ILEA Minnesota Star Awards: The Unluckiest Bash
Submitted by Machine Shop and ILEA MSP
Putting a unique twist on numerology for the Minnesota Star Awards, ILEA’s Minneapolis/St. Paul chapter made its 13th annual event the “Unluckiest Bash.” The “ruined” dinner at the Historic Machine Shop venue featured gourmet food served in delivery boxes, and games of chance were on tap and a “power outage” allowed for a lighting switch. The after-party included tarot card readers.
Hilton Americas Leadership Managed Awards Dinner
Submitted by Hilton Hotels Corporation
In March 2017, the Hilton Hotels team ditched the traditional seated awards-dinner format for an interactive tasting experience. The Hilton Americas Leadership Managed Awards Dinner, which was held at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square, featured cooking stations in the center of the room, each representing the hotel chain’s various regions. Plus, bars and lounges allowed guests to sit and dine and interact with the chefs or roam the space to network with fellow colleagues.
C2 Montréal
Submitted by C2 Montréal
A business conference for 6,500 attendees designed to mix commerce and creativity, C2 Montréal is known for labs and activations that fuse meaning and play. In one example, organizers mimicked the feeling one gets from having a moonshot idea by lifting attendees up and surrounding them in a projection canvas, creating an environment where guests' heads were “somewhere in the clouds.” The event also used the latest developments in badge technology, and worked to reduce its environmental footprint.
Welcome To Camp Ignite
Submitted by Destination South Meetings and Events
The second edition of Microsoft’s software conference took over Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park in September 2016. Event producer Destination South Meetings and Events worked with more than 40 vendors on the five-day event, which offered keynotes, labs, breakout sessions, and more for 15,000 developers, partners, tech experts, and customers. To allow attendees to unwind in a nostalgic environment, the conference created environments inspired by summer camp, including a “Camp Alpine” section with bungee jumping and rock walls, and a “Camp Southwest” area that featured decor such as cattle skulls, cacti, and illuminated tepees.
Axios Launch
Submitted by Advoc8
For the August 2016 launch of Axios, a start-up media company founded by former Politico executives, Axios and event firm Advoc8 created a time-traveling experience to drive home the brand’s claim to be “the future of news.” Guests entered RPM Italian restaurant in Washington, D.C., to find an early 1900s speakeasy with prohibition-style outfits, vintage newspapers, and more—but there was a twist. A bookcase wheeled away to reveal a bright, minimalist space set in the future, featuring a hologram of Axios co-founder Mike Allen serving as bartender. The room was decorated with backlit touchscreen walls, LED flower centerpieces, and other futuristic touches.
29Rooms
Submitted by Refinery29
Celebrating a culture of inclusivity, Refinery29’s second annual 29Rooms experience aimed to spark social conversation in real life through interactive installations that promoted the exchange of ideas and self-expression. With a theme of “Power by People,” the art exhibits at the multiday warehouse event in Brooklyn touched on topics such as body positivity, women’s leadership, L.G.B.T.Q.A. pride, and more in highly Instagrammable fashion—so much so that the event’s social reach hit about half of the platform’s total users.
Sephora 2016 Holiday Preview
Submitted by the Gathery
Sephora hosted a press preview for its 2016 holiday campaign at Glasshouses in New York in July 2016. The Gathery created five showrooms inspired by traditional home environments that each showcased different products in custom-patterned wrapping paper. But the colorful, visual twist was that each home environment featured decoupage. Elements such as sinks, a bathtub, a Christmas tree, and even the replica of a turkey feast were created using paper craft mostly in shades of pink.
Ovation at LiveWorx Technology Conference
Submitted by Ovation
At the opening experience to industrial technology conference LiveWorx in Boston, Ovation produced and developed a one-of-a-kind performance that blended the physical and digital through programmed robots. Interacting with entertainer Laserman, the on-stage robots performed synchronized movements with newly developed laser technology that became more advanced—and surprising to the audience—as the bots gained awareness.
29Rooms
Submitted by Refinery29
The second iteration of 29Rooms, Refinery29’s interactive, Instagrammable playground, featured creative lighting elements in the curated spaces, including rainbow lighting inspired by the Pride movement and a fluid green-blue water treatment that mimicked a bottle of Perrier. The overall lighting design was intended to produce the ideal conditions for capturing an Instagram moment. The multi-day event took place in August 2016 in a warehouse in Brooklyn.
Mini Countryman Launch 2017
Submitted by Campos Creative Works
In order to train Mini dealership employees on the new 2017 Mini Countryman—and to inspire passion and loyalty for the brand—Mini worked with Campos Creative Works to create an interactive program in Palm Springs, California, in February 2017. Attendees went on a five-hour driving experience—which featured virtual-reality instructions inside the vehicle—rather than being trained in a classroom. They also visited a “glamping” site in the mountains in order to take photos of the car in its natural habitat, and had the chance to drive the cars on a racetrack.
Enchanted Secret Garden Wedding
Submitted by Swoop
A private wedding’s dinner and cocktail reception, held at the Oheka Castle in Huntington, Long Island, in November 2016, featured 200,000 silk flowers and half a million real blooms inside a 10,000-square-foot tent. Highlights included a towering 20-foot flower sculpture constructed to look like a tree that rose from the cocktail bar, and a floating 30- by 30-foot dance floor that contained silk flowers encased in Plexiglass.
Air France Paris for Dessert
Submitted by Gradient Experiential
With the goal of promoting its in-air gastronomy, Air France tapped Gradient Experiential to create an elevated street activation that would gain traction on social media. In a consumer-facing promotion in New York’s Union Square in June, passersby climbed a branded staircase and posted Panora.me videos on social media for a chance to win an invite to a dinner series. The winners—plus press, influencers, and other V.I.P.s—were able to attend the dinner, which was hosted inside a recreated plane fuselage and featured cuisine by chef Daniel Boulud.
Boomset N.F.C. Automation at Night Shift Antwerp
Submitted by Boomset
At Night Shift Antwerp 2017 in Belgium, event management software company Boomset updated the ways in which the event used N.F.C. technology. Through Boomset’s N.F.C. automated check-in, organizers were able to offer a unique guest experience, as well as streamline marketing efforts by better capturing attendee demographics and collecting relevant data. Use of the software ultimately saved planners time and made efficient use of budget and materials.
Rock and Roll Team Building
Submitted by Rock and Roll Team Building
Rock and Roll Team Building launched in Sydney, Australia, in July 2016. The service, which is based in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, provides music-focused interactive workshops for corporate events. The workshops, which are led by Grammy-winning songwriter Ciaran Gibbin, include songwriting classes, the recording of an original song, and the chance to pose as rock stars such as Madonna and Axl Rose. The workshops also include an evening performance by Gribbin.
The Bash
Submitted by UJA-Federation of New York
Honoring the 100th birthday of the UJA-Federation of New York, the event included nearly a dozen interactive installations that showcased the organization’s work globally. The Bash, held at Skylight Clarkson Square, also included a large pyramid made from 3,000 boxes of matzoh, signifying the federation’s efforts to end hunger.
30th Annual Crystal Ball
Submitted by British Columbia Children's Hospital
To mark the 30th anniversary of British Columbia Children’s Hospital’s Crystal Ball, organizers sought to celebrate the event’s past with a “30 Years Through the Looking Glass” theme. Alice in Wonderland-inspired decor and costumed characters filled the space at the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver in November 2016, and technology elements such as projection mapping and a real-time leaderboard showing silent auction bids helped guests look to the future. The milestone event set a province-wide charity gala record of $4.5 million.
Dom Perignon the Vintage Trinity
Submitted by Gradient Experiential
For the June launch of Dom Perignon’s Vintage Trinity trio of wines, the brand tapped Gradient Experiential to create an event for press, influencers, and clients that would also reach fans on social media. Irving Plaza in New York was transformed, with each room illustrating unique characteristics of the vintages. In one room, poets crafted custom haikus, while in another, partygoers worked their way through a maze of mirrors. The evening ended with a performance by the cabaret group behind Manko Paris. The event resulted in more than 8 million impressions on social media.
Boomset Custom-Branded Registration Experience
Submitted by Boomset
Boomset Event Software Solutions launched internationally in January 2017. The software offers a customizable event automation platform of apps and services for planners, with features including integrated guest check-in; onsite badge, plastic card, and wristband printing; self-check-in kiosks that can be customized; R.F.I.D. automated check-in and tracking; session management; and real-time analytics.
25th Anniversary French Riviera Celebration
Submitted by SO Events
The weeklong celebration, in honor of Magic and Cookie Johnson’s 25th wedding anniversary in June, included three yachts that chartered guests to locations such as Monaco, Monte Carlo, and St. Tropez. Each destination featured its own extravagant event, including a black-tie dinner with dancing and a custom stage built on a dock in St. Tropez where performers entertained the couple and 100 of their closest friends and family.
Casa Cisco at the 2016 Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games
Submitted by George P. Johnson Experience Marketing and Spinifex Group
At the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero, George P. Johnson and Spinifex Group partnered with Cisco to share the brand’s story and connection to Brazil. To do this, a beachfront club at the foot of Sugarloaf Mountain was transformed into the “Casa Cisco,” where customers, prospects, and partners were invited to learn about the company’s involvement in the games and city through interactive exhibits. The structure is now a permanent fixture belonging to the local community.
Philadelphia Flower Show Entrance Set Design
Submitted by GMR Design
Echoing Holland’s endless floral fields, thousands of tulips were used to create a dazzling array of color, ranging from hot orange to soft pinks, reds, blues, and purples. The starting point of the show’s 189th annual edition—where the theme was “Holland: Flowering the World”—also included trees, a brick bridge inspired by Amsterdam, overflowing flower boxes, a giant windmill, and hanging baskets.
Animal Kingdom
Submitted by Production Glue
At a South by Southwest activation for the second season of the TNT show Animal Kingdom, Production Glue demonstrated the effectiveness of its GreenGlue sustainability program. All the event’s furniture and decor was donated to seven nonprofit organizations. Because the pieces weren’t put in a dumpster, nearly seven tons of carbon dioxide were saved.
Game of Thrones Holiday Party
Submitted by Silhouette Group
Silhouette Group designed a Game of Thrones-theme corporate holiday party for a finance company in December 2016. Inspired by the medieval fantasy series, the party took place in a 13th century-style castle winery in Napa Valley, and featured a variety of decor inspired by the series including a replica of the iron throne, fur blankets draped on wooden benches, twig-covered fire pits, and a custom map. The 90-seat dining table featured tall, lavish centerpieces created with candles, a variety of greenery and florals, and pomegranates.
New York International Auto Show
Submitted by Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association
The 2017 New York International Auto Show, held over 10 days in April at the Javits Center, showcased more than 1,000 of the industry’s newest vehicles. The annual trade show featured experiential activities including virtual-reality displays, ride and drives, virtual test tracks, racing simulators, celebrity meet-and-greets, and more. The 2017 theme of “What’s Your Drive?” aimed to ignite the passion attendees have for their automobiles. Ford partnered with the show this year, leading to increased attendance and social-media reach.
HGTV and Food Network Cupcake Challenge
Submitted by Pop2Life
Located at VidCon, the HGTV and Food Network Cupcake Challenge booth had two objectives: engage guests and connect them with content. Visitors were invited to decorate cupcakes and carrying boxes, then set them up for a photo/video shoot that resulted in images that could be shared on social media. Attendees were incentivized to follow their social accounts—and they cumulatively acquired about 206,000 new followers.
The Camo Collective
Submitted by PepsiCo Creator and Mountain Dew
At ComplexCon at the Long Beach Convention Center in May 2016, attendees entered an interactive augmented-reality experience called the “CamoFlector,” which featured mirrors that were equipped with hologram-AR technology. Guests were virtually outfitted with custom looks from Mountain Dew’s wearable tech collection with VFiles, then immersed in a virtual music video. Users received the video to share on social media and a direct link to purchase the apparel.
#OnlyOnRodeo Spring Floral Art Installation
Submitted by Agenc
Targeting millennial shoppers and luxury legacy consumers, the #OnlyOnRodeo spring floral art installation was erected as a photo op on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California, in April. The concept, conceived and executed by Agenc, was part of a citywide campaign to evolve the image of Rodeo Drive and to increase foot traffic to the area. The visually stunning set was a hit on Instagram, earning more than 35 million impressions in a six-week period.
Samsung Galaxy S8: Unbox Your Phone
Submitted by Wasserman
For its product launch in April, Samsung transformed New York into an underwater seascape with a nature vs. man idea that was brought to life with 69 digital outdoor screens. The campaign’s motif—a diver in the middle of the ocean who comes face to face with a giant whale—was broadcast across Times Square. The event also featured 110 performers, 20,000 programmable LED wristbands, and hundreds of electric jellyfish umbrellas.
Hearst Digital Newfronts
Submitted by BMF Media
BMF Media produced Hearst’s Digital Newfront, which took place in May 2017 at Skylight Modern in New York. Designed to showcase the media company’s upcoming digital programming across the pillars of food, fashion, beauty, and men’s lifestyle, the event featured visually immersive areas with video content to create interactive moments for guests. The food area showed how-to videos related to current culinary trends, with screens built into set flats covered in food-theme wallpaper. Guests could then open small drawers below the screen that would refill with food featured in the videos for guests to eat.
KIA N.B.A. All-Star Ride
Submitted by IMG Live
During the 2017 N.B.A. All-Star Game in New Orleans, Kia asked IMG Live to help entertain consumers at the event—and at home. The result was a gamefication of Uber’s Rideshare app, in which several Kia vehicles were revamped with lights, hidden cameras, and a game-show host to surprise riders. Participants were asked to answer questions about the N.B.A. and New Orleans for a chance to win prizes. And to engage fans at home, 50 hours of raw footage was captured and turned into 11 unique videos that generated more than one million views and 4.7 million social media impressions.
