Event Horizon

Attendee expectations, when it comes to social-professional gatherings, are changing rapidly. We meet a dynamic duo who are rising to the challenge.

For some, they’re an excuse for well lubricated revelry with professional peers, freed of the shackles imposed by the daytime corporate environment. For others, they’re an infringement on family time but a necessary evil. All of us can surely agree, though, that work events are invaluable occasions when it comes to forging more fruitful relationships with colleagues, contacts and industry power-players.

And yet, even before Covid struck, the average work event was becoming as stale as the dried-out vol-au-vents that invariably did the rounds, as flat as the budget Prosecco that washed them down and as disappointing as that first peek into the goodie bag on the way home. “The events scene has been in need of innovation for decades,” agrees Dax Callner, Strategy Director at Smyle – a creative experience agency which devises digital and physical virtual and hybrid live experiences for a range of brand, business and consumer audiences.

“Covid has forced the industry to adapt and innovate in new ways, and opened up possibilities as attendee expectations and ways of living and working have changed. We’re at a very exciting and possibly scary moment in time when no one can say what the future of events will be. We see that as an opportunity to experiment and learn. What better time than during an industry crisis?”

Dax Callner, Strategy Director, Smyle

By Nick Scott www.nickscottpublishing.com

Matt Margetson, Founder, Smyle

In fact, Callner says, whilst Covid is clearly a major disrupter in the events sector, and not just temporarily - “There is no ‘return to normal’ happening,” he says - other forces need to be addressed too. “There are larger sociological trends which are directly relevant to the world of events. One is sustainability - and we’ve developed a robust methodology to reduce impact and measure results, using consistent analysis to drive continuous improvement.”

“The second is diversity, equity and inclusion. Events must deliver impact to diverse audiences from an array of backgrounds, and provide equitable experiences for all participants, no matter how they join in, and welcome everyone. This forces new ways of thinking about who is invited, how content is developed, how tools and access is made possible and more – it’s a huge shift in planning events.”

Callner describes the third pillar of Smyle’s pioneering new approach to events as “metaverse-style technical innovation”, which refers to the integration of physical and digital realms. “Events are the perfect place to merge incredible tech with human connection – which is what the metaverse is promising,” he says. “At events, participants give us their time and permission to take them through experiences they wouldn’t get elsewhere. Part of the reason people go to events is to play with cool tech!”

Smyle’s work to date includes overseeing Facebook’s presence at the World Economic Forum, the Wella Trend Vision Awards at the Camden Roundhouse and the launch of BT’s 5G network. The last of these was an epic live-streamed event at which 160 drones, programmed by local school children, performed to a live performance sung by popstar Jess Glynne, whilst ‘Strictly’ host Tess Daly introduced a world-first preview of BT’s new brand and ad campaign. Working alongside M&C Saatchi PR on the EE’s 5G network launch in 2019, meanwhile, Smyle organised a 5G-powered performance by Stormzy, flanked by dramatic pyrotechnics, on a floating barge by London’s Tower Bridge

Such theatrical gravitas, he says, is increasingly what is required to keep attendees engaged. “People have always wanted better events and in many instances the industry has let them down,” he says. “What I think has changed is people’s level of tolerance for boring or bad content – whether joining virtually or physically, if the content sucks out comes their device and away goes their focus. And with the rise of virtual events over the past 18

months, what professionals need from their events more than ever is authentic human connection.

“This is what the industry is wrestling with, as the new world will require at least some event participants to join remotely: how to enable people to really talk, and not just about business stuff, to get to know one another and build real relationships. We have some solutions for this but it is a continuous challenge.”

Another project which illustrates Smyle’s unique approach is Samsung’s Life Unstoppable: ‘House Of Surprises’ initiative. “There was a major electronics trade show, IFA, taking place during the pandemic,” explains Callner. “Samsung decided not to participate in the physical event, but they still needed to get their products and messages to press, customers and consumers.

“So we helped them produce the first-ever virtual event using the game development technology Unreal Engine, resulting in an immersive, metaverse-style experience with products, speakers and interaction. This created something super-cool for Samsung’s audiences, leveraging the energy and timing of IFA to reach huge numbers of people digitally.”

Another masterclass Smyle has offered in remote event hosting involved Johnnie Walker, and its flagship space in Princes Street, Edinburgh, which opened late last year. Over to Matt Margetson, Smyle’s Founder & Innovation Director. “An array of techniques can be layered up to create a more immersive, interactive and engaging experience, not just with digital solutions but incorporating analogue and physical methods,” he says. “This - when combined with storytelling and gamification - can engage audiences on multiple levels.”

The brand in question’s rich history helped, Margetson says, when it came to the narrative aspect of the experience. “Johnnie Walker has a fascinating story and an incredible physical brand home, but with such an internationally renowned brand with an audience from around the world, a lot of brand advocates were not able to experience the physical activation in Princes Street,” he says. “The Unreal Engine platform gave us the strong foundation for the experience, with it being used to produce some of the biggest titles in the gaming world such as Fortnite and Final Fantasy, to name a couple. The resulting activation recreated the Johnnie Walker Princes Street brand home digitally.”

To enhance the experience, Margetson explains, guests were sent highball cocktail packs pre-event, and asked to undertake a psychometric task to find their flavour profile, with the data being used to build their profile for the main activation and customise their journey. “Once “inside” the experience,” he continues, “guests explored a hyper-realistic 3D world, moving through the home of Johnnie Walker, interacting and discovering the rich history, learning to mix and enjoy highball cocktails, playing games and solving quests.

Real-life master blenders, brand ambassadors and cocktail mixologists were on hand throughout the guests journey to explain, inform and answer questions the guests had.”

For any major brand, Margetson says, a virtual brand ‘home’ should be considered “not as an option, but as a mandatory requirement that is not constrained by geography. With the power to entertain and excite audiences, the virtual brand home is able to market its products and understand its consumers in a way not possible in the physical landscape. We’re now working on the next iteration, where we create the digital brand home, not in isolation, but where we take this into the metaverse for all to explore.”

It’s an exciting future, according to Callner, which complements, rather than replaces, the tangible brand space. “We still believe that physical experiences matter, but imagine the possibilities of doing both – tech-fuelled activations live at shows like IFA combined with robust digital experiences to amplify reach and impact,” he says. “This is the conversation we’re having with clients as we look to the future – be prepared to do both and reap the rewards. And, if for some reason the physical event can’t happen, be ready with a solid remote experience.”

BEANSTALK TO REP SKULLCANDY

The original lifestyle audio brand, Skullcandy, has selected global brand extension licensing agency, Beanstalk, to extend its brand into product categories that unleash the power of expression, including audio equipment, consumer electronics, sporting and outdoor goods and accessories, apparel and accessories, collaborations and experiences. Born in 2003 on a chairlift in Park City, Utah, Skullcandy has become the #1 selling brand in Stereo Headphones and True Wireless Earbuds. Skullcandy’s mission is to unleash the power of music for all, with a vision to be the #1 brand for the youthful and adventurous consumer. The Skullcandy licensing program will encourage both existing and new fans to tune into their own Skullcandy lifestyle and express their individual personalities. Beanstalk will leverage the distinct aesthetic of the Skullcandy brand to further extend its unique voice, style and purpose from audio to lifestyle. Allison Ames, President and CEO of Beanstalk, said, “We are truly excited to be partnering with an adventurous and inclusive brand as Skullcandy. It has all of the right ingredients for successful brand extensions. It’s accessible and doing great things in the tech space. It’s diverse and progressive. It understands its audience and in a sea of sameness, Skullcandy stands out from the crowd. This provides us with a wonderful opportunity to create a licensing program that speaks to Skullcandy’s fans’ lifestyles, interests and values.” Jessica Klodnicki, Chief Marketing Officer at Skullcandy, shared, “We know our fans are looking to engage more deeply with our brand across more categories of product. We are thrilled to partner with Beanstalk to help us explore and extend into new lines of business that will further illustrate the Skullcandy brand.”

CAPSULE COLLECTION FOR KAPPA AND UBISOFT

Italian sportswear brand Kappa and Ubisoft, developer and publisher of the video game Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, have announced the launch of a capsule collection for winter 2021-2022. The agreement was brokered by Ubisoft’s licensing agency IMG. The two brands will offer an exclusive collection that blends contemporary fashion with the gaming world, while integrating the Rainbow Six Siege DNA into the products. The collection is composed of three ranges: Banda, Logo and R6. This capsule collection includes 8 pieces including hoodies, casual t-shirts, a jacket and a tracksuit, all in black, grey and blue tones taken from the Rainbow Six Siege universe. Each product features instantly recognizable details such as the combination of the iconic Kappa Omini logo with the Rainbow Six logo to create a unique “banda” that runs along the sleeves of the jacket and the sides of the sweatpants.

INSIGHTS FAMILY LAUNCH NEW MARKETS

The Insights Family has announced it has launched its service into four new international markets. As of January 1st 2022, the company started interviewing kids (3-18s) and parents in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Argentina and South Africa. This will see the business expand its operations to provide its clients with real-time data from 22 territories across 6 continents. The new markets will follow the same methodology as the existing markets and will see the business survey 400 different children and 200 different parents every week (21,000 and 10,500 respectively a year). With the addition of four new territories, The Insights Family will now interview a new family member somewhere in the world every 55 seconds. The launches of the new markets mean that the company now covers all the countries in the G20, providing brands and companies with access to ethical real-time data. Nick Richardson, CEO and Founder of The Insights Family, said: “2021 was a transformational year for the business, with us enjoying significant growth and development across the business. The expansion into these markets, based on client demand demonstrate our position as the global leader in kids, parents and family market intelligence” The announcement comes on the back of a very successful year for The Insights Family, which has seen them more than double in size, growing from 13 employees in January 2020 to a team of 67 by the end of January 2022. The company works with 100 clients across the globe and now plays a crucial role within the industry, providing insights to leading companies including the BBC, Amazon and Disney. Last month, The Insights Family published its Future Forecast 2022 Report which predicts some of the key trends to watch out for in the forthcoming year. Providing unrivalled knowledge, the report explores 10 themes which will impact advertising, content, licensing, marketing, product and retail strategies for brand owners across all levels of business strategy.