Although face-to-face events are back in demand, hybrid events are going to be a part of the events landscape for good, say Michael Magafa, Encore Event Technologies’ National Sales Director and Brien Keys, the company’s Regional General Manager for the South West. The desire is to have an in-person element to events wherever possible. But ...

International Women’s Day 2022 – Breaking the Bias Today is International Women’s Day and we celebrate talented Encore women around the globe who help us create events that transform. At Encore, diversity, equity and inclusion are foundational to our culture and core values. We promote an environment that thrives on embracing our differences. Happy International Women’s Day to the great women in the events and hospitality industries around ...

Since the start of COVID-19, thousands of events have been postponed, cancelled or pivoted to virtual platforms. While the vaccine has allowed many businesses to resume events and meetings as usual, new variant waves have continued to stall the return to face-to-face encounters. So, what does all of this mean for the future of in-person ...

4 Questions to get you started With majority of events turning to a hybrid format, so too are company Annual General Meetings. Hybrid AGMs have even been endorsed by Australia’s Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, who weighed in on the debate last year around virtual AGMs confirming the government’s preference for a hybrid event model. As reported ...

So you have found the perfect venue for your next event, now you need to start to think about the room layout and in particular the seating style for your audience. 11 Seating Arrangements Used for Events As discussed in previous blogs, the communication factor on any event is critical. Whether you are setting up ...

Theming is fundamental to the conceptualisation and delivery of every successful event – your theme sets the tone for the entire experience and drives all subsequent planning decisions. The theme is the first impression people will have of your event. So how do you choose a conference theme that is fresh, appealing and on brand? A meaningful concept behind your event helps to direct your planning, keeps your messaging on track, drives audience engagement and delivers on your business objectives. Try to formulate your theme in the form of a question, a statement, a challenge or an idea. Select a theme that can be interpreted loosely, is relatively abstract and open to interpretation. A good conference theme can be carried throughout every touch point of the event including visual design elements, topics, and merchandise and can offer a sense of direction for your speakers. It must be aligned with your company or industry and be consistent with your brand image. Here’s some simple steps to help you choose a theme that will bring your next corporate event to life and create a lasting impression. Define the event goals and purpose Establish the intent of your conference or overall message. Determine what the "takeaway" from the conference should be – what do you want your attendees to remember after they leave? A clear message and intent is key to developing an effective theme for your conference. Ensure your theme is relevant to your target audience Identify your target audience – who do you want to attend your event, and why? How old are they? What is their cultural background and customs? For example, a Business Chicks corporate event will have a theme very different to the Petroleum Gas Conference. The reason for this comes down to who are wanting to attract to your event and what message you are communicating. Then the challenge is finding a creative way to tell that message that will resonate with them. Your theme should be intelligent, inclusive and appealing to attract a high audience attendance rate. Consider your budget and the event parameters Where is the conference being held? What is the duration of the event? How many attendees are you expecting? The theme for a local one-day conference can be slightly more specific and targeted as opposed to a longer, three-day international forum. Review the theme's requirements in line with your budget. An elaborate theme that requires lots of touch points to be effectively communicated may not be in your budget scope. Review your theme in relation to your company’s values, branding and purpose Company Values – Understand what your company stands for and choose a conference theme that reflects those values such as honesty, customer centricity or excellence. Branding – Can you draw any concepts or associations from your brands’ logo, colours or general branding creative and shapes? Company Vision or Purpose - An event theme that incorporates your overarching mission is a great way to reinforce your positioning and help build brand advocacy. Look to industry trends, topical news or popular culture Take inspiration from external sources to facilitate brainstorming and to gather ideas. Sport-related themes are popular amongst conferences and corporate events, such as “Batter Up!”, “Teamwork Wins the Race", or "Winning is a Habit; Success is a Choice." Other themes can be inspired by historical events or eras; such as Prohibition or First Man on the Moon; or from pop-culture, such as Harry Potter, Casablanca or Alice in Wonderland. A theme can also come from music or inspirational quotes from the likes of music legends like Elton John, David Bowie or Adele. Ensure your theme complements your industry or company and keep your theme consistent with your image. Keep it simple Remember less is more! A good conference theme should be inherent in every aspect of your conference – from the speakers and their topics, to the event design and AV, the food, breakout sessions and activities, all the way to the final gala dinner. Keeping the theme simple and to-the-point also prevents miscommunication of the overall message of the conference. Think ‘Opportunity Knocks, ‘Commitment to excellence’ or ‘Building for the future’. It could also be relevant to your industry – if you’re a funds management company “It all adds up!” may be the perfect theme for you. Integrate the theme into every touch point - before, during and after your event A simple theme, clearly communicated, aligned with your brand and with the conference's purpose will inform prospective attendees and reinforce your message. A theme unifies objectives and provides focus for the event, as well as setting the tone for presentations, speaker content, activations, etc. Incorporate the theme onto your invitations, programs, brochures and electronic marketing, name tags, signs and conference-related gifts or memorabilia. Your theme should identify the conference and its attendees clearly and specifically. Order giveaway items with the theme and logo on them, such as t-shirts or other memorabilia to really impress and add value for guests. Get ideas from the conference experts Deciding a conference theme can be one of the hardest decisions conference producers face. That’s where we come in. Let us work together to uncover a brilliant theme that perfectly ties your brand and message into an engaging experience. Encore Event Technologies have been executing imaginative conference themes for over 30 years. Whether you’re planning a medical, financial or education conference - we have the experts, tools and props to bring it to life. Contact us today to discuss how we can execute our seven steps to choosing an event theme and then make it a reality. ... Read More

This week our blog is written by Andrew Thorne, Staging Connections National Trainer & Assessor. Andrew drives our technical training programs at Staging Connections, including our Certificate III in Live Production, Theatre and Events program for new trainees. Here is his guide to the top ten elements you need to consider when looking for a venue for your next event! This week our blog is written by Andrew Thorne, Staging Connections National Trainer & Assessor. Andrew drives our technical training programs at Staging Connections, including our Certificate III in Live Production, Theatre and Events program for new trainees. Here is his guide to the top ten elements you need to consider when looking for a venue for your next event! There is a lot that goes into choosing a venue suitable for any style of event. Considerations such as brand, location, price, food & beverage are all very important. However the question around “can the venue aid and support the communication process” is rarely investigated. For any style of event, the communication factor is critical. An event organiser invites an audience to promote a product, to educate, or to simply entertain. What ever the reason is for the event, they want to communicate a message to an audience. This message is commonly delivered through production elements such as sound, vision and lighting equipment that must work in conjunction with the function space. Here I will take you through the ten elements you need to consider on your next site visit to your potential event space! 1. Foyer & Pre Function Space This is the first impression that your audience gets of an event. It’s a space where you have the opportunity to build anticipation and set a great foundation for your message to be communicated. You want your audience to be immediately engaged, as soon as the first presentation begins. The first important messages that set the tone of the event will be lost, if your audience is not engaged! 2. Room Capacity The capacity of a function space can make or break your event. You want to find that balance between not too big and not too small. Attendees could think attendance was poor if they found themselves in a large cavernous space. While on the other hand, in a tight squashy room, it may convey that the client does not care and is skimping on budget. Both extremes have the audience thinking negative thoughts, even before the first speaker gets up to the podium! 3. Room Shape & Orientation The shape of a room can greatly impact the overall production requirements for an event. For long or wide rooms, sound and vision reinforcement is required to ensure that the communication broadcasted from stage reaches the entire audience. You do not want people seated to the side or rear of the function space feeling disconnected from the communication experience around the central stage area. 4. Ceiling Height The ceiling height of a function space can greatly impact production elements such as the height of projection screens and stage. A raised stage or podium is a great way to elevate a presenter and provide a central focus for the audience, overall enhancing the communication. Projection screens are used to visually reinforce the spoken word, and play an integral role in the communication process. You want your entire audience to be able to clearly see the presenter as well as the projection screens, ensuring there is no barrier in the communication being directed to your audience. 5. Rigging Facilities Rigging facilities in a function space, open up the possibilities of positioning production elements such as projectors, speakers and lights in the ceiling. This brings a clean and professional look to the function space. By recessing the production elements from rigging in the ceiling, ensure the productions elements do not draw your audience’s attention away from what is being communicated on stage. Further to this, there are the possibilities for providing a wider range of seating styles or increased capacity due to the floor space not being cluttered with production equipment. 6. Power Facilities Sound, Vision and Lighting equipment all require electricity! The power facilities of function spaces will dictate the amount of production equipment that can be used. Most dedicated event spaces feature 3phase power. This is usually more than enough to run an event. However venues such as restaurants and office spaces usually have limited power outlets, which will restrict any plans for extensive technology to be used for communication. 7. Access Times Venues like to utilise their function space as much as possible. It’s not uncommon for a room to be booked for breakfast, lunch and dinner events, all on the same day. Access times before and after an event will dictate what production elements can be utilised as it can take considerable time to set up and pack down. You do not want to risk being too ambitious and run out of time on the set up, leading to the event starting late. This will start the audience looking at their watches and drawing conclusions as to what is causing the delay. Not a professional way to kick start the communication for an event! 8. Loading Dock The loading dock is not the most glamorous area of a venue, however this is the point where the production elements start the journey on their way through to the function space. The ease of access through the loading dock, will determine what and how many production elements can be utilised in the communication process of an event. 9. Rehearsals Booking a dedicated time in the function space for your presenters to practice and rehearse their presentation is crucial to their communication style and overall confidence. Further to this, it’s also a chance to build rapport with the Technicians who are pressing buttons on production equipment at critical points in the presentation. The Presenter and Technician need to work together as a team, to ensure communication is unhindered. A presenter only gets one chance at a first impression with a live audience! 10. In House AV Most venues have a dedicated in-house event staging and audio visual team. Being in house brings venue knowledge of what works and what doesn’t work for specific spaces and event types. This knowledge is invaluable to draw upon when using that venue for your event. Typically, you will find expertise and efficiencies the in-house teams can exploit for you, through the use of dedicated onsite staff and pre-installed equipment. These In-house teams have strong relationships and well established lines of communication within the venue itself. The communication backstage is just as critical as the communication front of house! Keeping these ten elements in mind on your next site inspection will guide you in the right direction to choosing a suitable venue for your audience and message! Written By: Andrew Thorne, National Trainer & Assessor, Staging Connections. Image Credits: Unless stated otherwise, all sourced images are owned by us ... Read More

Have you ever dreamt of hosting a conference or awards night in New York City, Paris, or even Marrakesh?! Whilst this will always remain a dream for some meeting planners, our talented stylists share some clever ways you can transport your guests for a fraction of the cost! Destination Styling: Transporting your guests to a new place Take your guests away with you to an exotic location! Popular 2016 destinations will include Rio, Morocco and San Francisco. Centrepiece and table styling will be key for these destinations! A statement ceiling installation and stage look will tie the look cohesively and make an impact. Remember to give your lighting design some thought as it will create the mood for your event. Soft furnishings will also create a comfortable space for your guests, try using coloured silks to drape over lounge furniture and intricate Moroccan ottomans to enhance your theme. Time Travel Styling: Go Back in Time Pick an era and go back in time, popular eras for this event season will include 50’s rock’n’roll and 70’s disco. 50’s style is all about transporting your guests to a time where everyone did the Lindy Hop and wore poodle skirts, try combining checked print with soft baby pinks and powder blue for authenticity. The most important elements for this look are the dance floor, props as well as furniture styling and design. Disco is king in the 70's! Try combining bright vibrant neon colours as well as a ceiling installation of disco balls to create a sensational event. Remember to include floral patterns and prints into your event and try using multimedia projection to recreate a psychedelic atmosphere. Use 70>’s floral inspired patterned cushions or bold rugs to create statement designs at your next event. Retro 50’s will rely heavy on the set design. Try creating a 50’s American diner with a black and white check dance floor. Use red vinyl seating and a jukebox as well as a milkshake bar to really hit it home. Colour palette for this look should consist of pastel blue, pink, yellow and green. Key Styling Tip: Soft furnishings are your friends! Soft furnishings are essential in creating inviting spaces. The trick with soft furnishings is to use them in a way which compliments to existing interiors present. This is a cost effective way of changing up your in house venue furniture if you are trying to be budget conscience. On the other hand, printed textiles are fantastic to adding details to your event. Textile choices can include banquet overlays, napkins or even carpet to really elevate the colour palette or corporate branding! Related Articles Catwalk to Trackside: Spring Racing Carnival Event Trends Trending themes for Corporate Christmas Parties Event Styling Trends for 2015 For more styling ideas visit Event Styling and Theming or view examples of our Recent Work. ... Read More