Your Story Alive: A Live Communications Blog

June 14, 2013 3:29 PM

What’s Your Favorite Children’s Story?

Posted byAlisha

Have you ever looked back on your childhood, and immediately thought of the one book always made your imagination wander?

We would love to know what that book is! Help EWI by sharing your favorite children's book in support of Sammy's House, the Healthcare Convention and Exhibitors Association's charity of choice for its 2013 Annual Meeting, June 22-25.

Just click the link to share your favorite children's book, appropriate for ages 0-8 and we'll donate it to on your behalf. If you're coming to the show, stop by booth #413 during the Meeting and we'll help you personalize and commemorate your contribution.

As we get closer, we'll share out the rare finds and trending favorites. Thank you for your support!

Tags: Brand Stories, Healthcare, Special Events

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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 06, 2013 2:03 PM

IBM Sets Itself Apart

Posted byAlisha

In a city of lights and billboards it can be difficult to set your brand apart from another. IBM has managed to do just that by creating advertisements that not only allows them to fight through the clutter of a big city but also stay on target with their brand messaging.

By creating 3D advertisements at various points within the city IBM managed to get people sitting, walking and taking shelter with their outdoor ads.

Check out the video for more information.

Tags: Advertising, Architecture, Furniture

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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 21, 2013 12:54 PM

Coca Cola Happiness Without Borders

Posted byAdam Sweet

This is a really beautiful experience; helping to unite two groups of people who may not interact at all, yet are similar on so many levels.

Interestingly, it has almost nothing to do with the brand or product, and everything to do with the user and lifestyle.

Enjoy this soulful video. More information: http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/happiness-without-borders

Tags: Brand Stories, Cool Stuff, Consumer Electronics, Global Design, Advertising, Guerrilla Marketing, Innovation, Interactives, Media, People, Pop Culture, Product Launch, Promotions, Pop-Up Retail, Special Events

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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 25, 2013 4:39 PM

ICare

Posted byAlisha

A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending an event for the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society’s Michigan Chapter. The da Vinci Awards is an annual event that showcases the most innovative new technologies that help promote individuals overcoming physical limitations caused by having MS. There were 15 finalists, all of them equally brilliant enough to take the top nod.

The Madonna ICARE by Sports Art was nominated in the area of “Recreation and Leisure.” It is a machine that re-trains an individual’s brain after losing the ability to walk due to illness. For the first time people are able to afford this care within the comfort of their own home. Watch the video above to learn more about this innovative and inspiring new machine.

Tags: Healthcare, Innovation, 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 12, 2013 12:52 PM

Exxopolis – An Escape for Students

Posted byAlisha

In a world of fast paced environments it is difficult to remember how it feels to slow down and think, Architects or Air (AOA) are making it easier for students at Cal State University Long Beach (CSULB) to find a place to decompress from their running schedules of classes, work, friends and the future.

AOA has created a structure called Exxopolis, a giant structure that can hold up to 80 people. Made entirely of PVC plastic panels it boasts multiple sitting pods that dot the walls and places to sit and lay down. The inside of the structure is set up as a kind of maze. The tunnels continue forever, further making the individual lose their bearings and orientation. The color inside the structure is created by natural sunlight streaming through colored panels on the roof and walls furthering the tranquility that is already in place by the warmth of the music playing throughout the structure.

Students at CSULB worked for nine months in order to get the structure to their campus. It has created an environment to involve and immerse fellow students in as a stress reliever, acting as a vacation in the middle of the semester.

Tags: Cool Stuff, Creative Inspirations, People

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customers and brands.

So pull up your keyboard and raise a few questions, share some ideas, provide a little inspiration. Oh, yeah... and get comfortable. After all, it's your place.

Developed by the creatives of EWI Worldwide, www.ewiworldwide.com.

Your Story Alive

YSA

EWI Worldwide

This is a really beautiful experience; helping to unite two groups of people who may not interact at all, yet are similar on so many levels.

Interestingly, it has almost nothing to do with the brand or product, and everything to do with the user and lifestyle.

Enjoy this soulful video. More information: http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/happiness-without-borders