Many of the digital tools people relied on during the pandemic fall flat when events are in person. Chime does not! In the fast-paced world of events, engagement is the key to success. Meeting and event professionals focus on delivering event experiences that are significant and provide clear advantages for participants. If attendees feel your event delivered a smooth and streamlined experience, helped them build their networks, and they gained important insights, they’ll be satisfied and more likely to attend again. Finding tools to prepare attendees for events, as well as connect and engage them during the in-person experience isn’t easy.
An event platform that delivers end-to-end solutions
A notable exception is the Chime event platform. Whether you’re planning a virtual, hybrid, or in-person event, the Chime app from Encore Canada stands out as the go-to solution for fostering meaningful interactions. It was developed for use at in-person events, though its capabilities have been expanded to fulfill the needs of any event format. Let’s explore how this powerhouse event app takes engagement to the next level, making your events unforgettable.
1. Digital Kiosk: A Hub of Information and Connectivity
Enhance your event’s lobby experience with Chime Live‘s Digital Kiosk feature. Chime can easily integrate with digital kiosks. Attendees can access event information, check the agenda, explore exhibit maps, and search for exhibitors—all at their fingertips. The app’s user-friendly interface ensures seamless navigation, empowering attendees to make the most of their event experience. This ensures a streamlined and informative start to the event.
2. Digital Signage: Dynamic Displays for Maximum Impact
Imagine digital menus, ingredients, and event graphics displayed on LCD monitors and iPads. Chime redefines event signage with its dynamic digital displays. Chime allows real-time content switching, ensuring that information is always fresh and relevant. Whether it’s a large-scale conference or an intimate gathering, Chime’s versatility shines through, captivating audiences with visually stunning content.
3. Gamification: Boosting Engagement Through Interactive Challenges
Chime has a captivating gamification element. Attendees can scan QR codes to earn points, creating a dynamic and interactive experience. This incentivizes active participation, turning every interaction into a point-scoring opportunity. The added incentive of redeemable prizes keeps participants actively scanning. This enhances attendee engagement, fostering a sense of fun, competition, and excitement.
4. Streamlining Exhibitor Registration and Engagement
Chime is the perfect app for exhibitor registration. Attendees can scan QR-coded exhibitor badges to collect points and gain access to valuable contact details. This not only enhances engagement but also creates a mutually beneficial interaction, incentivizing both exhibitors and attendees to actively participate.
5. Achievements and Prize Redemption: Fostering a Sense of Accomplishment
Chime doesn’t just stop at engagement; it celebrates it. Attendees reaching specific point milestones can receive congratulatory messages, fostering a sense of achievement. The integration of achievements and prize redemption adds an extra layer of excitement, turning event participation into a rewarding experience.
6. Integration of QR Codes: A Multifunctional Tool
Chime’s integration of QR codes extends beyond gamification. Event planners can use Chime for various purposes. From scanning QR codes for session attendance to purchase verification, and from tracking inventory to exhibitor engagement, Chime’s capabilities revolutionize event management. Exhibitors can efficiently scan attendee badges, facilitating lead generation and creating connections. This not only ensures a smooth event flow but also provides valuable data for organizers and exhibitors.
7. Keeping the conference conversation going
Want to give attendees access to conference content after the event? If you’re using the Chime platform, you can keep its library of conference content and videos online and give event participants access to additional educational and networking opportunities.
8. Get key insights to continuously improve your events
Chime Live’s rich post-event analytics report can provide essential information about patterns of engagement, the themes and content that most resonated with audience segments, and attendee return on investment (ROI). This data can demonstrate the event’s value to key stakeholders and decision-makers. It also can improve the event’s programing. Knowing what content resonated with audiences can help meeting and event professionals pinpoint future themes and content to develop. Understanding what engages your audience and when they tune out increases the potential for improving future engagement.
Conclusion
Chime isn’t just an event app; it’s a comprehensive engagement platform that transforms events into immersive experiences. Whether you’re aiming for increased attendee interaction, streamlined exhibitor engagement, or a gamified experience, Chime delivers on all fronts. Elevate your events with Chime and redefine the way attendees experience and interact with your gatherings.
Interested in learning how Encore can elevate your next event through our end-to-end event platforms and strategic solutions? Our experts offer free consultations if you want to discuss your specific needs. We’d love to help you develop a transformative experience for all attendees — so that your events can foster a new level of community, inspiration and connection.
How to enhance learning, memory and mood with the cross-connection of senses
Marcel Proust’s masterpiece Remembrance of Things Past begins with the narrator enjoying the taste, touch and smell of a cookie dipped in tea. That simple multisensory experience transports him back in time to his childhood, kicking off an epic multi-volume adventure. Similarly, what participants touch, taste and smell at your event can evoke positive memories and emotions, making your event unforgettable.
There’s a deep connection between what we experience through our senses and how we learn, process emotions and relate to others. Think about babies and small children. When they are upset, they are comforted by touch or swaddling. When they are curious about what something is, they shove it in their mouth. And how willing they are to eat something is directly proportional to how it smells. Clearly, when we were small, we learned about the world by feeling, tasting and smelling it. We may be older, but those senses still inform how we feel about environments, people and experiences. That’s why it’s crucial to incorporate sensory information into your event experience. In the first part of our series, we shared how sound affects audience engagement. Read on to learn more about how touch, taste and smell can be incorporated into your event design to enhance the experience.
The effect of touch on social connection
and learning
Touch is one way that people display affection for one another. Being touched releases ‘happiness’ chemicals, like serotonin, in our brain. Think about how many hugs you give and receive at a conference; it’s a social bonding ritual that has the power to boost your mood.
Touch also helps us engage on a deeper level with conference content. Think about second screen technology, like Chime Live, which allows participants to use iPads to zoom in and out of slides, rewind parts of the presentation and ask questions of the presenters. Giving attendees something to hold onto keeps them off their phones and helps them focus on what’s being presented onstage.
Immersive experiences also benefit from including tactile learning experiences. For example, companies increasingly use virtual reality (VR) technology for on-the-job training. Another effective way to enhance learning comprehension is through the use of augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality technologies. Research has found that well-designed AR experiences cultivate problem-solving skills, improve learning outcomes and help people feel better about complex concepts. And mixed reality use increases learner satisfaction with content, technology and learning environments, even more than gamification. In fact, these multisensory educational tools not only enhance the learning experience but they increase overall interactivity and engagement with content.
Explore more concepts in the guide, Harnessing the Potential of Touch with Technology, available for download here.
The effect of taste on experience and memory
Experienced event professionals take pictures of how chefs plate food and incorporate that level of detail into event menus. The reason why this is important is because what food looks like influences how it tastes. This is backed up by research that also suggests the key to designing a memorable culinary experience is making it a multisensory affair.
For example, ambient music and background noise affects how food is consumed. Low levels of volume/music relax people and results in increased consumption of healthy foods whereas in a noisy environment, or one without any music, people are more likely to become excited and reach for unhealthy things to (over)eat.
One pro tip to consider at your next event? Play classical, pop or cinematic music to relax participants while they dine. This can help reduce sluggish, unfocused audience behavior post-meal that can come from attendees overeating unhealthy foods.
With Encore Music, you can choose a curated and already licensed playlist of any of these genres and beyond, influencing attendees to make choices that benefit their health — and your program’s engagement levels.
How lighting affects dining satisfaction
In another study, researchers found that lighting can affect everything from mood to meal choices, with diners at dimly lit tables often experiencing a greater sense of contentment.
Wireless LED table lamps are a great way to set this type of atmosphere. While creating a calming, low-light environment, they can also change hues for a soft glow of color that reinforces your event theming. Simply use an IR Remote or wireless control to change their hue on cue.
What meeting and event professionals can take away from this research is that by making intentional lighting and music choices, they can enhance their audience’s dining experience without spending more money on the food and beverage itself.
One way to transform a meal function into a memorable experience is to incorporate tactile and visual technology. For example, interactive menus could provide peace of mind for people with food allergies or prompts for how to assemble a dish with the rest of the people at your table. Or, subtly set the mood and enhance the food presentation by lining a buffet table with colored LED table lamps. If you want to really engage participants, consider using targeted projection mapping to create a culinary experience that weaves an event theme into the meal itself. For example, table projections of sea life or garden scenes could tie what’s on the plate to 360-degree video screens surrounding the participants, transporting your audience out of the ballroom and into an extraordinary immersive environment.
For more ideas on creating immersive experiences around taste, download our Gastronomic Fusion guide by clicking here.
How aromas affect memory and mood
Aromas are processed by the same parts of the brain that handle associative learning and emotions. This is the main reason why this sense affects behavior, mood, memory and work performance.
Have you ever wondered why real estate agents encourage home sellers to bake cookies or display apples during open houses? It’s because they know that certain scents relax, engage people and put them in a receptive mood. You can do the same thing at your event by using essential oils or an AromaTherapy machine to subtly fragrance a room. Or use natural elements like flowers or branches as décor that engages the sense of smell.
Align scents you deploy with your desired audience behavior. For example, a recent Japanese study discovered that diffusing lemon scent through an office improved worker focus and performance, reducing errors by 50 percent and increasing productivity by 54 percent. Lemon would be a great aroma for strategic planning or training sessions. Research has found that rosemary reduces cortisol levels in the bloodstream, which means it would be a phenomenal scent to use if you want to reduce stress and help participants relax.
To learn more about leveraging scent, download our guide, Scented Storytelling: Creating Memorable Experiences here.
Why multisensory events matter
Education and networking remain the top reasons why people attend events. However, the pandemic has changed participant behavior. Audiences have different expectations, ways they want to engage and a hunger for nontraditional environments. Designing multisensory events meets all these needs by using proven methods for engaging areas of the brain that help people relax, learn, connect, enjoy and remember what they experience onsite.
Interested in learning how to harness all the senses? Click here.
From sound effects to targeted audio, learn how to amplify participant experiences
Sounds provoke powerful emotions. The sound effects in a movie make us lean forward with anticipation or jump in surprise. A song on the radio has the power to transport us to another time and place instantly. Conversely, when you can’t hear what’s going on, you tune out. And when sound quality is degraded, it negatively affects people’s ability to communicate, learn and focus. That’s why sonic engagement is a powerful tool in any meeting or event professional’s arsenal.
According to the National Institutes of Health, when people hear sound, it ‘lights’ up brain areas involved in emotion, memory and even physical movement. That’s why intentionally chosen music, video stingers and well-produced high-quality audio amplifies the emotional impact of a conference program and makes it more memorable. Let’s examine how integrating sound and engaging participants’ hearing can enrich onsite events.
Want an in-depth look at audio strategies that improve the attendee experience? Download our free guide for more pro tips and smart insights.
One in eight people in the United States over the age of 12 has hearing loss in both ears. Nearly ten percent of adults between the ages of 55 and 64 have disabling hearing loss. That’s why it’s important not to cut corners on how you employ traditional event audio tools. It’s important that the correct type of amplification is used throughout your event spaces to deliver high-quality audio.
Traditional sonic tools and technologies include:
- Speakers
- Microphones
- Monitors
- Audio mixers
- Closed captioning
- Simultaneous translation
To aid comprehension, consider close-captioning event audio for the in-person audience. This not only helps the hearing disabled, but also for non-native English speakers. Simultaneous translation, whether AI-generated or using a live translator, is a must for international meetings.
Setting the mood with music
Music sets audience expectations and influences their mood. For example, playing ambient jazz can help participants relax before you discuss difficult topics. If you’ve had people sitting in meetings all day, dance music can boost their mood and get them excited for evening activities.
For any public event, music played needs to be properly licensed. Your pro subscription to a streaming service won’t protect you or your organization from liability if you’re caught playing a personal playlist.
One solution is Encore Music. It offers more than 300 curated and properly licensed music playlists for commercial background music use. It also offers a royalty-free music solution with more than 100,000 tracks, sound effects and loops for virtual/hybrid events and stingers that you can edit and use for videos, motion graphics and walk-in/walk-out music.
Combining sound with other senses to create more inclusive events
Some audio technologies engage the sense of touch as well as hearing. One such tech tool is a throwable microphone, called a Catchbox. It’s a fun way to keep your audience engaged. Audience members can toss the Catchbox to each other instead of waiting for mic runners to reach them. Because people don’t have to move from their seat to be heard, it also makes it easier for people with physical disabilities or more introverted dispositions to join in the conversation.
Examples of using sound to create
multisensory experiences
When you’re creating an immersive experience, pay attention to the sound design. Sound effects and cues provide subtle information about our environments and can reinforce the illusion you’re creating. For example, the sound of waves and seagulls transport us to the beach; crickets remind us of relaxing summer evenings.
Flying speakers from rigging gives you better sonic coverage of large spaces than floor-based speakers do. But did you know it also gives you the ability to create directional audio? When sounds ‘move’ from one speaker to another in sequence, it immerses the audience in a sonic bath that moves from one side of the room to the other. This can emphasize motion graphics, key presentation points and complete the feeling of being in a dynamic environment.
Targeted audio can create sonic zones. Museums often use this to educate people as they look at a specific item. Targeted audio can only be heard within a tight radius. Once you move outside that cone of sound, the audio disappears. It’s a fantastic solution for trade shows when you don’t want sound to bleed over from one booth to another.
Next-generation event audio engagement
Wireless technology allows you to create ‘silent conferences,’ where speakers can only be heard by audience members wearing headphones. Presenter mics transmit sound wirelessly only to the headphones in that vicinity. This allows for several activations or presentations to happen in a shared space. When participants want to move on, they can change the frequency on their receiver or remove their headphones.
Audio also can be used to create synchronized individual experiences. A fun example of this is Improv Everywhere’s MP3 Experiments. Participants download an MP3 and are asked to bring a short list of items to a specific location. At the designated start time, individuals play the MP3, which leads them through a series of prompts and activities. The result is a playful group experience that each individual feels they helped create.
The benefits of partnering with experienced
audio partners
High quality sound is a basic building block of any event. People need to hear what’s going on, otherwise they’ll disengage with the content. High quality sounds help people pay attention, connect and enjoy themselves. It’s an essential tool for crafting memorable events.
An experienced audio partner will ensure all your presenters and participants can be heard. They also can recommend fun and unexpected ways to engage audiences sonically, such as through directional sound or attention-grabbing music cues. Best of all, if your audio partner is on the same team as your event technology provider, you can breathe easy, knowing all the elements of your event will be seamlessly integrated with your vision and goals. That makes designing multisensory experiences more seamless and successful.
Want to learn more about leveraging audio solutions to design immersive, unforgettable events? Download our guide Symphony of Sound: Orchestrating Emotional Connections.
When it’s time to select your venue, a site visit is one of the most critical steps. Not only do you get to physically step in your space and imagine your event coming to life, it’s a chance to ask the most important questions with your potential venue team.
Unfortunately, so many of us are busy with the details of the space contracts and food and beverage minimums, that our time with AV providers is often cut short. On your next site visit, be sure to squeeze in some time with your AV partner and ask these questions to ensure a successful event.
What would you recommend to make a greater impact with my budget?
If you only ask one question, this is it. As planners, of course we have ideas right out the gate with an inspiration board – but no one knows the space better than an on-site event experience team. During your site visit, discuss your vision and ask what they would do to make it work within your plan and budget.
Because they have worked so many events within the very space you’re standing in, they can take the groundwork of your initial plan and elevate it – whether it’s rigging screens differently for new vantage points or trying new seating levels. This discussion can change the whole direction of your event and catapult it to new heights.
What other services do you offer?
These days, AV companies do so much more than just audio-visual. With teleconferencing, content design, and event internet, the same company will likely be able to provide you with almost everything you need for your event. So, before you start the taxing process of looking around for extra technology quotes, be sure to explore the opportunity of leveraging your in-house partner.
Are there any exciting new technologies I can employ?
It’s the old adage of “if you don’t ask, you don’t know.” Technology changes rapidly, and there may be something new on the horizon offered by your event partner. Maybe it’s a new mobile engagement app that could be a great way to show meeting value to your stakeholders. Your provider will be eager to talk to you about everything they have – you just have to ask!
Who will be my point of contact, and how hands-on will they be?
Don’t wait until you’ve already signed a contract to ask this question (or worse, until there’s a day-of crisis). Ask up-front how big their team is, and who will handle which parts of your meeting. It’s also a good idea to find out if the entire team will be on-site, or if there is an off-site team (for example, in the case of internet), so you know exactly what you’re dealing with going into your meeting and who’s on first.
What information do you need from me?
Communication is a two-way street, and your event partner may have some questions for you as well that will spark some ideas. Be sure to open up the conversation and make sure they have a full understanding of what you’re trying to accomplish up-front to avoid complications later on.
Takeaways
Arming yourself with these questions for your event partner during your site visit can instill confidence in your decision with venue selection, and ensure a seamless event from the start with a team that understands your goals.
It happens to everyone. The holiday season creeps up on us and before you know it, it’s November! For us event planners, that usually comes with the annual task of planning a corporate holiday party.
We always want to keep both our stakeholders and attendees happy. So here comes the million-dollar question: how can I make my event different than last year? Even if you’ve already booked your venue, it’s not too late to add some extra ideas to make your holiday party stand out and keep your guests talking about it well into the new year.
Décor and theming – Crafting an extraordinary holiday event demands a fusion of imaginative flair and meticulous planning. The key lies in harnessing a carefully curated theme and décor to imbue gatherings with a magical ambiance, whether it’s a whimsical winter wonderland, a timeless holiday soirée, or a contemporary reimagining of tradition. By artfully blending a thematic concept with thoughtfully chosen décor, you can transcend the ordinary and elevate your holiday event, creating an immersive experience that resonates with guests.
Light it Up – Depending on how big your event– and your budget – is, lighting is the easiest and most effective way to add décor to your event. If your guest list is rather small and intimate, tasteful string lights carried throughout the ceiling would be a nice touch to add a twinkle effect. Or, if you have a large space for a lot of people, you can really knock it out of the park and video map a snowy winter background across the walls to give that true holiday party feel.
Bust a Move – What’s a party without music? This event is probably the one time of year everyone at your company can let their hair down together. Give your guests something to dance to with a curated playlist of tunes that’ll keep them going long into the night. Don’t forget to protect yourself from any legal issues by using music that is licensed for public performance. Playback music providers, such as Encore Music, include the appropriate licensing and royalty fees. All you have to do is select the station (which is difficult enough!). Or looking for something a little extra special, hire a DJ or live band.
Use Cool Event tech – Elevate your holiday gathering with state-of-the-art event technology from Encore. From stunning visual to projection mapping and from Augmented Reality solutions to Holograms, we have got it all to make you event shine. Explore the possibilities here and make this holiday season unforgettable.
Augmented Reality:
Add a touch of magic to your event with the perfect blend of traditional charm and cutting-edge technology. Encore’s AR Posters and center pieces enable guests to immerse themselves in the festive spirit through their mobile devices. Simply point your camera at the print and witness a dazzling display of digital animations and motion graphics that bring your message to life.
- AR Gift Hunt: Design an AR scavenger hunt where users follow virtual clues or markers to find hidden gifts or holiday-themed objects in their surroundings. Each discovery could unlock a part of a festive story or reveal a special offer.
- AR Greeting Cards: Design holiday greeting cards that, when viewed on your mobile phone. Play personalized messages, display 3D animations, or even showcase a mini virtual holiday play.
Hologram:
That’s not all—step into the future with our holographic technology, designed to create a lifelike, real-time or scheduled, volumetric digital experience for your event. It brings the magic and power of the digital world into a real holographic presence. Whether you’re looking to beam a presenter to your event without having to travel, showcase a holiday message in an innovative way, or create an impactful experience for event attendees, this award-winning technology is a wow experience that will deliver your message in a memorable way. This year, let our hologram add that extra touch of magic to your celebration! Learn more!
Add an Instagram Wall – One of the most fun and trendy additions, a decorative wall to take Instagram selfies and group snapshots is an easy way to get your party on social media. For the holidays, get creative with ornaments, greenery, or tinsel. You can even add props like reindeer ears, Santa hats, or party horns to engage your guests.
Don’t overcomplicate the Menu – Holiday parties are a great time for guests to mingle with coworkers they might not see every day. This year, forgo a plated meal and opt for a cocktail-style reception with food stations. Not only is it a great way to get your guests interacting in a mixer-style fashion, but it’s also an easy way to address food allergies and dietary restrictions.
Leave it to Your Encore Experience Team – Because we’ve planned countless holiday events, let us help. Just like the rest of your coworkers, you’ve worked hard all year long. Don’t miss out on your own party by stressing over the details throughout the event! The simplest additions to your holiday party can leave a lasting impression. Talk to your Encore account representative today about how you can incorporate these ideas to make your 2023 holiday party the best yet.
Let’s Talk About Your Holiday Event Needs.
Call us at (647) 824-9189 or fill out the form below to get started!
To contact a specific venue, please proceed via Global Locator. This will allow you to get in touch with the venue team to assist with your event experience needs.
For general event inquiries, please continue to complete the form
Even the smallest event can involve surprising complexity: innovative technology, remote participants, not to mention on-site changes. And with each vendor or production partner, that level of complexity becomes amplified by the need to manage additional people and processes, expectations and production schedules. That’s why – especially if you have limited time and resources – partnering with a single event production provider to weave together all your creative, production and technology needs will make your (and your team’s) life exponentially easier. Here are three smart ways to leverage the power of a single event production partner.
1) Align on strategy and solutions to enhance the participant experience
The best event production partner will be with you and your team from the very beginning – getting to know your event goals, history and patterns and co-creating the event strategy with you. Understanding why you are meeting and what you’re trying to achieve will help them make recommendations on how to bring your vision to life.
If this partner can manage everything from the creative design/branding to sets/décor, speaker content and coaching to onsite production and technology, then you don’t have to worry about reiterating your vision to every vendor. Your event production partner bridges that gap, ensuring that all the disparate pieces of your event are united under one coordinated, well-communicated umbrella designed to help you achieve your event goals. A single provider also means no surprises: They’ll guarantee that software is up to date, presentation audio and video synch up, SSOs and APIs are integrated, and more. This eliminates many of the barriers to enjoyment attendees experience when tech infrastructure is cobbled together between different vendors.
Even better alignment is assured if your partner has a relationship with the host venue. Partners embedded with your host venue can facilitate relationships with the venue team and help them align with your event strategy, desired participant experience and goals. In-venue partners also have the inside track on identifying potential challenges and proposing solutions to anticipate your needs. For example, their insider knowledge and relationships with hotel service groups helps you maximize room layouts, set-ups, quick turns, show flow and the timing of breaks and meals so they synch with other events happening in the venue. This also helps them troubleshoot problems that typically pop up during live events. This optimization and alignment between all your event vendors amplifies the cohesive nature of your event, creating a truly memorable experience for your participants as well as a relatively stress-free experience for you and your team.
Once you find an event production partner you work well with, engage them to work with you across your event portfolio. They will be able to track important per-event and year-over-year metrics that will demonstrate how your work contributes to achieving organizational objectives. And they can ensure quality, ease and consistency from one event to the next while creating an economy of scale across venues. Best of all, they’ll already know how you like to work, what you’re trying to achieve and what’s worked or needs to be improved from event to event without you needing to educate them. This kind of relationship provides an excellent customer experience that translates into exceptional events and outcomes, no matter where in the world you produce them.
2) Leverage production partner expertise
A single production partner isn’t only an expert on event technology. Creative branding, presentations, exhibitions, hybrid events, mobile apps, general sessions or audience engagement – they comprise teams with expertise in all these areas.
The best partner will be able to explain good, better and best solutions for creative, production and technological aspects of your event goals and budget parameters. If the partner knows the venue, they’ll know what works in each room, and how to show each space off to its best advantage. They may be able to offer bundled services or special event packages you can’t find anywhere else. They’ll also know which options might produce a similar result at a different price point, so be transparent about your budget and other constraints so they can customize recommendations for you. There’s an incredible benefit to working with a team that knows you. And who can replicate established best practices for your events, no matter where they are organized.
You want a partner whose team is up to date on the latest trends, technologies, audience engagement and customer satisfaction strategies. When interviewing potential partners, ask how their team members are educated and trained. What kind of capital investments are they making in their people, products and technology solutions? What is their approach to customer success? Do they see challenges or solutions? Alignment with your organization’s brand values is another crucial factor to consider, as it’s an important indicator of whether they will match your organization’s commitment to delivering service excellence and customer support.
3) Trust your production partner to coordinate resources and relationships
The fastest way to put time back on your calendar is to trust your event production partner to coordinate the resources and teams needed to execute your event. If they helped set the strategy and have deep knowledge of the host venue, then they only need your brand guidelines, feedback and approval to run with the other elements.
For example, you don’t have to worry about sourcing separate providers for audience engagement technology, an event app and in-room audiovisual. The event production partner can provide all those services and teams and make sure that everything works together. You can rely on them to do everything from producing walk-in motion graphics, designing lower thirds and choosing the audio stingers to livestreaming the general session and packaging it for your online learning management system post-event. They can provide stage managers and set designers.
When you engage one provider to do everything from creating the event strategy, designing the branding and content, producing the show and executing it, then you are more easily taking a holistic approach to your event, where every element is completely aligned with your event goals. This enhances the customer experience for your participants, exhibitors and/or sponsors.
This relationship makes your life easier because you have a single point of contact: the event production partner’s project manager, who sets deadlines and deliverables and ensures all the event elements are on track. The event production partner’s team will manage the inter-team communications with the creative, production, technology and on-site team.
Because of the variety of services, products and solutions, your partnership can scale based on your needs. A single event provider puts a strong network of resources at your disposal. This is especially important if you have a complex event. If they have a regional network of warehouses and venues, they can quickly scale up to provide you with additional resources, staff and equipment to amplify what may already be onsite.
In short, engaging with a single event partner will save you time and headaches as they coordinate the moving parts required to bring your vision to life. Having a single point of contact for all your event needs streamlines communication and simplifies the planning process. Because they’re aligned with your event goals and can help you track their achievement, they make you look good and help you demonstrate the value of your event portfolio in ways that will raise your profile within your organization. Best of all, when you partner with one team from strategy to execution, you maximize alignment and deliver truly memorable experiences.
Produce a memorable experience for your meeting participants
In today’s ever-changing landscape, the way people consume content has undergone a rapid transformation. What does this mean for meeting and event professionals? You’ve likely faced unique challenges in capturing (and keeping) your audience’s attention to deliver a memorable experience. To address these hurdles, let’s consider some key audience facts:
- Shortened Attention Spans:
With the proliferation of smartphones, the average adult’s attention span has significantly decreased. Encouraging participants to disconnect from their devices has become more challenging than ever. - Higher Expectations for Content:
When it comes to the crowd-pleasing content people routinely engage with, such as popular streaming shows, even singular episodes have soaring production value. Episodes of The Crown cost an average of about $13 million, and high-end streaming dramas like Stranger Things now see price tags of $4 to $7 million per episode. - Higher Expectations for Digestible Content:
Thanks to platforms like TikTok, which deliver fast-paced, hyper-targeted content to each of its 1.67 billion users, the bar for engagement is set incredible high. Your tech-savvy participants are used to being able to find, filter and immediately interact with media specifically selected for them by the platform’s scarily effective algorithm. If you want to earn (and keep!) attendees’ attention in today’s digital landscape, your content needs to fulfill their higher expectations.
- Shortened Attention Spans:
Considering the impact of these trends, it has become more difficult to entertain and engage an audience and easier than ever to distract them. So, what should you keep in mind to ensure your content is compelling and has a lasting influence on your participants? Read on to learn insights that can help you revolutionize your storytelling.
Engagement is a metric that matters
A recent Encore survey revealed that planners prioritize attendee engagement and advanced content delivery. To revamp your content strategy and recapture the hearts and minds of your audience, here are three powerful approaches to consider:
- Cultivate community through content
Remember the viral Ice Bucket Challenge, which united people around a common cause? It brought ALS, and the ALS Association’s mission, to the forefront of Americans’ minds (and phones).
The content developed around the social media challenge was not only attention-grabbing but also prompted immediately achievable action.
Taking part was cheap, easy (except withstanding the ice water part), enthralling and, most importantly, repeatable. Meanwhile, the call to action rallied individuals into a community for a shared goal.
Photo credit: ALS Therapy Development Institute
2. Craft Your storytelling as a unifying thread
Your content should seamlessly weave a compelling narrative throughout the entire attendee journey, from initial contact to post-event communications. However, avoid generating content that merely starts and ends there.
While the content onstage might be the main focus during your sessions, to deliver truly resonant messaging, consider how your programming ties into the tentacles of broader, ongoing conversations within your audience’s communities. By designing content that’s relevant to your participants and what’s going on in the world around you, you can leverage your meeting as a chapter in a much larger and powerful discourse.
3. Appeal to your guests’ emotions for lasting impact
Some of the most memorable event moments are emotionally charged rather than purely intellectual. Consider award shows in pop culture, where speeches, interactions and reactions generate buzz for days, weeks and even years.
Ultimately, you want your program to live on with a life of its own, and fueling similarly strong emotive responses is a great way to drive connections with your content. Is yours designed with that intent? Is it working hard enough to become unforgettable for your attendees? If the answer is no or you’re unsure, think through how you can better speak to and influence attendees’ emotions through your storytelling.
We’d love to help you do just that! Our Creative Services team dreams big when it comes to crafting inspiring content, amplifying it through strategic event branding and design, and influencing the purposeful connections that set programs apart.
Want a sneak peek into our capabilities? Explore some of the riveting content we created for Marriott International’s exclusive three-day conference for their general managers that created a customized experience just for them!
Let’s partner on incorporating these content strategies into your planning process for a program that captivates participants and extends the reach of your message well into the future.
How to leverage color psychology to
Unlock the Unforgettable
Colors play a vital role in helping us navigate the world around us. Certain hues can influence how we feel, behave and even respond in various settings, giving them an intriguing role in human psychology and fueling our long-held fascination with them.
This year, Pantone, the industry leader in color forecasting, declared the vibrant Viva Magenta as the Color of 2023. Described by the institute as “bold” and “unapologetic,” this shade was chosen to evoke a sense of confidence and optimism in the post-pandemic world.
*Photo caption: Courtesy of ARTECHOUSE
Each year’s color is carefully selected based on current trends, social and political events and global attitudes. Once announced, it becomes a symbol of the times, evoking emotions and memories specific to that moment.
In our industry, for example, we’re seeing the sense of optimism that Viva Magenta is meant to signify with the surge of in-person events — which are expected to continue increasing. This hopeful sentiment is reflected by audiences who have shown their desire for the return of face-to-face interactions.
In a number of other business sectors, ranging from fashion to marketing, the color of the year is used to forecast trends in branding and design, product development and purchasing decisions. It’s become so influential that the 2024 color of the year has already been selected (Apricot Crush), and there are predictions for which hue will hold the glory in 2025 (Future Dusk)! But what grants a singular shade such power?
Read on to explore the impact of color psychology and how to leverage it to promote certain mindsets, further engagement and participant learning, and deliver an inspiring attendee experience at your next meeting or event.
Color psychology: Why certain hues affect
our moods
Colors are not just a matter of aesthetics; they can have a profound impact on our mental state. Research in this area has confirmed what we have long suspected: that colors can influence our internal physiology and create unconscious reactions.
Consider the neurological effects of warm versus cool tones. Bright and warm colors, like red, orange and yellow, stimulate our senses and can evoke feelings of happiness, optimism and energy. Contrastingly, cool and calm tones like blues and greens are typically internalized as soothing.
“When people are in an environment that has a fair amount of red accent light, their pulse rate increases slightly and they tend to breathe a little bit faster, which actually equates to them being able to think more analytically. This means that they are able to crunch numerical data better than in say a blue room which has the converse effect.”
The sway color has on our mindset and behavior has become so renowned, in fact, that prisons have even used a specific shade of pink, known as “drunk tank pink,” in efforts to calm violent prisoners.
This fascinating field of research shows us that, not only does the presence of color affect our cognition and mood, certain hues affect how we internalize information and interact.
How color enhances participant learning and the event experience
Humans are more sensitive to the impact of color than you may expect, something that grants you a unique capability to strategically influence audiences. How? By leveraging this aspect of your meeting or event design, you can boost engagement and participant learning to strengthen the power of your programming.
“There has been a lot of research dedicated towards neuroscience recently and one really neat finding as it relates to our business is that when the right colors are added to a meeting, attendees are more engaged, message retention increases and the overall atmosphere is improved.
“What this means in layman’s terms is that by using certain colors within the meeting space, we can adjust an audience’s mood to best match the content being presented,” explains Drozd.
Combine these findings with research that demonstrates 80-85 percent of our perception, learning and cognition is mediated through vision, and it’s clear to see how being purposeful about color use can work in your favor.
Amplify your impact with vibrant
technology solutions
Having the optimal technology solutions and expertise on your side can ensure you’re showcasing the right colors, and at the right moments, to shape the participant journey and reach new levels of success in achieving your meeting objectives.
Here are a few of our top recommendations:
LED technology and scenic elements
LED technology is a perfect way to incorporate greater use of color at indoor or outdoor gatherings. This solution enables you to cast screens or even full walls in color, delivering striking visual content in high resolution, regardless of surface or image size.
If you’re planning a gala where you want to promote interaction, for example, you could incorporate sweeping use of yellow visual content with LED walls. The attention-grabbing technology and brilliant hue would serve to encourage these connections and even boost participants’ moods.
Focused on long-range planning during a critical small meeting? Add a dynamic aspect to your space with LED table lamps set to cast purple tones. This hue can support goal setting to support your desired outcomes.
No matter your program’s aims, LED technology provides you with a rich palette to play with. Using this lighting in place of a traditional incandescent fixture allows for endless color mixing, including saturation and intensity. Change the ambiance of your event space at any time — color mixing is executed seamlessly.
Another way to dazzle audiences with chromaticity? Reinforce the effects of your intentionally chosen tones through the use of scenic elements, such as spandex soft sets or backdrops, like BackDrop Pro. These can serve as palettes for your lighting fixtures and amplify their presence in your space.
Whether you’re planning a large-scale event or small meeting, our experts can help you choose the right color-creating tech to captivate and impress audiences. Plus, by partnering with a full-service provider like Encore, you’ll have an industry-leading team on your side to provide guidance on enhancing your meeting or event design, creating stunning content, and managing technology before, during and after the production.
Want to discuss your personalized meeting or event needs? We’d love to provide a free consultation on how we can help deliver a memorable experience that leaves audiences amazed.
Interested in learning more about one of our popular colorful technology solutions? Click the button below to explore our experts’ guidance on how to reimagine the possibilities of creating transformative events with vivid LED technology!
You’ve heard the term ‘immersive experiences.’ But what does that mean? Let’s go beyond the buzzword to look at how you can use cutting-edge and traditional audiovisual (AV) technology to leverage this trend.
What is an immersive experience?
An immersive experience is one that engages one or more senses. It encourages people exposed to the experience to become active participants rather than passive observers. It invites them to relax and engage with their environment in new, more memorable ways.
In an event context, an immersive experience can describe several things. But, at its root, it is an environment that mentally, physically and/or emotionally engages the senses:
- Sight
- Sound
- Smell
- Touch
- Taste
Now that we’ve defined what immersive experiences are, let’s talk about how to create them.
Using light to influence participants' mood
Lighting helps participants connect with each other. When you’re in a darkened theater, you sit back and relax because no one can see you. But when the faces of people sitting around you are visible, you feel connected to their enjoyment of what’s happening. When they cheer or laugh, it’s easy to get swept up into that same joyous feeling. When you choreograph lighting to what’s being presented on stage, you can chart and control the audience’s emotional journey.
Lighting also sets a mood. Being in natural light improves mood and increases happiness. And using LED screens helps you maximize venues with natural light without sacrificing presentation visibility.
Colors affect mood. For example, blue light accelerates the relaxation process, yellow boosts happiness and concentration, white light alleviates depression, and purple light reduces emotional and mental stress. When designing the experience you want participants to have, incorporate color theory into how you light the space.
Let’s not forget other technology that leverages the power of sight. LED screens can transform small spaces like windows to the largest exhibit halls into whatever you want to display. When you add vibrant encompassing visuals to a room, then you can transport guests to other worlds with the push of a button. And closed captioning can assist guests with hearing loss be connected to the message directly
Leveraging sound design to encourage engagement
We’ve grown so used to hearing music when we’re out in public, that when it is absent, that creates a void. The music you select to play at your event is crucial — Creating anticipation for what will come, setting the mood and grabbing participants’ attention. Encore Music provides carefully curated and fully licensed playlists for every occasion and audio clips that can be remixed or used for videos, walk-in music and stingers.
Audio should be used to strategically engage participants in different ways. For example, technicians can surround the audience with sound to totally immerse them in what’s happening. They can move sounds from one side of the room to the other to create a sense of movement, including tracking with what is playing across the screens. The volume and intensity of the sound can be used to drive the event’s storytelling.
Aside from these techniques, there are also tools like directional audio, which provides a focused stream of audio that can only be heard in a specific space. This lets you create activation areas that don’t bleed out into the rest of the event or show floor.
You can also use “silent event” technology like headphones to hold simultaneous sessions in a communal space without interfering with anything else happening there. Don’t forget the power audio narration has to help visually impaired guests engage with experiences they can’t see.
Injecting scents into events
Have you ever noticed how hotel lobbies smell a certain way? Hoteliers leverage olfactory science to influence guest attitudes and mood. This is because our sense of smell is the strongest of the five senses, and the one most tied to memory and emotion. In fact, 75 percent of all daily emotions are generated due to smell.
Scents can be used to add character to a themed environment. Think coconut oil and beaches or lavender and summer gardens. They also enhance taste. That’s why you swirl wine around a glass and smell its ‘nose’ before tasting.
Scents also can influence behavior. A Nike study found that subjects were willing to pay 10 to 20 percent more in scented environments. Lemon scents can increase productivity. Lavender and jasmine scents ease feelings of stress.
Be thoughtful and judicious when you use scent, as some people are highly sensitive or allergic to perfumes. Scents can be infused through the space with atomizers, naturally distributed through floral or food displays or embedded on physical objects, like scented candles or paper.
Engaging audiences with the power of touch
There’s a reason why museums warn visitors not to touch sculptures. People often explore and make sense of the world by touching objects that appeal to them. Watch a baby or toddler and you’ll see how basic this instinct is.
Adults aren’t often encouraged to interact with objects physically, so it creates a fun, playful environment when they are permitted to do so. One way to introduce this into an educational session is to use a throwable microphone, like a Catchbox. These cushy squares eliminate the need for mic runners as audience members can toss the microphone to each other. With some coaching on how to use it, this becomes a fun and engaging way to conduct a Q&A.
Interactive projections and projection mapping can create opportunities for participants to play with the environment or enjoy light competition with each other. These games and experiences can be projected onto flat surfaces, like tables, floors or walls. They can also be projected onto unexpected surfaces, like falling water.
Inviting participants to a moveable feast
When people file into a ballroom for a meal function, they think they know what to expect. Subvert those expectations by creating an immersive experience centered around their sense of taste.
Encore Project Manager Miguel Sanchez used projection mapping to coordinate table-based imagery and meal courses to create a synchronized experience for nearly 400 diners. Every time a different course was served, the entire look and feel of the table shifted along with it to create a different mood around the food. This combination of technology and gastronomy transported guests visually and enhanced their enjoyment of each course.
Putting it all together
When the Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida Chapter wanted to amplify their 27th Annual InterContinental® Miami Make-A-Wish Ball, they partnered with Encore to transform the main dining experience and open auction event into a New York City aquarium with 360 Film and LED walls. A saltwater scent was piped into the room to enhance the illusion. The transitional experience between the opening reception/silent auction and grand ballroom featured a mesmerizing visual ‘supernature’ LED tunnel. The technology allowed the Encore team to quickly flip the grand ballroom and pump music into a new environment for the afterparty. Guests were so thrilled by the immersive experience Encore created that Make-A-Wish raised a record-breaking amount of money — twice as many donations than what was generated the previous year.
The takeaway
Immersive events are more than a buzzword. They’re a way to enhance participants’ event experience by engaging their senses. When thoughtfully done, you don’t need fancy equipment to produce an immersive experience that engages, educates and entertains event attendees in ways that make traditional experiences feel flat.
Ready to try your hand at this trend? Contact Encore to see how we can transform your next event into an immersive experience.
Businesses all around the world are using immersive technology like virtual apps, AR, and VR to raise awareness, differentiate from competitors, and drive sales. Augmented Reality (AR) in particular is being adopted across different industries (online and offline) at a rapid rate. This spike in interest for Augmented Reality in events is being fuelled by a plethora of reasons, including ease of accessibility, advancements in immersive technology, and the overwhelmingly positive response from users.
The use of AR in events is on the rise, and for good reason: events, conferences, and meetings have become a perfect conduit for experimentation with AR, bringing a unique opportunity to integrate the digital and physical worlds for attendees.
While most event planners have returned to planning in-person events, AR also enables audiences to experience from the comfort of their homes, an ideal tool for the current climate of both hybrid and in-person events.
The Impact of AR on Meetings and Events
Apple’s recent launch of the next generation of phones, such as the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14, is a huge step towards the adoption of AR technology. Each set contains Apple’s ARKit, a free iOS 11 software that allows developers to create AR apps that provide a real word experience through digital objects. Similarly, Google’s Arcore technology has completely transformed the way we see AR, by adding the power of Augmented Reality to your Android Smartphones.
With the technology of AR so widely accessible, it’s no wonder that AR can allow every user in a room to experience the powerful messaging and images, making it perfect for boosting engagement and reinforcing messaging. The event industry is embracing this advanced technology to shape and change the way we engage, attend, and market our businesses at events.
Enhancing the Attendee Experience
Ensuring an unforgettable and positive experience for every guest is the heart of any successful event. With the many creative applications of Augmented Reality, event organizers and their partners can easily connect with attendees in many innovative ways. Whether they’re developing engaging programs, supplementing presentations and performances, or simplifying practical information to make attendance a logistical breeze, Augmented Reality helps with it all.
- Gamification of the Attendee Experience
Adding an element of interactivity is an impactful way to add variety to events. Gamification through mini-games, leaderboards, and interactive graphics are a great way to add a dimension of fun to events and can even aid in facilitating networking opportunities.
For example, attendees can be encouraged to meet key sponsors on a digital scavenger hunt or participate in friendly competition at select booths around the venue much like the craze of Pokemon Go.
- Supplementary Resources for Presentations
Presentations are an integral part of business events, and AR can take them to the next level too. Activate your audience with an engaging AR-powered welcome address through their mobile device. Set the tone of the event with as the help of our MediaLab content specialists to craft a life-like ‘avatar’ of leadership. Don’t rely simply on communicating to your audience through static PowerPoint slides: AR gives speakers a tool to invite attendees to actively participate for a more compelling presentation and a session that will strengthen the connection between the person on stage and those in the audience.
- Virtual Tours for Your Attendees
Attending events at big and unfamiliar venues can be overwhelming, but with interactive floor plans and maps, attendees can benefit from a hassle-free, personalized guide to pinpoint where they want to go. Replacing or supplementing physical map wayfinding with an Augmented Reality experience can help guests navigate throughout the entire event space.
Boosting Brand Profiles
Augmented Reality content can be visually stunning, giving brands a wow factor to increase customer engagement and sales. By leveraging existing graphics or logos and engaging users to reveal rich digital animations and motion graphics, you can deliver a premium engagement experience for events such as trade shows, product launches and exhibitions. AR is way more than a simple marketing gimmick: it has the potential to be a tool to offer audiences customized experiences and present key information in a way that helps inform their purchasing decision-making and reinforces positive brand connections. A fully browser-based experience with 3rd party software downloads is not required and AR Active Sponsorship can optionally be integrated within a platform like Chime for even deeper integrations and data analytics.
- Exhibiting Customised Products
Hosting trade shows often requires a large space to accommodate partners and products, especially if those products are large themselves. AR gives businesses a chance to showcase new products and services to a captive audience by bringing those same products into one space virtually. Imagine a car “viewing” station where you can select which car, you’d like to view at will and get a 360, life-size view. Or imagine seeing a beautiful destination or meeting space they could host their upcoming event. The ability for visitors to get up close and personal to explore and interact with a range a company’s products, while also being able to customise elements such as colours and interiors, is an unparalleled feature for product marketing.
- Amplifying Reach
AR experiences doesn’t just have to connect people on-site: their reach can be amplified beyond the walls of the venue. From on-demand geofilters to eye catching bespoke company AR experiences can offer attendees an attention grabbing innovative, and novel factor that can be shared virally across social media platforms.
- Diversifying Sponsorship Opportunities
Augmented reality gives event organizers an additional option for revenue through innovative new sponsorship offers. This gives businesses the chance to engage with potential customers and gain brand exposure. For example, Coca-Cola’s AR campaigns in sports stadiums highlight how sponsors can have a positive impact on the attendees – creating memorable experiences for the individual during the event, as well as having a longer lifespan through sharing content more widely.
Enhance your events with Encore Augmented Reality Capabilities:
We believe in personalizing experiences through thoughtful design and engaging story-driven visuals for augmented reality experiences, marquee mainstage events, or virtual/hybrid audiences.
Our creative team is made up of skilled professionals with 3D design, motion graphics, filming, and editing experience. Every project, client, and event are different. What works in one environment for one client may not be the ideal solution for another. Our approach is centered around customization—taking on your project knowing it’s unlike any other before. We strive for a strategically designed, well-executed, and high-value experiences with compelling content—all customized to your vision—to meet and exceed your objectives.
AR + Integrated Digital Platform
Our Chime Live engagement platform transforms the virtual and hybrid experience with a full-service end-to-end solution tailored to your unique event needs and comprehensive integration of our Augmented Reality solutions. We customize Chime Live to tell your story and highlight what’s important, driving engagement to deliver the outcomes you need – before, during, and after your event.
Onsite or online, Chime Live delivers seamless connectivity for in-person and remote participants for mid-size events – anywhere in the world.
Rich analytics to track AR engagement and return on investment
- Login history
- User info
- Dwell time
- Page views
- Banner clicks
- Leaderboard
- Voting results
- Device details
- Total app interactions
- Average interactions per person
Plan your event!
Planning to organize an event that incorporates Augmented Reality or looking to scale your event business? We’ve got you covered. Encore simplifies all your venue and event requirements while delivering upon your vision.
Through our services and technology, Encore will help you create the ultimate live, virtual or hybrid event. We are proud of our position as the trusted, exclusive on-site event provider of choice at more than 2,100 leading venues including sports and entertainment venues, casinos, hotels, resorts, and convention centers.