During the opening-night party for last year's Social Media Marketing World, which took place in April 2016 in San Diego, attendees played “Networking Bingo” by gathering Twitter handles of other guests who matched with criteria in the boxes. Drawings of all completed cards were conducted for prizes such as a 2017 conference ticket or an annual pass to the Social Media Examiner membership site.
Conference staff were stationed at the “Networking Embassy,” where they offered help to attendees looking to connect with one another, both on site and online.
Group competitions like tug-of-war were among the fun networking activities organizers set up at the 2016 Microsoft Ignite conference in Atlanta.
At C2 Montréal in May, one of the most popular labs was "Cake,” where participants took a deep dive into each ingredient that goes into a cake. For example, one group focused on sugar, learning about its history and its relationship to other ingredients and to the final product. Layer by layer, groups worked together to build the cake throughout the conference.
For the Forbes Under 30 Summit, held in Boston in October 2016, sponsor Ocean Spray set out a cranberry bog and encouraged guests to don waders and step inside. Once there, they were invited to relax at a table and discuss the future of food and farming with cranberry growers.
A series of Speed Hustlin' roundtables were set up at Instagram for Business and Hedley & Bennett's School of Hustle in Los Angeles in August. Experts discussed a variety of issues, including content, e-commerce, and human resources.
Custom furniture pieces were used at the 2015 edition of C2 Montréal to facilitate conversations. Chairs were in scarce supply, in comparison to attendees, to encourage mingling.
At Agnes & Dora's annual convention for brand consultants, held in July in Salt Lake City, DJ booths were set up around the exhibit hall. Seating areas in front of the booths featured branded throw pillows, giving guests the opportunity to relax, listen to music, and network between sessions.
For Upfront Ventures' Upfront Summit, held in Los Angeles in February, a charge bar invited guests to stay connected and work efficiently throughout the two-day program. Seating both inside and out of the tent was meant to facilitate interaction as well as comfort.
Guests can recover from one too many cocktails with the Original HangOver Kit Kup. The 22-ounce reusable cup contains mini packs of brand-name remedies like Pepto-Bismol, Propel drink mix, Drinkwel multivitamins, Alka-Seltzer, Bayer aspirin, Colgate toothpaste and toothbrush, LA Fresh travel wipes, and breath mints. The kits are sold in cases of 6 ($50) or 12 ($90).
Chic foldable ballet flats from Yosi Samra offer instant relief for weary feet. Each pair comes in a compact box with a dust bag. Prices range from $66 to $96.
The FitBit Zip Wireless Activity Tracker ($57, plus set up and customization) records steps, distance, and calories burned, and makes a suitable party favor for guests who are pledging to get in shape in the new year. The gadget is available in charcoal, midnight blue, lime, and magenta from Scarborough & Tweed.
To help soothe any impending colds in the chilly holiday season, planners can send guests home with the Comfort Kit ($35) from Gifts for the Good Life. The winter survival pack contains hand warmers, lip balm, stress patches, tissues, tea, and bath salts.
Help attendees stick to their eat-right resolutions in the new year with a gift from Munchery. Founded in 2010, the San Francisco-based on-demand food service delivers healthy, gourmet meals prepared by local chefs. Gift cards range from $50 for a dinner for four to $500 for a month of meals (or hosts can choose a custom amount). The service is currently available in the San Francisco Bay area, Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York.
To get guests to and from the event easily and safely, Lyft lets companies cover the cost of an entire ride or offer a coupon code good for as much as $20 (valid only for rides to or from the venue on the night of the party). The ride-share service will only bill for rides used. For example, if a company has 100 guests and everyone receives $20 in Lyft credit, but only 20 people use the credit, the company will only be charged $400. A pricing breakdown by city and ride estimates between two locations are available on lyft.com.
Attendees can power up anywhere thanks to the convenient Jolt Phone Charger-To-Go from Scarborough & Tweed ($12 to $18, plus set up and customization).
For guests who want a nightcap or need a strong wake-up call, Gifts for the Good Life's Haute Toddy Kit ($35) includes all the necessities to make the warm seasonal cocktail—a lemon, tea bag, liquor, tumbler, and instructions.
Flight 001's eye masks ($16) feature fun prints and graphics, plus a light-eliminating insert that provides extra coverage across the nose bridge, so late-night partygoers can get some much needed shut-eye.
Similar to the hangover cup, Gifts for the Good Life's Good Night/Good Morning Kit includes bedtime treats and morning must-haves such as effervescent tablets, eye drops, and mints, plus popcorn for a midnight snack.
For a party to commemorate Chicago Trading Company’s 20th birthday, Revel Global Events hired Ink Factory to create a custom 5- by 10-foot light box covered with lightweight acrylic. During the event, artists drew images on the light box to represent key moments in the company’s history. After the event, guests received small Plexiglas versions of the artwork as a gift.
