5 Activations that turned Napping into Experiential Marketing
BRAND ACTIVATIONS & MARKETING
Sleep as the core concept behind a brand activation isn t easy to pull off. For one thing, it s slow: if you re serving pancakes out of the back of a truck, it s a 1-minute turn-around per customer engagement. Naps, though? Could be ten minutes, could be an hour. It s also unpredictable: people do weird stuff in their sleep and they don t like to be woken up. Plus, since most activations happen in high-energy public areas, you re working against the natural rhythm of the environment and the day. Considering all those potential problems, rolling out a nap-based activation is a pretty ballsy endeavor.
That said, done right, it can be very well-received. Examples? Here s five:
No Worries Motel
If anyone oughta be doing nap-based promo, it s AirBnB. Teaming up with Fosters in Finland for the Provinssi Music Festival, they launched the No Worries Motel, a two-bed crash pad built into a shipping container and located inside the festival area with views of the stage. Check out the listing, it s still online.
Van Gogh Bedroom
The No Worries Motel wasn t the first time AirBnB jumped under those covers. In 2013, they teamed up with the Art Institute of Chicago s Van Gogh exhibit to create a live, rent-able replica of Van Gogh s own painting of his small starving-artist apartment. The walls, doors and furnishings are stroked with paint in Van Gogh s signature style. (Photo via AirBnB)
Nappuccino
To promote the launch of their new flat white, London coffee chain Gregg s launched outdoor Napuccino pods, where customers could get a few minutes of midday shut-eye. Drinking a cup of coffee followed by a 20-minute power nap is the best way to reduce daytime slump, claims the campaign.
Nap Cafe
Breakfast in bed? Yes please. IKEA launched a pop-up promotion serving brekkies to Londoners while they lounged between the sheets. The Wall Street Journal:
Starting later this month, IKEA is opening a pop-up cafe in London s trendy Shoreditch area, serving traditional Swedish breakfasts and offering siestas in a range of their most comfortable beds, the company said. People can book a bed for a 45-minute slot 7 a.m. and noon to relax in a single or double bed where they will be served by specially trained waiting staff and sleep specialists, IKEA said. Then, from noon to 3 p.m., the beds will be available for naps.
Nap Pods
Breathe Right nasal strips partnered with experiential agency Blammo to create the Breathe Right Pod Hotel, offering busy Canadians a free 20-minute power nap.
Design Thinking for Event Producers: Takeaways from the Adobe XD Design Week 2016 Branding
EVENT COLLATERAL, EVENT DESIGN
If anyone was gonna knock their event branding out of the park, it was gonna be the people who invented Photoshop. But the Adobe XD Design Week branding is a special case of above and beyond.
What is XD Design Week?
The Adobe XD Group is a global design organization responsible for the user experience of most of Adobe s products. Once a year or so, we gather all of our designers, researchers, engineers, and other team members together in San Francisco for a week-long event where we share our work, build our relationships, and plan for the next year.
Crafted by rock star designers Anny Chen and Shawn Cheris, the branding for this event isn t just an example of pretty colors well-worked. This is design thinking at its finest: a rock-solid core concept in the case, the event theme supported by visuals that are both appropriate to that theme and lovely to look upon. Yeah, yeah, Adobe s got one up on the rest of us, in the sense that they have access to some of the best visual artists in the world. But it isn t just artistic skill that carried this branding forward: it was the strategic creative process that underpins the art. So how do we get a little closer to achieving similarly beautiful results in our own events? Well, we learn to think like a designer.
Isolate the Core Concept
Bad design says, Ooh, these color are pretty. Good design says, What are we trying to communicate? If your event isn t centered around a core concept, you re hamstrung right out of the gate. The theme for this year s XD Design Week was convergence , and that was the anchoring idea from which the rest of the festival flowed.
Decide on Means of Visual Expression
Time to dig deeper. We ve got a concept. Now, how are we going to choose to express it?
We explored the ways in which the idea of convergence could be expressed visually forms literally converging on the page, shapes being overlaid on top of one another, and juxtaposition of subject matter (e.g. human versus machine). As we delved deeper, we became more interested in the notion of the Venn diagram, and exploring what happens in the areas where two objects intersect and create a new third space.
Exploring the concept of convergence
Build a Visual System
Festival collateral is extremely diverse, and the imagery you settle on will have to extend across multiple mediums. Your system should be cohesive, meaning that all the parts look like they go together. It should be scalable, meaning that a conference badge and a t-shirt and a stage backdrop and a website can be designed under the guidelines of the system without breaking the system. It should be a little flexible, because life throws curveballs sometimes. How d Adobe do it?
We chose the circle as the consistent, anchoring element with which other shapes would converge on the page. The circle can embody multiple metaphors a lens, a different world, or a unifed whole. We also explored typographic treatments that would integrate well with the visual system. We chose Futura PT (Heavy 700) for its clean, geometric lines, and played with slicing the type along the axis of when two shapes intersected. The color palette and use of gradients were a direct nod to the Adobe XD brand.
Oh, right, and it should be on brand, if at all possible.
Apply holistically
Creating a single piece of collateral at a time, printing it, putting it into use, and then creating the next piece leaves the door open for a scattered and incoherent brand. Unfortunately, due to time constraints and logistics, that s usually what happens. Yes, deadlines are looming. Yes, you need the invitations first, and then posters later, and the speaker schedule booklets last of all. But best case scenario, your event design gets done all at once. At the very least, if you can t have everything designed at the same time, it s important to sketch out a design outline of each piece as a general roadmap so you don t go off course.
Wanna see more stuff from Adobe XD Design Week? Check out the project on Behance.
Picspiration for your next Event: Photo Booths with a Twist
EVENT PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY
Pics or it didn t happen. I think we re all familiar with the basic Instagram photo booth deal by now (and if you re not, check out Instaprint, a killer suite of Instagram-enabled tools for events). But how about kicking it up a notch? Here s some ideas:
Light Painting Photo Booths
The Light Experience is an interactive art experience using light as the medium. With The Light Experience everyone at your party or event can get creative! Our team of light painting artist will create custom light packages including light colors and textures consistent with your brand or event. The Light Experience team will even create custom light logos with your company, band, or event branding graphics.
Teledisko
The world s most hipsterrific two-person nightclub in Berlin, naturally doubles as a photo booth. This, from Trendhunter: Once an interested party enters the Teledisko, they are able to select their favorite song on a touchscreen and dance like no one is watching during the time in the booth. Currently, there are three Teledisko s located across the Berlin area. The first two are permanently installed in venues for you and your friends to find on their own, while the third is mobile and available for event bookings.
Shootbooth
Shootbooth hearkens back to a time when everything was just a little more fabulous. As soon as you step in front of our 101 year-old bellows camera, perched atop a turn-of-the-century tripod, you know something special is about to happen. the button is pushed and pop! the the flash goes off. wizardry on the inside of the camera lets us instantly show you all your pictures on a review monitor set into a hardwood frame, and we print your favorites.
Airstream Photo Booths
Oh, sorry, was the turn-of-the-20th-century bulb flash not vintage enough for you? You want more kitch? Challenge accepted. This Austin-based rental company would like you to meet Bambi Booth a very rare 1963 vintage Airstream Bambi model just 500 of these lovely silver trailers were ever made! We have restored Bambi to her former glory and she is now a really cool, vintage photo booth and decked out inside with the most modern photo booth equipment and printer on the market today! Bambi is a small single-axle Airstream and is 16 feet long and 9 feet high; and yes, she does fit indoors in some of the larger ballrooms and indoor venues!
LED Glow Booth
Created by Philly-based Extreme Photo Booths, the LED Glow Booth is white and glows a solid color of your choice or rotating patterns of light. I mean, look at it. It s like the Aurora Borealis of on-site photography.
Animated GIF Booth
Created by Big Bad Booth, because one frame just isn t good enough anymore: Our Animated GIF Booths take 3-4 photos and combine them together to create digital animated looping awesomeness. These digitals can instantly be shared on social media with your hashtag, sent to guest s phones via text message or email, and displayed in an instant online gallery. We add static overlays to each animated GIF so every digital photo our booth produces is a reflection of your brand.
Thermo Booth
Sex it up, people: The Thermobooth features a new shutter release system in which skin contact between two or more people triggers a set of processes that result in a glorious lo-fi instant thermal-printed picture. Yes, it takes a picture when you touch each other! We are opening a stage for playfulness and the unexpected.
Did we miss any? Drop us a note.
7 Buzz-Worthy Cocktail Presentation Ideas
FOOD & CATERING
Confession: this post was inspired by a Bizbash gallery that highlighted the drink service at electric utility company ComEd s training center opening party. The caterers (The Entertaining Company) served cocktails in cups shaped like light bulbs. Cute.
Look, we re not in the catering business. But we are in the touches that matter business. That extra layer of give-a-shit matters. This kind of minor wow-factor is a good return on investment: not much harder to execute than your basic Gin & Tonic, and people like taking selfies with em. Anyway, none of these ideas are graded on flavor, just on buzz-factor, so you ll need to do your own taste testing before you serve these up.
Fancy Pants Jell-O Shots
You re never too old for oh wait, no, you are. You are too old for Jell-O shots. Maybe if you hide them in a classy gelatin dessert? Get the recipe on Jelly Shot Test Kitchen.
Disappearing Sugar Puffs
Oh, look: there s a martini where my cotton candy used to be.
Gradients
Man, this is some weapons-grade visual eye candy. You can t just pull this out whenever. Only reach for this one when you ve gotta impress the French Ambassador and it turns out his daughter is an art director at Pantone and his wife Chloe keeps the finest nasturtium garden in Paris.
Gradients II: Coconut Lavender Lemonade
Oh, wait, his wife s name is Violet? Got you covered.
Edible Glitter
They call this one the Golden Girl . I call it The Passive Aggression grapefruit juice, prosecco, and a teaspoon of sparkly frustration. Maybe the cleanup crew can just lick this off the floor?
LED Ice Cubes
These decorative LED ice cubes are battery powered and glow in several colors. They re not only functional, but also water submersible. $9 from the Gadget Flow.
Dry Ice
The Cookie Rookie serves up a reminder that too often, dry ice gets filed under kid s Halloween cauldron when it can also pull off 30 shades of satin in the form of this smoking triple berry martini.
Life of an Event Prof: #NatBookFest Breakdown
BACKSTAGE, EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS
Last week, we wrapped up one of our flagship events, The Library of Congress National Book Festival. It was our eighth year managing this event, and while we re veterans, we re always looking for new ways to accommodate a bigger audience and out-do ourselves from the year(s) before. With an expected 100,000 guests and a couple million more viewing the livestream at home, we couldn t afford to disappoint. Plus, our mantra is, Yeah, we can handle that .
It s true that the majority of the blood, sweat and tears goes into the planning leading up to our events. But we re still on our feet the day of, making sure everything runs smoothly. It s a small part of what we do in the event management business, but this is the day in the life of one of our event crew members: NatBookFest livestream style.
5:00 AM
Wake up call. Suit up, festival style. Means we get to wear a Decibel t-shirt today.
5:01 AM
Two shots of espresso, hold the sugar, hold the cream.
6:00 AM
Pile in the crew and Uber over to the the Washington Convention Center. All the gear from the day before is still in place. Grab checklist.
Radios charged. 
Power bricks charged.
Boot up the laptop.
Get to work.
7:00 AM
Call time for second wave of crew. Find a place to order 30 breakfast sandwiches from STAT.
7:30 AM
Overheard on Radio: Where s Waldo? Seriously. Someone lost the Where s Waldo costume day of the event. Waldo could not be found. If we made this up, you wouldn t believe it.
8:00 AM
Quick team meeting. High fives out the door.
8:30 AM
It s show time. Book lovers start filing into the convention center.
Set up camera for timelapse, because who doesn t love a good time lapse.
9:00 AM
Reading Cat in the Hat to test captions for livestream. Appropriate for the National Book Festival. AV and livestream team at the table, in position for the first keynote.
9:30 AM
It has been confirmed from a crew member on Floor 2 of the venue. Waldo has been found.
10:00 AM
Start first livestream of the day. David McCullough takes the stage. People from all over the world are giving shout outs to the popular two-time Pulitzer Prize winner.
11:00 AM
Bring our AV crew lunch. With an all-day livestream, they can hardly get up for a bathroom break. Extra dessert for their dedication.
11:30 AM
Celebrity Sighting #1: Found Waldo.
12:00 PM
If it s 12 PM, and we re eating our third meal of the day because we ve been up since 4. Is it lunch? Dinner? Who knows, but every meal is now called a dinner break. #EventProfProbs
1:00 PM
Our team member, Chris, is leading the team in the most steps, so far. 7.1 miles.
2:00 PM
Escalator stopped? No problem, we take the steps.
2:30 PM
Insert fourth cup of coffee.
3:00 PM
People start lining up for Condoleezza. Two hours before she s scheduled to speak.
3:30 PM
As heard over Radio: Our crew requires back-up at the lines for the Condoleezza book signing. Send in reinforcements.
5:05 PM
Condoleezza Rice takes the stage. 2,500 people make for a packed house. No surprise there.
6:00 PM
While Condoleezza is speaking, there s still book signings and children s stage activities going on. Some of our crew is at those stages making sure everything is running as planned.
7:00 PM
Final livestream wraps up.
7:30 PM
Start counting livestream stats. There were over 60K views and reached over 1.2 million users who weren t able to attend National Book Festival, but were able to watch their favorite main stage authors. That s how we handle that.
8:00 PM
As things wind down, we sneak a spot at the Teen Poetry Slam. Every year, this is a team favorite. Those kids are talented beyond belief.
8:30 PM
National Book Festival comes to an end, crowd piles out. Dismantle begins.
9:00 PM
Counting more livestream stats, giving our client updates, uploading last minute photos, and wrap-up meeting with the crew. That s a wrap.
10:00 PM
After a group selfie, we head out to Ebbitt Grill for a post-game dinner and a few well-deserved drinks from P.O.V. We couldn t have done any of it without our awesome client, Library of Congress, our hardworking crew who flew in from all over the country, and the sponsors that made #NatBookFest possible. Cheers, NBF 2017.
The Best of Projection Mapping Inspiration: Experimental Surfaces
EVENT PRODUCTION INSPIRATION, FACADE MAPPING
This blog is kinda turning into Projection Mapping Watch , but oh well. Projection mapping is awesome, and these weird videos of experimental light projects aren t gonna collect themselves. In this segment, we re taking a look at recent projects from Q1 of 2016 that highlight projection onto interesting surfaces, or combine projection with other emerging technologies.
Projection Mapping & VVVV
As projection mapping becomes increasingly popular, we re seeing an uptick in related digital tools and software. vvvv is a hybrid visual/textual live-programming environment for easy prototyping and development. It is designed to facilitate the handling of large media environments with physical interfaces, real-time motion graphics, audio and video that can interact with many users simultaneously. Created by Maria Mitsi, this little experiment explores the capabilities of vvvv.
Light as art in Lithuania
Lithuania s Barbora Giliute explores projection mapping on canvas, adding depth and additional dimensions to two-dimensional gallery displays.
Projection Mapping on Ceramics
Taipei-based artist Joshua Chao creates a living Ming vase with projection-mapped patterns on ceramic.
Projection Mapping 3D
Combining two emerging technologies into one? Yes, please. Spanish artist Dominic Plaza collaborated on Axioma, a sterescoping / 3D mapp[ed] interpretation of geometry such as points, lines, planes, curves, surfaces, polygons, etc. In other words, a trippy geometric visual experience that comes a live with 3D glasses.
Because we Can: Building Art
Projection mapping on the side of a the Library of the National Archives in Quebec.
INVICTA: Projection Mapping on Letters
This intensely urban project was a collaboration between Lyft Creative Studio & Xesta Studio.
Live Wallpaper
Hellooooo next level interior design shit. These insanely beautiful weather-scapes were projected over the bookshevles at Payot Library in Switzerland.
Winter is Coming: Best Indoor Venues for Winter Events
VENUES
Winter is coming. In the event management business, it s in our nature to be two seasons ahead. As consumers are enjoying those outdoor summer brand activations, our heads are down planning. We ve scoped out the best venues for your upcoming winter meetings and events in major east coast cities.
Moonlight Studios
Chicago, IL
Located in West Loop neighborhood in Chicago, Moonlight Studios is a repurposed factory providing an urban chic feel. Since there are several gallery rooms that can be transformed into just about anything, Moonlight s event track record includes a wide variety of corporate and social events: galas, fashion shows, conferences, art galleries, the whole nine yards. Previous clients of Moonlight include UNICEF, LG, and Vevo. Oh, and the venue was named Top 50 Chicago Venues by Party Slate this year. With all that buzz, it ll fill up fast, so schedule a tour and get to booking.
Kogod Courtyard
Washington, DC
Kogod Courtyard in downtown D.C. was appropriately named one of the seven architectural wonders by Cond Nast Traveler back in 2008. (Kudos to world-renowned architects Foster + Partners for this stunning design). Its iconic curved roof made of glass and steel gives the venue an elegant feel with natural light for events like lectures, performances, and corporate events. The venue can accommodate a seated dinner for 850 or a reception for 1,200.
Spin
New York City, NY
If you re looking for a laid back and lively event space in the city, Spin is your go to. The venue is a ping pong social club in the Flatiron District, and yes, you read that right. Spin was recently renovated by Rockwell Group and now includes 19 ping pong tables and wall installations done by local graffiti artists. The 12,0000 square foot venue is perfect for social events, fundraisers, wrap parties, you name it. Also, an event planner s dream: it has on-site catering.
The Castle at Park Plaza
Boston, MA
This National Historic Landmark doubles as a versatile event venue with 14,000 square feet, high ceilings, and a classy feel. This expansive one room venue is ideal for trade shows, expositions, galas, receptions, and banquets, and can accommodate 530 seated and 1,000 standing. Save this spot for when it gets warmer their outdoor space is another top-notch Boston venue.
We Got Em: Premium Ticket Packages to the Masters, Kentucky Derby and Final Four
DEALS & OFFERS
Remember those ticket packs we got for Super Bowl 50? Well, we just got our grubby mitts on some notoriously hard-to-land ticket and accommodation packages for three of spring s hottest sporting events, and we re paying the radness forward. All of these offers are, naturally, customizable, so hit us up if you d like something special.
Masters
April 4 -10, 2016 in Augusta, GA
USA Today nails it: Getting tickets [to the Masters] usually involves either knowing somebody whose family has been on the Masters ticket list forever, spending thousands of dollars buying tickets online, or getting invited as a client by one of the event s few corporate sponsors. But we can get in you in, arrange hotel bookings and set you up with club access during the event itself. Feeling even ritzier? We can land accommodation in a luxury 4-bedroom private home. Our properties are located in some of Augusta s most exclusive neighborhoods, and come with on-site continental breakfast. Naturally, we can customize these experiences for , but
- Multi-tier accommodation available: choose from hotel or private home packages
- Admission to the Masters: choose from 1, 2, 3 or full-week ticket packages
- Full breakfast served daily
- Transportation to and from Augusta
- Experience event manager to personally handle your pre-planning details
Club access comes with:
- A spacious outdoor Multi-Level deck (8000 sq. ft.) under the Augusta pine trees
- Two Country Club Style bars, one 20 ft. marble surfaced indoor bar and one 40 ft. L-shaped outdoor bar. Both are professionally staffed and stocked with premium liquor, cognac, liquors, and a large selection of beer and wine.
- Includes buffet breakfast with made to order omelet station, elegant multi-course themed lunch buffet, afternoon heavy hors d oeuvres, all beverages & cocktails from sun up to 30 minutes after the last putt has been made. Grilled items available throughout the day.
- Grilled items available throughout the day which include steaks, chicken, hamburgers and hot dogs (hamburgers and hot dogs available on practice round days only).
- Private business center featuring 3 workstation/computers with high speed internet access, copier, fax & printer.
- Wi-Fi internet service for your laptops throughout the Club.
Photo: Pandemicphoto.com
Kentucky Derby
May 5-8, 2016 in Louisville, KY
You want to sip mint juleps in a funny hat. We want you to sip mint juleps in a funny hat. Help us help you.
- Three nights deluxe accommodations at either the Marriott Courtyard Downtown, Crowne Plaza Louisville Airport or the Embassy Suites Downtown
- Roundtrip shuttle between the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks
- Tickets to the Kentucky Derby in Sections 126-128
- Tickets to the Kentucky Oaks in Sections 126-128
- Experience event manager to personally handle your pre-planning details
Final Four
April 1-5, 2016 in Houston, TX
Yup, we got basketball too. Plus, if your peeps are looking to rub shoulders, we can arrange for former players, TV broadcasters, and other celebrities to personally appear at private dinners, corporate events, and various functions during the week of the Final Four.
- Four nights deluxe accommodations at the Westin Oaks Houston
- Upper 500/600 level ticket between the baskets to the 2016 Final Four
- Rental car
- On-site event management team
- Experience event manager to personally handle your pre-planning details
Ring us up at 703.953.4493, or contact david@decibelmanagement.com for deets.
Bad Ass Summer Brand Activations
BRAND ACTIVATIONS & MARKETING, CAMPAIGN, EXPERIENTIAL
Brands are hyping up summer 2017 with traveling treadmills, tequila, stunt doubles, and engaging consumers along the way. Here are our favorite brand activations of this summer (so far).
We re big tequila drinkers at Decibel Management (especially after a successful event), so this one is our favorite. The Patron the Summer Tour is traveling around the US and UK from May to August with top-notch bartenders to whip up some summer inspired tequila cocktails. Aside from a truck load of their tequila, Patron is also bringing a GIF booth, bikes that blend your margaritas when you peddle, and Patron popsicles to their visiting cities. We couldn t think of a better way to spend a Sunday.
More Than Miles Tour by lululemon
The More than Miles Tour by lululemon is bringing a truckload of their gear to select cities in the US and Canada .literally. Traveling in a Test Truck with a state-of-the-art treadmill to connect with running communities. Runners can test out the treadmill in lululemon gear and keep the clothes when they re done with their on-site workout. Most of the onsite staff at Decibel Management swear by lulu for our own gigs, so we re hoping their next truck stop is in Raleigh or D.C.
Coca Cola surprised Ipanema Beach goers last to promote their latest packaging with some free cans. And by some , we mean 500. In a massive block of ice that weighed 8 tons. Pretty impressive stuff. Beach goers were seen breaking the ice with beach toys to get their can of Coke in a time when they wanted it most. A+ Coke.
Spiderman gets his fuel from somewhere. The release of the new Spiderman movie already has been producing a lot of buzz, but we have to give New York agency Thinkmodo the credit for this one. At participating Starbucks stores, Spiderman drops from the ceiling to retrieve his coffee order, but scaring the shit out of customers in the process.
Breaking the ice is never easy. Publicis teamed up with Nescafe and developed the hello bench as a way to initiate conversation between strangers. The activation included a shrinking bench, free coffee and a nudge in the right direction. This shifty bench gets smaller as two people sit on it cue conversation starter.
Good Read: How Food is Creating a Sense of Place
EVERYTHING ELSE, FOOD & CATERING
There s plenty of great info out there on factors to consider when creating immersive experiences in events or activations. Lighting, spatial design, audio, emotional connection and story, all of these things matter, all contribute to the experience. But what about food?
We just stumbled across this interesting thought in a piece from the February 2016 issue of the Moodie Report, an industry intelligence eZine focusing on travel retail, in which we discover how airports and retailers are rising to the challenge of creating Sense of Place by providing a variety of local tastes and flavours in their food offerings. The Design Solution Founder and Director Robbie Gill believes it is through food that the true heart of a location is defined, and in the latest edition of our regular Sense of Place series he provides an overview of how a compelling food offering can enhance local identity and presents some of the very best examples from around the world.
Airports are, in many senses, the ultimate experiential challenge. Your attendees are often tired or hungry or homesick, and food is indeed a universal panacea strongly tied to a sense of security, stability and pleasant memories. The Moodie Report will be running future editions of this column, so stay tuned for features highlighting retailers that are knocking it out of the park in this area.