Do Ya Dada?
NEWS
In our January newsletter we talked a bit about the fun we re having with all the new material available in the public domain. To recap, January 1st is a non-holiday called Public Domain Day, in which a whole year s worth of content suddenly becomes up for grabs. Because of a series of interventions on our copyright system largely undertaken to keep Mickey Mouse out of public domain, we are currently digging for content all the way back in 1924.
But you know what? There s a lot of cool stuff to work with from 1924, and it seems particularly apropos to spend some time with this content as we enter into our own 20 s. We gave you a few suggestions of 20 s concepts to revive but our favorite was German Dadaism, French surrealism s stern older sibling that had its heyday in the 20th century s late teens and early 20 s.
So, let s talk about the Dadaist movement in a very practical way and how this could be a cool 20 s connection to your next event, or how last century s Dadaism might inspire some ideas for your 21st century event.
What is Dadaism?
Dadaism is an art movement that emerged in the cultural fallout of World War 1. The stresses of the protracted conflict in Europe, combined with interpretations of the cause of the war being rooted in cultural and intellectual conformity inspired this anti-art revolution. If antebellum art and culture was about order and logic, then Dadaism would revel in irrationality and chaos and be absurd by design. At the outset of the 20 s Dadaism was a formidable field of political, visual, musical, and poetic criticism of the cultural status quo.
Visual artists like Marcel Duchamp, produced readymade works by signing everyday objects.
Pioneering photographer and OG punk Hannah Hoch innovated the photomontage and mixed media collage.
On the literary side, Hugo Ball wrote nonsense poems around random sounds. Here s his most famous work, Karawane as performed by Marie Osmond (she s a little bit Dada).
You know how a lot of art in the 20th century is kinda weird? Dadaism can take a lot of the blame for that. There d be no 8-hour Andy Warhol stationary films of the Empire State Building without it.
So, thanks Dadaism.
How to Apply a Dadaist Aesthetic to Your Next Event
People like to use the word experimental with art movements like Dadaism. Experimental as a qualifier often gets applied to things in the art world that are obnoxious-for-arts-sake but the application of the term makes sense for Dadaism. The purpose of a Dadaist piece is to elicit a reaction. Don t get intimidated here, there isn t supposed to be hidden meaning. Through conflating different medias in a collage, defacing a famous portrait with a mustache, or applying an artist signature to a water fountain, you ve created a new artistic reality.
Basically, your goal is to trigger an emotional response from your audience that should hopefully inspire a new way of seeing the world. Whereas some argued that as an anti-art, Dadaism was intended to offend sensibilities, there are of course positive emotional responses that you can glean from your audience using a Dadaist approach.
Meme culture is without question a form of current Dadaism/Surrealism. A central aspect of Dadaism and meme culture is a tacit wit that makes its viewers all suddenly feel part of an in-joke. But be careful here, if you force it like these companies or Mike Bloomberg you re going to have a bad time.
We re just spit balling here find an absolutely bizarre, but harmless and non-alienating way for attendees to sign in to your event, then display it like a priceless art object or smash it on video (or both). Choose distinctive, seemingly clashing visual themes and meld them together for a new style. Broadly, apply a unique alternative system of visual order, or new ways to interact with commonplace objects to make a strong impact. Better yet, just get weird.
A few weeks ago, we shared this photo of Marriott Courtyard s Sleepover promotion for the Superbowl. There s an absurd element to this that could be argued to be Dadaist:
How to Use the Dadaist Mindset to Plan/Brainstorm Your Next Event
Before you sit down and think about your goals or head towards a project management plan, consider writing a short manifesto. Seriously, writing an art manifesto in the 1920 s was basically the equivalent of having a Tumblr for the era. Dadaism was all about manifestos.
Manifestos are typically full of tons of wild unverifiable claims, left-field interpretations of human nature, and insane ambition. But that s the point. They aren t held back by traditional reason and constraints. They re not even always about follow-through. Manifestos are intended to be a starting point, or a brazen call to arms and this is why they re often very exciting, charismatic documents.
If you could have it all, what does your group actually want out of your next event? Go crazy. Don t worry about what s possible clear your mind and rattle off some revolutionary rhetoric about your group s goals in 15-minutes flat. The manifesto exercise is often a great way to bring far reaching ambitions and goals to the fore that can be very useful when it comes down to the actual planning of your event.
Find some inspiration in one of Hugo Ball s Dadaist manifesto from 1916.
Send us your event manifesto and get your Dadaist-inspired event started today!
Audience Engagement: A Trend To Watch Literally.
BACKSTAGE, EVENT COLLATERAL, EVENT INDUSTRY, EVENT PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY, EXPERIENTIAL, MOBILE MEDIA
While 2018 may only be in its infancy, we have already seen some amazing productions take place. The first few months of this year have played host to some of the largest global events in the industry. One trend we here at Decibel Management are seeing consistently is how planners have up d the game for audience engagement, but not just for those in attendance, but rather those viewing at home.
The Super Bowl:
Polls show that 92{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} of Super Bowl views can t even name the two teams playing in the game (not a real stat). But let s face it, most of us just watch for the commercials and to have an excuse to gorge yourself on various batter & sauce covered foods. That s why the people behind the Super Bowl are always looking for ways to have viewers turn the sound back up on their TV once the commercials are over. This past year marked Super Bowl LII (that s 52 for those of us who forgot our Freshman year Western Civ lectures) and the producers brought in a big hitter for the halftime show. None other than JT himself, Justin Timberlake. While many viewers may have watched the half-time show in hopes of another wardrobe malfunction , unfortunately, Janet Jackson s invite was lost in the mail. However, the production teams came up other tactics to make viewers feel like they were right there in the mix. Much of the halftime show was shot at ground level in single shot format, the camera moving around the field with Timberlake, resulting in a viewing experience designed to make you feel like you were in the stadium walking alongside. The icing on the cake came towards the end of the performance when Timberlake entered the stadium s seating area to dance and sing with those in attendance, thus helping to further remove the wall between performer and audience. We even got a new meme out of it! #selfiekid
The 2018 Winter Olympics In Pyeongchang:
The Olympics are notoriously difficult for producers. Whether it s the time differences (this year saw a nearly 12-hour gap for the US East Coast and Pyeongchang) or viewers lack of interest in hurling a rock down an ice rink and sweeping it along. There are many hurdles to overcome when coming up with strategies for this event. NBC had an interesting tactic for this year s games Quantity. NBC live-streamed a record-breaking 1,800+ hours of coverage, including every single event, over 100 medal events and 24/7 news and highlights, almost doubling their coverage from the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Viewers had more access and viewing options to this global event than ever before, making the Olympics feel more accessible and approachable. So sorry to all the chumps who bought round-trip flights to South Korea, chances are the fans at home got way more Olympic intake than those in attendance. Which is great news if you love shooting guns while cross-country skiing.
The Academy Awards:
The Oscars have seen declining viewership in recent years. The 2018 Academy Awards saw the lowest ratings ever. Yep. EVER. It was the least watched Oscars broadcast since their inception, down a whopping 19{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} from just last year. I mean, who doesn t love a four hour ceremony of celebrities thanking themselves. However, while viewership may be down amongst this event that many people see as being out of touch or unrelatable, it s not for lack of trying. This year s awards included a segment where host Jimmy Kimmel surprised a theatre full of unsuspecting movie-goers with a who s who of celebrities handing out snacks and talking with the audience. You see, THEY RE JUST LIKE US! The Oscars team also attempted to poke fun at themselves a bit, by having a jet-ski giveaway for the recipient with the shortest acceptance speech. While elements like these work to remove the barrier between Hollywood and the audience, it s clear the Academy Award producers face an uphill battle if they want to get back to where the ratings used to be. Our vote: host the next ceremony at the Super Bowl halftime. It ll be a win-win.
With all this emphasis on audience engagement for those not in attendance, we are interested to see how this could have an effect on live event production moving forward. New tech and production techniques are making it easier and more cost effective to have offsite attendees. As an event management team, we believe there is no substitute for in-person impressions, but this is definitely a trend we ll be tracking and embracing.
Black Lives Matter
EVERYTHING ELSE
We said that things wouldn t go back to normal after COVID-19, but when we used that phrase countless times over the course of the Spring, we were really referring to crowd control and public health management. At the present, it seems we re taking the new normal in a different direction. Many Americans who have taken to the streets since May 26th see the opportunity to foster a more comprehensive and compassionate new normal.
Decibel Management, like many companies, took a moment to hop on social media to voice their solidarity on #BlackoutTuesday, but there is A LOT more that we can do as a company, and likely more your own company can do to support the Black Lives Matter movement in the long term. So, this week we ll go over some simple but effective ways that Decibel is working to better ourselves and for you to consider as you plan your next event including ways that it can be planned and executed in a manner that forwards the BLM cause. These certainly aren t the only ways your next event can contribute, but they are at least a starting point to think about how you can contribute to a new normal that s not just face masks and hand sanitizer, but reflects the ideals of equal justice and equal participation in our society.
Here are a few ideas on how to plan your next event around those ideals.
EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION
Let s recognize that we re talking about making significant change rooted in 400 years of slavery, disenfranchisement, and inequality. There are no quick fixes here. It s going to take long-term societal commitments to right our ship. As in all things, education is key. Realize that you (and we) don t have all the answers. But education starts with communication. We need to have some conversations that will be little bit uncomfortable. It s important that those of us that are white work to understand our own privilege and how even actions that we believe to be benign can be destructive and contribute to the social inequality endemic to our country. Be humble, be contemplative, be a good listener and be empathetic.
There are a number of resources we ve found to help get you started on this process. The National Museum of African American History & Culture has an excellent resource portal on this which you can find right here. In particular, we d like to point you to the modules Being Anti-racist and Community Building. You can also visit the Black Lives Matter Resources page to learn more about anti-racist action.
CHOOSE AFRICAN-AMERICAN OWNED VENDORS & BUSINESSES
You can support Black Lives Matter by seeking out and patronizing African-American businesses, vendors, caterers, contractors and more. There were a number of resources and apps to do just this even before the May protests began, and now a bunch of new resources have been made available to make things even easier. Check out apps like eatOkra or IAmBlackBusiness for restaurants, caterers and other professional services for your next event. If you re in Chicago, LA, or New York you can also use this great reference guide from TimeOut.
CHOOSE COMPANIES, VENDORS, AND EVENT VENUES WHO FOLLOW EQUAL EMPLOYLEMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION (EEOC) GUIDELINES
You would think that the Equal Employment Act insured that businesses can t discriminate against potential employees based on gender, race, or age but there are actually a few loop holes that allow some businesses to operate outside of these guidelines. Confirm your event is run by companies and hosted by venues that have pledged to uphold and actually follow these anti-discriminatory guidelines.
PRIORITIZE CULTURAL INCLUSIVITY AT YOUR LIVE EVENTS
Are your events equally welcoming to all of your potential attendees? Going forward, consider forming a cultural inclusivity team just like the major events company The Famous Group. By having a diverse dedicated team on hand to consult during the planning stages of your event, you can be confident that you re reaching many publics in a respectful, thoughtful manner. If Starbucks had just taken the time to do this, maybe they wouldn t have created their own PR disaster by banning employees from wearing Black Lives Matter swag. Cast a wide net and avoid moves like that.
DONATE A PERCENTAGE OF EVENT PROFITS/TICKET SALES
Here s a pretty simple, straightforward way to make sure your event benefits the Black Lives Matter movement: Send a chunk of your profits off to organizations who desperately need it. We ve selected a handful just to give you an idea of your options (and you can find more here), but don t feel limited by our suggestions.
Consider finding social justice organizations in the host city of your next event to make a positive local impact. A great resource for that is Action Network, which hosts resources and contact info for local activist groups across the United States. Here s their page for Washington D.C.
And here s a few ideas of charities, relief funds and social justice organizations to get you started:
Donate directly to Black Lives Matter
National Police Accountability Project
It s important to note that while donating to these organizations are helpful, its likely not going to bring about the real change in society that needs to happen in the long-term. This isn t a problem we can truly solve by sending money. And, let s be honest, there will be future crises, natural disasters, and other causes which can quickly shift attention (and donations). So by all means, please donate, but recognize that donations are not what will help our society make significant, foundational strides.
Just to be clear, we have a long way to go here at Decibel, and we re looking at ways we can be sure to be part of the solution a we grow. Of course it s a good thing to take the time to voice your support for American families affected by police brutality and systemic racism on social media. But that is really step one of many in demonstrating your willingness to be an ally in the ongoing fight for racial justice and police reform.
Check Out These Slick Wearable Tech Solutions for Your Next Event
NEWS
Our focus this week is the rapidly growing field of wearable technology and how it can make your next event an exciting, cutting edge affair. While we re not quite at the point where I can trust a t-shirt to screen my calls or renew my Hulu subscription, we are at an exciting innovative moment that is sure to change event planning in just a few short years.
In particular, we ve looked into 3 different devices that have been rolled out specifically for the events industry. These wearables are intended to make on-site event management a breeze, and provide event attendees with means to navigate spaces and exchanging information effortlessly. They can also provide with valuable data on how much information is exchanged and which areas of your event received the most engagement.
These devices even lend themselves to gamification, a hot buzzword in the making that refers to providing special incentives and achievements to event attendees as they meet each other and engage aspects of your event.
And as a bonus each of these wearables are environmentally friendly. They re reusable and most components in each are recyclable so there s no need to worry about them languishing in a landfill forever. That s some nice event greening for you!
So without further ado let s check out the Klik system:
PixMob s Klik system offers three different Bluetooth-enabled devices: a badge worn on a lanyard, a wrist band, and a button. All of these devices synchronize with each other and the Klik app, and all of these devices have plenty of empty real estate to showcase event and sponsor logos.
Klik lets your event managers handle registration quickly and easily. It allows them to update and change schedules and send that info to all your attendees in an instant. For your attendees, it provides an easy way to exchange contact information or provide instant alerts across a whole convention center. It can even allow attendees to receive notes from a discussion panel or a trade show participant. All it takes is a single swipe.
Here s a peak at the badges. They look like souped up versions of that pager you get at Panera Bread when you re waiting for a bread bowl to blow your daily calories.
The Klik family is also unbelievably low maintenance. They hold a charge for days and are rugged enough to withstand some abuse without incident. Think of Klik like Ron Popeil s Rotisserie set it and forget it.
I hope that reference resonated. I promised myself years ago that I would never get old and I think this is skirting the line. Let s press on.
Event Farm s EFx wristbands bear a lot of similarities to Klik. The EFx is a wristband system that communicates directly with an EFx app and allows any user to instantaneously exchange or collect information. They re also fully customizable with any brand logo.
EFx s wristband tech also allows you to set up payment systems for your guests to swipe their money away on impulse, and provides architecture in the app to manage product pickup. Want an easy way to make sure everyone at your open bar is supposed to be there? EFx has it under control.
We ve mentioned these PEEX earpieces in our article on SXSW panels but we ll go a little more in depth on their utility here.
These special earpieces are backed by Elton John, and have been rolled out for special testing and promotion on his current farewell tour. There are two things you need to know. First, this wearable tech streams high quality audio with extremely low latency. That means in a live setting you won t notice any lag between what you re seeing and hearing. Second, each setup also comes with its own equalizer that you control from your phone, which means any individual will be able to tune the sound of live or recorded audio to their personal preference.
Now, these completely make sense in a music context. If I m at an Elton John gig and my man kicks in to Tiny Dancer all I want is a crisp, clear listening experience free of surrounding color commentary and sing-alongs. The guy behind me that s 4 beers in, loudly describing his memories of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road on an 8-track is interesting but doesn t really add to the magic of the moment, does it?
But we also see a number of creative non-musical applications for these devices. As opposed to expecting your audience to be seated in a room for a panel discussion, what if they could roam about freely with the option of tuning in or out at their pleasure? What if you did away with PA s and allowed your audience to control and customize their listening experiences from their seats? Think of how easy it would be to make quick and easy announcements or provide additional information about your trade show straight to attendees. It also doesn t hurt that these gizmos look a lot cooler than Apple Airpods.
While you should definitely give wearables some serious consideration, remember not to fall into the trap that Google did with Google Glass 6 years back. Your audiences will be happy to have a very quick registration, an easy way to exchange or receive information, and they ll very likely be cool with you taking anonymous stats on how users navigated your event, but they won t want to be creeped on. Be upfront and honest with your audience about what to expect with this fun gear and I m sure they ll be psyched to be part of the futuristic experience.
Do you need some cool new tech at your next experiential event? Get it touch with us today and make that happen!
2018 Event Predictions
EVENT DESIGN, EVENT INDUSTRY
We re all looking to gain insight into 2018 forecasts, trends, and predictions for event management upgrades. As in years past, challenges abound when creating engaging events that excite and delight attendees, in a format (whatever that may be) that is seamless and fail proof.
Decibel Management has the rock-solid reputation of past successes, as well as some key lessons learned from past mistakes. We keep our eyes trained on new event trends to ensure that our clients and customers events remain buzz-worthy fodder for water cooler discussions.
We make a point to employ the different when it comes to networking, activities, and formats all meant to engage and delight, as well as tech advancements like AR and AI to enhance the human elements of your events. Event MB recently released a report on 2018 trends to look out for, which we ve catalogued here into Event Tech, Event Design, Social Media and Event Experiences.
Event Tech
Eventually, if not 2018, facial recognition software will add value to future events is through the power to read individual or group emotions, understanding how your customers feel by detecting and measuring facial expressions. It has the power to quickly capture demographics, record the attention span of an audience and help to understand what motivates and grabs their attention. Goodbye post-event surveys!
AR and AI will gain traction. Augmented reality and artificial intelligence were highlighted as two key technologies to keep an eye on. Experience new, computer-generated environments through virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality tools, which prove how VR can amplify engagement. Amplifying engagement is the theme of next year.
Design and Decor
More meetings and events are predicted to be taking place outdoors in 2018. This certainly changes design and decor trends, as we re seeing outdoor table settings, unique structures, elegant lighting that fits with an outdoor venue space. 2018 is also predicted to outgrow #PointlessPlastics. Consumers want sustainability, so event managers are doing away with plastic straws and other unnecessary one-time use plastics. Go green.
And go gold. Gold is shining to the top for event design and decor for 2018. Of course, seasonality will affect color palettes that are being used, but the prediction is that gold will come out on top, as a supporting color or as a staple.
Event Experiences
It s no secret that events took a focus on providing guests with experiences this past year. We no longer just want to sit in a conference room or a dining area; we want something to remember. As event managers, this adds a whole new aspect of creating thoughtful activations and experiential marketing. We know how small the human attention span is, and we re continuing to combat it with event experiences in 2018.
Social Media
Providing an experience to your event-goers is important, but you can t forget about your audience in the digital space. Treat your audience with some behind-the-scenes looks into the event and making your digital audience feel like they are part of something. Live tweeting, livestreaming, 360-degree images and videos 2018 is coming for you.
As event managers, we re naturally versatile, scrappy, and always looking ahead for the next possible opportunity. It s one of the many reasons our motto is, Yeah, we can handle that. Bring it on, 2018.
An Event Planner s Worst Nightmare: Inaugural Edition
BACKSTAGE, EVENT INDUSTRY, EVERYTHING ELSE, LIVE EVENTS, LOL, POLITICAL
5 Times Throughout History the Presidential Inauguration Didn t Go Quite According to Plan
The 2021 Inauguration is here. A day that changes history and this year certainly is a big one. While everyone has their eyes on Capitol Hill, our event planner vision has us peeking behind the curtain.
It takes a lot to plan a presidential inauguration, and as every event producer knows, events of this scale don t always go according to plan. We decided to take a fun look back at the epic fails (do people still say that?) from inaugural s past, complete with some of our own experiences sprinkled in.
#5 1865: Andrew Johnson was Hammered at the Inauguration
???????? 1865. At the second inauguration of Abraham Lincoln, Vice President-elect Andrew Johnson had the bright idea to manage a bout of typhoid fever with a giant jug of whiskey. He ended up absolutely hammered before the inauguration and was booted off the dais. (Sidebar: bummer social media wasn t around back then, after leaving office, he d have scored a sponsorship with EmergenC.)
Decibel has produced hundreds of events over the years, and we have thankfully only encountered this scenario a handful of times. Most memorably at an award ceremony for a government agency helmed by a Cabinet-Level appointee.
One of the winners came in hot + over-served, and when it was time to accept their award, they hip-checked the Secretary and commandeered the mic to give an acceptance speech even though no speeches were planned. ????
We needed to manage the situation with the least amount of disturbance. We queued up loud award music with our audio engineer, and ballyhoo with our lighting tech, and when the drunk awardee took a pause in remarks, we hit the cue, cut the mic, played the music, moved the lights, and our awesome ASM came out with the proverbial Vaudeville Hook maneuver to walk them offstage.
End result? Looked like it was planned. Yeah, we can handle that.
#4 1961: JFKs Lectern Catches Fire
???????? 1961: The inauguration of JFK. As the cardinal was mid-invocation, the podium caught fire. Turns out the electric motor used to adjust the podium s height shorted out.
The fire was quickly extinguished by Secret Service, and the inauguration continued without further incident, but srsly, can you imagine that After Action report?!
Rest assured, when we say Decibel s events are ????, we mean metaphorical fire never, ever literal.
#3 1873: The Champagne & Canaries Froze
???????? 1873: This is a sad one. It was so damn cold at Ulysses S. Grant s 2nd presidential inauguration in 1873, that the celebratory canaries (yes, that was a thing), froze to death. ????
The 16 degree windy weather had the same impact on the celebratory champagne. History books don t attribute Grant s frigid inaugural to the invention of fros , but that s a leap we re willing to take.
We ve encountered our share of adverse weather, from the double hurricane that hit while we were managing a bus tour in Florida, to the time torrential storms in DC dumped so much rain that we had to slice the roofs off a few tents to avoid collapse under the weight.
Decibel never compromises on safety, #period. We have developed a long-standing relationship with #WeatherDecisionTechnologies and have come to depend on their trusted, hyper-specific forecasting services. Through their team, we are assigned a dedicated meteorologist to stay on top of the situation for the total duration of our outdoor events.
Because if your event isn t a success, neither are we. So yeah, we can handle that.
#2 1973: Nixon s Bird Shit Remediation Greatly Backfires
???????? 1973: Understatement: Richard Nixon didn t care for bird ????. So much so, that he asked the route be sprayed with chemical repellent. Reader: that was not the move.
The poisonous chemicals resulted in a path covered with dead birds. (What is with dead birds & inaugurals??)
Let s be clear Decibel Events is highly environmentally conscious, and we love birds and animals of all kinds. We haven t nor would we ever use dangerous chemicals at our events, however, we have some experience with shit the discourse kind.
One of our recent large-scale virtual events was free and open to the public, so our client understandably, wanted a profanity filter in place. We worked with their internal counsel and social team to develop a comprehensive list of profane words.
The list not only included standard profanities, but also social media work-arounds (shit vs s h i t with spaces). Turns out that when we imported the CSV, it uploaded each individually spaced letter as a curse word. In other words, every word that contained an s was blocked. ????
It took our team nearly 24 hours to trace back why we were blocking so many non-profane words, right in time for the event to go off without a hitch. So yeah, we can f****ng handle that.
#1 2021: Due to the Global Pandemic We Are (Mainly) Virtual Again
????????2021: Yup, we re going virtual. Joe Biden s parade will be the first ever virtual presidential inauguration parade, due to COVID-19.
Inaugural planners say they re going to celebrate America s heroes, highlight Americans from all walks of life, and reflect the country s diversity, heritage and resilience.
We know first-hand that switching to virtual can create a new host of problems, but know that the Presidential Inaugural Committee shares in our yeah, we can handle that attitude.
Our advice to #prfirms #adagencies & #eventprofs: Tune in. Take notes. Democracy doesn t wait, and we don t either.
Bonus: Forklifts for Dead Horses
????????Bonus: This one is more of an urban legend, shared among #eventprofs in hushed tones .
Horses are a crowd favorite during the before-times presidential parade. But if one happened to pass away en route, everything could literally stop in its tracks.
Event planners prepare for this heartbreaking scenario with two forklifts on standby, and the fervent wish they re never needed. This is hardly a fun fact, and absolutely our worst nightmare, but yeah, we can handle it.
Let s talk about Iowa.
NEWS
Hopefully this won t become a theme, but we have another article related to ongoing crisis in event management here for you. 2020 has been a rush so far hasn t it?
Let s talk about Iowa.
Just to recap, the DNC hired small app developer and (I assume) sexy international crime syndicate Shadow Inc. to develop an app that caucus precinct captains could use to immediately report vote tallies at last Monday s Iowa Caucus. The hope here was that results could be shared swiftly and a winner could be formally declared before midnight. These hopes died when across the state volunteers reported the app freezing, shutting down repeatedly and not accepting information. This could have just been an unfortunate footnote to the evening were it not for the fact that the back-up phone hotline system also failed under the onslaught of phone calls. As these stories continue to develop, it is also becoming more clear trolls may have blocked the lines by posting the numbers on 4chan. And here we remain, on the day after the New Hampshire primary, without a final tally.
Image from The Wall Street Journal
Much of the initial criticism after the fact was focused on Shadow Inc. and stemmed from short development times and small budgets. If you re an app developer for whom a tight budget, a small full-time staff, and production crunches have never been an issue then congratulations, you re not a developer at all. You are in fact, a unicorn (and possibly just lying to yourself). We see this as being unrepresentative of all the issues that would have caused a systemic failure of this magnitude. So, we d like to be constructive here and turn the Iowa Caucus into a teachable moment for any of you out there wondering how NOT to let this happen to your firm and your custom event builds.
Decibel does provide our clients with these types of new software solutions. We haven t taken a swing at a caucus, but we re in the same ballpark with network spanned and synced iPad displays, Twitter-powered water fountains, and custom registration systems we have direct experience bringing these types of builds successfully to our clients.
We re offering you our interpretation of what went wrong here by providing 5 things for our clients to consider when searching for and working with the right company for their next archaic voting scheme or experiential build.
- Collaboration.
Every App, line of code, and keystroke needs to be a collaboration from the top down. The outcome here was SUPPOSED to be a successful caucus and yet, that focus seems to have been forgotten. Yes, the App may have had a coding error or not been properly tested or rolled out. However, that should NEVER have been the fail point. When working with a properly collaborative team with the focus on the end product (a successful caucus) the backup plan should have ALWAYS been solid. Both failed, which suggests a lack of planning from much higher up in the chain. Shadow Inc. had issues that cannot be ignored, but simply passing the buck and blaming them does not actually get to the source of what went wrong. With the right backups in place, the app could have been a 100{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} failure without affecting the end goal. - UI & Adoption
We re talking about the environment where interaction between humans and machines occur. While we at Decibel have not had the chance to review the app directly, UI is popping up in the conversation a lot. In the events industry, it is always important to know your audience. Reports of some precinct captains still using flip phones and even trying to download the app onsite just tells us all of these possibilities were not considered in advance to ensure the UI would work for the actual user. This gets into our next point, the need for time and testing.
- Timelines
From everything we are hearing, the App was rushed to market. This New York Times article suggests it came together in the past two months. This is such a compressed timeline to concept, develop, test, revise, test, deploy, educate, and validate that we can t imagine there weren t corners cut. You cannot skip these steps.Could it be done in two months? Sure. If you re Epic Games and have warehouses of beleaguered software engineers chained to desks to crank out a new Fortnite build every month then anything is possible. But from the total money spent here, it seems that this was not the case. There needs to be enough time to test and validate. For something as critical as a presidential election, even a software check that each caucus location had downloaded the app and run a test was absolutely doable but not implemented.
- Saying NO.
While we move mountains to produce out of this world events for our clients, there is a time to say no. We don t like it, but occasionally it is important for us to be good counselors to our clients and save them from themselves. You know what we mean. Sometimes clients don t take our advice, and there will always be a vendor in the lurch willing to undercut a price or schedule to get a gig but when you re working on something as big as the Iowa Caucus, winging it is wildly irresponsible. We re more inclined to be upfront so that our collaborations have a strong basis in mutual trust. It s hard to say no, but it is the right move in some instances. - Training & Tutorials
According to this WSJ teardown, training tutorials for the App weren t fully rolled out until a few hours before the caucus was underway. One thing that we ve learned is that it s much more difficult than you d think to write clear, comprehensive instructions without fully understanding your intended audience. This adorable video presents a great example of everything that can go wrong when you don t fully think through explaining how to prepare something as simple as a PBJ sandwich. Without providing effective training and tutorials to volunteers in the Iowa Caucus, Shadow Inc. and the DNC were absolutely asking for trouble. Any time you expect to roll out a new App or program, no matter how intuitive you think it might be, there should always be experts on hand to troubleshoot all inevitable unforeseen usage issues.
Are you looking to organize a caucus or hopefully something more straightforward and attuned to the modern era? We can handle that! Get in touch with our wonderful team today to get your next big event underway.
The Decade of Decibel
BACKSTAGE, EVENT INDUSTRY
2017 is a big year for us. Over the past ten years, we ve produced, managed, and staffed countless events, building our expertise in the large-scale event industry. Above that, we ve built a reliable network of vendors, venues, and a hardworking staff to make all this possible. To mark the 10-year anniversary of Decibel Management, we re shouting out our flagship events throughout the years. This is the Decade of Decibel.
2007
Fred Thompson for President 2008
Fred Thompson was Decibel Management s first client. CEO Dave Sonntag was hired as Fred s body guy (See Charlie from West Wing). He traveled along with Thompson from November 2007 until he withdrew from the race in January 2008. The Fred Thompson campaign included an amazing team, and may be the best boss Dave has ever worked with.
2008
Boo to the Flu with Clorox and Ketchum
We partnered with Ketchum and their client, Clorox, to raise awareness for flu prevention. And there s no better way to raise awareness than a mobile bus tour. The Clorox Boo to the Flu bus brought flu vaccines, prevention tips, and kid-friendly activities across America during the month of October, just before flu season strikes. We developed, planned and executed the bus tour for Ketchum and Clorox to give away flu shots!
2009
Crystal Light WaterWay Challenge with Ketchum, National Small Business Week with the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the Library of Congress National Book Fest
2009 was the breakout year for Decibel Management, so we couldn t pick just one event for this year. It was our first National Book Festival, National Small Business Week, and yet another mobile tour, this time for Crystal Light. 2009 was full of lots of travel, branded Volkswagen Beetles and managing crowds of die-hard fans of Nicholas Sparks and Judy Blume. In many ways, our events this year set the stage for our annual events we look forward to every year. Thanks to our awesome clients and vendors for making this all possible.
2010
Wright Patterson AFB TATTOO Air Show and Concert
We planned and produced the stage design, build and live event for 2010 s Wright Patterson Air Force Base Air Show and Concert. The military celebration took place at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force and included aerial shows and musical guest .38 Special. We handled all the front of house support, lighting, large stage and roof grid, and audio for all 85,000 attendees.
2011
DoubleTree by Hilton Cookie CAREavan with Ketchum
To celebrate DoubleTree by Hilton s 25th Anniversary, we took their signature chocolate chip cookies on a road trip across America on the Hilton Cookie CAREavan Tour. 25,000 of them, to be exact. The crew hit 50 cities in ten weeks, handing out free cookies to celebrate, including some surprise stops to charities along the way.
2012
Above the Influence Red Carpet (MTV with Fleishman Hillard)
As part of the Above the Influence initiative, MTV challenged teens across the US to submit a video on how they could make the most of a weekend in their hometown. The CHIPS (Community Helping to Inspire People to Succeed) teen group from Essex, Vermont was chosen out of hundreds of submissions, so we transformed Essex Junction High School into a red carpet event. The event included a branded backdrop, photographers, speakers, and appearances by elected officials. We were honored to put on an event for a deserving cause that encourages students to stay above the influence of drugs and alcohol.
2013
Sesame Street at the White House
This was another feel-good event for our crew. Sesame Street teamed up with the White House Office of Public Engagement on their campaign Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration to reach out to kids with one or both parents in prison. Administration officials joined Sesame Street characters (cue Cookie Monster) at the White House launch videos to help children deal with the challenges of having incarcerated parents. We handled all monitor mix, video, and event management leading up to the event.
2014
Shire iPad Wall
The project: An interactive iPad Wall for CDMPrinceton and their client, Shire. We worked alongside M1 Interactive and created 40 networked iPads that were both spanned and synced and installed on a wall for Shire s booth at American Academy of Ophthalmology Conference in Chicago and the American Academy of Optometry in Denver in 2014. The iPads featured synchronized, spanned content, and touch interaction for audience engagement. Check out the video on how they work.
2015
H&R Block with Ketchum
Since American taxpayers who filed their own taxes left one billion on the table in 2013, we teamed up with H&R Block in 2014 to give America some of that billion back. The campaign: Get Your Billions Back America. We built a giant machine with hidden cameras, filled it with cash, and travelled 8,000 miles to six cities across the country to give people free money. Oh, and the H&R Block spokesman came along too. Reactions were priceless.
2016
Horatio Alger Association with Linder and Associates
Our CEO David Sonntag was brought in as a producer to assist with New Member Outreach Talent, Speaker and Entertainment Coordinator. We worked alongside a great client and a fantastic crew. This was an unbelievable event to have even a small role, and we re glad we continued this into 2017.
2017
Spectrum Cooking Tour with Ketchum
Our crew just departed for the Spectrum Cooking Tour in partner with Interfuse Communications. We re travelling across America in yet another mobile tour, this time with celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson. Stay tuned for updates from our crew on the road!
Event Industry Re-Opening Resource Documents
BACKSTAGE, EVENT INDUSTRY, TIPS & TRICKS
For Event Professionals During the COVID-19 Pandemic
We invite you to download, review, and share.
How is the Music and Events Industry Coping with the Coronavirus in Beijing?
NEWS
We were planning to drop an article this week about wearable technologies that will make your next event rad, but that s sidelined to bring you something much more now.
As it happens, our blogger is an American who has living in Beijing for nearly a decade (hey, what s up guys?) and has spent the past 5 years organizing music, art, and brand events in the city. Beijing is unsurprisingly a challenging environment at the moment, and we thought it d be interesting to get his take on how the city and events industry there is reacting to the current health crisis.
If you ve been living under a rock for the past few weeks (scooch over, please let me join you under that rock) you might have missed out on the Wuhan Coronavirus. Just to recap, a new easily transmittable virus emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan less than 2 months ago and is now running wild across China and beyond since the emergence of the virus coincided with China s major travel season: The Lunar New Year. This is basically a perfect storm in epidemiological terms.
China has taken extreme but understandable measures to try and contain the virus s spread in Wuhan and its home province of Hubei, effectively quarantining the entire region by restricting all travel in and out. However, this is not the only place where China is seeing lockdowns. Most cities in China have implemented their own restrictions on public interaction. Schools, dormitories, and most workplaces have been ordered to remain empty until anywhere from February 10th to indefinitely at the national level, and some cities and small towns voluntarily taking more extreme measures to protect themselves from the virus s reach.
I don t want to downplay the importance of protecting the nation s public health in the least, but as an event manager here, my concerns and those of my peers in the same industry are turning more and more towards the massive economic consequences these restrictions will have over the coming months.
In China (and increasingly internationally), Beijing is known as a creative hub. Beijing is home to dozens upon dozens of bands and DJs who are supported by a number of large and small professional venues. If you re a brand like Converse or Vans you make exclusive event deals with these venues and associate yourself with bands. If you re a national or international brand looking for a product launch and want local young people to think you re cool you reach out to a local promoter to get a major local DJ for your event. More or less.
But if performers and audiences either can t return to the city due to public health restrictions, or are too afraid to attend a public event, or are short on money after being out of work, then down the line the creative culture in Beijing could encounter some real trouble. If the health crisis continues past February, it s likely that some venues or performers will be unable to weather the extended lack of revenue and be forced to throw in the towel.
Just to give you a better idea about the situation for the music and events industry in Beijing, I spoke to two major venue owners and a rising local band to see how their livelihoods are being affected by the coronavirus. I m intentionally leaving identifying information out so they don t get flack for speaking out, so here s three anonymous vignettes:
- All our gigs in February have either been canceled or postponed. The situation is serious and we don t want anyone getting sick. Besides that, audiences and promoters are afraid of attending anything. We ll have a considerable loss and it might go on beyond February, but eventually things should be fine.
- The virus epidemic has had uncontrollable, bad consequences to venues in Beijing and across the whole country. All our recent events? nearly all our February events, and even some in March and April have been canceled or postponed. The epidemic is of course unpredictable, and the situation is uncertain.
This could eventually lead to extreme operating pressures on most venues. We re still expected to pay fixed expenses like rent and wages, but without any money coming in. No shows means no cash flow.
I haven t returned to Beijing yet, so I can t speak much about the current restriction policies there. Apart from closing schools, delaying work return dates, and monitoring body temperatures on public transportation we haven t received official restrictions for music venues.
- Compared with the general population, the number of confirmed cases in my hometown (Heilongjiang) is large. For us, it is currently impossible to enter or leave the city. The highway and train stations have been closed off. Cars and street vehicles have also been banned. Occasionally you ll see some people shopping on the street.
Three members of my band are here, while one is in Szechuan. Right now, we re worried about whether a tour we have planned in late March can still happen.
Live music is greatly affected. Oddly enough, I ve seen a lot of bands livestreaming their shows or sharing videos of past shows they ve performed. I think this might be an interesting opportunity for change. Everyone is thinking about new ways for music to survive and reach audiences.
It s still too early to tell how the events industry will be affected in China in the long term, but we do see one major change to the events and live entertainment industry already underway: the reliance on livestreaming and social media technologies as a stand-in for physical attendance. Livestreaming tech here is being treated like a public health necessity, and we suspect even long after the coronavirus s presence has been mitigated, many parts of the events culture will have partly or fully adopted digital mediums for event engagement and continue to use these formats to keep their audiences feeling at ease. This could be the impetus for a slew of partially or fully online events venues, or kickstart new ways to participate in live events from the safety of a bedroom. As the situation unfolds, we ll be sure to keep you updated on how the industry handles these new uncertain realities in China s capitol.