Illustration: Cornelia Stiles/BizBash
The debut took place in a graffiti-covered warehouse in downtown Los Angeles, with an exterior that did not betray the activities inside.
Photo: Jeff Granbery
A wall of blocks concealed the car before its debut.
Photo: Jeff Granbery
Drones inside each block removed the pieces one by one, surprising guests and getting the crowd buzzing.
Photo: Jeff Granbery
The drones hidden inside the blocks that concealed Infiniti's new vehicle flew away in fluid, elegant motions to reveal the car.
Photo: Jeff Granbery
Infiniti executives introduced the car after the debut.
Photo: Jeff Granbery
Guests interacted with the car after its reveal.
Photo: Jeff Granbery
The brand's color, purple, dictated the decor scheme, including structural arrangements of flowers.
Photo: Jeff Granbery
Tube lighting illuminated angular bars with an industrial edge.
Photo: Jeff Granbery
A projection showed the city lights of Los Angeles, with the streets laid out on a grid.
Photo: Jeff Granbery
Tall banners, illuminated from the floor, lined the entrance to the "Agents of the Future" event.
Photo: Chelsea Lauren
Designers from Red Tettemer O'Connell & Partners selected an airplane hangar as the venue because it provided a blank slate for them to work with.
Photo: Chelsea Lauren
At an interactive projection mapping installation, guests could choose from eight different ways technology might impact cities in the future, such as artificial intelligence and 3-D printing, and then see the effects projected on a cityscape in front of them.
Photo: Chelsea Lauren
Instead of a traditional still photo booth, organizers brought in a system from A-1 Array that combines images from 13 cameras into an animated GIF.
Photo: Chelsea Lauren
Author and digital marketing expert Seth Godin shared his thoughts on future trends with the audience.
Photo: Chelsea Lauren
Designers from Red Tettemer O'Connell & Partners used clean lines, minimal decor, and lighting to give the event a futuristic but classy ambiance.
Photo: Chelsea Lauren
An angled bar with contemporary lighting and floral decor added to the modern vibe.
Photo: Chelsea Lauren
At the bar, guests sipped on custom cocktails named "Metropolis" and "Secret Agent."
Photo: Chelsea Lauren
Servers offered mini turkey burger sliders with pepper jack cheese, cilantro aioli, and tomato chutney from trays with the company's logo.
Photo: Chelsea Lauren
Contemporary platters held lump crab cakes with remoulade and micro arugula.
Photo: Chelsea Lauren
Asian-style spoons served shrimp dumplings with lemon ponzu and scallions.
Photo: Chelsea Lauren
The 12th edition of Google I/O was held at the Shoreline Amphitheatre for the third consecutive year, drawing more than 9,000 attendees each day. Organizers expanded the event’s footprint this year, adding a ninth stage in a neighboring parking lot.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
A three-dimensional version of the Google I/O logo offered a popular photo op area—and included the event's #IO18 hashtag.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
Stage backdrops complemented the year's logo design, with geometric, 3-D lines and circles. Google’s events and experiences team, as well as the developer marketing team, worked with Sparks on the event production.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
Organizers drew inspiration from wayfinding and line management tools at well-trafficked theme parks. “Wayfinding was the most obvious and apparent thing from the minute you walked on campus,” explained Google’s Amanda Matuk. “Everyone understood exactly where they were and where they were going at all points in time.”
Photo: Courtesy of Google
Colorful signage was displayed prominently throughout the campus. The conference continued last year’s method of a neighborhood-like design, with a single Main Street connecting all areas of the massive event.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
Larger-than-life versions of Bugdroid, the Android mascot, marked certain areas of the event—such as the food pavilion—and also provided fun photos ops.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
New this year was an increase in information-sharing: Attendees could scan their badges at any session to receive more details on the topic.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
The on-site Codelabs allowed attendees to get hands-on coding experience at kiosks. The event also included Sandboxes, which were dedicated spaces to learn about and test Google’s latest products and platforms.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
As in previous years, the conference incorporated music-festival-inspired elements, such as oversize Jenga and Checkers games.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
Tongue-in-cheek signage on the ground added a fun touch for the crowd of developers, including one that spelled out “I love you” in binary code.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
As in years past, organizers provided postcards and invited attendees to write a note to a colleague, friend, or family member and drop it into one of the mailboxes located around the event. The goal was to add an analog touch to a tech-heavy environment.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
Another Budgroid photo op area featured a version made from greenery.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
Large tents that held sessions during the day were illuminated for the nighttime events, which included an arcade, musical entertainment, magic shows, and more.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
One evening event featured a cereal station as an out-of-the-box dessert.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
Attendees could also unwind after hours in a moon bounce.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
New York
The New York event was held first, on May 22 at the Sousa House—a historic brownstone in Greenwich Village. Organizers used vinyl to wrap the front door with MobileIron branding.
Photo: Jane Kratochvil
The seventh edition of the conference took over Montréal's Arsenal venue May 23 to 25. An outdoor space, known as the C2 Village, included a tiki bar in a casual atmosphere that encouraged guests to mingle. C2 sponsors had their own lounges in numbered shipping containers. Guests could also mingle on the C2 Melbourne dock, a nod to the conference's expansion to Australia. Presentations were held in the Cirque du Soleil 360 Big Top pop-up circus tent, which debuted last year.
Photo: Andrew Moore
The 1,400-seat tent was designed so that no spectator sat more than 13 rows from the circular stage. Presentations from speakers, including former Army intelligence analyst and whistleblower Chelsea Manning, were enhanced with 360-degree surround video projections and sound.
Photo: Allen McEachern
The C2 Village housed numerous local food trucks that offered some of Montréal's trendiest eats. As the entire conference was cashless, attendees could buy food with a credit card or with their Klik smart badges.
Photo: Agnieszka Stalkoper
Outside of the event entrance, guests could test drive BMW 530e cars, which featured C2 branding. BMW and Mini were the conference's official sustainable mobility partners.
Photo: Jimmy Hamelin
The event took on a literal meaning with the theme "Transformative Collisions": As soon as attendees walked into the Arsenal, they could be thrown off balance by walking over a rotating platform.
Photo: Agnieszka Stalkoper
Guests could schedule meetings and lunches in "cabins," transparent cylinders that blocked out much of the general noise in an area near the entrance. The venue also featured a rotating carousel bar that served drinks and food.
Photo: Andrew Moore
Each year the conference introduces new lab experiences. This year, one of the most eye-catching experiences was the Primal lab, which invited attendees to wear festive, Dr. Seuss-style augmented-reality helmets to see a colorful house interior come to life as a surreal jungle. Legrand said the goal of this lab was to make people reconnect with their senses. "With this element, people have their eyes, ears, smell, taste, and touch stimulated," she said. "That triggers the conversation for them of how they can bring the five senses back into the workplace."
Photo: Agnieszka Stalkoper
The colorful experience also served as a social media-friendly photo op for attendees.
Photo: Agnieszka Stalkoper
At a lab called Cookie, groups brainstormed ideas to make and market their own cookies in a pop-up kitchen. The cookies were displayed in jars in a circular wall showcase outside of the kitchen for other attendees to try. After trying a cookie, guests were encouraged to write a dream or idea on a Post-it, which would be used as inspiration for new cookie ideas throughout the conference.
Photo: Agnieszka Stalkoper
The Transparent lab was held in a mirrored room, where a moderator led a conversation about diversity and bias in the workplace.
Photo: Jimmy Hamelin
Other interactive stations included art installations that were chosen to fit the event theme. At the Migration installation—a traveling clay sculpture from artist Mat Chivers—an artificial intelligence machine designed by Element AI digitally scanned more than 2,000 handprints, which will travel to Concordia University to be kiln fired this summer. The digital scans will be used as training data, resulting in a single file output—the first of its kind created by an A.I. machine—that will be cut into a block of impactite (impact glass) using robot milling technology.
Photo: Agnieszka Stalkoper
In the Aquarium space, attendees could wear headphones and watch the interviews that took place in the glass cube studio.
Photo: Andrew Moore
Conversation Market Nespresso, an industrial space sponsored by the coffee brand, held daily collaborative sessions. Participants were separated into groups and were invited to discuss topics on a screen that corresponded to the color of the circle where they stood. Topics included the future of urban design, digital privacy and security, and how to reduce one's ecological footprint.
Photo: Jimmy Hamelin
Attendees could schedule "brain dates," one-on-one conversations on topics both sides wanted to discuss. They could schedule the conversations before the conference started using the event's Klik platform, or on site with the help of a concierge. The area featured a rainbow cloud-style backdrop. "Brain dates" were created by E180.
Photo: Agnieszka Stalkoper
Attendees looking to take a break from the conference chaos could relax in a restored vintage Airstream in a "Breathing Space" relaxation area. The trailer was provided by Art de la détente (Art of Relaxation), a company that specializes in personalized relaxation areas.
Photo: Agnieszka Stalkoper
Attendees unable to reserve a spot in the 360 Big Top tent could watch the same presentation in the Agora Stingray forum, a seating area in the warehouse. The area also hosted a press conference, where C2 International announced a new partnership with the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. The new partnership grants the venue exclusive access to C2 International’s experiential design platform and signature labs.
Photo: Agnieszka Stalkoper
At an outdoor station, guests could create their own notebooks with materials provided by Montréal-based stationery store Baltic Club.
Photo: Ian Zelaya/BizBash
BMF Media Group designed 25 activations that each were reflective of a specific Marriott hotel brand. For the Aloft Hotels “Listen Up” section, the design reflected the brand’s passion for music and technology innovation. A structure with four cube-shape directional speakers was built to allow guests to place their heads inside and listen to artists from brand’s “Live at Aloft Hotels” concert series.
Photo: Courtesy of Marriott
Moxy, which is known for having a fun, millennial-focused aesthetic, showcased a “Play On” area that featured a ball pit hanging from a truss cube. Guests were invited to jump in and search for prizes in the hot pink plastic balls. The station also had a bar that served cocktails in Capri Sun-inspired pouches.
Photo: Courtesy of Marriott
Courtyard’s “Classics with a Twist” was inspired by the game Twister, featuring a structure that resembled an oversize game board on the floor that extended to the walls. The dots on the game board represented Courtyard’s brand positioning, food and beverage concepts, partnerships, and the breadth of the brand’s portfolio. Attendees were encouraged by brand representatives to participate in a game of Twister as a photo op.
Photo: Courtesy of Marriott
Element’s “Balancing Act” featured a living wall of moss and greenery with letters spelling out the eco-conscious brand’s tagline. The floor mimicked a natural bike path with wood chips and grass. Three green bicycles were mounted in front of the greenery as a photo op for attendees.
Photo: Courtesy of Marriott
As the brand positioning of Autograph Collection is that every property has “its own unique story,” BMF created a library-inspired installation with a massive book staged in the center of the space. The book highlighted Autograph properties and brand pillars.
Photo: Courtesy of Marriott
While many stations incorporated color, Delta Hotels “Clean/Chaos” featured a white bedroom set staged in front of a string art installation. The string material spelled out the brand’s name and tagline: “Delta Hotels. Simple Made Perfect.”
Photo: Courtesy of Marriott
Le Meridien’s “Swings of Glamour” featured a chic travel-theme swing set photo op, designed to remind guests about the meaning of savoring a travel experience. The activation was inspired by the “France is in the Air” campaign from Air France—the founder of the hotel brand.
Photo: Courtesy of Marriott
The Renaissance Hotels “Navigators Hot(e)line” was designed to highlight the local and personalized service offered by the brand’s Navigators—hotel employees that give guests tips on finding local experiences. Five rotary phones were placed on plinths in front of a black wall showcasing quotes related to destinations including Dubai, New York, and Beijing. Guests who picked up the phones heard pre-recorded audio from Navigators offering tips for that particular destination.
Photo: Courtesy of Marriott
For W Hotels “Color Boldly,” BMF built an all-white room that served as a blank canvas. The room’s centerpiece presented six paint colors that corresponded to six W experiences, which were described on labels.
Photo: Courtesy of Marriott
Guests were invited to take brushes and rollers to paint what they wanted on the walls. The word “luxury” was displayed on the back wall.
Photo: Courtesy of Marriott
Sheraton’s “Revolution” scratch-off wall was inspired by the brand’s transformation and the power of community. The initial black matte wall displayed gloss black negative connotations about the brand, including “old” and “tired.” Guests could take hotel keycards to scratch away those worlds.
Photo: Courtesy of Marriott
The wall was gradually scratched off to reveal new Sheraton brand messaging, which offered terms such as “community,” “modern,” and “global exchange”—nodding to the guests’s team effort.
Photo: Courtesy of Marriott
For TownePlace Suites “Closet Essentials,” BMF created a custom walk-in closet. To emphasize the brand’s appreciation of guests’s D.I.Y. attitude, the closet had hanging racks displaying paper fashion pieces that attendees could pose with. Additional items on closet shelves nodded to the hotel’s brand partnerships.
Photo: Courtesy of Marriott
The Ritz-Carlton “#RCMemories Shop” was inspired by the brand’s mission of selling memories, rather than simply room nights. The activation featured shelving units styled and displayed like a retail shop with all-white framed photos of travel images and social media posts. A brand representative was on site to speak about what memories were “for sale.”
Photo: Courtesy of Marriott
SpringHill Suites’s “Space to Infinity” provided guests with an indoor planetarium experience. The exterior of the cube featured constellation-style brand messaging.
Photo: Courtesy of Marriott
Inside the SpringHill Suites cube, guests could walk around and “stargaze.” A 360-degree fiber optic installation provided the starry night effect.
Photo: Courtesy of Marriott
For St. Regis, BMF created an illuminated tree installation to demonstrate the history of the brand, which has roots that go back to 1904 in New York. The installation, which was inspired by the brand’s modern indulgence aesthetic, hung over a long table that displayed key milestones in the history of the brand.
Photo: Courtesy of Marriott
The Luxury Collection offered guests three “portals” designed to virtually transport them around the world. Guests were greeted by a “concierge” who directed them to the closed doors. When guests looked through the door peep holes, they saw digital vignettes of locations in Peru, Thailand, and off the coast of the western U.S.
Photo: Courtesy of Marriott
Tribute Portfolio’s “Add Your Own Color” featured a life-size coloring book, inspired by the brand’s colorful aesthetic. The content of the coloring book design offered illustrations and names of Tribute destinations.
Photo: Courtesy of Marriott
Attendees were encouraged to color in the book using a variety of colored pencils.
Photo: Courtesy of Marriott
Wellness-focused hotel brand Westin showcased a modern take on the apothecary shop. The shop consisted of shelves with curated items including herbs, fresh fruit, fitness items, essential oils, and Westin sleep balm.
Photo: Courtesy of Marriott
WeWork members were welcomed to the activations with a neon sign in the style of a '90s Internet cafe.
Photo: Donald Bowers
Members could win '90s-theme prizes from a branded vending machine, but in lieu of quarters, the machine took payments in the form of posts about the event on social media. "The mix of unadulterated '90s faves with modern twists to old favorites worked together to engage WeWork members on site and carry our message to a larger audience through social conversation," said Arnold.
Photo: Donald Bowers
The on-theme boxes from the machines contained items such as Pogs.
Photo: Donald Bowers
Other prizes included Pez candy dispensers.
Photo: Donald Bowers
The events offered members onsite consultations with LinkedIn experts to help build their profiles.
Photo: Donald Bowers
The events brought back vintage desktop computers equipped with games including the Oregon Trail, a staple for many elementary school students in the '90s.
Photo: Donald Bowers
An art installation created with black and green floppy disks doubled as a step-and-repeat.
Photo: Donald Bowers
Beverage cartons were customized with branding for the series.
Photo: Donald Bowers
Free pizza was served under a neon "Booyah!" sign, calling back to a phrase in '90s slang lexicon.
Photo: Donald Bowers
Attendees could play kids games from the decade, including Bop It! and Guess Who?
Photo: Donald Bowers
Faux Wired magazine covers featured art and teaser text nodding to the '90s tech boom.
Photo: Donald Bowers
Members could also play old-school arcade games.
Photo: Donald Bowers
'Good Trouble’ Dining Experience
To promote its upcoming series Good Trouble, Freeform hosted upscale dining experiences on November 29 and 30 in the back of trucks parked underneath the Hollywood sign. The iconic location was chosen to reflect the excitement the main characters feel after moving to Los Angeles. The experiences were produced by Blue Revolver.
Photo: Freeform/Troy Harvey
'Good Trouble’ Dining Experience
One truck reflected the show's theme of love with red balloons, framed pictures, and a stylish couch. A neon heart sign tied the space together.
Photo: Freeform/Troy Harvey
‘Immersed in Wonderland’
Los Angeles-based visual artist Alexa Meade debuted her first solo exhibition on the West Coast in Beverly Hills on November 15 as part of BOLD Holidays. The 3,000-square-foot exhibit features three-dimensional painted holiday vignettes that create the illusion of a two-dimensional painting when photographed. Each of the seven spaces offers a different theme, such as a festive red playroom or a portrait-filled foyer.
Photo: Alexa Meade
‘Immersed in Wonderland’
Guests can wear painted clothing, sunglasses, and hats.
Photo: Alexa Meade
The amphitheater housed the keynotes and large breakout sessions. The rest of the conference took place in structures set up in the venue's parking lot.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
Based on feedback from the 2016 event, organizers added more wayfinding tools, such as signposts and maps.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
To improve the flow of attendees through the food area, staff held color-coded menu signs that corresponded to the colors on the packaged food. Matuk said the system worked well and allowed 7,200 people to be fed in 45 minutes.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
After dealing with extreme heat in 2016, this year organizers created 30,000 square feet of shaded areas outside the session structures.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
To foster inclusivity, Google invited attendees to add stickers to their badges to indicate which pronouns they prefer to describe themselves.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
Six cyclists pulled mobile water-filling stations around the event, targeting areas where attendees gathered.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
Organizers provided pre-stamped postcards and invited attendees to write a note to a colleague, friend, or family member and drop it into one of the mailboxes located around the event. Matuk said the purpose was to create a “nice human, analog moment in a digital, tech-forward environment.”
Photo: Courtesy of Google
This year organizers created the “Eats Market,” a large pavilion where they served lunch each day. Matuk said this worked much better than their system in 2016 when they had 15 food stations spread through the event.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
The large tents that housed sessions during the day became canvases for pop-up artwork during the opening night Block Party. Cyclists with projectors mounted on their bikes would stop to show a scene or short film on the side of the tent.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
