11 Share-Worthy Ideas to Steal From Social Media Influencer Events

When event organizers want to amplify their messages outside the events' walls, they create guest lists packed with people well equipped to do just that: bloggers and social media stars across various platforms. Those guests are mindful of protecting and bolstering their own personal brands—in the form of social channels and blogs that may have significant value—so they're only moved to share the details and observations that feel organic and authentic to their audiences. To inspire such invitees to share, industry professionals are now placing more emphasis on details that are personalized, surprising, interactive, and highly visual.


For a Los Angeles event celebrating the launch of its Sur.face Pro makeup palette, beauty brand Beautyblender hosted an August 2014 event with a customized gift for bloggers. A Stuk Designs artist sketched portraits of invitees holding the new products, creating the drawings based on photos from guests’ social media streams.

Photo: Dawn McCoy/Beauty Frosting



Kari Feinstein produced a brunch at the Hotel on Rivington for skincare brand host Proactiv, with a guest list including an intimate crowd of bloggers. The September event in New York included cookies in the brand's signature blue color from Tribeca Treats, which bore the names of the individual guests.

Photo: WireImage



For a May 2014 event to fete its new premium skincare collection, Target invited bloggers to a Beverly Hills estate, where they collected products from four theme stations at which beauty concierges gave them personalized consultations based on their skin types. All along, guests posted to social media—the event also included highly visual vignettes and decor—and the attendees with the most online traction for a single post at the end received a gift bag filled with the whole skincare collection.



Online retailer ModCloth launched its first in-person fit shop event in Los Angeles, known as ModCloth IRL, with an April luncheon for fashion bloggers and other social influencers in that sphere. Wildflowers in shot glasses with name plaques served as seating cards, prompting many guests to share their own arrangement on social media.



Following the Streamy awards in September, digital media company Fullscreen hosted a neon-colored after-party in Los Angeles, partnering with Caravents on the production and digital strategy. The fete was intended to create a space where the Web content-creating millennial and Gen Z attendees would feel motivated to share in authentic ways. One detail ripe for sharing was a collection of small animal objects placed throughout the space along with the hashtag #EmojisintheWild.



Kari Feinstein also produced a second blogger brunch at the Hotel on Rivington during New York Fashion Week in September for Hearts on Fire and Chapstick, where products sat upon plates next to heart-shaped personalized cookies from Tribeca Treats.

Photo: WireImage



Vanity Fair brought its Vanity Fair Social Club to Emmy weekend for the first time this year; previously, it happened only during the Oscars. The event produced by Caravents and held at the creative co-working space WeWork Hollywood hosted panels, events, and activations aimed at bloggers as well as digital journalists. A bar offered goods from various sponsors like Brooks Brothers and Viktor & Rolf; guests could step up, select their offerings, and post to social media channels in exchange for the goodies.

Photo: Alesandra Dubin/BizBash



In January 2014, Dermalogica Canada invited beauty bloggers as well as editors for a breakfast on the set of Degrassi High. The event launched the new teen and young-adult-targeted skincare line Clear Start, so the breakfast took on a look reminiscent of high school, with prom-style decor and even corsages.

Photo: Stefania Yarhi

Source: BizBash

byBest Events

in Event Tips

2:00 PM

11 Share-Worthy Ideas to Steal From Social Media Influencer Events

When event organizers want to amplify their messages outside the events' walls, they create guest lists packed with people well equippe...

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8 Tips for Transporting Guests to and From Events

Timing, staffing, and other transportation details can help avoid delays and maximize guest comfort.

Brilliant Transportation president and C.E.O. Richard Fertig says shuttle service and staff should be hospitable and on-brand.

When this year's Golden Globe awards ceremony ended, it was only the beginning of a long night for some would-be after-party guests in Los Angeles. Guests instructed to arrive at an off-site parking garage location and be transported to the Beverly Hilton on shuttles encountered an hours-long backup that infuriated V.I.P.s and dashed plans for the evening—and made for big news across the country.

The incident demonstrated just how much shuttles or other transportation arrangements are key to an event’s success. Industry pros offer tips for creating a smooth flow in and out of an event, avoiding delays and discomforts.

1. Know your guests.

Erik Elliott, director of operations for Chicago-based V.I.P. Valet Services, says the first step in a successful transportation experience is knowing your guests. This includes knowing how old they are and if they have mobility issues, whether they will have luggage, whether they have connectivity needs, and whether there are people who need to ride together or necessarily be kept separate. “You need to review your demographic and at times make assumptions,” he says. “Online apps [that collect information about] attendees have given us the tools to make this easier to do in real time.”

2. Make it personal and comfortable.

Elliott suggests planners consider on-brand or otherwise personal details like a custom soundtrack or presentation. “Ask through the intercom if anyone would like the temperature adjusted, and make sure the bus is given ample time to either heat or pre-cool before loading passengers.” He also proposes having bottled water available and having a plan to check for lost-and-found items.

Louis Veliz, the director of business development for Redwood City, California-based Mosaic Global Transportation, adds, “The little things are all part of the experience—those things are lasting impressions.”

3. Arrange a standby vehicle.

Veliz says he always recommends having a backup vehicle on hand throughout the event's full timeline. This option can be smaller and more nimble, and available as a plan B in case a V.I.P. needs to be rerouted without scrambling the transportation schedule for other guests, or if other guests find themselves with an unscheduled change to location or timing.

4. Book more seats than you need.

If an event’s guest list includes 100 people, should a planner just arrange for 100 seats on shuttles? No, says Richard Fertig, president and C.E.O. of New York-based Brilliant Transportation. “Get more seats than you need, so that not every seat needs to be full every single time,” he says. Having more seats on vehicles than are needed allows them to move before all seats are fully filled—or when even just a few V.I.P.s are onboard—which cuts down on guests’ wait time.

And of course, planners shouldn't forget the round trip. Guests can become enraged when significant backups occur—and this goes for the way to the event, as well as the way out. “Oftentimes when are guests are ready to leave, they want out,” Elliott says. “They don’t want to sit on a shuttle for 20 minutes as more and more guests continue to load to capacity.” His team limits wait times to a maximum of seven or 10 minutes and has a ground person checking vestibules and monitoring doors to give the driver the final O.K.

5. Don’t be fooled by distance.

Fertig says there’s a danger in planners underestimating their transportation needs based on a short distance between the pickup spot and event space. “What we find is that things may be so close, just a mile or so away—but [the amount of time required to transport people] has everything to do with the turn radius, the way people get in and get out [of vehicles], etc.,” he says. “Oftentimes, planners take some comfort in the close distance and say, ‘We can load these vehicles in five minutes each.’ But it can take 10 or 15 minutes to just stage the vehicle at the loading place, and there could be clearance issues or tight turns.”

6. Do dry runs.

Such issues can be discovered by doing dry runs, which Fertig says Brilliant conducts using actual vehicles on the same day of the week, and at the same time as the event, as close to the event as possible, given changes could occur with construction or lane closures.

Regarding dry runs, Elliott says: “You need to look at the factors that are going to influence transportation to your event, including weather, traffic, congruent or competing events, and security issues. You need to go at the same time your event would take place to determine if your plan is valid.” He suggests bringing a stopwatch, making the trip several times, and following the same route. “Don’t take your best time—err on the side of caution,” he says.

7. Staff wisely.

Fertig says the staff should be friendly, hospitable, professional—and on-brand. “In many cases, they are real models wearing uniforms owned by a fashion house,” he says of some past events he’s worked on. “It’s not someone barking orders to you like at Disney World.”

Elliott argues that staff should be easily identifiable so that they may quickly assist with corralling guests. He also says there should be a point person dedicated to transportation, who should “be the director of the orchestra, pulling and pushing to massage the group to get to where they need to go and stay on timeline. This person needs to have a relationship with the drivers and a communication system.”

8. Make transportation feel like part of the event.

The more guests feel like transportation is a chore separate from the event, the less happy they will be with the experience. If attendees view the experience as part of their networking time or their evening out, they will be more patient and comfortable. “It should match the rest of the event—it should be flawless,” Fertig says.

Source: Bizbash

byBest Events

in Event Tips

1:00 PM

8 Tips for Transporting Guests to and From Events

Timing, staffing, and other transportation details can help avoid delays and maximize guest comfort. Brilliant Transportation preside...

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11 Ways Staffers Can Sink Your Exhibit

In the time it took to read the first word of this sentence, your staff can

make or break your exhibit. Find out how. 

According to body-language expert Dr. Lillian Glass, people in live social encounters –
such as a staffer greeting an attendee – used to enjoy as much as four minutes creating
an initial impression. But that period of assessment existed back in the 1970s and early 
1980s, before the advent of MTV, texting, and cellphones. "Today, that window for
making a first  impression has shrunk to four seconds, and can be as little as four 
milliseconds in certain situations," says Glass, whose research suggests that bad 
first impressions are among the most significant impediments to turning attendees into
prospects. 

But how can exhibitors retool their booth staffers in light of this new reality of truncated
attention spans and instantaneous evaluation? "Staffers need to be trained that a single 
expression or solitary gesture can halt any further contact with your exhibit and therefore 
your company just as easily as saying a wrong word," says Doug MacLean, a staff trainer 
based in Columbia, SC.

Patti Wood, a body language expert and author of "Snap – Making the Most of First
Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma," agrees that you cannot overstate the
importance of body language in training staffers for that initial encounter. "Everything
from a staffer's handshake to head nod can also be the 'message' that attendees take home
about your brand," Wood says.

Based on these experts' research and experience, here are illustrations of the top 
11 ways  staffers' body language can sink your exhibit in the wink of an eye.

1 Eyes High
A staffer's eyebrows held in a resting position conveys a lack of interest in others,
and could  dampen an attendee's eagerness to engage in conversation or even
enter the booth. Raising the eyebrows is perceived as a welcoming action that 
better prompts visitors to approach and engage.

2 Palm Readers
Of the 5,000 distinct hand gestures researchers have identified, palms
facing downward communicate a closed mind, and even pronounced 
disagreement with what the other person is saying. However, a palms-up 
gesture projects friendliness.

3 Anger Management
Interactions with angry attendees can easily result in a devastating
first impression, since many staffers will, in response, shut down. 
But an affect-less look can infuriate the upset party more because
it suggests a lack of concern. Staffers should mirror the visitor by 
closing and flattening their lips, which reflects the usual mien of anger
and suggests they're empathizing with guests.

4 Take it on the Chin
An upward-facing chin conveys the impression – figuratively and literally
 – that staffers are looking down their noses at a guest. Alternatively, 
keeping the chin pointed down toward  the floor suggests to attendees a staffer
is meeting them on equal terms.

5 Leaning Out
Leaning away from visitors, with body and feet pointed at an extreme,
almost perpendicular angle away from them, imparts a strong reluctance
to interact, as well as a desire to bolt. 
Tilting the body and feet only slightly away from visitors, with arms in a relaxed 
position and feet about 12 inches apart closes the physical space and establishes
a more personal connection.

6 Shake It, Don't Break It
Research suggests that it takes an average of three hours of continuous face-to-face
interaction to reach the same level of rapport a staffer can achieve instantly with a 
handshake. But crushing an attendee's hand and/or pumping it more than once 
during a handshake is a display of dominance that can border on bullying.

7 Forgo Full Frontal
Staffers facing attendees with a full-on body display, with arms akimbo and feet
in a wide stance look like they're creating a human barrier to prevent visitors
from entering the exhibit. 

Angling the body slightly away from approaching attendees suggests, 
vulnerability to guests, and thereby increases their sense of the booth's accessibility.

8 Stare Wars
Looking at the area known as the eye-nose triangle for too short a duration
during an interaction imparts a sense of dishonesty to a visitor. Instead, 
staffers should maintain eye contact in that zone for roughly two-thirds 
of the encounter's duration. Any more than that ratio can feel invasive
to the person experiencing it.

9 Cold Shoulder
Slumped shoulders are among the most evocative of the estimated 1,000 postures
humans can assume, broadcasting weakness, pessimism, and a lack of confidence. 
Shoulders thrust back signify the opposite – strength and a positive outlook that 
appeals to visitors – and create the impression that the staffer is important.

10 Angling for Position
When showing attendees a presentation on a screen, angling away from the guests and
facing the screen stops any connection from forming. Instead, staffers should imagine
the screen, guests, and themselves as three points in a triangle, and position themselves
so they can look at the two points (guests and screen) simultaneously.

11 Shiftless
Shifting from side to side during a conversation implies staffers' attention is otherwise
engaged, and that they are eager to move away from the attendee as quickly as possible. 
Standing still, on the other hand, suggests the staffer is fully focused on the person in 
front  of him or her and is willing to devote their time and attention to visitors.

Source:By Charles Pappas ExhibitorOnline

byBest Events

in Trade Show Tips

4:00 PM

11 Ways Staffers Can Sink Your Exhibit

In the time it took to read the first word of this sentence, your staff can make or break your exhibit. Find out how.  According to ...

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10 Fresh Ideas to Steal for Interactive Events

As guests entered the Aragon Ballroom, models dressed as "hired spies" passed flutes of champagne. The so-called spies also gave guests "missions," or fun, thematic tasks to complete throughout the evening.

Photo: Marcin Cymmer


Event Creative decked the venue with 007-inspired decor. One of the evening's interactive activities, or "missions," was to snap a photo in front of a step-and-repeat featuring a spy plane.

Photo: Marcin Cymmer



Another one of the missions: posing for a photo in front of a golden "007" logo that appeared at the top of a stairwell.

Photo: Marcin Cymmer



The illuminated bar had the image of a safe embossed with Groupon's "G" logo.

Photo: Marcin Cymmer

Get Up Close and Personal! If you're showcasing performers such as dancers, gymnasts, stilt-walkers, aerialists, etc., consider integrating their work into the crowd during cocktails or a reception. Seeing performers up close is always more compelling than sequestering them far away on a stage or in one area of a space.
At this year’s Rolling Stone Live Super Bowl party, producer Toast created a "trashed hotel room" where guests could take photos and pretend to live the rock star life. The event took place at the Bud Light Hotel, a Wyndham property in New Orleans rebranded for the weekend. Photo: Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images for Rolling Stone

At the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center’s gala in Miami, guests could pose for photos behind an oversize golden picture frame. Shiraz Events provided decor for the event, which drew 600 guests to the JW Marriott Marquis Miami and Hotel Beaux Arts in December.

Photo: Courtesy of Shiraz Events

At the Lipton Uplift Lounge at the Sundance Film Festival in January, guests including Lil Jon could pose for photos while sitting in a real ski-lift chair set against a snowy, branded backdrop.

Photo: Todd Oren

David Copperfield helped produce the L.A.'s Promise "A Night of Magic" gala in October. The producers at Chad Hudson Events worked with Copperfield's team to set up a photo booth that made it look as though guests were floating in midair in front of the famous magician. In reality, the station had a potted plant placed sideways against a wall, while attendees stood on a metal stand that was hidden from the camera by clothing and feet.

Photo: Sean Twomey/2Me Studio

Last fall’s New Yorkers for Children gala had a "light the way" theme, inspired by the nonprofit's mission to improve the lives of young people. David Stark handled the decor, embellishing a photo backdrop of a forest scene with white birch trees, lush greenery, and a path lit by lanterns.

Photo: Billy Farrell/BFAnyc.com

Source: BizBash and Huffington Post

byBest Events

in Event Decor, Event Entertainment

4:00 PM

10 Fresh Ideas to Steal for Interactive Events

As guests entered the Aragon Ballroom, models dressed as "hired spies" passed flutes of champagne. The so-called spies also gave ...

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8 Things Planners Should Know About International Meetings

When planning a meeting overseas—or hosting a group of international executives—there are subtle, yet important, social cues to keep in mind. Here are tips for executing meetings that show proper respect for cross-cultural nuances.

1. Know your audience.

As with any event, knowing your audience is key when planning an international meeting. “A good rule of thumb when hosting any meeting—regardless of the culture or the location—is to know your audience,” says Andrew Flack, vice president of global marketing for Hilton Worldwide. “If your audience is culturally diverse, it's important to understand and respect their customs to ensure the meeting meets its objectives.”

2. Do your research—and ask lots of questions.

Flack stresses the importance of researching cultural customs before planning a cross-cultural meeting and ensuring that all meeting attendees have been brought up to speed. “Cultural training needs should be determined in the planning stage and evaluated based on the meeting attendee,” he says. However, a specific company's culture should also be taken into account. “No audience can be generalized or stereotyped,” he says. “To ensure meeting professionals customize each event based on their client's specific objectives and audience, it's important that they develop a relationship with the host and ask the right questions in the planning stage.”

3. Respect tradition.

While asking questions is encouraged, it's also key to know the enduring business traditions of different cultures. “While preferences in meeting details could change based on advances in technology, location, or diversity of the meeting audience, the sentiment of the custom will remain,” Flack says. “For instance, it's important to acknowledge a Chinese attendee's business card—and receive it with two hands when it's presented.”

And while planners may have researched customs prior to an event, they should be flexible in case of surprises. Will Milligan, owner of Will Milligan Events, has hosted meetings for international groups in the D.C. area. “A unique cultural experience occurred during a lunch at a five-star hotel in Washington, when a former government official from Asia insisted on paying a very large lunch bill all in cash kept in a handbag,” he says.

4. Stay flexible.

Different cultures have different meeting customs, which may or may not resemble the habits planners are used to. “Flexibility is key when considering start times, size of the delegation or group, and protocol seating” for international events, Milligan points out. “Inevitably some groups run very late, others bring extra guests, and some like to keep official remarks short and and spend more time in casual conversation and interaction.”

5. Take food and beverage, environment, and group dynamics into account.

To better understand international customs, Hilton Worldwide asked its team of meetings and events pros from across the globe to provide tips on conducting successful face-to-face meetings in their respective markets. The survey tapped into food and beverage, meeting environment, and group dynamics. Some tips that emerged: In Australia, it's considered gauche to discuss business at a meal until the main course is served. (During the appetizer course, it's typical to make introductions and set the agenda, but real business talk doesn't begin until later.) In Japan, seating position is crucial at a meeting, and attendees are placed according to their status. Seating cards could be key for Japanese meetings. And for meetings in the Middle East, the Hilton team determined that planners should consider placing a Koran or prayer mat in the center of a meeting space. Another tip: in the United States, millennial meeting guests notice the quality of coffee or tea at meetings, so choosing a higher-end option could be a wise investment.

6. Don't underestimate the power of a good meal.

Milligan says that standards for event fare and wining-and-dining scenarios have been elevated across the globe. “Whether it be a first-class dining experience for Russian oil executives, a fine Bordeaux [wine] for Chinese businessmen, or the best seafood restaurant for a Kurdish delegation, [all meeting attendees] value efficient service, private settings, and menu items not readily available in their home countries,” he says.

7. A meeting should reflect the customs of its attendees.

Say organizers are planning a meeting in the United States for a group of executives from China. Which area's customs—China's, or the host country's—should inform the meeting's design? “The success of a meeting depends on the output from the meeting attendees, so the attendee and their customs and preferences should be considered first and foremost,” Flack says. “That said, there are also creative ways that meeting professionals remain culturally appropriate to the attendee, while also highlighting local customs.” One common way to incorporate local customs? Design a menu that reflects the best offerings of the city the meeting takes place in.

8. In-person meetings are almost universally preferred.

Hilton Worldwide recently commissioned a survey across the United States, the United Kingdom, and China of white-collar workers ages 18 and up. The survey's results “confirmed that business professionals prefer face-to-face meetings over alternative communication methods, such as video conference, email, or phone calls,” Flack says. “And respondents agreed that in-person meetings are typically set up either to achieve a business goal or reach a decision.” Milligan holds all his cross-cultural meetings in person. “We find that body language and personal contact during international client events is key to the success of the event and would be lost through virtual meetings,” he says.

Source: BizBash

byBest Events

in Business Meeting, Event Tips

4:00 PM

8 Things Planners Should Know About International Meetings

When planning a meeting overseas—or hosting a group of international executives—there are subtle, yet important, social cues to keep i...

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How to Make Fund-Raising Walks More Interactive

We've had the flash mobs, human statues, walking TVs, students collecting funds in booths and fundraising dinners. How else can we make an impact on causes for fundraising? Nothing beats human interaction.



A Pop Art-style diorama at the United Way of Greater Los Angeles HomeWalk event showed a park with a 3-D bench, designed to represent a common plight of homeless veterans in town.

Photo: Andrew Herrold

Another photo station featured a bedroom painted on a brick wall, meant to convey the seriousness of the problem for homeless families.

Photo: Andrew Herrold



Mobile billboards told real stories of unique individuals.

Photo: Andrew Herrold



Themed walks or runs


Student showcase or concert

byBest Events

in Fundraising

9:57 AM

How to Make Fund-Raising Walks More Interactive

We've had the flash mobs, human statues, walking TVs, students collecting funds in booths and fundraising dinners. How else can we make...

Read More

Six examples of Exhibition Overhead Identifiers that Generated Interest and Awareness

If you want to anchor your exhibit space while providing an

overhead identifier that attendees can spot from aisles around, 

then a full-blown booth ceiling is one way to go. Problem is, 

the massive components can require endless hours to install. 

Another option, then, is to scale things down a bit with limited

 architecture and/or lightweight materials. Providing branding

 and identification as well as eye-catching allure, these six 

examples generated interest and awareness. By Linda Armstrong

PHOTO: PADGETT AND CO. INC.

Dynamic DPI
Exhibitor: Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc.
Show: National Association of Broadcasters
Design: Jack Morton, New York, 212-401-7000, www.jackmorton.com

Even the slightest movement can trigger a fight or flight reaction,

causing us to evaluate the source. That's why this dramatic jumble of red dots, 

which swayed and rotated ever so slightly, was so effective at attracting attention. 

Fabricated by Cogswell Design Inc., the design was spot on.

---

PHOTO: PADGETT AND CO. INC.

I'm Lovin' It
Exhibitor: McDonald's Corp.
Show: McDonald's Europe Worldwide Convention
Design: DesignShop Inc., Orlando, FL, 407-251-1800, www.teamdesignshop.com

How can overhead eye candy do double duty? For McDonald's Corp. the 

answer was to turn these dangling delights into messaging and 

delineation devices. Three oval, unfinished-wood constructions marked 

three unique spaces within the larger exhibit below.

---

PHOTO: PHOTOPROP

Bottle Topper
Exhibitor: NurnbergMesse GmbH
Show: Co-Reach
Design: Ueberholz GmbH, Wuppertal, Germany, 49-202-280-960, www.ueberholz.de

To communicate a complex message about digital media, NurnbergMesse

 GmbH used a simple device: recyclable-plastic bottles. Roughly 3,000 of them

 formed a suspended "cloud" over the exhibit space, which included a water feature

 filled with floating bottles housing paper messages.

---

PHOTO: RICHARD MENZEL

Upwardly Mobile
Exhibitor: FAMAB
Show: EuroShop
Design: Gtp2 Architekten, Dusseldorf, Germany, 49-211-550-299-10, www.gtp2-architekten.de

This ceiling structure from the German equivalent of the Exhibit Designers

 & Producers Association comprised members' head shots suspended via wire.

 Relatively easy to construct and install, the moving mobile captivated visitors 

and shined a spotlight on the association's members.

---

PHOTO: PADGETT AND CO. INC.

Lights Fantastic
Exhibitor: Lighting Science Group Corp.
Show: Lightfair International
Design: DesignShop Inc., Orlando, FL, 800-685-7702, www.teamdesignshop.com

Sometimes, ceiling elements are just as functional as they are aesthetically 

pleasing. In this exhibit for Lighting Science Group Corp., 11 light fixtures

 comprising orange-fabric cylinders drew the eye, highlighted the products, 

and formed a delicate curve over an angular space.

---

PHOTO: PADGETT AND CO. INC.

The Great Pyramid
Exhibitor: Panasonic Corp.
Show: InfoComm International
Design: Lynch Exhibits Inc., Burlington, NJ, 609-387-1600, www.lynchexhibits.com

Amid a neutral color palette, this 41-cube, inverted, fabric pyramid from Moss Inc. 

featured pops of brilliant hues. Colors ranged from blue and green to what almost 

looked like electric streaks of pink and purple, courtesy of projection mapping 

from Camagine Design. 

byBest Events

in Event Tips

3:00 PM

Six examples of Exhibition Overhead Identifiers that Generated Interest and Awareness

If you want to anchor your exhibit space while providing an overhead identifier that attendees can spot from aisles around,  then a fu...

Read More