Cool Event Ideas

Cell phone charging stations are popping up everywhere; large crowds gather providing users with a quick power up and giving sponsors a new avenue for visibility. These convenient kiosks offer a spa experience of sorts for your personal technology. They are particularly effective at trade shows and conferences because of the great brand exposure they provide.

Recently, a major transportation industry client and frequent trade show sponsor, Con-way, Inc. asked me to research renting stations for an upcoming trade show. What I found were standard, lackluster designs. As such, Con-way Inc. decided to design and build custom stations to be used at all of the shows they attend. They wanted the design to include small tabletops to allow the user space to continue working on their cell phone or tablet while the device charged.

More than a year after the idea was born several trade shows agreed to include them with current sponsorships. The charging stations were strategically placed in the high traffic areas of the conference such as registration, outside the general session rooms, the exhibit hall entrance, and at a lounge area in the exhibit hall. Each station is three sided and feature a rotating Con-way branded header on the top. We also designed a slot for dispensing branded cleaning cloths for users to wipe their phones and tablet screens. Attendees sought out the stations and were happy to wait their turn for a chance to power up. The 15 minutes a prospect stands at the station looking the graphics and logos is great brand exposure.

Con-way Inc., received positive feedback for their innovative stations and now have a timeless sponsor offering that does not require continuous reinvestment.  So, next time you are looking for a unique way to brand your organization, scrap the signage and create something innovative.

~ Bridgette

Looking for a creative way to make your special event more interactive? Consider an art contest. We recently managed an open house for a Monroe, Michigan welding company and staged a unique contest that featured welding masks.

We contacted a local art college -- the College for Creative Studies -- and invited students to express their creativity by adding their artistic flair to welding helmets provided by our client. Students were encouraged to incorporate the client’s logo or automotive-related elements into the design. One mask was transformed into a radio, complete with cassette tape deck and speakers; and another featured new paint technology that seemed to change color before your eyes.

The finished pieces were displayed at the event along with each student’s bio. Guests were invited to learn about the artist and what inspired them, and then vote for their favorite piece. Winners were announced at the end of the event and cash prizes were awarded.

To further the local community connection, the masks were donated to nearby Monroe Community College after the event. MCC has a large welding department and plans to display the artwork in their new welding facility.

The contest was a positive experience for everyone involved. Artists were inspired, event attendees enjoyed the interactivity, the client appreciated the opportunity to strengthen ties with the local community, and the colleges received media recognition for their participation.

           1st Place                                       2nd Place                                 3rd Place

~Alix Chapie

Restaurants and breweries have long since worked together but over the past couple years they have found a way to maximize the perfect marriage of each industry… beer dinners.

Looking in your local newspaper odds are you will find a host of options for beer dinners occurring in your town on a weekly basis. These are a great event options for intimate gatherings and work particularly well with VIPs.

Typically beer dinners consist of 30-75 people and last just a couple of hours. They usually take place in the private dining room of a fine dining restaurant or a restaurant that offers quality craft beverages.  A brewery representative may work with the chef to pair the perfect match of cuisine a beer. Many breweries are now brewing beers to complement fine food at the table. Goose Island Beer Company out of Chicago creates a line of Belgian style ales that are brewed specifically for food.

You can design the event to be as elaborate as a five course plated meal. Or, if your budget does not allow that keep it simple with a beer and cheese pairing. These two are natural partners as they are two of the oldest manufactured foods and are both produced by fermentation.

Don’t worry about beer only appealing to men as nowadays the gender stereotype that women prefer wine is shifting.  If you are hosting a group with varied tastes you could always create a beer and wine showdown. Ask the chef to pair a dish with both a specific wine and beer. Then, ask your guests to rate the pairing and vote for their favorite. Any way you design it your guests are sure to enjoy an event with great food and beverages in a relaxed setting. Cheers!

Charitable contributions and the holiday season go hand in hand. But lately, event planners are finding that more and more events are incorporating charitable activities into events on a regular basis throughout the year. Keeping in line with the “less is more” mentality, organizations want to stretch event dollars as much as possible. By working with a charity, organizers and attendees can practice benevolence simply by attending an event. It’s an easy way to give back and a chance for organizations to integrate attendees outside interests into their event.

Here are some of our favorite charity ideas:

•  Host a charity walk or run. Encourage residents to come out and cheer on the runners and walkers. This is a great addition to an outdoor event. Set up areas where people can watch safely. Consider contacting certain celebrities who have participated in similar charitable events. If a celebrity is passionate about a certain cause, such as autism or breast cancer, they may be more willing to participate in your event.

•  Build a bike. This is an activity that takes about 2 hours. Usually you would partner with a local Boys and Girls club and literally construct a bike to be given to those kids at the end of the event. It is an excellent team building activity for employee events.
•  Silent auction. Hosting a small silent auction during the networking portion of your event allows attendees to shop and contribute to a cause. Solicit donations from your personal and professional connections, pick a charity and donate the funds to your chosen cause.
• Donate centerpieces. If you are unable to coordinate an interactive way to work with a charity you could simply donate your leftover centerpieces to your favorite charity. Or, collect non-perishable food items to be donated to local a food bank.

If you are interested in a particular charity and need to know if they are legitimate don’t forget to check it first on a site like www.charitynavigator.org.