Comedy series Broad City made its first appearance at Comic-Con with a life-size coloring book activation. Illustrations designed by Broad City artist Mike Perry covered the walls and furniture, and attendees used paint to add color. The activation—which took place at the San Diego Wine & Culinary Center—also offered Broad City-inspired manicures and temporary tattoos.
HBO series Westworld, a science-fiction western about an amusement park populated by androids, had one of the most buzzed-about activations at the convention. Fans, who were required to make prior appointments by visiting the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, entered the immersive theatrical activation and interacted with actors who played the part of androids. Guests were given one-on-one personality evaluations, then explored a gallery of vintage weaponry and actual costumes from the series. Hidden Easter eggs throughout the activation gave sneak peeks of the show's second season.
After going through the onboarding process, guests were escorted to a replica of Sweetwater’s Mariposa saloon, where they were able to interact with a player piano that played songs from the series. They also drank signature cocktails crafted by mixologist Paul McGee.
Adult Swim returned this year with its free, public fan experience located directly behind the convention center. Produced by Hadley Media, the carnival-like area featured games, prizes, tarot-card readings, celebrity guests, show tie-ins, and more.
In the same area as the daytime event, Adult Swim fans could watch screenings of the latest series and pilots. Blankets and snacks were provided by sponsor Snickers.
Across from the convention center was a large tent featuring an elaborate replica of the upcoming Warner Brothers film Blade Runner 2049. Inside, fans used VR headsets to enter the world of Blade Runner, chasing replicants (lifelike robots from the movie) through Los Angeles. Once the VR experience ended, the theater walls disappeared and fans found themselves inside a physical rendition of what they had just seen. Actors dressed as police officers occasionally grabbed participants to "test" if they were replicants. Guests were later ushered into a bar area where they could explore set pieces, costumes, and props from the movie.
Amazon Prime Video promoted its new television revival of The Tick with a movie-set-style experience on the MLK Promenade, directly across from the convention center. Amazon and Sony worked with NVE Experience Agency to build a 20-foot-tall animatronic tick head, and attendees pulled levers throughout the weekend to control the Tick’s emotions. The Tick Takeover was open to the public for the duration of Comic-Con.
The Amazon Prime promotion for The Tick also included a challenge-based scavenger hunt, where attendees helped the show’s protagonists catch a group of villains. The hunt brought guests through four rooms that evoked the series’ sets, including the main character’s apartment and a police station. Graffiti and wall murals by artist Matty Mo provided popular photo ops, and a Tick-theme porta potty, produced by Grandesign Media, had puns such as “Get Flush With Justice” and “Relieve Yourself (of Evil)” written on the doors. A #TickTeam street team also roamed the streets of San Diego offering tongue-in-cheek medical services that referenced the show.
A buzzed-about activation for the FX series Legion used a Microsoft HoloLens to put visitors in the shoes of David Haller, the show’s main character. Guests were asked questions by an attendant about traumatic events and memories—a recurring theme from the show—then were able to use the HoloLens’s augmented reality to manipulate digital items around the room.
A Legion-branded wall and swing set provided a popular photo op outside of the activation. The Legion experience was part of FX’s larger Comic-Con presence, which was dubbed FXhibition and was held on the lawn of the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. The four-day fan experience offered several interactive experiences for fans, including a gravity-defying photo booth inspired by Atlanta, a sunscreen-application area inspired by The Strain, and a life-size American Horror Story-theme zoetrope.
History had one of the most memorable activations of the weekend: It lit a 45-foot-long ship on fire in the middle of the San Diego Bay. The stunt, held on July 21, was meant to promote the drama series Vikings, which will begin its fifth season in November. Characters in full 10th-century Viking costumes held a funeral procession through the Gaslamp Quarter throughout the day, meant to honor the show’s characters who have died.
The Vikings procession ended at the Embarcadero Marina Park South with a waterfront ceremony that engulfed the ship and a lifelike Viking corpse in flames. Drinking horns were distributed following the ceremony, and guests could get temporary tattoos of the show’s logo written in ink that resembled blood.
History also promoted its new drama Knightfall with an outdoor bag check that evoked the Knights Templar military order. The activation assigned “guardians” to protect attendees’ belongings while they explored the convention.
The first-ever Syfy pop-up Geek Love Chapel hosted more than 30 weddings and vow renewals over the course of the Comic-Con weekend. The ceremonies were officiated by American Gods star Orlando Jones, who came up with the idea as a way to celebrate fandom. Sharknado actor Ian Ziering (pictured) also got in on the action, renewing his vows with wife. The ceremonies were open to the public.
To promote the upcoming Focus Features spy movie Atomic Blonde, a street team dressed as Charlize Theron’s character, Agent Lorraine Broughton, hit the streets in black leather boots, blonde wigs, sunglasses, and trench coats. The team handed out cassette tapes and invites to a screening of the film. Grandesign Media planned the promotion.
Thought the weekend, Fox hosted several attention-grabbing public experiences on the lawn of the Hilton San Diego Bayfront to promote the channel’s new shows. For the upcoming Seth MacFarlane space comedy The Orville, fans took a ride on a spinning gyroscope tool (pictured)—which is actually used by NASA astronauts. Fans could also complete applications to learn what career would best suit them on the fictional intergalactic vessel U.S.S. Orville.
Another Fox activation evoked the new series Ghosted, a supernatural sitcom starring Adam Scott and Craig Robinson. Guests entered a power-plant-like facility and suited up as either a government agent or an alien to play laser tag.
To promote the upcoming show The Gifted, which is based on Marvel’s X-Men, the network created an “X-Gene Screening Station” on the lawn of the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. Guests received laser scans and cheek swabs to determine if they were mutants.
The Gifted also provided the theme for Fox’s after-party, which was held at the Rooftop by STK at the Andaz on July 21. The network teamed up with entertainment website IGN to host the event, which featured cocktails such as the “X-Gene and Tonic.” Branding and hashtags for the show featured prominently throughout the venue.
The brands joined forces to host a superhero-theme party at Altitude Sky Lounge on July 21. Guests donned colorful capes branded with the CW logo, and ate food and cocktails inspired by Tasty, Buzzfeed’s food division. Giveaways included Buzzfeed-branded beer koozies, and a photo booth had superhero-theme props. Faux Tattoo Studios provided temporary tattoos throughout the evening.
Also produced by Hadley Media was a pop-up ice cream shop in the Petco Internative Zone for video-game developer Blizzard Entertainment. The shop evoked Knights of the Frozen Throne, an upcoming expansion to the Hearthstone digital card game. Guests who stopped by could receive free cones of either “Villain-illa” or “Scourgeberry Sorbet.”
Mr. Robot fans had the chance to immerse themselves in the show by visiting the “Bank of E,” a pop-up bank based on the show’s fictional E Corp conglomerate. Attendees received their own E Corp card loaded with crypto currency, which they could spend on food, drinks, and retail items throughout San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter. Guests could also use it grab a bite at pop-up Red Wheelbarrow BBQ next door, another nod to the show.
Fans also hunted down clues both in the Mr. Robot activation and around the city that ultimately led them to a phone number. From there, they were directed to meet in a hidden room inside the activation, where they participated in a “worthiness test” that included trivia from the show. Fans who passed the test were able to view never-before-seen content from season 3. Production Glue and Civic Entertainment Group planned and executed the activation.
Men’s shave brand Schick hosted an immersive fan experience this year, complete with an escape room and an original comic book called “Schick Hydrobot and the Transformers.” The escape room challenged conventiongoers to immerse themselves in the comic’s story and solve hidden clues to find a missing scientist. A series of rooms were filled with props and clues, and hologram technology was used to further the experience. Guests who solved the mystery in 20 minutes or less were rewarded with Schick swag.
Docked at Fifth Avenue Landing behind the convention center, the invite-only IMDBoat featured exclusive celebrity interviews, a live show hosted by Kevin Smith, and a Friday-night party. Select fans who posted the #IMDBoat hashtag on social media were invited to board throughout the weekend, and were given early access to test out the not-yet-released Call of Duty: WWII video game. The experience was produced by Hadley Media.
The channel held an evening event at the Kimpton Solamar hotel on July 22 to celebrate two of its space-theme series: returning series Mars, and the new series One Strange Rock. As the sun went down, the National Geographic logo, plus images of the earth and Mars, were projected on the nearby building. National Geographic planned the event in-house.
Rock candy evoked the space theme and served as a decor piece to offset the signature National Geographic yellow border. Other food items included craft cocktails with cheeky names such as “The Earthling,” “Atomic Rocket,” and “Martian.”
Warner Brothers tapped Grandesign Media to create a promotion for the upcoming horror remake It. Fans were invited to board the run-down bus, sit in chairs that spun 360 degrees, and don VR headsets that brought them inside Pennywise the clown’s house.
A staple of Comic-Con for the past 10 years, Wired returned with a three-day pop-up at the Omni San Diego. The cafe doubled as a promotion for the upcoming AT&T original television show Mr. Mercedes, a detective series based on a Stephen King novel of the same name. Attendees ate on-theme ice cream, got screen-printed swag, and explored exclusive content related to the show. The show’s signature smiley face—the killer’s calling card in the series—showed up on umbrellas, photo booth backdrops, the DJ booth, and more throughout the event.
New this year, Wired staff hosted the Wired Café at Comic-Con Facebook Live Show, which featured interviews with the casts of Dr. Who, Lego Ninjago, and more.
Entertainment forum site Fandom worked with Hadley Media to create two events: a daytime festival and an evening party. The daytime event, which was sponsored by Pepsi and held at the Petco Interactive Zone, was the website’s first festival at Comic-Con; it featured a fan lounge, trivia games, cosplay shows, celebrity guests, and more. The Fandom Fantasy Food Truck served pop-culture-inspired snacks such as the “Wookiee Cookie” created by Root Cellar Catering.
Fandom also held an evening party on July 20 at Float at the Hard Rock; the night featured a performance by Big Boi.
Adult Swim joined forces with Snickers to unveil a fleet of vehicles wrapped with custom artwork from the network’s show FishCenter. The cars offered free rides around San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter to conventiongoers throughout the weekend. Inside, fans could snack on Snickers and watch Adult Swim content on rear headset monitors. The experience was produced by Hadley Media.
One of the most anticipated annual parties of the weekend was Entertainment Weeky’s Comic-Con Bash. This year’s event was held at Float at the Hard Rock Hotel on July 22, and was produced by Event Eleven. The evening featured activations from sponsors HBO, Xbox, and Peet’s Cold Brew, and entertainment from DJ Michelle Pesce. The night drew a who’s-who of Comic-Con attendees, including Chadwick Boseman, Seth MacFarlane, and James Marsden. During the event, guests played volleyball in an EW-branded pool.
Similar to last year’s inaugural edition, the festival’s main stage broadcast a variety of imagery on three massive screens throughout the weekend. In between performances, the stage adhered to its New York theme with images of the city.
One of the most visual performances of the weekend came from psychedelic rock band Tame Impala, whose set featured a multicolor laser show.
Along with two performance stages and a DJ dome, the festival provided attendees with a daylong, misted, open-air dance party that had continuous DJ sets. At night, hanging LED lights above the checkered dance floor turned different colors.
Sponsored by HP and curated by Meta.is, the Lab showcased new digital art exhibits including “Future Portrait,” a motion-capture art installation that welcomed attendees into the experience. Created by Brooklyn-based creative studio Prism, the exhibit translated a participants movement into animation using HP technology.
A photo booth at the beginning of the experience allowed attendees to take holographic-inspired shots in a box created with mirrors and neon lights that changed colors.
SoftLab, a New York-based design studio, created “Volume,” an interactive cube of responsive mirrors that redirected light and sound as a volume that reflected the excitement of attendees surrounding the cube.
HP and Intel featured a room with a number of connected pods where attendees could play virtual-reality games.
“Dream Machine” by Emilie Baltz invited people to play olfactory organs for a performance that combined smell with sound, light, and touch.
“Boolean Planet,” an interactive installation created by Future Wife with music by Max Cooper, invited attendees to play with a giant inflatable sphere. By touching the outside of the sphere, people could create sound and moving visuals.
“Heartfelt,” a participatory installation created by artist and designer Ekene Ijeoma, invited participants to use their bodies as conductors by touching various poles. When each pole was touched, the installation created a heart with lights.
The Lab’s 90-foot dome held more than 200 festivalgoers at a time to experience a 360-degree show called “The Ark.” The show, which depicted a mythic journey of intergalactic survival in the search for a new home, was created by Brooklyn-based content design and experiential production company Dirt Empire.
For its second year, American Express showcased its two-story experiential space, which included New York- and music-theme stations on the first floor for all festival attendees, as well as a branded viewing area and lounge on the second floor for card members, influencers, and media. The activation, which was produced by Momentum Worldwide, included a photo backdrop of hanging microphone replicas and the experience hashtag in blue.
Another photo op offered a branded replica of a New York subway car.
A Plinko-inspired game, which mimicked a subway map, gave attendees a chance to win prizes.
A third photo op involved a swing set that was designed to look like the Brooklyn Bridge.
The activation’s music- and city-inspired design incorporated water refill stations that were created to look like fire hydrants.
The animated interactive Mic Drop station invited attendees to dance and pose based on changing animations.
As domes were once again a big theme at this year’s festival, sponsor HP activated its own blue dome in the middle of the festival grounds.
Inside the dome, guests were invited to participate in a number of immersive art activities. These included designing and printing custom scarfs using on the HP Pavilion X360 using Windows Ink, taking 120-degree light painting photos designed by artist Eric Park, dancing to manipulate virtual reality by artist Android Jones, and creating kaleidoscope patterns that were reflected in laser light shows on the dome.
Momentum Worldwide also produced a Hendrick’s Gin activation that offered attendees gin cocktails and a photo booth that reflected the brand’s theatrical circus-inspired style, inviting festivalgoers to pose on a motorcycle in front of a backdrop of greenery and roses.
Returning sponsor Macy’s hosted a pool party-inspired activation, which include a blue ball pit that resembled a pool and colorful pool floats. The activation was produced by Macy's and LeadDog Marketing Group.
A branded wall displayed a curated "Press Play: Festival Fashion" product collection, while a lifeguard chair served as a seating option for attendees.
Whiskey brand Glenfiddich hosted a sensory experience in a dome that invited guests to sample unique cocktails, learn about how whiskey colors influence taste, and discover how whiskey texture influences smell.
Barefoot Wine celebrated the popular summer wine rosé with a branded mini lounge, a bar that served drinks include “frosé,” and viewing deck.
Antioxidant-infused beverage brand Bai returned as a festival sponsor, hosting a V.I.P. lounge that included a photo booth depicting a variety of fruit in the brand's black-and-white color scheme. Patrick J Clayton Productions designed the lounge, and Jordana Schrager created personalized polaroids for attendees.
The lounge also invited guests to charge their phones at a branded phone-charging locker.
Beauty brand Sephora returned with its massive tent that featured a variety of stations, including beauty and braid bars and a mask lounge. Illuminated neon silhouettes added to the festival atmosphere. The experience was designed in-house.
A giant, branded black marker board invited guests to write what beauty meant to them by filling in the blanks.
Mosaic produced Bud Light’s activation, which featured a shaded, branded lounge and a bar.
The “Gathering Tree,” which was designed using the brand’s blue and white colors, invited attendees to play a game with paper fortune tellers for a chance to win festival wearables and swag. Fortunes were placed in jars that were strung from the structure.
Orange County, California-based company Balloonzilla creates custom balloon art for events, including balloon arches, bouquets, structures, walls, and more. The company’s designers work with planners to create designs and installations for each event, such as the larger-than-life balloon canopy and step-and-repeat that greeted guests at the BizBash show’s event registration area (pictured). The company also offers do-it-yourself kits and helium tanks for rent. Balloonzilla regularly plans events in Orange County and Los Angeles county and can travel nationwide for larger events; prices vary depending on the design and the event’s location.
SuperCool Creamery specializes in frozen desserts, cocktails, and treats prepared on the spot—with an entertaining twist. A team of “Taste Technicians” uses liquid nitrogen to make flash-frozen ice cream right in front of guests. When the nitrogen is poured over ice cream or cocktail products, evaporation causes a crowd-pleasing cloud of smoke. Ice cream comes in more than 40 different flavors, and a variety of custom cocktails are also available. The company can cater events throughout the Los Angeles area. At BizBash Live, SuperCool Creamery was part of AFR Event Furnishings' booth. The furniture and accessories company rents items for special events in major cities across the United States.
Las Vegas-based entertainment design and production company Champagne Creative Group specializes in surprise-and-delight event moments featuring costumed staff. A summery, Instagram-friendly option for events is the bicycle buffet, which provides a roaming food and beverage station for events. Models’ attire can be customized based on an event’s color and theme; pricing for the bicycle buffet starts at $1,800 for two hours in California (prices may vary for events in other locations). Other creative serving options include the Strolling Carousel Buffet, the Champagne and Dessert Diva Dress, Living Topiary Greeters, LED Robot Greeters, and more options incorporating models. Logo branding is available for an extra fee on all items.
Furniture rental company FWR Rental Haus’s colorful Mission chairs provide a festive option for summer events. The lightweight chairs come in 18 different colors, including black, blue, bronze, green, grey, orange, pink, white, and yellow. The Las Vegas-based rental company can also provide tables, lighting solutions, rugs, walls, sofas, decorative pieces, and more; many products can be customized. FWR ships nationwide, and prices are available upon request.
Think beyond the photo booth with Selfiebooth.com’s Boomerang Array: 11 DSLR cameras that fire simultaneously, capturing the scene from 11 separate angles to produce an animated GIF. When the images are played in succession, the resulting GIF appears to fly back and forth around the subject. Images can then be shared via text message, email, or social media; the center camera in the array also produces a high-resolution print with a custom branded overlay. SelfieBooth.com's products can be custom-wrapped with full-color logos, hashtags, and other graphics, and the company has graphic designers on call to help with designs. Pricing depends on the length and location of the event, and the company provides custom photo activations for events around the country.
Calabasas, California-based Wax Creation makes colorful wax models of hands that serve as interactive party decor or favors. Guests dip their hands into the liquid wax to create an impression, which dries in a few minutes. Wax Creation also offers a candle-coloring activity for holiday events, where guests can dip and color their own custom candles. The company services events throughout California and Nevada; it also recently launched an east coast branch that serves Florida. For events in the Los Angeles area, Wax Creation charges $595 for two hours of activity, which includes unlimited hands, delivery and pick-up, and two attendants.
Blueprint Studios showcased a variety of furniture and tabletop rentals at the event, including its customizable acrylic table runner, which is translucent to give the table more dimension. Acrylic runners can be cut to a range of lengths and widths and can display graphics to tie into an event’s theme or branding; custom placemats and accent pieces can also be created at the company’s printing studio. The runner was displayed on Blueprint’s Blaco King table, and topped with natural stone containers holding Flame Calla Lilies, Orange Pincushion Protea, and Liriope. Prices are available upon request; the San Francisco-based company rents nationwide.
For an unusual event or trade show activity, CXC Simulations provides professional, full-motion racing and flight simulators. Guests can experience the racetrack as if they were actually on it, with a low-mass motion system, high-quality audio and video, and panoramic screens. The racing simulators have software that will allow corporate logos or other graphics to appear on the tracks. The Los Angeles-based company can rent or sell simulators worldwide, and an on-site technician makes sure the event runs smoothly. Pricing is available upon request.
San Marcos, California-based Folklore Vintage Rentals provides furniture, props, accessories, and more for events in the Southern California area. The company offers stylish rentals for events; for the BizBash show, it created a Havana nights-inspired booth that included a white and brass dining table and white leather Spanish-style chairs from its Equipage line. The company also showcased its Marigold Yellow Danish-Inspired Mid-Century Sofa, its Teal Velvet Mid-Century Sofa, and an eclectic, colorful assortment of pillows, rugs, side tables, tabletop items, and more. Folklore can also provide full-scale event design; prices are available upon request. For the BizBash event, Folklore teamed up with Bloom Babes, who created a floral centerpiece that also tied into the Havana theme. The Carlsbad, California-based design company creates eye-catching installations for weddings and corporate events.
Another customizable option for event favors comes from Los Angeles restaurant and French patisserie Bottega Louie. The restaurant’s gourmet market provides elegantly packaged gift boxes that include assorted macarons, caramels, fine chocolate cocoa, cappuccino dragées, and more; personalized note cards and ribbon options are available. Gift boxes start at $35, and can be shipped nationwide.
Drawing Booth specializes in live digital art for events. The company works with a team of artists who can walk around events asking if guests would like their portrait drawn. The realistic portraits, which are created on iPads, take about three to four minutes to draw and then can be emailed to the subject immediately. Artists also print the image using a special printing belt, providing another instant favor for event guests that won’t disrupt their evening. Drawing Booth can also provide branded backgrounds for the portraits, incorporating company logos or other custom images. The company has been expanding its offerings to include marketing activations, product launches, and in-house digital art for corporations. Drawing Booth has offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and London, but is available for events worldwide.
Leatherology provides customizable wallets, travel tags, key chains, accessories, and gifts. The Dallas-based company offers more than 300 products for corporate gifting that come in an array of colors and can be personalized with company logos. Leatherology also recently launched a line of gifts for weddings, which features complimentary monogramming for initials, wedding dates, and more. The company uses a hand-deboss technique to create a distinct, long-lasting monogram; customers can choose their own fonts, deboss types, motifs, logos, and more. Hand-drawn designs or signatures are also available on select items. Volume discount pricing is available, and the company ships across the United States, Canada, the UK, and Australia. In the future, the company hopes to offer live monogramming at events.
Eventuosity is a cloud-based comprehensive event-management software. The system, which is also available as a mobile app, allows planners to create events from a template or from scratch, as well as add collaborators, schedule reminders, assign activities to various team members, track budgets, and more. The company, which was founded by marketing professional Justin Panzer and his brother and mother, offers monthly subscriptions starting at $99 or annual subscriptions starting at $1,149. Eventuosity is available nationwide.
New York-based Treat House ships its customized marshmallow and crispy-rice treats nationwide, creating a tasty favor for corporate and social events. The dessert shop can customize treats with company logos, colors, and images; it also has lines of wedding, baby shower, and bar and bar mitzvah treats. The desserts are offered in packs starting at one for $2.50 through 24 for $58; custom logos cost $1 more per treat. Custom belly bands, gift boxes, and ribbons are also available, as are gluten-free, dairy-free, and kosher options.
Pinatas.com can provide custom piñatas modeled after just about anything, including company logos, C.E.O.s or other V.I.P.s, brides and grooms, emojis, and even President Donald Trump. (Pictured at the company’s BizBash booth are Michael Jackson from the Thriller video, Marilyn Monroe, and BizBash C.E.O. David Adler.) Custom piñatas start at $69.50 for a 24-inch piñata, and $99.50 for a 40-inch piñata. The company also provides mini piñatas that can serve as party favors, as well as piñata centerpieces. The El Paso, Texas-based company ships nationwide.
