Category: Uncategorized

Top 5 New Gadgets and Technologies We re Excited For As Event Managers

BACKSTAGE, EVENT COLLATERAL, EVENT INDUSTRY, EVENT PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY, EXPERIENTIAL, MOBILE MEDIA

Earlier this year, Las Vegas played host to the largest tech conference of its kind, the Consumer Electronics Show 2018, or CES 2018 for short. The event showcases technology and cool gadgets, both real and conceptual, entering into the consumer realm. Here at Decibel Management, we re also excited to embrace (and play with) new technology and see how we can implement it into the world of event management. We paid close attention to the news coming out of CES this year as well as other tech markets and here are some items we are looking forward to seeing change the events game.

1. Samsung s The Wall Television

Come on. This is an easy one. A 146-inch micro-LED screen that is adaptive to its surroundings and has nearly endless customization features? Yes please. The Wall allows you to change the size and shape of the display, making customization of visuals and presentation limited only to your imagination. It can also mimic the area it is mounted to, allowing it to disappear from view or allow for more focused areas within the screen. Visuals are a fantastic way to gain engagement and attention at events and The Wall has the size for both main stage focus  and the discreetness for professional and intimate settings. Price tag: don t-care-we-want-one USD.

2. Laptop/Tablet Combo Computers

Going to be honest. We don t think combo computers is the official name for these devices, but we liked the way it sounded. Essentially these are laptops that can convert and fold over to function as a touchscreen tablet. While this technology has been around for a few years, it is only now actually being perfected and made to be less clunky. Take Dell s XPS 13 2-in-1 for example. It has a sleek design, is responsive and has great battery life. As event managers we are running around, like constantly. Being able to work on the go, while standing, lying down or trapped in a shipping container is essential and the 2-in-1 technology is making that easier. Now if only Apple would get on board.

3. Projection Phones

The headline says it all. These are phones that can project videos, pictures and media onto any surface. Again, small projection devices have existed for a few years but they are just now starting to live up to expectations. Look at the Movi Phone unveiled at CES 2018. It s an Android smartphone that can project in beautiful 720p. Granted that s no 1080p, but come on it s literally shooting out of the back of your phone. As event managers, being on the road and having to respond quickly comes with the territory. Projection phones allow giving on the fly presentations or adding quick visuals to a space easy and relatively affordable.

4. Augmented & Virtual Reality Technology

Augmented and virtual reality is on the rise in 2018 (or at least Steven Spielberg hopes it is) and has the potential to have a significant effect on the events industry. For the first time ever you don t actually need to attend an event in order to be there. Hell, there doesn t even need to be an actual event space anymore. Just strap on your virtual reality gear and suddenly you re at the Bellagio for your company s sales conference. The best part is that the equipment for this technology is pretty affordable too, with many AR and VR devices only costing a couple hundred dollars. Don t get us wrong, we believe there is no substitute for true in-person engagement, but we are excited to see how this new technology will change the industry. At the very least it could make the conference calls between our D.C. and NC offices a little more entertaining

5. Wireless Charging

We know. Charging your device does not sound as sexy as a 146-inch high-def modular TV from the gods (please someone buy us The Wall ) but it s a great example of a subtle technology that will change our lives as event managers. Companies like Powercast and Energous have developed technology that allows your devices to be charged wirelessly .THROUGH THE AIR. Imagine never having to be tethered to a wall again while
you re late for a presentation but you need to send out that one last email so you don t get fired and oh God your kid s school is calling now, damnit what did Billy do this time. Well, this scenario could soon be a thing of the past, well at least the being tethered part, Billy is still a monster. At Decibel, we are seriously excited at the prospect of an entire event space being charged. All the attendees no longer having to fight over the two outlets in the venue, everyone happily snapping pictures, sending emails etc. while throwing caution to the wind over their power bar levels. Ahh.

Honorable Mention: Self Delivering Pizza Trucks
It s a thing now and we don t think this requires an explanation. Just hurry up and get to Washington, D.C. already.

So NFL, About that COVID Plan

LIVE EVENTS, NEWS

You know what?  Let s talk about sports.  That s a nice safe topic right?  Can we all just be chill and talk about the NFL for a few minutes without anything bad happening?  Can we just have that, universe?

We spent the summer watching the various ways different pro-sports leagues tried to push forward despite the circumstances.   The MLB had an interesting strategy at the outset: test players constantly, maintain social distancing, keep the stands empty and pipe in crowd noise to the telecasts.  That worked really well until a bunch of players got COVID like 5 minutes after the national anthem wrapped up. 

The NBA by contrast created their Disney COVID bubble where players would live, hang out and play in a closed system. While this method was quite restrictive, it did actually work. Like it really worked. The NBA just wrapped up their their 2020 season with the Lakers winning their 17th NBA Championship title and (even more impressively) ZERO COVID cases.

We had zero positive tests for as long as we were here, MVP Lebron James said. That s a success for everybody that was involved.

Enter the NFL.  This is likely the most challenging sport to pull off during a pandemic since gameplay requires 22 players to be packed into tight spaces where they just breathe on each other and occasionally move the ball 4 yards in either direction. 

After putting on an excellent virtual draft back in the Spring, we expected the NFL to be absolutely on top of their game for their kick-off on September 10th.  So how did the opening games pan out?  What precautions has the league taken to ensure the safety of their players and confidence in their schedule?

Well, the biggest issues with the season plan were theoretically hammered out at the tail end of July.  If any of you sports fans recall, the NFL and NFL Player s Association came to a lengthy agreement that included extensive testing, strict training regiments, new salary caps, roster changes, and everything else imaginable and unimaginable. 

The NFL/NFLPA agreement is seriously exhaustive.  There s pages of requirements detailing things like how air should be circulated in indoor stadiums.  There s new rules about who teams can send out to witness the coin toss. There s rules about masks. There s even rules about how loud the piped-in crowd noise is allowed to be across the league so as not to provide an advantage to one franchise over another. Seriously.

And while the NFL teams would not be playing in a bubble like their NBA counterparts, the amount of logistical work that went into new rules for play suggests the NFL was at least as serious about protecting the health of their players as they were in protecting their finances.  And really, that s just about the best we can all hope for this year.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (25) carries the ball against the Houston Texans in the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Another point of departure that the NFL took from other professional sports leagues was in the allowance of some stadiums to seat actual fans.  Each franchise has been allowed to apply their own rules to live attendance based on local pandemic conditions, and the complete list of who is selling tickets can be found here.  While some franchises like the Denver Broncos will only allow family and friends of the players to view games, the Kansas City Chiefs actually allowed 16,000 fans to spread out across their 70,000 seat stadium.  This arrangement can be seen well here, as fans boo the Chiefs and Giants standing in silent unity to call attention to police brutality (btw, have you registered to vote?).  The New England Patriots and several other franchises haven t ruled out the possibility of hosting fans until later in the season but did commit to keeping their stadiums empty at least through September.

Now aside from that unpleasantness in Kansas City, the remainder of opening weekend seemed to have gone off rather smoothly, albeit with a slight drop in viewership from past years. So clearly, the NFL seems to have figured this out and the rest of the season should go smoothly and as scheduled.  There s no story here.

Oh no, wait.  Hang on.  

Yeah, nevermind.  Actually there s COVID everywhere.  

As rough as the NFL s opening weekend was, that seems to have thus far been the high point of the 2020-21 season.  But don t just take it from me, I m only capable of informative snark.  Here s ESPN s Dan Graziano with a breathless, dramatic rundown of the state of things at Week 5:

Already the most exhausting season in history, the 2020 NFL campaign now peeks its head around the corner into Week 5 amid cacophonous calamity. Every morning brings fresh news of positive COVID-19 tests, schedule delays, amended protocols, questions that spawn more questions. Two games were postponed last week, and two more already have been postponed this week. The Tennessee Titans are under investigation and have been banned from their own facility for 10 days so far. The New England Patriots two best players have tested positive for the coronavirus, and they haven t practiced yet this week after playing on Monday night. Both teams Week 5 opponents wait for final word on whether and when they might play. No one knows where the next COVID-19-related issue will start, only that it will, and bring with it even more questions and complications.

This week has seen some major changes to the regular season schedule to accommodate teams battling COVID.  In the short term, the NFL just issued several changes to their management plan in response to the virus moving through the Patriots as quickly and easily as an opposing team breaks through their offensive line.  Anyone exposed to COVID and anyone that person has come in contact with are now required to isolate for a minimum of 5 days, even if it means missing a game.

The NFL is now actually reconsidering the NBA s bubble strategy for the post-season and are potentially looking at Dallas and Los Angeles as their bubble sites before the Super Bowl takes place in Tampa Bay as scheduled.

So there you go.  It was a nice try, NFL.  Here s hoping things get back on track and everyone stays safe and virus-free for the remainder of the season.

What Does This Have to Do with Your Next Event Plan?

Are you planning to pull together your professional sports franchise for the 2021 season?  For real, one of these is bound to be perfectly fine.  Isn t that how the law of averages works?  We re looking at you XFL third time s a charm. 

In all seriousness, here at Decibel Events we look at each of these leagues, individual franchises and major events for key takeaways on what to do, but also more importantly what NOT to do going forward.

When it comes to these major sports seasons, it appears that only the bubble has worked so far. Does that mean that you need to do a bubble to successfully host your next conference or corporate meeting? Not necessarily. It s important to evaluate your ultimate goals with each event, and we re great at doing just that. Reach out to us today to see how we can help you plan and put on your next company event both safely AND successfully.

Tokyo Olympics By the Numbers (for Event Geeks)

EVENT INDUSTRY, EVENT PRODUCTION INSPIRATION, EVENT PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY, LIVE EVENTS, NEWS

The Tokyo Olympics may be the largest audio-visual event to ever be broadcast around the world. With many events running without live audiences and even family members of competitors having to stay home because of the pandemic, Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) were faced with one of the greatest challenges ever to offer a production as immersive as being there yourself.

And oh, how they have risen to the challenge. With the latest advancements in audio-visual technology and a massive team of talented people, the OBS provided a way to experience the 339 individual events in a way never before seen.

A Quick Glance at Impressive Numbers
The numbers almost speak for themselves; for the biggest broadcast, the Olympics have ever seen, OBS used an infrastructure larger than any other.

• 9,500+ estimated hours of content produced by OBS
• 3,800 4,000 estimated hours of sports and ceremonies
• 118 HD contribution multilateral feeds
• 68 UHD contribution multilateral feeds
• 76 HD distribution feeds
• 44 UHD distribution feeds
• 31 Outside Broadcast (OB) vans
• 22 fly-away systems
• 1,049 camera systems
• 210+ slow-motion cameras
• 250 minicams
• 18 cablecam systems
• 27 tracking camera systems
• 37 jibs and cranes
• 3,600 microphones

[Image: The Tokyo OBS Media Center, Source: Instagram/@@_markpickering]

Looking closer, however, we come to realize how OBS built a system through careful decision-making, great staff, and the best technology available.

The Highest Quality Images Ever

For the 2016 Rio Olympics, we got to see high-definition video playback of all our favorite events. For 2021, we got 4K and even 8K cameras, offering over four times the quality of those pictures from only five years ago. These were captured by over 1,049 camera systems, 27 tracking camera systems, and 37 jibs and cranes. These include cameras connected to cars, flying besides runners, and even underwater. Between them, they covered dozens (and sometimes hundreds) of perspectives for over 4000 hours of content (which will later be edited and produced to double that number).

[Image: Olympic Broadcasting Services Cameraman. Source: Wikicommons]

An Immersive Experience

The OBS didn t settle for simply the sharpest images available. Nor did it settle with the 5.1.4 surround sound (which captures sound vertically from four extra perspectives). No. In 2021, the OBS also captured images and other data for audiences that we haven t experienced before.

For the first time ever, the Tokyo Olympics included Live and on-demand immersive 180 stereoscopic and 360 panoramic coverage. From AI that produces 3D modeling at the gymnastics to vital sign monitors that show the heart rate of archers, the Olympic Broadcast team offered us an immersion beyond anything we could expect while sitting in the stands.

[Image: A golf tournament can take dozens of cameras to capture. Source: Twitter/@@GarageUganda]

[possible video to use as alternative:https://video.twimg.com/tweet_video/E7YrqiRX0AElink.mp4 Source: Twitter/@@AtPeterHayes]

Live Streaming with 5G

When you talk about high-quality images, you end up talking about large amounts of data. The minimum streaming bandwidth for 4K cameras is around 25Mb/s, over the typical bandwidth available on 4G. With up to 64 streams entering the main center at any one time to be processed before being added to the OBS cloud, the infrastructure required has to be massive!

That is why OBS partnered with Alibaba and uses its own next-gen 5G network to process and release thousands of terabytes of data to its partners every hour.

[Image: OBS Contribution Distribution Unilateral Room. Source:alibabagroup.com]

The Best Events Team in The World?

Of course, no event recording succeeds without a strong and competent events management team. While the planning group comprises 166 people from 30 nationalities, the number of employees during the Olympics ballooned to over 8100. These included cameramen, gaffers, sound engineers, editors, producers, and drivers. Believe it or not, 120 employees dedicated their days simply to labeling footage to be used; these people were even so busy that they employ AI to help them!

[Image: The Olympic Broadcasting Services Team is already working on Beijing. Source: Twitter/@@YiannisExarchos]

Can I have Olympics Level Coverage at My Event?

Let s be real. You don t need this level of coverage. Very few live events outside of the Olympics do. However, most corporate live event managers don t realize that a lot of the experiences Olympic audiences view can actually be reached within their budget. Here at Decibel Events, we work to provide this level of production in all of our event productions. From our live event broadcast production with live streaming from multiple cameras and perspectives, to IP cloud integration, and from design through execution.

Want to see more? Check out the 2021 National Book Festival this September to see our work in action including both live and virtual audiences. We have been the Event Agency of Record for over a decade, and also work with other corporations on their large-scale events and meetings to bring them this level of production and to give them the opportunity to have global-level productions at a budget they can afford.

Decibel Event Management Wins 6 Telly Awards

COMPANY NEWS, EVENT INDUSTRY, EVERYTHING ELSE, VIRTUAL EVENTS

Decibel Events is proud to have been awarded six Telly Awards in recognition of our partnership with the Library of Congress producing the 2020 Virtual National Book Festival.

This is a huge honor for Team dB, but not for us alone; this national recognition is shared by everyone that had an impact on this event: tireless leaders, designers, producers, peers, and staff at the Library of Congress, all of whom put in the hours, the effort, and the creativity needed to transform a massive in-person event to a successful virtual festival. 

Out of adversity comes opportunity. When the pandemic hit, and the world shut down, we weren t sure if the event would even take place. But the dedicated Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden, was determined to move forward. We accepted her challenge to transition this 20-year strong tradition to a safe-from-home format, without losing the intimacy and excitement of the Festival, or compromising any content and programming.

And we had 80 days to get it done. 

That meant working with the team at the Library and recording all the authors through our cloud studio, editing hundreds of videos-on-demand, and building a comprehensive platform for our guests. The following stats remain staggering to us, still: 

• 150+ Videos-On-Demand, Recorded, Edited and Hosted on Platform
• 120+ Authors
• 95+ Digital Sponsor Exhibit Booths
• 65+ Live Q&A Sessions
• 12 Live Virtual Stages

Far and away, this event was our most challenging and most satisfying of 2020, but not just because of the logistical and creative hurdles involved. The National Book Festival was created to share the power of literature across a myriad of ages and varied backgrounds and viewpoints. It is an event designed to build connections, foster conversations and curiosity, and a way to highlight diversity, culture and overlooked voices. Contributing that that important mission is reward enough; the Telly Awards are just icing.

We are forever grateful to the Library of Congress talented team and colleagues for their immeasurable contributions. And to our amazing production team, including Dave Nicholson with RelaTV Media, Melinda Curley with Cloverlea Entertainment, Josh Cook with EventEQ, for your unbridled passion and commitment to excellence.

Library of Congress: we love bringing your vision to life, and are truly grateful to have earned your trust. We can t wait to see you safely in person soon!

Holy Fuck, Apple. You Spent HOW MUCH?!

EVENT DESIGN, EVENT INDUSTRY, EVENT PRODUCTION INSPIRATION, EVERYTHING ELSE, LIVE EVENTS, LOL, PRODUCTION

10 Major Events That Cost Less Than WWDC

Apple spent a whopping $50 million on its annual Worldwide Developers Conference. $50 MILLION. 

This staggering figure was recently unveiled by Phil Schiller, former head of Apple s worldwide marketing, during his testimony at the ongoing trial of Epic Games vs. Apple, and it shook us to our core.

Yes, we know Apple is a billion-dollar company, and yes, we know they use their week-long conference to announce their shiny new gadgets (of which we re big fans), but it s still just. a. business. meeting. The set-up is super basic: a stage, some cameras, some speakers, and occasionally a musical guest (Weezer, Panic! at the Disco, Fall Out Boy and Good Charlotte), but nothing so spectacular or extraordinary or life changing that the event could run up that kind of bill. 

To put this in perspective, we rounded up some other extravagant events that didn t cost nearly as much as Apple s week-long business meeting. 

10.  Naomi Campbell s 36th Birthday Party $1.8 Million

Supermodel Naomi Campbell rented out 18 floors of Burj Al Arab, the world s first seven-star hotel, to host her elaborate three-day birthday bash in Dubai. Each day featured a series of celebratory themed events for the OG Super Model and her high-profile guests, including David and Victoria Beckham, and Linda Evangelista. No assistants or phones were harmed at the big birthday bash.

9.  Trump s 4th of July Event $5.4 Million

In 2019, during Donald Trump s presidency he hosted an over-the-top 4th of July event featuring tanks, fireworks, and a military flyover at the Lincoln Memorial. He called the event remarkable; we call it a misuse of public funds.

8.  Macy s Thanksgiving Day Parade $12.3 Million

This 2.5 mile parade with enormous balloons, unbelievable floats, and talented performers, dazzles crowds during the holidays each year. According to The Smart Shopper s 2016 report, the average total cost to host the parade is between $10.4-$12.3 million. Event logistics can cost up to $3.4 million.

7.  Producing Hamilton on Broadway $12.5 Million

Everyone wants to be in the room where it happened. Mounting the show on Broadway took $12.5 million, or one-million-two-hundred-fifty-thousand ten-dollar bills featuring our founding father. There is nothing scrappy about the Tony Award-winning musical, which has grossed more than $1 billion in global revenue to date. 

6.  Jennifer Lopez & Shakira s Super Bowl Halftime Show $13 million

JLo and Shakira killed the Super Bowl halftime show in 2020. The 14-minute show included more than 130 dancers, 600 field team members, 5,350 pieces of pyrotechnics and some spectacular lasers. The televised performance won an Emmy Award, and resulted in millions of viewers feeling bummed out about their physical fitness and skin care regimen. 

5.  Opening of the Atlantis Hotel in Dubai $31 Million

With a goal to make this resort opening one of the biggest events of the year, event designer and producer Colin Cowie and Empire Entertainment turned up the flash to throw a lavish three-day extravaganza. Powerful video projections, pyrotechnics and fireworks told the story of the Atlantis across the outer facade, ending in the largest-ever fireworks display on record more than seven times larger than those used at the Beijing Olympic games. 

4.  2021 Oscars $40 Million

The Academy Awards wanted to go big and go live this year. All attendees were required to take three COVID tests prior to attending, but considering they received a gift bag containing approximately $225,000 worth of goodies, it feels like a fair trade to us. Plus, ya know, human interaction.

3.  Opening Ceremonies for the 2012 London Olympics $42 Million

This spectacle was called Isles of Wonder. Directed by Academy Award-winning British film director Danny Boyle, the London Olympic opening ceremonies pulled out all the stops. With a television audience of 900 million, it became the most-viewed Olympic opening ceremony. 

2.  Burning Man Music Festival $44 Million

In 2018, Burning Man reported it took $44 million to produce the music festival focused on community, art, self-expression and self-reliance. The event creates a temporary city in a Nevada desert and features a 40-foot-tall burning effigy among hundreds of other elaborate art structures. Fun fact: they spend $1.4 million for sanitation services alone (aka: port-a-potties). 

1.  Prince Harry & Meghan Markle s Royal Wedding $45 Million

We watched, we wept, we drank tea at 5am. A royal wedding is more affordable than a work conference. <<>>

Apple: give us a call. We can produce a fantastic WWDC for you with a lower price tag and so much more than a stage with a screen and some lights.

David Sonntag Talks New Event Venue Outlook on LMG s The Road Ahead Podcast

COMPANY NEWS, EVENT INDUSTRY, EVENT RESOURCES, LIVE EVENTS, TIPS & TRICKS, VENUES

I recently had the pleasure of guesting on Les Goldberg s 39th episode of LMG s The Road Ahead podcast, alongside Lauren Chelf from AOAC International, and Diane Kovats from ISCB, to discuss negotiating and navigating event venues through the COVID-lens.

I d love for you to give our chat a listen, or keep scrolling for what you need to know when planning a post-pandemic event. 

1. Pay attention to event size vs. event capacity. Just because a venue can

   accommodate 1,000 attendees, doesn t mean that the city or state will allow that many people to gather just yet.

2. Review requirements and regulations. Safety measures and restrictions vary drastically from state to state, and city to city. The hotel, convention center, or event venue itself is also likely to have an additional set of rules. Ask upfront and get details in writing.
3. Determine venue staffing needs. Hotels and event venues are just as excited to be back in action as we are, and welcome the opportunity to bring back furloughed team members. It s crucial that your event venue has enough experienced staff working now to handle your events needs. (Because we all know there s more to a flawless event than the event day itself.)
4. Consistent, coordinated communication regarding COVID safety. Both the event venue staff and the event producers must be on the same page when it comes to communicating and executing COVID safety measures. These could include mask wearing, temperature checks, COVID tests, cleaning measures, and on. For example, a venue, city or state might not require temp checks, but the event producer and client does for all attendees and staff. Share safety requirements before the event takes place with all involved parties, in order to manage expectations and equal treatment across the board.
5. Internet is essential. We ve encountered venues that are willing to improve Internet service and create hot spots, and others who are not. As Les says in the podcast, he d prefer Internet over air conditioning these days, it s just that important. Amen.
6. Hotel room rates are often negotiable. Holding a large-scale company meeting or conference in a hotel? So far Team dB has found that there s a lot of wiggle room with room rates.
7. Hybrid events are here to stay. Yeah, I said it. Not your jam? Think of it like this: hybrid activations allow for greater attendance. (And elastic waist bands.)

Those are a few helpful highlights from our fun discussion; listen to the full podcast for more, including our thoughts on specifically when I predict think 250+ attendees at an event will be the new (old) normal.

2021 Oscars BINGO Card

EVENT INDUSTRY, EVERYTHING ELSE, LIVE EVENTS, LOL

It s almost time for the 93rd Academy Awards show!

Though we re starting to see the light at the end of the COVID tunnel, most of us are still planning to tune in to the 2021 Oscars at home, and we ve got the perfect free Oscars BINGO card to help you do just that.

This year the Oscars are going to be completely live that s right, with real people in the audience and everything! The Academy specifically said NO Zoom, NO sweatpants. While we can t promise that WE won t be donning some comfy clothes, we are excited to watch a fully live awards show again.

Enjoy this challenging and cheeky BINGO card that we have created to help your 2021 Oscars watch party really pop, all you have to do is print it out and play along. If you get BINGO, make sure you TAG us on Instagram: @@DecibelManagement for a chance to win an exclusive prize!

Click here to print your 2021 Oscar Awards BINGO Card

dB Talent Spotlight

EVENT DESIGN, EVENT INDUSTRY, EVENT PRODUCTION INSPIRATION, EVENT RESOURCES, LIVE EVENTS, TIPS & TRICKS, VIRTUAL EVENTS

Welcome to Decibel Events Talent Spotlight series where we highlight great keynote speakers, presenters, performers and other talent to enhance your in-person or virtual event.

Bookmark this page and be sure to check back each month as we grow this list. It will be a great resource to you the next time you re planning an event.

Dr. Chelsea Jackson Roberts

Dr. Chelsea Jackson Roberts is highly regarded as a leader in a new generation of yogis who are passionate about expanding the visibility of who is commonly seen as Teacher. She is an internationally celebrated scholar and Peloton yoga teacher. 

She has graced the cover of Yoga Journal twice, toured the world as a global yoga ambassador for lululemon, and advocated for local communities as founder of Red Clay Yoga. She is also widely recognized for her work with yoga and teens, and founded Yoga, Literature, and Art Camp at Spelman College Museum of Fine Art. 

She would be a wonderful addition to your next event, and we encourage you to contact her through her website chelsealovesyoga.com.

Michael Brenner

Michael Brenner is a globally-recognized keynote speaker on leadership, culture, and marketing. Author of the bestselling book The Content Formula, Michael s work has been featured by The Economist, The Guardian, and Entrepreneur Magazine. In 2017, Michael was named a Top Business Speaker by The Huffington Post and a Top CMO Influencer by Forbes.

Over the last two decades, Michael has championed a customer-centric approach at organizations large and small. He led sales and marketing for software companies like Nielsen and FullTilt. As an executive at ICR, SAP, and Newscred, Michael s innovative leadership resulted in massive growth. His workshops and keynotes for Fortune 500 brands and tiny startups have inspired profound personal and professional change.

Today, Michael is the CEO of Marketing Insider Group, founded on the belief that strong leaders who champion their teams are the key to unlocking massive growth.

When he s not working with clients, Michael travels the world helping even the most bureaucratic organizations break down silos, create cultures of innovation, and build engaged workforces.

Charlene Li

Need another great keynote speaker for your next virtual or in real life event? Meet Charlene Li.

Charlene Li is an influential thought leader and guide on digital transformation, with a specific focus on customer experience, leadership in the digital era, and the future of work.

For the past two decades, Charlene Li has been helping people see the future. She is an expert on digital transformation, leadership, customer experience and the future of work. Li is the author of six books, including the New York Times bestseller, Open Leadership and co-author of the critically acclaimed book, Groundswell. Her latest book is the bestseller The Disruption Mindset.

She is the Founder and Senior Fellow at Altimeter, an analyst firm acquired in 2015 by Prophet. Named one of the most creative people in business by Fast Company, Charlene is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Business School.

Fee: $25K $40K
Washington Speakers Bureau, direct and other booking sites.

Eric Stuart

This one s for the event peeps among us. Looking for a great speaker? Meet Eric Stuart.

An ex-British RAF officer and Supervisor in the Metropolitan Police for 17 of his 33 years with firearms, helicopter and covert deployments, he is an excellent motivator and lecturer focused on crowd modeling and safety. We know because we ve attended a two-day course with him and it felt like 5 minutes. He s incredibly interesting, and brings a wealth of experience and stories that will make you see your role as an event professional in a whole new light.

Eric is the owner of Gentian Events Limited, established in 2009 to enhance public safety at events of all shapes and sizes, working at and advising those who deliver them.

Contact him directly at GentianEvents.com

Jennifer Golbeck

Looking for a great keynote speaker? Meet Dr. Jennifer Golbeck.

As a world leader in social media research and communication, Dr. Jennifer Golbeck shares with audiences ways to best leverage and the vast array of social data both in their personal and professional lives.

Dr. Jennifer Golbeck began studying social media from the moment it emerged on the web a decade ago and is one of the world s foremost experts in the field. Her research has influenced industry, government, and the military. She is a pioneer in the field of social data analytics, discovering people s hidden attributes from their online behavior, and a leader in creating human-friendly security and privacy systems.

In addition to her work as a professor at the University of Maryland, she writes for top online news organizations, including Slate and The Atlantic, and appears frequently on NPR and commercial talk radio.

Fee: Under $25,000

https://www.wsb.com/videos/1302

Greg McKeown

As events transition online, more than ever, the challenge to create something that captures and keeps attention is paramount. One of the best way to hold an audience s attention is to have an engaging presenter who can deliver thought-provoking content in a riveting way. So if you re looking for someone who can do that, online, or in person, meet Greg McKeown.

Greg McKeown is a business writer, consultant and researcher specializing in leadership and the tools for success with a focus on living and leading as an essentialist.

Greg McKeown is emerging as one of the most refreshing and transformative business thought leaders and speakers on leadership, productivity and business growth. He is the founder and CEO of THIS Inc. a leadership and strategy design agency in Silicon Valley a New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author, and one of the most popular writers for Harvard Business Review and LinkedIn s Influencer Group.

McKeown has taught at hundreds of events across the world including in the U.S., Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, England, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore and South Africa. Organizations, teams, and individuals have benefited from McKeown s innovative perspective, which challenges conventional wisdom and defines how to break through to the next level of success and profitability.

Fee: $25K $40K

The Roaring 20s Redux: Will the 2020s Mirror the 1920s?

EVENT INDUSTRY, EVERYTHING ELSE, LIVE EVENTS, NEWS

The similarities between the 2020s and the 1920s are impossible to ignore. So will our version of post-pandemic life be Gatsby-esque? Or will things just go back to normal? 

The 1920s.

The Roaring Twenties came on the heels of the end of a war and our last major global pandemic. The timeline was bleak: WW1 was fought from 1914-1918, and the Spanish Flu ravaged the globe from 1918-1920.

Spanish Flu mitigation efforts were eerily similar to the CDC s SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus recommendations, and included hand washing, social distancing, and mask wearing, with one major exception the masks of yesteryear were made of gauze and cheesecloth, which by current standards, sounds more like an entr e presentation at The French Laundry, rather than something that will prevent illness and painful death. 

A debate about freedoms and rights regarding mask wearing wasn t a factor back then; citizens faced strict fines and imprisonment if they were caught unmasked. 

Post-WW1, and post-pandemic, things started looking up. The 1920s ushered in an era of economic growth and widespread prosperity, credited to deferred wartime spending and frankly, a massive sigh of relief. Mass production efforts for the war turned to consumer needs, and explosive strides and innovation in the automotive, film, radio and chemical industries made everything seem possible.

Cue: Jazz. Gold. Glitz. Glamour. Art deco. Celebrity. Cars. Film. Flappers. It was a new day, a new decade, and the first truly modern era. 

People were longing for connection and celebrating life to the fullest. Sounds kinda great, eh? 

The 2020s. 

So is that what s in store for this century s post-pandemic life? With the rapid dissemination of the COVID-19 vaccine, and fast-dropping morbidity rates, do we dare start imagining a return to glitz and glam? Or at the very least, a weekend without athleisure apparel?

Oh, yes. We dare. 

Our version of the 20s is unlikely to be quite as life-changing as that of the last century. After all, average consumers already have refrigerators, washing machines and cars. 

However, we anticipate an explosion of creativity, events, and gatherings as soon as the end of 2021, with an explosion of excess and celebration in 2022. 

The pandemic has catastrophically impacted many industries including our own but a little silver lining is that the overall economy isn t as bad as we ve previously experienced (looking at you, The Great Recession). We re currently struggling with a depressed demand issue, simply because we cannot safely gather in large groups. 

People want to go out. They want to get dressed up, meet friends for dinner, belly up to a bar, and listen to live music. We re collectively craving fantastical experiences and making memories at unforgettable events. We re connected by technology, but nothing duplicates the energy of a crowd, and the simple joy of a hug from a friend. That s depressed demand, and it s miserable.

All that will change soon and we. are. ready. 

For the Decibel team, the physical isolation and fatigue of being grounded in one place, unable to fully do what we do best, has been rough. We re so close to the (vaccinated) finish line, and can t wait to get out and create amazing events for our partners and clientele. Bring on the planes, trains and automobiles, this is going to be the Touring Twenties for us!

While these 20s may trade street murals and memes for art deco, and have Tik Tokers and twerkers instead of flappers, if history repeats itself, as it often does, we have a lot to look forward to.

dB Blog #318: The Best of Both Worlds: Hybrid Events Offer Unique Benefits

BRAND ACTIVATIONS & MARKETING, COMPANY NEWS, EVENT INDUSTRY, EXPERIENTIAL, LIVE EVENTS, PRODUCTION, TIPS & TRICKS, UNCATEGORIZED, VIRTUAL EVENTS

It s no secret that producers of  large-scale events have had to quickly rethink almost every aspect of their existence due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hybrid and virtual events took off, becoming the new normal for marketers and event organizers, with the majority of major events using updated technologies in their event planning to accommodate new health and safety concerns. 

Hybrid events are not new. They have been around for years now, usually consisting of an in-person event combined with some kind of live streaming technology that allows viewers at home to tune in. That format still exists, but is quickly evolving. The COVID-19 pandemic has added serious fuel to the fire, necessitating events to embrace virtual and hybrid options, which ultimately means new technologies and greater innovation. Here are some awesome benefits hybrid events can provide for audiences and event organizers. 

Let s start with some data. A recent study conducted by LinkedIn, based on interviews with more than 1,800 marketers across 13 countries, gives us insight into the current attitude of the events industry towards virtual and hybrid events. Of those interviewed, 85{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} had held a virtual event in the last year and 28{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} said that between 91-100{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} of their events are now fully virtual. The same data revealed that event marketers are predicting  40{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} of events will be virtual, 36{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} will be in-person and 24{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} will be hybrid events, combining what could be the best of both worlds, if they are produced well. 

Hybrid and virtual events are changing the capability expectations for marketers and event management companies. Skills nowadays should include producing and directing video content, having technical knowledge of different platforms, being able to moderate online comments and discussions, and understanding how to amplify the event on digital marketing platforms after the fact.

While all of that might seem overwhelming, we think it s all worth it and the events industry is largely in our camp. In that same study we mentioned earlier, LinkedIn also predicts many event organizers will develop a digital twin or create an online component of their event to ensure they are getting the most out of their investments. On top of the potential increase in ROI, the shift in the event industry towards hybrid and virtual events also poses serious benefits for audiences, event management companies, and the environment. 

Let s put this in the context of hybrid events. Hybrid events are actively experiencing a growth spurt. These new grown-up events will be integrated experiences for both virtual and physical attendees. They can be tailored to individuals preferences, allowing for a wider audience and more speakers, and open the door for more extensive discussions and post-event promotions. They harmonize the magic of an in-person event while enjoying the extensive reach of a virtual one. 

For conferences and speaker based events, hybrid events massively widen the scope of the experts from which they can choose. Now, organizers can invite and host speakers from nearly anywhere in the world. With more speakers comes more interested individuals. The virtual side of the event can accommodate many more attendees than an in-person venue ever could. 

Hybrid events create the opportunity for the event to stay connected and relevant long after the in-person experience has ended. Organizations and companies can continue to extend the hype around their events with post-event campaigns and/or repurposing content for blogs and social media. This can help retarget attendees, gaining access to an entirely new audience beyond the one that attends the in-person experience. Hybrid events uniquely allow organizers to engage two types of attendees, measuring success both in-person and through an online community that will continue to grow long after the actual event is over. 

For the environment, hybrid events, and virtual events even more so, pose an interesting solution to some of the more wasteful practices used for large-scale events. Hybrid events have the added value of maintaining the balance between sustainability and the joy of having an in-person experience. Again, the Linkedin research found that 42{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} of organizers will continue to produce virtual events in some capacity because they are more environmentally friendly than in-person sessions, reducing the need for transport, and cutting down on disposable items. 

Inclusivity is another awesome perk of virtual and hybrid events. Having a virtual side to an event opens up the experience to more people, especially those who, for a myriad of reasons, might not have been able to access it in-person. Now, anyone can take part in the event from the comfort of their own home, with options for closed captioning, transcription technology, or other health and safety necessities. 

This is all predicated on the fact that you produce a Hybrid event well. We have all seen some real disasters and epic fails over the past two years. We have also seen some very large AV companies claim they can host virtual or hybrid events, only to discover that they really do not have a handle on the platform, basic best practices, or have platform tunnel vision for their specific tech platform. What we know is that there is no platform panacea. They all do something really well, and many try to do lots of things pretty poorly. This also includes true accessibility and 508 compliance. With this in mind, it is important to have a solid vendor with an in depth knowledge of the landscape, that can anticipate needs and hiccups before they become problems and one that you trust. 

As we enter 2022, we can t wait to see how major events start to push the technological and social boundaries of the industry. 

For more information about organizing hybrid events get in touch with the team at Decibel!