Experiences

At IMEX America, which ran October 18 to 20 in Las Vegas, the Be Well lounge sponsored by Hilton Worldwide provided a serene space for attendees to unwind and sample sessions from Lee Papa on yoga, mindfulness, and meditation. The conference also offered education sessions and wellness coaching from Dr. Kim Bercovitz.

Smartphone cameras drive the fun in Corporate Games Team Building's Paparazzi game. Organizers divide participants into groups of about eight people each and give them a list of photographs and a bag of costumes and props. Teams then have a set amount of time to travel around a venue or within a designated part of the city, to capture as many of the photos as possible. Examples include a photo of team members posing as celebrities dining alfresco or a photo of team members hosting a cooking show. Organizers score the photos as they come in and put them into a slide show which can be viewed by everyone at the end of the event.

Wizard Studios uses its SuperSonic LED Strobe bracelets to activate team challenges for corporate groups. The wristbands emit bright, colored lights and flashing strobes. Organizers can control the bands remotely to command a team to perform a predetermined activity on cue. The company can work with hosts to develop a program of various challenges and prizes, and after the teambuilding event, the bracelets can also be activated during a party.

Classic game shows get a new twist in Wildly Different's iPlay event. The company provides iPads that teams use to complete challenges modeled after traditional game show activities. In “Survey Says,” participants must rank the answers provided from most popular to least popular in categories such as “top-selling candy bars” and “favorite pastimes.” In “What’s the Tune,” players hear snippets of music and must name the song or artist. The iPads automatically tally each team’s points, and at the end members of the winning team join the M.C. on stage to receive their awards.

“Since we are a hospitality brand, we really wanted to bring something unique to that in-stadium experience by giving the fan the chance to spend the night in the stadium and wake up there,” explained Michael Dail, vice president of global brand marketing for Courtyard.

At the Macallan Gallery 12 exhibit, held in October in New York, visitors used HoloLens devices to visually experience the whiskey’s flavor notes such as honey, citrus, cinnamon, and ginger as they rained down from suspended casks.

From TED conferences to celebrity events, Los Angeles-based water ballet company Aqualillies has redefined synchronized swimming for whole new audiences. In or out of the pool, the bathing beauties add a touch of Old Hollywood glam to any gathering. Available globally, pricing ranges from $1,000 to $10,000.

To celebrate the opening of the DVF Studio x San Francisco pop-up at Gallery 308 at the Fort Mason Center in October, the fashion brand teamed up with Levi’s to offer guests custom screen-printed and embroidered denim.

New York-based the Neon Tea Party works with brands to create customized projects, such as D.I.Y. pearl earrings for Dial’s recent product launch event. The earring station was created to promote the household brand’s Pearl Essence 2-in-1 products. The Neon Tea Party founder Marisa Morrison can be on site to assist guests in creating their crafts.

Morrison can also teach guests how to make mini piñatas.