America s Finest Estates for Corporate Events: Six of the Best
EVENT INDUSTRY, TIPS & TRICKS
For a country falsely rumored as having only a little history, the range of architecture displayed in America s estates is pretty staggering. From Louis XIV-style palaces to Tudor homes and Southern mansions, the US offers event managers some wonderful, lavish environments for upscale events. These are just some of our favorite estates that provide a real mixture of charming authenticity and originality.
Oheka Castle
Built by financier Otto Kahn near the Hamptons in New Jersey, Oheka Castle might make passers-by imagine they ve been teleported to Versailles. Its gloriously maintained European gardens are perfect for a post-dinner amble. The inspiration for the Great Gatsby s mansion in the recently released movie, Oheka Castle figures among the cr me de la cr me of estates for hire in America.
Abbey Estate
The Abbey Estate in Montecito, California knows its own worth, selling itself as the best place for weddings and corporate events in the state. Commanding amazing views of the surrounding countryside, the stately home, complete with ivory columns, lend an atmosphere of real flair and class.
Meadowood
Spread over 250 acres of land in California s Napa Valley, the stunning Meadowood resort has refined hosting luxury events to an art form. Catering to up to 250 guests, Meadowood can handle much of the legwork for event organization, offering activities from golf and tennis to a spa and wine classes.
Briarhurst Manor
Briarhurst Manor blends old mountain homeliness with lavish attention to comfort. Located in Manitou Springs, Colorado, and named among America s Top 50 Romantic Restaurants by Open Table, Broadhurst prides itself on creating the perfect atmosphere for everything from fundraisers to company trainings and even murder mystery dinners.
Castle Ladyhawke Estate
Apparently, this castle was not named for the awful Michelle Pfeiffer fantasy movie of the same name. The Ladyhawke Estate has authentically rebuilt a Scottish castle in the lap of the Tuckasegee River in North Carolina. Allowing a true fairytale setting for the more whimsical among you, it even contains a medieval village. Be warned though, alcohol is not provided.
Paradise Point at Kailua Bay
A corporate retreat to Hawaii? One of President Obama s favorite holiday sports? What s not to like? Nuzzled by crystalline waters lapping at its doorstep, the beauty of this Paradise Point resort cannot be accurately conveyed in photographs. Tired of cardboard cut-out conference centers all scraping to put together a good time? This will blow them out of the water.
Heads up: Pixmob Makes Events All Twinkly
EVENT PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY
Well, February sure turned into a month of event tech spotlights on the Decibel blog, so rounding out that theme, we ve got a nifty piece of lighting technology that caught our eye. Take a gander at Pixmob, a company whose sole purpose in this world is to make events sparkle. And really, who couldn t use a little more sparkle?
Pixmob specializes in creating LED products which are designed to sync with live music (didn t we just say that LEDs are the future of event production?), and which can be deployed at the largest scale. Their existing products consist of translucent, RFID-enabled wristbands, PixMob brandable ballsthat engage fans who bounce them around in a crowd , pendants, beads, and our personal favorite, Helicos, which, like a swarm of fireflies gracefully descend into an audience creating immersive visuals. Check this out:
The Tech
For a back-of-the-house look at the technology that drives the products, A/V nerds might be interested in checking out the details behind the tech, which details the different ways the lighted products can be controlled either via impact or wireless controls. They can also be set to display video as opposed to basic light.
More Eye-Candy
Kinda can t stop watching these love the engagement!
Merry Christmas to All from Decibel Management: Our End-of-Year Roundup
COMPANY NEWS
Christmas already? Good heavens. This year has flown by, as all years do, and as we see the new year rounding the bend, we d like to take a moment to look back and salute the last 12 months. We ve been working on a showreel of our top moments of 2014, which we re super excited about posting, but in the meantime, a quick roundup of Decibel s 2014 highlights.
A look at some of our 2014 projects
We took on quite a few repeat clients this year, honing events that we ve managed for the last few years running, plus a couple of new projects and challenges. Not for the first time, Decibel Management tackled the annual National Book Festival, sponsored by the Library of Congress on the National Mall. This event sees hundreds of thousands of visitors annually and is a truly gratifying undertaking. Come on, who doesn t like watching people get excited about reading? It s a joy.
We also stepped back in for the annual National Small Business Week sponsored by the SBA, the Glass Packaging Institutes annual meetings, the DoubleTree by Hilton CookieCare Mobile Tour, and additionally several unique events for nationally-recognized brands (H&R Block, Clorox) with our friends at PR powerhouses Ketchum and FleishmanHillard.
Some of our other projects have included the T. Rowe Price National Sales Meeting, some trade show work for ACell, and more forays into political event management with the Republican Attorney General Association.
A shoutout to friends and vendors
It takes a huge team to pull off large-scale events, and everyone s gotta be on the ball. We feel extremely lucky to be partnered up with some of the most on-it folks in the biz, companies that we trust to back us up in creating some killer events. We particularly want to give some love to the folks who keep bringing the skills year after year. That list includes:
- EventEQ
- M1 Interactive
- CGS Premier
- GES
- Optima GFX
- Greenroom Communications
- Polaris Logistics
- Nomadic Display
- Olympic Case
- Design Foundry
- Legacy Scenic
- Matrix Display
- Access Passes
No really, Merry Christmas
It sounds like a platitude, but platitudes are platitudes for a reason: looking back on this year, we re grateful. We re grateful that we know so many incredible, interesting and capable people; grateful for the opportunity to work in a field that never fails to fascinate us and keep us on our toes, grateful for all of our terrific clients and friends.
We wish you all an incredibly fulfilling 2015, a year that is full to the brim with new experiences, huge successes, and of course, lots of love. We hope you re spending the season surrounded by loved ones and lots of cheer. From everyone at Decibel Management, Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years.
Yet Another Trade Show Roundup: Ultra-Creative 3D Trade Show Booth Ideas
TRADE SHOW
Creative genius comes in many forms. Turns out Behance, a web platform where creatives can showcase their works, is home to a small contingent of trade show booth designers who have some incredible portfolios of inspiring ideas for marketing design. These days, 3D rendering software allows booth designers to concept custom designs before the booths ever get built, so bear in mind that these are renderings rather than actual photographs, but man: the thought that went into some of these.
Activision Booth Design, by Ariel Villalobos, Mexico
Great futuristic open-plan booth with scanner doors for gaming company Activision.
Arab Health Exhibition in Dubai, by Christina Sidhoum, Cairo
Clean, bright and attractive corporate design.
La Vista booth for Cityscape Egypt, by Mostafa Shehatta, Cairo
Want people to come sit down in your space? Make it bright, cozy, and super inviting. With the profusion of trade shows over there, I see lot of great work coming out of the UAE and Egypt these days.
Lipton Tea Lounge, by Hossam Moustafa, Cairo
Hossam is a senior 3D designer, and the experience shows in his creativity. Way to take a brand and bring it to life in an engaging way with this Lipton Tea cafe/booth concept.
Arby s Take-Out Booth Concept, by David Simmons, Boston MA
I dare you not to love this: a mini take-out counter booth shaped like an Arby s drive-through window.
Shell Petroleum, by Murtaza Saleem, Pakistan
Way to knock the branding out of the park: this booth is super on-message, incorporating Shell s colors and visual identity effortlessly.
Quick shameless plug: Decibel can get custom booth design done for you, too, so give us a ring if you re in the market.
Whatever
EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS, PERMITS
We have been watching with fascination the Whatever USA advertising campaign, event, experiential activation, promotion and commercial film shoot from Anheuser Busch. Most of us have seen the commercials from Bud Light about the fictional town Whatever USA. The brand marketing team launched a series of commercials about the town, and held a contest for 1,100 lucky winners to visit for three days of fun- all expenses paid.
Permitting:
Whatever USA was built in the actual town of Crested Butte, CO. From the beginning, there were challenges reported about the permitting process. The Town Council ended up approving the event, but it was after heated debate from the citizens of the town. The standard permitting fees start at $10,000 here, and to secure the special event AB originally offered $250,000 to the town. After the debate began to build in late August, Bud Light upped the offer to $500,000, including a promise to fix any damage and restore the town to its original condition.
The Controversy:
The controversy began with the build of the event. The event team began construction of the fences and infrastructure prior to getting the official approval from the Town Council. After an 8.5-hour debate at the town council, the meeting ended with a temporary permit for construction to begin. Once locals began seeing the extent the complaints started rolling in. Citizens felt a lack of communication, even though the marketing firm and Anheuser Busch have been working with the town since last spring, including producing a 100 page operational plan, however residents did not learn about the extent until weeks before the event.
The Build:
So what did the build include? In addition to the full concert build, the main avenue in Crested Butte was painted blue, the iconic avenue was adorned with blue paint, blue light poles, Bud Light branded fencing, custom archways and signs, as well as a host of other branding elements. This also included a giant blue gorilla, Bud Light Blue busses, oversized props, etc. In addition, local retail establishments were only serving Bud Light throughout the event.
Issues and Cleanup:
Many issues were compounded when Bud Light ran out of wristbands for local residents to attend. In fact, they had to distribute permission slips for people to go to work. After the event, heavy rains caused the paint to run, and plans had to change for the resurface. In fact, they had to spend an extra $40,000 to remove an 1/8 of the road to re-pave Elk Avenue.
Final Thoughts:
I am a fan of this event, and applaud the marketing team and the client for pushing the boundaries with this event. Were there issues? Could communication be better? Will there be a host of key learnings coming out of this activation? Cost overruns? Yes to all, but it looks like an overall win, especially for content and the advertising that will come out of this activation for the next year. As always, content is king.
Behind the Scenes with Decibel Management: How an Experiential Event Comes Together
BACKSTAGE, COMPANY NEWS, EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS, TRADE SHOW
If you have ever wondered what goes into a technical and experiential event build, take a look behind the scenes with Decibel Management and our amazing production team for the building of the H&R Block- Get Your Billion Back experience.
The development, programming and construction was challenging, complex, and delivered on a lightning fast timetable. We were truly only able to succeed because of the great team we assembled. This included our partners: M1 Interactive, CGS Premier, Greenroom Communications, and EventPro Strategies as well as great clients in Ketchum Public Relations as well as H&R Block.
6 Innovative Outdoor Summer Event Theme Ideas
TIPS & TRICKS
Tis the season for fun in the sun. We recently ran cross this inspiring summer party ideas pinboard on Pinterest, and we re loving it! In the spirit of the season, here are some more ideas for ramping up your outdoor summer shindig.
Image: bonvivant.co.uk
The Craft Beer Garden
Craft beer has become wildly popular in many parts of America, while beer gardens typically outdoor tented sit-down areas with either self-serve beer or table service are a traditional way to relax in most of Europe. Mix up the two by tracking down a couple kegs from your local craft brewery and throwing up a big sunshade. Easy to put together and often a big success (is beer ever not a success?), beer gardens are a great addition to your summer party.
BBQ Contest
Few things can bring together almost all event goers, but a love for tangy barbecue may be one of them. This is particularly great as a summer team-builder: organize a BBQ contest and watch every attendee worth their seasalt, from the CEO to the head of accounting, pick up a pair of tongs. Keep non-meat-eaters involved with veggie kabob or tofu BBQ.
Fairgrounds Theme
Elephant ears, fire-breathers and magicians, oh my! A mini-fun fair is infinitely scaleable for any budget, and isn t just for kids. Looking to go all-out? Rent out a dunk booth, hire some jugglers, and get a cotton-candy stand. On a tighter budget? Pop up some kettle corn and hang some streamers.
Image: 100layercake.com
Old Timey Down Home Picnic
Prop up the old fashioned lemonade stand, break out the fresh peach pie and set up your ice-cream bar. Don t forget the okra!
English garden party
The ideas above may not suit those seeking how to throw an event for the posh and well-heeled. But a touch of the Old Country might provide the inspiration you need. The Queen is well-known for her afternoon teas on the grounds of Buckingham Palace. A great white marquee tent, a skilled caterer, white-tie waiters, and naturally an open croquet green, and you have yourself the makings for your own garden party.
Tips & Tricks: How to Rent a Public JumboTron
TIPS & TRICKS
The word JumboTron is actually a trademarked brand name owned by Sony, though one that has become synonymous with all mega-sized televisions, particularly those mounted in stadiums and public squares. But you knew that already. What you didn t know is how to get your marriage proposal, event announcement, or congratulatory message up there.
Who do I contact to rent?
The short (and rather unhelpful) answer is that you ll need to contact the owner, which can be a private individual, an ad agency or sometimes an institution. If you re looking to rent the JumboTron at a sports stadium, for example, you d need to contact the stadium administration office directly, and you ll probably need to call in as a surprising number of stadiums don t offer JumboTron message information online. The Jumbotrons in Times Square (here s a list of contact info for those) are each owned by private individuals or companies. so you d first need to identify the exact screen you d like to rent, then contact the owner for specifics.
How much does it cost?
There s a marked difference between costs for advertising on a Jumbotron versus costs for displaying a personal message (like a marriage proposal or anniversary announcement). Messages displayed on the scoreboard at Michigan Stadium, for example, cost $250 for a maximum of 50 characters, but you have no control over the design and placement of your message. Advertisements, on the other hand, can run anywhere from $3,000 to $20,000.
Some more examples of popular public JumboTrons in the US:
Yankee Stadium
Messages on the Pepsi Fan Marquee scoreboard at New York s Yankee Stadium cost $100 per message, with a maximum of 10 messages per game, allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Freemont Street Experience
At 135,000 square feet, the Viva Vision screen in Las Vegas is the second-largest screen in the world. Placing a custom message on the Viva Vision screen costs $500. If you want to include photo or video, you ll have to contact the administration for a quote.
Big Screen at Texas Motor Speedway
Positioned in the middle of the backstretch perched above Burnout Alley, Big Hoss TV features 20,633.64 square feet of HD LED display that consists of 4.8 million pixels and 281 trillion colors. The state-of-the-art video board is the largest ever built by Panasonic and surpassed fellow Speedway Motorsports, Inc. facility Charlotte Motor Speedway (16,000 square feet) to claim the Guinness World Record for the world s largest HD LED video board. The size of Big Hoss TV is 79 percent larger than the video board at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, which stands at 11,520 square feet. Contact for exact prices.
Music Festival Month: Video Outtakes from Bonnaroo
LIVE EVENTS
June is Music Festival Month on the Decibel Blog, and today we take a quick gander at the best videos from Bonnaroo. Held in Manchester, Tennessee, June 11-14, Bonnaroo is the only multi-day music festival where events and shows run 24-hours, non-stop.
First, the Stats
80,000 attendees, and a 24-hour event schedule to manage? How many acres? HOW many tons of waste? Respect.
Speakers in the Shower
What s the worst thing about having a scrub-down at a music festival? Missing your favorite songs, natch. But Bonnaroo is remedying the problem with pretty sophisticated shower technology, including speakers built into the shower heads that play music from festival artists. If you re curious about the process, this is what it s like to shower at Bonnaroo.
Because Yes Please: Earth Wind & Fire
The silver pants, the silver pants!
The Domestic Weirdness Video Backdrop
Leave up to Belle & Sebastian to turn the weirdness factor up to twenty with a minimalist video backdrop of bizarre vintage Americana. Check it out start at 28:54:
The Dome (Again)
Hey, look, it s electronic wonderdude Deadmau5! We were just talkin about this guy. The Bonnaroo videographers produced a much better video of the producer s brand new Thunder Dome lighting cube, which debuted at the Governor s Ball in New York only a few weeks ago. Check out this A/V madness:
Odesza Brings the Tuba-Driven Tripiness
A perfect pairing of light and sound at Odesza s Bonnaroo set, which is almost prettier to watch than it is to listen to.
Five of the Hottest Event Photographers in 2015
EVENT INDUSTRY
Event photography is an art form all its own. You need someone who understands how to capture the action while it s happening without creating overly-staged shots, how to shoot under low lighting conditions for parties and night events, and how to take compelling action shots. Here are the Decibel Management picks for best-in-show photographers for 2015.
Shot by Rob
Speaking of low lighting, Rob is a roamer of the after-hours streets, a nightlife photographer with a real gift for capturing hot late-night club moments in which nobody looks tremendously drunk. Rob shoots around 500 events a year that s slightly less than two a day.
Dave Bird
With a portfolio that tends towards lovely conference and speaker shots showing the special of corporate events, London-based Dave Bird s event photography is top-of-the-line. About himself, he says: I love bright and exciting stories of people doing cool stuff, whether that s in their day job or what they do at the weekend. Natural interactions are really important to me, and I m always after that special moment my approach and process lets me light and then direct what s happening so that it works best for the camera, but still never feels posed or rigid.
Rukes
No post about event photography would be complete without a mention of Rukes, who specializes in electronic music and festivals. Snapping some of the hottest DJs and large-scale music events in the last few years, Rukes has been catapulted to the top his game with his amazingly colorful and dynamic imagery that showcases crowd excitement and scale like few others can.
Alan Klein
Alan Klein s photography is a mature but not at all boring, serious but not at all staid, and careful but not without a splash of fun. Based in New York, Alan s lens perfect captures political events, gallery openings, corporate functions, and visions of audience engagement.
Heisenberg Media
Heisenberg Media specializes in dramatic event photography and executive portraiture. We re not your standard documentarians. We seek out, capture and produce works of art that can be used time and time again in your marketing materials, publications, presentations and more.