Life of an Event Prof: #NatBookFest Breakdown
BACKSTAGE, EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS
Last week, we wrapped up one of our flagship events, The Library of Congress National Book Festival. It was our eighth year managing this event, and while we re veterans, we re always looking for new ways to accommodate a bigger audience and out-do ourselves from the year(s) before. With an expected 100,000 guests and a couple million more viewing the livestream at home, we couldn t afford to disappoint. Plus, our mantra is, Yeah, we can handle that .
It s true that the majority of the blood, sweat and tears goes into the planning leading up to our events. But we re still on our feet the day of, making sure everything runs smoothly. It s a small part of what we do in the event management business, but this is the day in the life of one of our event crew members: NatBookFest livestream style.
5:00 AM
Wake up call. Suit up, festival style. Means we get to wear a Decibel t-shirt today.
5:01 AM
Two shots of espresso, hold the sugar, hold the cream.
6:00 AM
Pile in the crew and Uber over to the the Washington Convention Center. All the gear from the day before is still in place. Grab checklist.
Radios charged. 
Power bricks charged.
Boot up the laptop.
Get to work.
7:00 AM
Call time for second wave of crew. Find a place to order 30 breakfast sandwiches from STAT.
7:30 AM
Overheard on Radio: Where s Waldo? Seriously. Someone lost the Where s Waldo costume day of the event. Waldo could not be found. If we made this up, you wouldn t believe it.
8:00 AM
Quick team meeting. High fives out the door.
8:30 AM
It s show time. Book lovers start filing into the convention center.
Set up camera for timelapse, because who doesn t love a good time lapse.
9:00 AM
Reading Cat in the Hat to test captions for livestream. Appropriate for the National Book Festival. AV and livestream team at the table, in position for the first keynote.
9:30 AM
It has been confirmed from a crew member on Floor 2 of the venue. Waldo has been found.
10:00 AM
Start first livestream of the day. David McCullough takes the stage. People from all over the world are giving shout outs to the popular two-time Pulitzer Prize winner.
11:00 AM
Bring our AV crew lunch. With an all-day livestream, they can hardly get up for a bathroom break. Extra dessert for their dedication.
11:30 AM
Celebrity Sighting #1: Found Waldo.
12:00 PM
If it s 12 PM, and we re eating our third meal of the day because we ve been up since 4. Is it lunch? Dinner? Who knows, but every meal is now called a dinner break. #EventProfProbs
1:00 PM
Our team member, Chris, is leading the team in the most steps, so far. 7.1 miles.
2:00 PM
Escalator stopped? No problem, we take the steps.
2:30 PM
Insert fourth cup of coffee.
3:00 PM
People start lining up for Condoleezza. Two hours before she s scheduled to speak.
3:30 PM
As heard over Radio: Our crew requires back-up at the lines for the Condoleezza book signing. Send in reinforcements.
5:05 PM
Condoleezza Rice takes the stage. 2,500 people make for a packed house. No surprise there.
6:00 PM
While Condoleezza is speaking, there s still book signings and children s stage activities going on. Some of our crew is at those stages making sure everything is running as planned.
7:00 PM
Final livestream wraps up.
7:30 PM
Start counting livestream stats. There were over 60K views and reached over 1.2 million users who weren t able to attend National Book Festival, but were able to watch their favorite main stage authors. That s how we handle that.
8:00 PM
As things wind down, we sneak a spot at the Teen Poetry Slam. Every year, this is a team favorite. Those kids are talented beyond belief.
8:30 PM
National Book Festival comes to an end, crowd piles out. Dismantle begins.
9:00 PM
Counting more livestream stats, giving our client updates, uploading last minute photos, and wrap-up meeting with the crew. That s a wrap.
10:00 PM
After a group selfie, we head out to Ebbitt Grill for a post-game dinner and a few well-deserved drinks from P.O.V. We couldn t have done any of it without our awesome client, Library of Congress, our hardworking crew who flew in from all over the country, and the sponsors that made #NatBookFest possible. Cheers, NBF 2017.
Top 3 Experiential Marketing Campaigns of 2017 (Thus Far)
BRAND ACTIVATIONS & MARKETING, EVENT INDUSTRY, EVENT PRODUCTION INSPIRATION, EXPERIENTIAL, LIVE EVENTS
Experiential marketing. Engagement marketing. On-ground marketing. Event marketing. Whatever you want to call it, can be very successful if done right.
The goal of experiential marketing is to form a memorable connection between the consumer and the brand to make a lasting impression, influence purchase decisions and ultimately build brand loyalty. It s proving to be a valuable part of a company s marketing plan, especially for large, faceless brands who can be viewed as out of touch with the general public.
With the explosion of new technology (like virtual reality) in the past year, combined with good ol fashion creativity, we expect 2017 to show us big things for experiential marketing. Here are some of our favorites so far.
The Casper Nap Tour & SXSW Takeover
Casper, one of the heavy-hitters in the mail order mattress-in-a-box industry, took this year s South by Southwest Festival by storm. For starters, they had their Nap Tour RV strategically stationed to help exhausted festival goers take 8-minute power naps. Attendees got to experience the comfort of a Casper mattress in a private pod, complete with slippers, a cold brew coffee, and a dog bed if they also had a furry friend.
Casper also partnered with the Standard Hotel s One:Night app to help people find a last minute, reasonably priced hotel room in an otherwise completely booked city. Each day at 3:00pm, the One:Night app released 20 rooms that could be booked for just $99 (more reasonable than the other hotel prices in downtown Austin during this time, which ranged from $250-$1,200). Guests got to sleep in comfortable rooms outfitted with a Casper mattress, pillows and slippers. Car service was provided by Tesla, and you could even request a real mom from the front desk to come read you a bedtime story.
Thanks to Mother Nature, Casper really solidified themselves in people s memories when an unexpected snowstorm cancelled flights in the North East at the end of SXSW. Casper extended their event to help stranded attendees find rooms, and even threw a Stranded in Austin party with rapper Warren G.
Talk about turning a nightmare into a dream.
XFINITY Fast & Furious Drive-Out Cinema
XFINITY partnered with the release of the next Fast & Furious movie, The Fate of the Furious, to take two of their customers on the ride of their lives. Excited to see and sit in some of the super cars from the movie, the two contest winners strapped in to watch a sneak peak of the film. That is until the people in the driver s seat suddenly discovered that the keys had been left in the car. Cue revving engine, confusion and adrenaline.
Turns out the people in the driver s seat were the actual stunt drivers from the movie, and they take the two unsuspecting super fans straight through the wall of the theatre and into an explosion-packed stunt ride. It was literally just like a scene from the movie. While this experience wasn t had by many people in-person, the YouTube video posted about it did a great job of capturing the event. While watching, you instantly start imagining what you would do in that situation. It evokes a feeling, a rush.
Plus, it s just flat-out funny to watch these people s faces as they flail about doing donuts next to impressive pyrotechnics.
Crayola Retires a Classic
Crayola made waves in the social media sphere by announcing that they were going to retire one of their iconic crayon colors from their 24-count box. They set up a giant box of crayons in Time Square, and had a countdown going on their website to March 31, 2017 (National Crayon Day) when they were going to announce live on Facebook which color would be getting the ax. Engagement and buzz on social media was high, as Crayola encouraged people to share which color they hoped to keep around (there s lots of Cerulean fans out there).
As it turns out, a box of the new crayons made its way onto shelves one day ahead of schedule, and of course an excited fan spotted it and posted it to Twitter. We give major props to the Crayola social team for reacting to this leak swiftly and positively by saying the color Dandelion just couldn t wait, and decided to announce his retirement a day early. This fast-thinking, positive spin saved the campaign, and may even end up gaining it more attention in the long run. Who doesn t love a good spoiler scandal? Here s wishing that Dandelion enjoys his golden years.
Do you have a favorite 2017 experiential marketing campaign that didn t make this list? Let us know! Tweet us at @DecibelEvent. We re social butterflies.
Lollapalooza said ????to COVID-19 and ????to music
EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS, PRODUCTION
How Did Lollapalooza s Virtual Festival Pan Out?
So, this hasn t exactly been a great year for music festivals. Coachella s annual April festival was delayed to Octoberand other big destination fests like Stagecoach, Bonnaroo, and SXSW were canceled outright in the Spring.
That s why we were surprised to learn on July 27th that C3 s Lollapalooza would move ahead with their annual August festival as planned, but as an entirely virtual affair.
Now sure, this certainly isn t the first virtual music event to take place this year. If you all remember, way back in March (we were so young and naive then) Elton John hosted a number of performances from his stunning, spacious mansion for an iHeartRadio benefit concert. It s one thing to livestream DJs or solo artists from their home setups. It s an entirely another challenge to accommodate full bands that require multiple performers and other personnel singing and breathing in the same place.
Which is why, all things considered, we were actually pretty impressed by the way Lollapalooza handled that challenge. Their free Youtube event dubbed Lolla2020, took place from July 30th to August 2nd and featured home setups, interviews, live soundstage performances, and never before seen archival recordings from past festivals. This gave us some insights into how we might expect Coachella to pan out, and offered an interesting concept that festival organizers would be wise to use in a post-COVID environment to maintain hype year round.
One of the biggest challenges that Lollapalooza managed well was anchoring the setting of the event. How did Lollapalooza integrate its home turf of Chicago into its virtual experience?
Well on top of a slew of Chicago acts on the bill like Chance the Rapper, interviews with key Chicago figures like Michelle Obama and Lori Lightfoot were also billed as a central part of the experience. Even the Chicago Bulls were part of a live event collaboration featuring Polo G, Wendell Carter Jr., and Zach LaVine.
Events like the Democratic convention, which we discussed previously, have gone to great lengths to virtually reinforce the notion that the event is taking place in Milwaukee, even without most major events or speeches taking place on site. Utilizing local organizations, drawing on local artists, and involving local luminaries is a great strategy for actually grounding your virtual event somewhere.
As we mentioned above, livestreamed performances are no longer newsworthy. Everyone with a webcam and an acoustic guitar has proven that to be the case since March. So how do you make a virtual concert an unmissable experience now?
Well, one great way to do that is to really make it live. There are no VODs. If you missed it, then you really missed it, unless you manage to find pirated videos floating around somewhere.
While the archival gigs were briefly interesting to see (mostly because no one was social distancing!), special reunions from bands like Jane s Addiction, one-off performances by Metallica or a rare Lupe Fiasco performance turned the event into spectacle.
The diversity of the streams also made for an entirely unique event that would just not have worked in person. Salesforce sponsored LL Cool J s 4-part series on the pillars of hip-hop, providing audiences advice on breaking, DJing, graffiti, and MCing from one of hip-hop s undisputed masters.
Interviews with everyone from Metallica s Lars Ulrich to Michelle Obama touched on a variety of topics and kept the event lively and engaging.
EMBED:
One of the more unfortunate aspects of this event for me as that I had to finally admit I m not up to speed with the young people anymore. While the internet was ablaze with chatter about H.E.R., I was completely jazzed about this Porno for Pyros reunion so I could throw on some flannel and party like its 1996.
If you re looking to pull off a virtual music event over the next 6 months, Lollapalooza is a great starting point to develop your concept. Get in touch with us today to make that happen!
Virtual Democratic National Convention
EVENT INDUSTRY, EVENT PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY, LIVE EVENTS, POLITICAL
FINALLY. It s political convention season. Doesn t it seem like this campaign has been going on for our entire lives?
But seeing as the United States remains in the throes of COVID s first wave, how will the conventions function? What will happen to all the red, white, and blue paraphernalia of past events? The cutting-edge staging setups with pyrotechnics? Or Lenny Kravitz? How will we get a repeat of this moment from 2016 when it appears the retirement-age Clintons just discovered balloons for the very first time?
Think of the memes democrats!
Due to COVID, it seems this year each party is forced to hold a more subdued virtual convention focused on things like the formal delegate voting process to confirm a presidential candidate, updating party platforms to reflect current political realities, and hosting speeches from notable rising party leaders to introduce ambitious new goals to the national public. You know, the important stuff. It ll be a throwback to the Eisenhower era when smallpox was a hoax and the president often expressed a fondness for his good friend Khrushchev in the Kremlin.
Now, you may have noticed I just said BOTH parties. Portions of the Republican convention were moved from Charlotte, North Carolina to Jacksonville, Florida last month. While the actual party convention functions like writing an updated party platform will still be held by party leadership in Charlotte, the super-sweet-sixteen-everyone-pay-attention-to-me-its-my-special-day portion will be held in Jacksonville.
These plans may once again change due to Florida s new outbreak. Florida s current daily case numbers have been higher than the total daily case count in all of Europe for the past week, a development surprising to literally no one outside of Florida. Governor DeSantis has mandated masks be worn indoors and gatherings allow a maximum 50 people, throwing the key goals of the convention into disarray. Will it be cancelled? Will it be virtual? We ll be back with a part 2 once the RNC comes to a consensus on how to move forward with their planned festivities.
So right now, we can really only explore the current plans for the virtual Democratic National Convention.
The Democratic Convention will be held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from August 17th to 20th, but what does this really mean if the convention is largely virtual?
Some portions of the event will be held in Milwaukee s Wisconsin Center. The anchor location of the event was moved from Fiserv Forum at the end of June to accommodate extensive public health requirements. Presumptive nominee Biden s official acceptance speech will take place in-person at the center, but it remains to be seen how many, if any, spectators will be invited for a live viewing. There is no word yet whether or not the to-be-announced vice-presidential nominee will be joining him.
Put this one in the perk column. As a Chicagoan, I d like to say one of the best things about this virtual convention is that you no longer have to go to Milwaukee. When God closes a door, He opens a window.
The convention initially had 1,500 total events on the books. These additional speeches and satellite events that would normally be attended by up to 50,000 total people will not be taking place in Milwaukee or have been cancelled all together. Instead, socially distanced events and speeches from party leaders will be held at locations and landmarks across the country, with the actual convention center in Milwaukee acting as an anchor point from which these virtual events can be emceed and various live feeds can be managed.
The virtual event will be produced by Ricky Kirshner who has been producing the Democratic Convention since 1992. Kirshner has also done the Tony s, the Super Bowl, and he actually has 9 Emmy s. You read that right. He didn t produce the Emmy s 9 times. He s won 9 Emmy s for his production work. Respect.
And finally, as we said above one of the key purposes of party conventions is for state delegates to cast votes for their chosen candidates and officially confirm the party s presidential nominee. Several states are still in the process of selecting their delegates to send to the national convention due to COVID-related delays. The Delaware DNC, for example, are expected to virtually cast their votes to choose state delegates using Google forms this month.
The DNC has specifically relaxed it rules for state delegates to cast their votes virtually. We re still waiting to see how the DNC plans to collect votes at the convention but Delaware s straightforward voting strategy leaves us with some confidence that lessons were learned from Iowa s Caucus App debacle. Keep track of our Instagram for updates as we learn them!
Are you a member of the RNC looking to take your convention virtual? We can handle that!
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.
Drowning In Content: How Can Live Events Stay Relevant In The Digital Age
BRAND ACTIVATIONS & MARKETING, EVENT INDUSTRY, EVENT PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY, LIVE EVENTS
We all feel it the digital monsoon. Every time you open your inbox, search google, see yet another cat video. We are all literally drowning in digital content everyday.
Here s some perspective for every minute on the web:
- Email users send 204,000,000 messages
- Google receives over 4,000,000 search queries
- Blog writers post 1400 new blog posts
- Facebook users share 2,460,000 pieces of content
- Twitter users tweet 277,000 times
- Amazon makes $83,000 in online sales
- Tinder users swipe 416,667 times
- Whats App users share 347,222 photos
- Instagram users post 216,000 new photos
- Pandora users listen to 61,141 hours of music
- Apple users download 48,000 apps
- Yelp users post 26,380 reviews
- Skype users connect for 23,300 hours
- Vine users share 8,333 videos
- Pinterest users pin 3,472 images
- Youtube users upload 72 hours of new video
How do you measure a year? In 525,600 minutes, which is a universe worth of content available at everyone s fingertips.
So, how in the digital overgrowth can live events even survive, much less remain relevant? Well all of us here at Decibel Management believe that live events are more important now than ever. Actually providing a face-to-face experience in the age of digital interactions is pivotal. But, the game has changed. No longer can event marketers rely on old standby strategies to be impactful. Here s what to pay attention to:
Always-on Engagement
Experiences are no longer consumed in a vacuum. Social media has ensured that. Yesterday, we watched a giraffe being born while simultaneously attending a business presentation and side convo-ing with a guy in South Africa about how great the surf was looking. Everything we do, see, experience and learn is readily and often shared these days. In other words, everything is connected. Just try asking your watch if you have any new emails.
Obviously, engagement with your audience starts long before the actual event now but, keeping those audiences (both on the ground and out in the digital stratosphere) engaged is a challenge.
So what are the implications of this phenomena?
1. Your content has to be on point and on message.
2. Your event needs to embrace new digital platforms regularly.
Solid content will beg to be shared by your audience so, set them up for success from the beginning.
Data, Data, Data
More data means more information more information means more insights more insights means better customization. Events need to capitalize on the immense wealth of data available to create integrated, seamless online and offline customer experience.
For example, ever feel like Google knows what you are actually searching for before you even type into the search box. You know why? Because they do actually know because they have the data about you. We know it s creepy but it works. Kind of like Tim Curry.
As technology and customer data continues to infiltrate our day-to-day lives, demands and expectations increase. Data is the key to staying ahead of the curve.
So while the live event world is changing in light of how people experience things and interact in the digital age, a true in-person and face-to-face experience is one of the most impactful ways to reach your customer, especially given the amount of content constantly bombarding our screen. And that is where Decibel Management steps in to help.
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.
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.
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.
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!
