Events are an investment. You should proudly own your event by crafting the event environment to be reflective of your organization, its values, its personality, and the look and feel of its brand.
• Create a photo op: These days, social media can enhance your event’s ROI. Try to come up with one to three elements that will cause attendees to reach for their camera phones and start evangelizing the event’s cool factor on Instagram and Twitter. Nothing reiterates your brand more than organic photos of smiling attendees interacting with your brand’s identity. If your budget is tight, try to place this “wow” factor photo op in a central location where it can be grounding and visible for the entire experience. We’ve thrilled our clients with things such as large pencil wall installations spelling out a brand message; a custom logo-wrapped light-rail train; and interactive, branded, vintage arcade games.
• Fresh take on logos: Crafting your logo out of something unexpected will ensure people take note! Recently, we had great success with unique logos such as growing moss on a brick wall in the shape of the logo; creating a large floral pave installation of the logo; carving the logo in the side of a cheese wheel; and printing the logo on a submersible mat at the bottom of a hotel pool.
• Don’t forget the food: Food can be a great way to draw in brand colors and your logo. We worked with a caterer to create refreshing cake push pops where the icing between each layer was clearly our client’s brand color. Another time, we underscored a brand message about “better together” by presenting foods that are clearly reflective of that sentiment like PB& J, chips and salsa, and more.
• Put words where they aren’t expected: Don’t limit yourself to standard “signage.” We’ve found attendees are more likely to notice the unexpected. Consider custom branding a lamp shade, a floor rug, or adding subtle messaging with wall/window clings.
• Put double entendre to work: We love creative plays on words because of how they make event attendees stop and think about our message. Search your key company or event tagline phrases in a search engine and hunt for idioms and popular culture references that can create a different way for the audience to understand your brand.
