In today's jam-packed event landscape, the magic of personalization can transform a standard gathering into an unforgettable experience. Today's audiences crave uniqueness, and incorporating personalized elements into events not only surprises and delights attendees—it can also significantly deepen their engagement.
BizBash asked eight seasoned event professionals to share their own favorite examples of event personalization. From personalized playlists to custom giveaways to a build-your-own-jet pack station (yes, really), these examples can elevate the overall event atmosphere, forge lasting memories, and foster a genuine connection between the brand and its audience. (Bonus: Don't miss our recent webinar, where we chatted with Google Cloud and Opus Agency about this very topic!)
Ryan Hanson, founder and creative director, BeEvents
For a conference dinner held at one of BizBash and Connect’s own events, tech company fielddrive turned to event design and production company BeEvents to create an experience that wowed the group of seen-it-all event professionals. One tactic BeEvents used? Discovering attendees' favorite songs and having them playing while they were transported to the event. “We call these acts of Radical Hospitality,” says BeEvents founder and creative director Ryan Hanson. “They say, ‘I see you and I'm going to use the data I've collected about you to curate an experience specifically for you.'”BeEvents has used similar tactics at other events, including a C-suite hospitality event during the Super Bowl where guests arrived to find their favorite cocktails ready for them, along with a personalized drink stirrer. And at a brunch before the game, mini footballs with each attendee's college alma matter logo were displayed throughout the space.
Another fun example? For an employee appreciation event, BeEvents was asked to make team members feel like rock stars—so during registration, each person was asked what would be in their “rider.” BeEvents sourced those items and displayed them throughout the event with recognition plaques. “It doesn't have to cost a lot to make something personal,” notes Hanson. “It's just about getting curious about what you are already doing (i.e., shuttling guests from the hotel to the venue) and thinking about how to make that moment personal.” 
Wilson Dow's reactive screens offered personalized greetings as attendees walked by.Photo: Courtesy of Wilson Dow
Daniel Shaffer, director of digital, Wilson Dow
Daniel Shaffer, director of digital for production agency Wilson Dow, emphasizes the power of personalizing the event space itself. “At one recent customer conference, we built reactive screens that surprised attendees with friendly greetings as they walked by,” he says. “Various personalized brand messages included each person’s name and company and generated awesome buzz and countless selfies!”DeNeitra Burnett, CEO and founder, Savvy Creative Agency
This Hollywood Walk of Fame-inspired moment from Savvy Creative Agency gave each attendee their own star.Photo: Courtesy of Savvy Creative Agency“The highlight of the event was our personalized Hollywood Walk of Fame stars,” she adds. “Each attendee was thrilled to see their name on a star as they entered the party. Personalized elements like this not only create a sense of excitement but also result in a memorable and highly Instagrammable activation, aiding the success of the event. Everyone couldn’t wait to take a picture of and with their star.”
Jennifer Clark, owner, Emerge Events
Jennifer Clark, who owns Emerge Events, likes leaning into personalization for events that involve awards—and makes a point to hire local artists to help. "This helps support local artists, gives you the ability to really customize the award, and gives the award winner something truly meaningful that’s a real conversation piece," she explains. "And they can really be made out of just about anything: wire sculpture, pottery, wood (carved, turned, etc.), iron sculpture, stained glass, art made by children (if that fits the event theme), drawings, paintings, portraits, photography, caricatures of the winners, poetry in a handmade frame. One of my favorites was ceramic figurines that resembled each winner.”Sourabh Kothari, growth marketing advisor, Lead2Pipeline
Last year, tech-focused marketing company Lead2Pipeline polled its global team and discovered that, on average, its employees have more pets than children. The finding caused the company to quickly shift its CSR initiatives to focus on animal welfare—and then they decided to take it a step further at their event activations.
At its trade show booths, Lead2Pipeline distributes swag inspired by its employees' own pets—like this pup Taco!Photo: Courtesy of Lead2Pipeline
But for an added fun, personalized touch, the dogs and cats featured on the magnets are actual images of the staff’s pets! “So now, at every trade show, we have a friendly internal competition of whose fur baby gets the most love,” he explains. “Plus, the personal connection gives our reps a unique way to follow up with booth attendees—who have likely forgotten they ever stopped by before the event even ends.” 
“This strategy took a whole new level at Forrester’s B2B Summit this year,” adds Kothari. “Forrester doesn’t allow live animals at the events—but when they heard that we’d make a donation for each attendee that stopped by our booth, they made a rare exception and allowed us to bring two puppies on site from Austin Pets Alive! for an adoption hour. Our booth got swarmed by 100-plus attendees during that one hour!”Photo: Courtesy of Lead2Pipeline
Melissa Notaro, creative director, BMF
For a six-city tour with German gin brand Monkey47, creative marketing agency BMF designed custom silk scarves printed in different colors to represent the different markets. “We chose scarves over any other branded giveaway because they are definitely having a fashion moment and allowed for guests to still embrace their individuality,” explains Melissa Notaro, a creative director for BMF. “We worked with a stylist on site to style the scarves on each guest as a way to enhance their personal looks—tied as a neck scarf, folded into a pocket square, or adorning a handbag. As more and more guests were seen flaunting their new style throughout the evening, it was clear the scarves were more than an accessory—they became an emblem of the spirited journey experienced at the event.”
An on-site stylist helped style the scarves for each guest.Photo: Courtesy of BMFNotaro reflects on another fun personalization moment she spotted during Miami Art Week last year, during Chase Sapphire and The Infatuation’s event with Chef Gabriela Camra. “Upon check-in, I was handed a wooden token to ‘claim my gift inside.’ I found my way to a custom mezcal glass station where I could use my token to choose an engraving on a colorful mezcal glass gifted along with a unique salt blend,” she remembers. “The green glassware sits proudly on my home bar as a memory from that evening and the time I met Chef Gabriela."
Danielle Damminger, president and creative director, Damminger Productions
Earlier this month, creative agency Damminger Productions celebrated the premiere of Disney's Big City Greens the Movie: Spacecation with a personalized jet pack station. “Kids got to unleash their inner Green by designing their own jet packs using recycled materials,” says Damminger Productions President Danielle Damminger. “It was a fun, eco-friendly activity that perfectly captured the spirit of the show. We embraced the space theme of the movie, while also staying true to the Greens' resourceful and down-to-earth nature.”
Kids decorated their own jet packs at this station from Damminger Productions.Photo: Courtesy of Damminger ProductionsAlex Hirsch, modern calligrapher, Signs of Our Lives
As an event calligraphy artist, Alex Hirsch is no stranger to personalization moments—and calls out a few favorites she's worked on: “A hand-engraved glass that acts as a place card, a heat-foiled luggage tag customized with someone's new title of 'Dr.' on it, a hand-painted leather tag with a parent's newborn's initials, or a hand-engraved water bottle with someone's gamer tag on it as an employee appreciation gift—all of these things have brought such joy to event attendees as they see their items created right in front of their eyes, and then get to have a special keepsake made just for them,” she says.Beyond getting people excited at the event, these keepsakes often get shared on social media and beyond, Hirsch adds. “Photos get posted, brands get tagged, and the FOMO gets real," she says. "If you're wanting to have something at your event that creates engagement, you can truly never go wrong with personalized items." 
Signs of Our Lives specializes in hand-lettered signage, on-site engraving and calligraphy events, and murals.Photo: Courtesy of Signs of Our Lives
