosted a live stream of the April 7 Warriors and San Antonio Spurs game in an Imax theatre in Newark, California. In partnership with Bay Area food truck market Off the Grid, the American Express Fan Van—which will be at Off the Grid locations and the Oracle Arena at home games—served as a miniature basketball court for fans, and also offered merchandise and giveaways.
The ninth annual Unicef Hope Gala took place April 9 at the Geraghty in Chicago. The evening had a childlike theme, with decor from Kehoe Designs that included a canopy of suspended neon Slinkys.
The first weekend of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival took place April 15 to 17 in Indio, California. For H&M's seventh year as an official festival sponsor, the brand staged its "Reborn" activation to resemble a colorful desert landscape where guests interacted with immersive video seats and created content for social sharing.
For the first weekend of Coachella, Caravents produced PopSugar's weekend-long event programming at the Avalon Palm Springs. In the DSW suite, guests could customize shoes with metallic studs and colorful shoelaces, which hung on a rack nearby in a color-blocked fashion. A curtain, also made of shoelaces, covered the suite's window.
Bonnaroo and Outside Lands producer Superfly hosted its first Cocktail Magic event March 19 at Weylin B. Seymour's in New York. The event's logo was a colorful king, inspired by the king that appears on playing cards. The figure, which was shaking a cocktail and holding a martini, appeared as a giant statue and in signage.
Nonprofit organization Global Inheritance helped keep the festival grounds free from cans and bottles by setting up a recycling store that offered attendees the chance to exchange them for Coachella merchandise and experiences.
To promote its new Artesano bread, Sara Lee hosted a grilled-cheese-theme snow day in Kiwanis Park in Tempe, Arizona, on April 1. The family-friendly event, which marked the start of the unofficial National Grilled Cheese Month, featured a branded ski chalet where chef Justin Beckett cooked grilled cheese sandwiches for guests.
Looking for catering inspiration? Riviera Caterers built a 24-foot-long, 8-foot-high pretzel wall for the launch of the catering and event program at New York’s WTC860—Riviera at the World Trade event space in December 2015. The interactive wall held 600 pretzels of different flavors, including garlic parsley, cheddar, cinnamon, salted, and plain, along with dipping sauces. The setup is customizable and can be converted for a variety of displays such as a salad or bagel bar.
Scoozi Events hosted a media and industry dinner at its Upper West Side space on March 28, in which the caterer served dishes with ingredients usually found in trash. Guests noshed on compost tempura, which consisted of carrot peelings; scallion butts; and beet, fennel, and celery tops.
Planners aimed to incorporate plenty of "surprise and delight" into the Engage Conference, which was held in Orlando in December. One such surprise was announcing to the conference's 350 attendees that they were "going to Disney World" after the second day of programming. Confetti fell, glittery mouse ears were distributed, and Disney characters appeared to amp up the excitement before guests headed to the Magic Kingdom. The 14-piece Main Street Philharmonic Marching Band (pictured) also appeared in the Four Seasons's ballroom as part of the surprise announcement.
Nearly 5,000 fans of fantasy films, TV shows, and books gathered at the Orange County Convention Center in 2014 for LeakyCon, an annual convention. That year, organizers launched “pop-up programming”—nearly two dozen carefully orchestrated occurrences that were not part of the official schedule. One of the pop-up events that generated the most interest from attendees was a reenactment of the final scene from the second season of Sherlock, with actor Maxwell Glick playing the part of Dr. Watson.
For company gatherings in particular, surprises don't have to be limited to the course of a single event. For example, in 2008, Sg2 Health Care Intelligence headed to Chicago's Cafe Brauer for a company party (pictured) that culminated a series of holiday perks. For the week leading up to the event, employees were treated to in-office wine tastings, manicures, and massages.
It's typical to use a celebrity as a featured entertainer. But guests are more surprised to encounter celebrities in unexpected place—such as behind the bar. At the MSNBC's White House Correspondents Dinner after-party in Washington in 2012, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow poured drinks for part of the evening.
Another way to surprise guests is to keep them amused and engaged during otherwise tedious parts of an event, such as standing in line to register or waiting for valet. At the Shedd Aquarium's 2008 gala in Chicago, fire dancers from Pyrotechniq performed for guests waiting for their cars after the event. The surprise aligned with the institution's overall brand messaging. “This is something we do at Shedd Aquarium on a daily basis—engage guests while they are waiting for something, to make the time go faster and the wait not seem so long,” said Jennifer Baryl, then the senior director of the aquarium.
Guests always enjoy gifts—perhaps even more so when they're unexpected. Coupa, a spend-management software company, hosts an annual user conference called "Inspire." In 2014, planners from Roar Events surprised guests by sending them home with boxes of doughnuts.
