Your Story Alive: A Live Communications Blog

June 12, 2013 5:25 PM

Your Graphic Voice

Posted byAdam Sweet

Murmur — From sound to light, by talking to walls. from Chevalvert on Vimeo.

In this very cool experience, Murmur, by Chevalvert, 2Roqs, Polygraphik and Splank, a user walks up to a peculiar, glowing, megaphone which is connected to a blank concrete wall via an LED-lit cord.

As you speak, your voice becomes translated into randomized graphics which are projected onto the wall. A few excerpts from a recent article:

“The main idea is to communicate with the wall, trying to turn it from a concrete and cold presence to a living and responsive surface."

The quirky megaphone and bright, blinking, LED cord... "might seem a bit whimsical, but they’re absolutely integral to visualizing an invisible process, and leveraging digital technology to connect a person to the analog world."

“'The installation is based on the popular kid’s game of listening and talking through [cups] linked by a thread.'”

Link to video.

Read more about it on Co.DESIGN too.

Tags: Cool Stuff, Creative Inspirations, Environmental Design, Exhibits, Global Design, Graphic Design, Innovation, Interactives, Media, People, Pop Culture, Museums & Attractions, Technology

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June 05, 2013 9:30 AM

EWI Wins Award for “Choose Your Subaru Adventure” Interactive

Posted byKatie

EWI Worldwide and client Subaru of America, Inc.'s digital engagement program, “Choose Your Subaru Adventure,” has won an Industry Excellence Award for best digital out-of-home campaign deployment for self-service / interactive kiosks from the Digital Screenmedia Association (DSA). The awards honor the best self-service, digital signage and mobile technology deployments across all vertical market segments.

The “Choose Your Subaru Adventure” (CYSA) program, debuted at the 2012 LA Auto Show, was designed to create a seamless brand extension that captured the spirit of the Subaru lover – including their passions, activities and how they use their Subaru. The experience invited guests to pose in front of a green screen, where their image was then wirelessly transferred to one of three kiosks in the booth. Guests worked with product specialists to choose their photo and add in different digital layers – from a background location to the vehicle, and a number of fun options ranging from retrievers to armadillos, while sharing information on whether they were a current owner, looking for a vehicle or looking for a local dealer. Not only did booth dwell time increase significantly, but nearly 10,000 attendees emailed themselves their images.

The awards were presented during an awards dinner at the Hilton DFW Lakes, in conjunction with the Digital Screenmedia Symposium. For more details, check out the full news release here.

Congratulations, team!

Tags: Brand Stories, Cool Stuff, Creative Inspirations, Exhibits, Innovation, Technology

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May 13, 2013 2:18 PM

Key Trends: Event Marketing Summit 2013

Posted byKatie

Waiting for class to start at EMS 2013.

The annual Event Marketing Summit is known for big ideas and big campaigns - and this year did not disappoint. Here are the top findings from our attendance this year - with the caveat that try as we might, we couldn’t attend every session that we wanted to.

Employees are gaining more market share and attention. Several brands talked about the importance of communicating internally – and not just to the sales force. One presenter from Textron, the maker of the Bell Helicopter – shared concerns about keeping new product details under wraps, even from employees. An information leak happened despite their best efforts, and when they realized that the leaked information wasn’t factual, they decided to embrace it instead, and go for full transparency. The resulting campaign was a mix of surprise and delight, starting with tactics as simple as window and floor decals in employee lunchrooms. The campaign that started with employees also served as the foundation for an incredible product reveal. They may not be responsible for sales directly, but employees certainly bring something to the table when it comes to brand integrity, reputation and buzz.
Long product cycles and sustained outreach. This year, we saw a bit more focus on those brands that face long product cycles. Whether its helicopters or cars, it seems that brands are shifting away from campaign or program-focused execution, and instead looking for the long game. What are the implications for the brand identity? What kind of messaging are we putting in the marketplace? By being considerate of the flow of information and cadence, some are finding a way to refocus on the sequence of live events – not just a few nights a year.
The brand ambassador is changing. Forget booth babes and the traditional product specialists! We kid. But seriously, for many of the events and case studies we saw, the idea of the brand ambassador is going through a fundamental shift, and not just for tradeshow programs. Take Genlivet’s campaign, The Guardian. This membership club brings together highly curated content, events and recommendations, anchored by the venerable, agency-created, Jonathan Dram. (Who, by the way, comes complete with his own Pinterest account: http://pinterest.com/jonathandram/pins/). Another presenter that we saw talked about how one automaker worked with an architect for a recent event and even asked him to open his home and car collection to journalists. And, Audi shared their efforts as they identified a niche audience representation, skiers, led by a former US team member, as they delivered experiences for one of their most niche products, the Audi allroad. While these representatives are implicitly talented and cool – they also safely guard their own creative content and presence, so good luck telling them what to do and say, exactly. In the words of the Glenlivet representative, properly vetting this group is a “fine art.”
The power of the personal story. We believe this goes hand in hand with the trend in brand ambassadors. While a corporate brand is cool, personal stories are better. The Textron marketer talked about how their sales meetings kicked off with a look at what makes their speakers unique – and those interests helped drive better connection during those meetings. Likewise, Paul Blurton of inVNT found that people who had the same personal aspects as those the brand was working to emulate (creative, adventurous, discerning, etc.) helped create touchpoints that prospects and customers could relate to. Interesting people, they are finding, drive more interesting conversation and more effective communications. While it means less control, better relationships are the tradeoff.

Sending a huge thank you!
Last but not least, thanks to everyone who joined us at our UX track session, “Big Footprints, Bigger Impressions: Making the Most of Large Real Estate.” Great questions were asked. If you want a copy of the presentation, leave a comment or contact us at media ‘at’ ewiworldwide.com.

Tags: Brand Stories, Creative Inspirations, Exhibits, Innovation, Interactives, People, Special Events, Technology

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May 01, 2013 11:43 AM

EWI at Event Marketing Summit

Posted byAlisha

Chris Petit, Creative Director at EWI Worldwide, will present the session “Big Footprints, Bigger Impressions: Making the Most of Large Real Estate” on Wednesday, May 8th from 11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. in the Chi Bar of the Sheraton Hotel as part of the Event Marketing Summit.

The session will focus on creating an effective customer journey within large exhibit spaces. In addition, attendees will find out how to create intelligent traffic patterns, design unique product zones, incorporate theater and lounge spaces, and leverage event technology and interactives.

Event Marketing Summit 2013 (EMS) will be held at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, in the heart of downtown Chicago. The annual conference on face-to-face marketing regularly attracts the world’s leading marketing agencies and brands such as Coca-Cola, Ford Motor Company, Microsoft, and Under Armour. These companies and more will be instructing attendees on what the newest trends are, how best to generate sales and how to best use exhibit spaces.

Chris Petit is responsible for developing highly conceptual and effective programs and live marketing events, including mobile tours, auto shows, and tradeshows for such companies as KIA, DFI Tech and Obagi Medical Products.

Tags: Exhibits, Promotions, Technology

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April 19, 2013 2:49 PM

Look Out 2013

Posted byAlisha

The past five years have been rough, regardless of what industry is being used as an example. In 2013, the economy is finally turning around; spending and optimism is up and pessimism is down. EXHIBITOR magazine recently published an article, “The 2013 Economic Outlook.” It focuses on the exhibits industry and can serve as a tool for planning the 2014 fiscal year. Here are some of the highlights:

30 percent of exhibitors are increasing their budget this year compared to last.
81 percent of exhibitors said they feel confident or extremely confident that tradeshow involvement will achieve better results in 2013 than 2012.
The majority of exhibitors have definite or tentative plans to purchase a new booth in the next 12 months.

While the article does make a point to say that the economy is not nearly as strong as it was six years ago, there is hope. With all of this information at your fingertips, how is your company expanding their tradeshow experience?

Tags: Exhibits, Brand Stories, Special Events

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April 04, 2013 10:00 AM

The Importance of Being Green

Posted byAlisha

                                       Photo courtest of muppetwokia.com

The idea of a green initiative with any kind of business isn’t new, and within the exhibit design business it’s been around for decades. But, some companies still choose not to use these environmentally friendly materials for reasons that range from cost to timeline and more. While it can be more expensive to maintain a green initiative while designing and executing your booth space, there are many ways that you can integrate green without busting budgets and think of it as an investment in materials or even processes.

Below are three easy ideas to go green, as featured in EXHIBITOR magazine’s recent article, “Green Exhibiting.”

1.   Take baby steps in introducing green elements into your space. Having the entire booth be green is great, but not necessary. Make small changes such as using biodegradable materials on some surfaces of the booth or reusing furniture from another design.

2.   Reduce the weight of your booth. Use lightweight materials (from fabrics to the newest materials on the market) to help lower your carbon footprint and make your booth more environmentally friendly.

3.   Reduce handouts at the show. 80 percent of paper literature ends up in the garbage. To reduce the amount of trash your company is creating try using an interactive display within your booth and offer a link to email a downloadable file.

With every new year of exhibiting that passes, these ideas and materials may become less expensive, but the message that your company sends about its ability to plan and consider alternative solutions only grows. By instituting these small green practices within booth construction it can make a big difference.

Tags: Environmental Design, Exhibits, Green Design

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March 13, 2013 12:46 PM

Together Again – at EXHIBITOR2013

Posted byAlisha

Building upon its award-wining storyboard experience, EWI Worldwide is excited to be exhibiting at EXHIBITOR2013 at Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Starting Monday, March 18 and going through Wednesday, March 20 from 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. each day at booth 2027 EWI will be in the middle of all of the action and excitement.

As one of the biggest shows focused on the exhibits industry, EXHIBITOR2013 is a great way for exhibit and tradeshow managers to learn from industry experts about strategies for face-to-face conversations that create lasting relationships.

Make sure to check back here tomorrow for information on our speaking opportunities.

Tags: Exhibits, Promotions, Special Events

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February 28, 2013 2:52 PM

Efficiency and Logistics

Posted byAlisha

                Photo Credit: easysmallbusinesshr.com

It’s happened to all of us. You are preparing for an exhibit and ship items to the location. You follow the items a few days later, planning on having a quick set up and some relaxation time before the event starts. When you arrive, you are informed that some of the items you shipped never showed up and the shipping company does not know where your package is within their system.

You ask yourself, how could I have prevented this from happening? Audre Bollo, Director of Event Services gives tips on how to prepare for any show and ensure that events like this do not happen.

•   Use an efficient tracking system that tells you exactly where all of your exhibits are and alerts you if a package is ever lost. This allows for easier asset management when shipping to multiple different shows per year. The more reliable your system is the easier it will be to manage. This will also give you more time to handle the situation before it is too late.

•   There is no way to prevent the loss of an exhibit at all times. A great plan B would be to have another kit available to you with a reliable staff that can get you what you need, fast.

•   Use clear communication and double check everything. In an article by EXHIBITOR magazine, one exhibit manager was challenged when their booth, which was to be sent from one hotel to another across the street, was accidentally put on a train back to the home office, across the country. While the person in charge did everything correctly in organizing the move, the communication with the carrier wasn’t up to par. They failed to see that it was not supposed to be shipped back until after the second show. The best way to ensure this won’t happen to you is to communicate with everyone that will be handling your material.

The ultimate goal with any exhibit space is to have everything run according to plan. Sometimes, that just isn’t possible. By following these key points you can handle the situation more efficiently.

Tags: Exhibits, Pop-Up Retail, Transportation

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February 08, 2013 2:51 PM

What We Can Learn from the Super Bowl Blackout

Posted byAlisha

photo by: newdiscovies.com

With the phenomenon that is the Super Bowl, the producers and team have a backup plan for just about anything that could go wrong. Well, this past Sunday viewers across the world were able to see that backup plan when the power went out in half of the Superdome.

While 108.4 million people watched Super Bowl XLVII at home and another 72,000 people waited patiently in their seats within the dome, crews scrambled to get power back up and running. Thirty-four minutes later the game resumed, but not without talk of how the power outage changed the whole momentum of the game. Just before the lights went dark Jacoby Jones of the Baltimore Ravens returned a history-making 108 yard opening kickoff, continuing the Ravens’ domination into the second half. After the blackout the Ravens only scored six points for the rest of the game, while the 49er’s gained 25 points.

With all of this drama that surrounded the Super Bowl it is important to point out how you can ensure a power outage will not happen during your event – pending any natural disasters. In an interview with Tony Barras, President of EWI Worldwide’s The TERM Group, we discussed the main points that need to be covered in order to help ensure your event will happen without losing power, based on his 25 years of experience working thousands of shows, exhibits and events:
1.   Do your due diligence to ensure you have all of the information about the venue that is needed
2.   Communicating venue information to the proper people, including managers, technicians, etc.
3.   Do not cut corners, answer all questions and have a backup plan; i.e., have a surge protector to ensure that the “abnormality” that happened at the Super Bowl will not happen at your event.
4.   Have skilled technicians on hand to handle any emergency situation. Usually the venue will provide you with a team.
5.   Before you choose a specific venue for your event run through this simple check list:
a.   Site Inspection
b.   Look at electrical capabilities
c.   Check the weather
d.   What is your back up plan?
e.   What are all the pitfalls?
6.   Have insurance to cover catastrophes. Murphy ’s Law states, “Anything that could go wrong, it will.” Prepare for the unexpected and address all problems before they get worse.

The goal to holding an event is to have it be successful in all aspects. The most important factor that needs to be considered is who you partner with for the show. The more experience, the better and the questions you know to ask the more successful the show will be.

Tags: Exhibits, Pop Culture, Special Events, Technology

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January 21, 2013 3:15 PM

Juxtaposing the Common Land

Posted byAdam Sweet

http://www.designboom.com/architecture/ofis-architects-cultural-center-of-european-space-technologies-complete/

In a place like Slovenia, rolling hills and peaked-roof houses dominate the landscape. However, in a collaborative project by OFIS Arhitekti, Sadar Vuga Arhitekti, Bevk Perovic Arhitekti and Dekleva Gregoric Arhitekti, this picturesque scenery is now juxtaposed with a sleek, modern, and very cool building in the town of Vitanje. The Cultural Center of European Space Technologies is a series of stacked and slanted circular elements offering exhibition space, an auditorium, and a space technology research centre. It’s interlocking rings, and glass cylinders, seem to make the building float and rotate in place offering dynamic movement in this traditional townscape.

The interior, constructed of raw concrete and accentuated by large, vertical glass panels is the perfect setting to display iconic imagery, artifacts, and hold conferences, and club activities dedicated to space and the study of it.

Tags: Architecture, Cool Stuff, Creative Inspirations, Environmental Design, Exhibits, Global Design, Museums & Attractions

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