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).
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[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.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.)
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
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.
It s our Corona-versary. Yay.
COMPANY NEWS, EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS, NEWS, VIRTUAL EVENTS
It s been exactly one year since the pandemic shut us down. One whole fucking year.
We aren t speaking figuratively. It s been exactly one year since we literally had to turn the truck around. It was the event management equivalent of this:
but without Padma Lakshmi. Not a great day.
Here s how it went down:
The long version:
We had a big 2020 planned. Elaborate activations, experiential events, so many creative concepts coming to life it was going to be our best year yet.
We had just wrapped an international broadcast event created for a client to announce a billion-dollar merger. We hosted the event in five locations: three in the states, one in Bangalore, India, and one in Brussels, Belgium. The Shanghai activation was cancelled at the last minute due to COVID closures, so the virus was top of mind for us, but not cause for concern outside of Asia. This was before masking was recommended by the CDC, and handwashing and protecting the elderly and immunocompromised was the primary concern.
So we replaced shaking hands with fist bumps, stocked up on Lysol products, and powered on. (We even made a meme about it- check it out here).
March 11, 2020.
The day of the shutdown was brutal. Decibel Events was finalizing a mobile marketing tour launch for a CPG client, for debut at the Boston St. Patty s Day Parade. We had spent months planning the tour, designing a badass mobile oatmeal bar for parade-goers, securing site and health permits, fabricating and wrapping the van, and training the team.
We were ready to roll and super excited.
Our driver was in the tour truck, heading to the event site, when we got the email:
Turn the driver around. Everything is off.
So there it was. March 11, 2020 at 11:54am, and we were cancelled.
That was the same day that the World Health Organization declared that COVID-19 was a global pandemic. Soon thereafter, the NBA announced the cancellation of their season.
That was a turning point. If a billion-dollar machine couldn t make things safe for guests, no corporation wanted to put their attendees at risk. Within hours of the NBA s announcement, 100{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} of our live events were cancelled, and the reality of living through a global pandemic set in.
The New Normal.
We re not the only company that experienced a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Across the board, the event industry was among the first hit, and the hardest. Our job as event planners, producers and organizers is to bring crowds together, and all of a sudden, crowds were the enemy.
So you give yourself a day, and then figure it out. Adapt or die.
Enter: Zoom calls. Masks. Hand sanitizer. The proper way to wash your hands (hello, thumbs). A new appreciation for toilet paper. And yes, a daytime Scotch (or two). Staying in became the new normal, and rapidly reshaping our business (while ignoring our abandoned, dust-accumulating luggage) became our only option. We leaned in.
We were fortunate to have some projects remain, from fabrication builds to new tech R&D, and are so grateful that new and existing clients trusted us to lend our virtual event experience to their digital activation.
March 11, 2021.
It s been a year since our plans went up in smoke. We miss our old life. We miss our clients, our partners, and our vendors. We miss handshakes and hugs.
We miss the thrill of turning a temporary space into an unforgettable experience. There just nothing like the rush of a crowd, the sound of applause, and the look on someone s face when they first see a badass experiential activation in person. Hell, we even miss tearing down those same activations, just a few days later.
Good Things to Come.
We re starting to see the sun on the horizon, and it s s l o w l y thawing out the live event industry freeze. Vaccinations are rolling out at warp speed (thank you, science!), and we re elated to report that the outlook for mid-to-late 2021 for both hybrid and in-person events is optimistic, with high hopes for 2022.
It s been a tough year. But we re here, we re open for business, and we re proud of what we have accomplished.
And as soon as it s safe, we can t wait to see you in a crowded room.
The Halftime: And Other Badass Stuff from Super Bowl LV
BACKSTAGE, EVENT DESIGN, EVENT INDUSTRY, EVENT PRODUCTION INSPIRATION, LIVE EVENTS
Super Bowl LV was a monumental event for one reason and one reason only: it happened.
Sure, Tom Brady s indefatigable right arm was MVP, but to pull off the country s most watched event without compromising production quality mid global pandemic was truly an epic feat.
The game meh. While the game itself wasn t super memorable, here are some moments we won t soon forget:
The Triple Bomber Flyover
The Air Force executed the first ever Super Bowl flyover featuring all three of its bombers, including America s oldest bomber, the B-52H, which has been in service longer than the Big Game has been played.
Extreme precision was required to execute the tight flyover over Raymond James Stadium, timed perfectly to coincide with the final note of the Star-Spangled Banner. It was one of those blink-and-you ll-miss-it moments, and utterly flawless.
Fun fact: the three bombers aircraft designations add up to 55 (B-1, B-2 & B-52), which is why, despite the pandemic complications, the tribute had to happen this year.
The Super Bowl Streaker Who Made Bank
With five minutes left on the game clock, a 31-year-old man dressed in a hot pink, atomic-wedgie-style one-piece bared his ass, ran like the wind, and netted $374,000. WHAT? Read on.
Yuri Andrade had a plan. He had a friend place a $50,000 bet that there would be a streaker at the Super Bowl, and then convinced another buddy to fake a streak of his own, in order to allow Andrade the opportunity to slip past security.
Unburdened by the weight of clothing, and surprisingly nimble, Yuri Andrade juked one security guard out of his shoes before finishing his 100-yard dash with a triple tackle in the end zone.
Though live footage quickly cut to commercial, Andrade s streak was immortalized on the interwebs and Twitter, providing the proof needed to collect his cash.
And in true idiot fashion, he bragged about his plan, resulting in serious questions whether he will actually get paid the big bucks for his cheeky stunt, or fade away into obscurity as a naked dude with a big mouth and 15-minutes of fame.
The Un-Centered Stage
It took place in the center of the game, but not in the center of the stadium. This year s Super Bowl halftime show was the first to NOT be held completely at center field with an impressive 6-minute setup time.
Due to COVID safety measures, 15-year Super Bowl halftime veteran planner Bruce Rogers and his team at Tribe, Inc., were only allowed to use one tunnel onto the field. So, they decided to build the stage in the stands and make it 3x bigger.
The elaborate stage they designed over the north end-zone concourse still had to have two modes: Game Time and Half Time. Even though only 20{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} of the stadium seats were filled with real people (yes, we have to specify that, as a majority of the seats housed cardboard cutouts of fans), those real people still had to use the 3 existing fire aisles for bathroom breaks and concession runs.
During Game Time, the set was covered with game graphics by Blue Media, had open aisles for guests, had clear sightlines to the field, and embedded an important CBS sideline camera.
In Half Time mode, the aisles were filled with decks, locking in several upstage decks and light carts. Lights and audio were positioned, and rail cams, tower cams and three cable cams came forward for the critical story-telling shots.
The Weeknd s Year Long Story
Storytelling is very important to The Weeknd, and in the year since he released his most recent album, After Hours, he s been showing up to major events bruised, bloodied and bandaged in more and more extreme versions of what he refers to as The Character.
He explained his year-long antics:
The significance of the entire head bandage is reflecting on the absurd culture of Hollywood celebrity and people manipulating themselves for superficial reasons to please and be validated, The Weeknd said. It s all a progression, and we watch The Character s storyline hit heightened levels of danger and absurdity as his tale goes on.
The bandaged face theme did fit flawlessly into the coronavirus safety measures for the many, MANY backup dancers each of them completely masked as they took up the entire football field for the final number.
Our goal was to find a way to present an exciting show and to not necessarily bow down to the COVID monster, said Bruce Rogers.
All things considered, they nailed it.
2021 Golden Globes BINGO Card
EVENT INDUSTRY, EVERYTHING ELSE, LIVE EVENTS, LOL
The 78th annual Golden Globe Awards is upon us!
With a majority of us still stuck at home, what better way to spend a Sunday evening than tuning in to the part-live, part-virtual award show with an exhilarating game of 2021 Golden Globe BINGO?
We ve created a challenging and whimsical BINGO card for you below, 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 image above to print your 2021 Golden Globe Awards BINGO Card
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!
