From glamorous red carpet photo opportunities to bold and eye-catching backdrops, media walls or photo walls are essential to any major sponsored event. A well designed media wall can become a great marketing tool – it lets you brand your event, enhance your event’s theme, encourage photo opportunities, and importantly promote the sponsors with ease. And it can do all this without detracting from your event and guests. Sounds simple right? Wrong. From too many logos to unflattering lighting and misplaced designs, Encore Event Technologies has been in the game long enough to know what a good and bad media wall looks like. With the potential for so many eyeballs on the finished photos, it’s essential to your event and your sponsors ROI that you get it right. Our team of event experts has put their heads together to devise a list of Do’s & Don’t’s for a winning media wall formula. From printing and set-up right through to design and execution on event day, from glamorous red carpet photo opportunities to bold and eye-catching backdrops, media walls or photo walls are essential to any major sponsored event. A well designed media wall can become a great marketing tool it lets you brand your event, enhance your event’s theme, encourage photo opportunities, and importantly promote the sponsors with ease. And it can do all this without detracting from your event and guests. Sounds simple right? Wrong.
From too many logos to unflattering lighting and misplaced designs, Encore Event Technologies has been in the game long enough to know what a good and bad media wall looks like. With the potential for so many eyeballs on the finished photos, it’s essential to your event and your sponsors ROI that you get it right. The DO’s Stick to the basics and keep your media wall simple Media walls should be designed to create a great first impression, but there’s no need for them to steal the show from your awards night, gala dinner or branded event.
The key purpose of any media backdrop or photo wall is to brand your event and provide exposure to your event’s sponsors. Avoid over-complicating your media wall’s design with too many logos or repetitions, and steer clear of busy visuals or distracting graphics. Less is definitely more! At its most basic design, a solid white background with fewer than 4 brand / sponsor logos repeated is usually best for a media wall. Pictured: A simple media wall design with few logos repeated is best.
Use media backdrops to put the spotlight on your brand and sponsors
When you’re printing brand logos onto your media wall, double-check you’re providing the correct file size and format for your media wall’s dimensions. JPEGs aren’t always the best solution, and the higher file size resolution, the better.
Be sure to check that yours and your sponsor’s logos are current too, it only takes an email or phone call. If you’re using this to draw attention to your brands, make sure you get it right. Location, location, location! Be sure to install the media wall either at the entrance or in a spot that receives a lot of foot traffic to ensure you capture everyone as they enter, or have a spare minute. Photo walls or media backdrops work well with a red carpet and bollards to direct your audience where to go. Your media backdrop can also be a great centerpiece to signal the entrance of your gala dinner or awards night. Position your media backdrop carefully If you’re not using an internally lit Event Backdrop, make sure there’s adequate light in addition to the photographer’s flash. Your media wall’s life will extend much longer than the event itself through photography – so make it count! If your media wall is being positioned against a wall, be sure to consider proper backing. It’s important that every feature of your event is installed correctly and has all the safety enhancements and fixture needed. If your media wall is self-standing, such as an Event Backdrop, don’t forget to leave sand bags on the floor for safety and stability. Pictured: A styled media wall created using fleur panels with truss uplights along the bottom with additional soft white light stands.
Go the extra mile for your event with a styled media wall for your gala dinner or awards night
If you’re looking for a media wall that leaves a lasting impression, enhance your theming with a styled media wall. Consider using textural elements such as fake grass, vertical gardens, corrugated iron for an industrial / outback look or fleur screens. If you’re heading down this route be sure to liaise with your audio visual company to devise an alternate solution, such as lighting, to display your brand logos. Pictured: An Event Backdrop fully covered in fake plants to enhance the ‘Vanity Fair’ theme of the gala dinner.
Get prop happy! If it suits the purpose of your event, such as a gala dinner or awards night, try adding some fun props too. This can help camera-shy people get in character and makes for a unique photo op. People will also be more likely to share photos on social media if they are in character, which amplifies your brand’s exposure online. Pictured: A ‘Hogwarts’ themed media / photo wall area complete with styled props.
Make your media backdrop social media friendly If you’re looking to maximise the reach of your event and engagement in the room, try using an event social media wall like Event Feed, which pulls all public social posts using your event hashtag and displays them live on screen after moderation. It’s a great way to get people engaged, start conversation and encourage photo taking and social uploading, extending the longevity of your event and brand messaging.
Get the most out of your media wall / photo wall and use a cameraman who has the technology to post straight to Instagram. THE DONT’s Avoid unflattering lighting
Event lighting is often just as important as your media wall. Don’t project blue light onto your media wall as it’s very unflattering and can distort faces in photos. We recommend using a soft white light instead – it’s the safe option and clearly captures the talent. It’s also a good idea to avoid using down lights, as they cast unflattering shadows over people’s faces. Consider using truss uplights along the bottom of your media wall, which casts a nice light on your event’s logos making them stand out. For best lighting results, we recommend using Event Backdrop – a digitally printed backdrop available in a range of sizes and can be internally lit, which makes for maximum impact on your branding. Pictured: A themed Event Backdrop with internal lighting making it the perfect solution for a branded media wall.
Limit unwanted photobombs with careful design consideration Consider the placement of any printed people, animal or objects onto your photo walls too as these can turn up in unexpected places when looking at the pictures, and often make for embarrassing (or hilarious) photobombs. You wouldn’t want this happening to the company CEO. Don’t leave your media wall until the last minute If it’s being printed, provide your supplier with the multimedia files at least 4 weeks before the event so you can see the mock up, approve a print test, and go through print and delivery with enough time to spare for changes in between. Be prepared for the unexpected Your media wall may also be set up in a different spot to what you planned, so consider possible power points, lighting, styling and anything else you may need for an alternate location. This may mean it needs to be installed at a different time, so ensure the set up is included in your run sheet. Any reputable AV company should be prepared for instances like this, but it’s always safe to have the ‘what if’ conversation to make sure all bases are covered. Pictured: A simple media wall design on pull-up banners with purple velvet draping. Partner with experienced events specialists you can count on
Looking for further ideas for your media wall or how to style your next awards night or gala dinner? Encore Event Technologies are audio visual production and events experts. Get in touch with us by calling 1800 209 099 or by sending an event enquiry to explore how we can take your event further. … Read More
How to engage the body and mind for unforgettable events
Mar 18 2018
The clever scientists at Yale University told us deliberately engaging all five senses at events has the ability to grasp attention, increase recall, and inspire conversation thus creating a truly memorable experience.
This is particularly important at conferences or meetings where it can be challenging to keep your delegates' attention throughout the entire event. Similarly, at exhibitions, mass product launch events or buying roadshows, you need your product or service to cut through all the noise and stand-out against competitors. Here are ways smart event planners are tapping into sensory experiences to deliver effective events.
Sight: Use captivating visual content to stimulate the sense of sight
Lighting can transform a plain stage into a dynamic environment. It can control the mood of a room, hype up its energy, add drama to a keynote speaker coming on stage and create an event-atmosphere that’s both striking and unforgettable. Use visual content to stimulate the sense of sight. Start your gala dinner with a stunning multimedia presentation to ensure everyone remembers why they’re in the room and primed for what’s coming. For example, a charity fundraiser presenting videos of people who have really benefitted from donations or an awards night with highlights of sporting achievements from the past year. Themed events can use projection onto walls and surfaces to set the scene and immerse attendees.
Set up the perfect environment for taking photos at your event using an event backdrop communicating your brand or message and then encourage them to post on social media and display on screens in the room.
Sound: Create a memorable atmosphere with clever music and sound effects
We all have songs that take us back to a memory, emotion or time and place.
Nothing is more pleasant than having the right kind of sounds or music at an event. You want to create the perfect mood for your attendees – not irritate them, make them yell or struggle to hear. Whether it’s creating an atmosphere, delivering a polished onstage interview, or a professional multimedia presentation, perfectly balanced audio is vital for a successful event. Imagine if the winner of your award couldn’t hear they’d won or if microphone feedback made your keynote speaker inaudible!
Taste: Tantalise attendees' taste buds with strategic catering
How do we leave a pleasurable taste in the mouth of our attendees (literally and figuratively)? We all remember a really fantastic meal, or a really terrible one. The food you present can be just as much a part of your event theme as all the other elements. Think modern Australian for an international sales incentive; French delicacies for a burlesque theme; ribs and burgers are perfect for a taste of the Wild West and noodles and Asian delights for a Chinese New Year theme. More practically, many attendees have a dietary preference, and making sure they are well taken care of shows you really care. Attendees remember that. Smell: Don't underestimate the power of smell at events
Smell is not to be sniffed at, it is an important and often overlooked element. The smell of chlorine reminds you of childhood summers by the pool. A familiar perfume. A new car smell...! Smells at your event venue can be the one thing that makes or breaks it. Imagine if you stepped into a conference where the venue had just been refurbished and you were overcome by the smell or paint or carpet glue. That would be a sensory overload and not a good thing for an attendee to experience.
Scientists tell us our brains react to smell before anything else. Good retailers understand this fact. It improves our perception of a product’s quality and encourages customers to linger a little bit longer, thereby increasing interactions with the product.
Scent can really enhance and event, think Arabian Nights, the scent of pine and wood for an enchanted forest, delicious spices for Bollywood or the smell of salty sea air for an Underwater theme. Touch: Textures, interactivity, activities at events
Of course there are many ways you can introduce a sense of touch, such as tactile styling elements, textured decorative panels, interactive technologies or even physical activities. Think about how the visual aspects of the props, decor, furniture and other physical objects at your event and how they will make it memorable.
Touching something creates a real connection. And that’s where touchable technology comes in. First made available in smartphones, the trend for ultra-responsive surfaces has accelerated and can now be incorporated into events. Encore offer services that allow for interaction during your exhibition or event like touch screens and Touch Kiosk technology. You can use these touch screens for presentations or quizzes, encouraging your guests to participate and get actively involved. The sense of touch is particularly important for attendees which are Kinesthetic learners - who actually need to physically do or touch the activity to learn it.
From textural styling elements to the latest in interactive technology - there are a myriad of ways to engage your attendees' sense of touch at events. Use an expert AV & event services company
Successful events turn attendees to advocates. Studies show engaging all five senses creates a deeper connection and makes the experience memorable. The hardest part is continually coming up with new ways to engage the senses at events, whilst also keeping up with event trends. This is where an experienced AV and event services company comes in. From the latest AV techniques, total event design, theming, content and event technology - Encore is the one provider you can count on to continually deliver impactful events year after year. Our passion and commitment to the events industry motivates our teams to keep pushing creative and technological boundaries to make our events unforgettable. Let's not waste another precious planning minute, speak to an Encore representative today by sending an online enquiry. ... Read More