How Google, Tinder, and Twitter Engaged Guests During White House Correspondents' Dinner Events

Comedian Larry Wilmore of Comedy Central’s The Nightly Show was the featured entertainer. He followed remarks by President Obama, who was attending his final White House Correspondents' Association Dinner as Commander-in-Chief.

Independent Journal and Tinder had a yearbook theme for their "Swipe the Vote" party on Thursday at the W Hotel. Oversize posters of mock dating profiles using young photos of presidential candidates lined the hallway as guests arrived.

At voting booths, guests could swipe right—Tinder's signature action for liking someone—to vote for the party's prom king and queen.

Google and HBO hosted nearly 700 people at the Smithsonian's Renwick Gallery on Friday night. The event promoted Google's new Cultural Institute—a digital library of art from museums around the world—and HBO's upcoming film All the Way about President Lyndon B. Johnson's first year in office. Touchscreens in a smaller gallery off the main space allowed guests to engage with the Cultural Institute's programming. 

Sparks designed a black-and-white wall with sketches of the White House and Capitol alongside Google, HBO, and the Renwick Gallery's logos for the Friday night event. The color scheme complemented the step-and-repeat, which had a black background and white logos on the opposite end of the gallery.

The Washington Post 's photo opportunity had a line across the room at the Washington Hilton on Saturday evening. The podium setup resembled the White House Briefing Room, with an American flag tweaked to include the logos of the newspaper as well as Twitter. Guests could create GIFs to share on social media directly from the photo station.

The Washington Post also provided guests a preview of its new 360 Video series, which launches this month on the paper's website and YouTube channel. Filmed in the Galapagos, the video created an immersive experience on the dock of a bay, underwater swimming with turtles, and other island adventures as guests stood within the sphere.

Qualcomm had guests interacting with 3-D technology as party of its Invisible Museum installation. When users pointed an iPad camera toward a building model on a pedestal, the technology created an adaptable 3-D rendering of a city on the screen. The picture was adjusted to new points of view as guests walked around the pedestal.

Samsung Galaxy Note devices lined the black-and-white garden walls at the Thomson Reuters event space on the lower level of the Washington Hilton. During the reception, the phones showed a compilation image of politicians. Later, during an after-party, it changed to display individual pictures of event guests.

A virtual reality experience featured immersive video showing what it is like for journalists to cover the White House beat. The Reuters footage included scenes from a press briefing, the Oval Office, the Rose Garden featuring presidential pups Sunny and Bo, and the White House lawn as President Obama boarded and then departed on the Marine 1 helicopter. Filmed by Reuters photographer Jim Bourg, the video was narrated by Reuters White House correspondent Jeff Mason.

House of Cards actor Michael Kelly took a photo with a custom device that posted pictures directly to Twitter.

Actress Vivica A. Fox was among the guests who took part in the Glam Cam 360 activity sponsored by Toyota at Time magazine and People magazine’s event on Friday, which was produced by Silver Lining Design Group at the St. Regis hotel. The OM Media technology created slow-motion video compilations of guests as they danced, posed, and threw confetti. Guests could then share the footage on Facebook or Tumblr, and the video also played on screens throughout the venue.

MSNBC also offered a 360-degree camera experience that included an attendant who threw black and gold confetti during the shoot. A tablet connected to the booth provided instant social-sharing capability. 

Carbone Entertainment inked MSNBC guests with airbrushed tattoos throughout the evening. Shapes included the NBC peacock, the Republican party elephant, the Democrat donkey, and a red heart with "Mom" written across it.

Saipancakes set up a custom pancake station, which offered pancakes modeled after each of the current presidential candidates as well as President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Guests voted for their favorite using canisters and colored chips.

CNN hosted nearly 500 people on Sunday morning for its Political Hangover brunch at the Long View Gallery. The Pop Art-theme event kept guests entertained with oversize games provided by Design Foundry, a make-your-own Bloody Mary bar from Occasions Caterers, a photo booth from Pixilated, and doughnut decorating from District Doughnut. 

A photo booth by Pixilated featured branded CNN props.

Actress Rosario Dawson played a game of Connect Four that featured donkey and elephant images on the game pieces.

CNN also set up a tech center with iPads and iPhones that scrolled through the site's latest political headlines. 

Atlantic Media hosted its eighth annual breakfast on Saturday morning with a heavy-hitting panel entitled “Unfinished Revolution: Women, Fairness & Power.” Panelists included White House Communications Director Jen Psaki, actress Connie Britton, soccer star Hope Solo, and U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Amy Klobuchar. The early-morning event for 200 at District Commons sought to raise issues about women's equality in the workforce, as well as to make successful and powerful women in Washington and Hollywood more accessible.

Social Supply Event Design and Production created a gallery wall-style step-and-repeat with framed images of the hosts’ logos on a wall of greenery for Atlantic Media and CBS's pre-dinner cocktail reception on Saturday night at the Washington Hilton.

Capitol File also got in on the gaming action with multiple stations set up throughout the British Ambassador's Residence. Producer Syzygy Events International created custom pedestals inspired by classic video games, using black and white icons.

In support of the upcoming Invictus Games—the British-founded international sporting event for wounded, ill, or injured service members—guests signed a giant set piece outside the residence with the games’s slogan of “I am.”

Ernst & Young provided mobile charging power packs for guests to borrow.

The New Media Party on Saturday afternoon brought AOL, Yelp, Event Farm, Hyperlocal, Lyft, and the Entertainment Software Association together for a relaxed brunch and gaming lounge at the Brixton. The gaming stations on the second floor of the venue had rotating groups of players throughout the afternoon.