In addition to streaming performances from the nearby Honda-sponsored stage and showcasing the 2015 Honda Fit EX-L car, the Honda Lounge had a dedicated selfie area set up in a yellow container, with angled mirrors for participants to easily take photos of themselves.
Guests were able to switch out their dead phone batteries for new ones, which were stored in a wooden soda crate alongside succulents.
Ten winners of the festival’s golden bracelet were given special access to the festival’s Golden Porta Potty. The winners were also given 10 tickets each to hand out at their discretion. The gold-painted single Porta-Potty was air-conditioned and included Wi-Fi, an array of high-end toiletries like perfume, and a screen streaming performances from the festival stages so visitors wouldn’t miss a second of music.
Attendees formed long lines to pose in an oversize photo frame that was placed on top of a slight hill, offering a scenic background of one of the main stages as well as the Austin skyline.
A third photo op involved a swing set that was designed to look like the Brooklyn Bridge.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Decor included signage of food-related puns and illustrations.
Your Event Solution produced an adult Willy Wonka-theme corporate event for an association’s annual meeting on April 1 at Chateau Elan Winery & Resort outside of Atlanta. Showcasing a unique take on a doughnut wall, the event offered doughnuts placed on giant letters that spelled out “sweet."
Univision’s presentation featured the concept of “Proof of Passion” and highlighted the network's five passion points: soccer, news, family, music, and drama. The event was held at the Lyric Theatre on May 16. The entrance to the theater was decorated with a cascading balloon sculpture.
New York's Sneakeasy came to 45 Grand Street from March 20 to 26. The activation showcased the new Air VaporMax shoe with a futuristic mirror backdrop.
The branded space featured Nike-inspired catchphrases as signage, along with shoes displayed on branded air tanks.
The Toronto Sneakeasy took place at a surprise location on March 25. Guests who won a golden ticket from Nike's branded Air Max Bus were instructed to show up to an unoccupied warehouse in Chinatown. Director X curated the experience, which featured interactive displays by six local artists inspired by Air Max silhouettes and milestones from the past 30 years.
Artist Anna Bediones' installation, which was inspired by the Air Max 90 style, featured upside-down shoe portraits and benches.
An homage to the Air Max 95, the installation by artist Avi Gold was inspired by 1995 sneaker shops.
Inspired by the first Air Max shoe from 1987, the installation by Bryan Espiritu was a play on President Ronald Reagan's "Tear down this wall" quote from his Berlin Wall speech that year.
The Los Angeles activation took place March 25 to 26 at a surprise location on La Brea Avenue. A giant screen showcased the new VaporMax shoes.
Installations at the Los Angeles pop-up were meant to celebrate air.
The Chicago Sneakeasy took place March 25 at a former distillery factory. Decor included a ceiling installation that featured shoes in transparent boxes.
Additional decor included a wall projection of the bottom of a Nike shoe.
Local artists Junkyard, Merlot, and Lefty Out There designed installations inspired by the theme of air.
After cocktails, the event’s 2,500 attendees split off to four concurrent dinners. The largest dinner was the colorful, elegant patron’s dinner, which was housed in a 12,000-square-foot tent erected next to Davies Symphony Hall. The Blueprint Studios-designed space was inspired by modern chinoiserie art and fashion. Overhead was an intricate ceiling chandelier that was designed for the event.
Blueprint used soft yet bold colors, brushed velvet, and silk textiles juxtaposed with modern metals and custom-forged wall sculptures. McCalls Catering catered the dinner for 700 guests.
Once the patron’s dinner ended and guests went inside the symphony hall for the performance, organizers had 90 minutes to remove the dining tables and chairs, and load in banquettes, chaises, and lounge seating.
While the concert didn’t technically end up 10 p.m., organizers needed to get the spaces party-ready by 9:30. “We of course want people to stay for the end of the concert, but we know that there are some people who come more for the overall experience, and they want to make sure they get their lounge seating or are first in line at the bar,” Lobre explained.
The bar served wine from Pine Ridge Vineyards, Seghesio Family Vineyards, Domaine Carneros, and OneHope.
Inside the tent, guests danced to Top 40 hits by the band Wonder Bread 5.
During the 90-minute window, workers—including more than 100 staffers from Blueprint alone—also transformed the outdoor area that had previously held the red carpet. Heat lamps and bar seating were set up, and centerpieces were exchanged. Lounge seating featured blue velvet chairs and gold details, and organizers provided blankets to keep guests warm.
The outdoor after-party featured a performance by DJL. Disco balls overhead added to the late-night vibe.
Additional lounge seating featured mirrored installations by Blueprint, which proved to be a popular spot for photo ops.
Twenty restaurants set up food and dessert stations for after-party guests, including Alta, Cliff House, Mark Hopkins San Francisco, Johnny Doughnuts, and Salt & Straw.
Blueprint Studios created an additional after-party space at Zellerbach Rehearsal Hall at the San Francisco War Memorial & Performing Arts Center, located across from Davies Symphony Hall. Decor featured luxe white and gold furnishings, strands of lights, and plenty of candles.
Some 400 guests attended the Tanglewood Gala on July 7, which included a cocktail reception and dinner, to celebrate the kick off of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s season. Held at the Tanglewood Music Center in the Berkshires, the gala raised more than $470,000. Design was handled in-house, and foral and ceiling decor was handled by Winston Flowers.
At the July 29 benefit in Watermill, New York, Jared Madere’s "Melbaumme, Zoey Carves The River, Every Rose" greeted guests at the event’s entrance. The tapestries incorporated large-scale, laser-cut vinyl works with LED lights, fake flowers, and vines.
At Diffa Dining by Design at Chicago’s Merchandise Mart in November 2015, doodling was encouraged at the table designed by Allsteel and Henricksen. The design incorporated pages plucked from adult coloring books, and centerpieces held crayons and colored pencils.
The “Which Way Do You Swing” room invited guests to take photos on tire swings.
Scottish outerwear brand Hunter hosted an immersive pop-up at Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal in New York from October 22 to 25. The installation, which was modeled after a British glass-roof greenhouse, celebrated the brand’s Scottish heritage by inviting passersby inside to experience mist, moss, and atmospheric rain sounds inspired by the Scottish Highlands. Guests could also try on waterproof products from the Hunter Original Core Concept collection. The installation was produced by Invisible North.
Sony spotlighted several of its projects, including many still in development with its Future Lab Program, to the public with its venue at Trinity Warehouse. It also demonstrated a virtual-reality music video through Playstation with the Chainsmokers. Guests could record their “wow experience” on a massive plywood wall.
Yelp hosted its annual summit for 400 nationally based managers late last month at Headquarters Beercade River North in Chicago. Designed by Kehoe Designs, the event featured a ceiling Slinky installation that combined glittering disco balls with the glow-in-the-dark toys.
Coca-Cola’s gallery space served as a popular photo op area in the Pyeongchang Olympic Plaza. The space combined brand images with Olympic-inspired illustrations depicting Winter Olympic events.
South Korea-based Samsung offered nine showcases at different locations in Pyeongchang and Gangneung throughout the duration of the games. Located in transparent structures, the showcases featured a combination of technological, cultural, and immersive fan experiences. One of the showcase highlights was the Infinity Moment—a mirrored room that responded to and integrated artwork created by visitors with a Galaxy Note8 and S Pen.
For the launch party for Tiffany & Co.’s Paper Flowers collection, which took place in May at its flagship store and other locations in New York, a vehicle in the brand’s signature blue color featured a variety of florals that popped out of the hood. The florals, arranged by Angel Salazar Design, were French tulips, coral charm peonies, hanging amaranths, purple lilac, white delphiniums, green viburnum, garden roses, pear blossoms, gloriosa lilies, paper grass, and yellow solidago. The event was designed by Mission, while Levy NYC Design & Production handled lighting, audio, and video.
For the inaugural Rosé Day L.A., which took place in June at Saddlerock Ranch in Malibu, California, 1iota Productions and Event Eleven partnered to produce a rosé-theme festival with numerous Instagram-friendly installations. A Moët & Chandon-branded Airstream trailer had pink and red florals cascading out of the windows. Floral Crush Studio provided flowers for the event.
Inside the shop, brand-new releases, including the limited-edition World Cup trunk, which is displayed in the center of the store, as well as versions of the brand’s Keepall and Apollo bags and a selection of small leather goods, all inspired by the design of the tournament ball, are on view. The pop-up store will be open to the public until July 15.
