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
Recent Events: Table projection mapping, new Kinetic Lights, interactive seating charts and more
Aug 5 2018
See how we used custom table projection mapping to create an underwater dining experience like no other; delivered technical solutions to give over 1500 guests at this year's Flight Centre Ball a new, dynamic and visually spectacular experience; and in it's 11th year we delivered a first at this year's Men In Black Ball held in Perth! Welcome to our first edition of AMP as Encore Event Technologies! We share our AMP Newsletter every quarter to inspire your next event by showing you the great work that's been happening across our regions. In this edition we highlight an unforgettable projection mapping experience we delivered in Cairns, a Vintage Circus themed gala and Perth's Men In Black Ball turned 11! Our new Kinetic Lights have also made waves so make sure you watch the video to see them in action. Encore were also thrilled to be named Best AV and Best Event Technology Company for another year in the Spice Hot 100 Services and Suppliers so thank you to every one for your support. Michael Magafa | National Sales Director Below you’ll see a snapshot of some the amazing work our teams produce to help inspire your next events! If you have any questions about the events or our solution please get in touch with me. QUEENSLAND
An unforgettable dining experience like no other
Venue: Pullman Reef Hotel Casino Cairns
Imagine seeing a lobster crawl across your lunch plate, waves crashing against your wine glass and schools of fish swimming beneath your plate as you dine. It’s an unforgettable experience that would last a lifetime and that was exactly the brief to Encore Event Technologies. Encore Event Technologies partnered with the team at Pullman Reef Hotel Casino Cairns to host an exclusive VIP famil for 12 clients. Guests came from across Australia to experience the stunning tropical Cairns region and the Pullman’s premier conference and event offerings.
As the long-standing in-house event services partner, Encore delivered a complete event staging solution from concept to execution. The reef-inspired concept was developed around the viral sensation ‘Le Petite Chef’ – a unique dining experience that uses projection mapping to turn the table into a canvas for story telling. The experience of the Encore team ensured the activation was executed seamlessly. We overcame several obstacles to ensure the table projection mapping was mapped with pixel perfect precision and feasible within the venue’s parameters. The accuracy and precision of the table projection mapping left guests speechless; in wonder at the level of detail the projection achieved, feeling as though they were under the sea. Even the crockery was included as part of the execution, with sea life crawling over the guests’ plates while waves rolled over the table.
To ensure a polished sensory experience, the visual elements of the project were matched with immersive audio effects and a sumptuous locally-sourced menu. The combination was incredibly impactful, with guests requesting the content be replayed four times over to absorb all of it. Louise Matthews, Director of Sales, Pullman Reef Hotel Casino, was ecstatic at the response, “The Encore team really enabled us to create an event with maximum impact within a tight timeframe. We couldn’t have asked for a better result.” NEW SOUTH WALES
Flight Centre Annual Gala Ball
Venue: Luna Park, Sydney
cievents produced an incredible night of entertainment for Flight Centre’s annual NSW retail ball, bringing a different kind of circus to The Big Top at Sydney’s iconic Luna Park. Over 1,500 of Flight Centre’s management and staff gathered to recognise its high-achieving team members, and celebrate in grand carnival style. cievents once again engaged the technology services of newly rebranded Encore Event Technologies, who used the opportunity to pull out all the stops for their progressive client, featuring their latest lighting innovation, kinetic lighting. Responsible for the technology solution, Encore Event Technologies amplified cievents’ theme with creative lighting design for a flawless, high-impact experience.
Visitors were welcomed at Luna Park’s Big Top by a visual feast of dynamic, colourful lighting, using Encore's latest Kinetic Lights which appeared as kaleidoscopic “dancing” spheres suspended from the ceiling as guests were absorbed in the carnival atmosphere. Hexagonal panels were configured in a dynamic formation and dramatic content projected as the backdrop for the stage performances. Six supersized-screens also projected with custom designed visual content to create a cohesive visual experience for the stunning event. The kinetic lighting technology was choreographed to change colour and move in sync with a breathtaking opening performance by well-known aerialist, Debonair, leaving the crowd mesmerised. The esteemed annual awards were presented to recognise the team’s achievements, broadcast across the room via the large-screens underneath the festoon-lighting, bunting and animated projections. Jonathan Leggett, from cievents, says the production team are ecstatic with the night, “We trust Encore to understand our brief and deliver seamless technology every time. We are constantly impressed with what the Encore team bring to the table.”
Michael Magafa, National Sales Director, Encore Event Technologies, agrees the team outdid themselves, “Using our newest technology offering, kinetic lighting, gave us the opportunity to really elevate cievents’ vision for this event. We’re thrilled with the positive feedback we’ve received.” This event represented Encore Event Technologies’ first major foray under the new brand since it was announced on July 1, 2018. WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Men In Black Ball 2018
Venue: Pan Pacific Perth
Momentum for Australia hosts the annual Men in Black Ball for Perth’s social elite in support of men’s mental health and suicide prevention. As Pan Pacific Perth’s in-house AV services provider, Encore Event Technologies were tasked with creating a sophisticated, classy set design to complement the event’s 11th year anniversary. On the back of a successful 10th year celebration in 2017, the Encore team pushed new boundaries to welcome another decade of this significant annual fundraising event in 2018.
Encore provided a complete event production solution including all audio, vision, and lighting, set design, styling and production management. This year we saw event technology play a larger role in enhancing the attendee experience – from an interactive seating chart using Touch Kiosk to generating social buzz using Event Feed. It was the first time we used an interactive seating chart for this event using our Touch Kiosk product. The touch screen made the tedious task of finding your seat amongst the masses a streamlined, convenient and enjoyable experience – a simple and clutter free improvement from the A3 print outs that used to line the entrance. Once the event started, the screen was then used to display sponsor content and messages, enhancing both the attendee experience and sponsor exposure. “It was great to see guests instantly drawn to the Touch Kiosk and keen to have a go. They were able to quickly find their table with a single touch, allowing them to get back to the very important business of mingling," says Carly Melderis, Event Staging Manager at Pan Pacific Perth. Drawing inspiration from the glamorous black-tie dress code, the Encore team adorned the ceiling in flowing, luxurious silks to create a fluid, textural element within the space. This also supported and embraced the meaningful, raw nature of the content shared onstage, encouraging men to be open about their struggles with mental health. The styling team created an elegant stage backdrop utilising 3D Scenic Panels in the Contour pattern and constructed a giant “X” and “I” Roman numerals to signify the event’s 11th year of the Ball. The stories inspired support in the room and on social media, with Event Feed providing a key platform for guests to share their thoughts and selfies of the evening with the hashtag #meninblackball2018. The event included a spectacular three-course dinner, with glowing testimonials from local Perth stars, a presentation of the coveted Most Inspiring Man of The Year award, live entertainment and a charity raffle and auction. Daniel Kerr, former AFL footballer for the West Coast Eagles, and Sean Thomsen, reality TV star, were among those who shared their personal experiences. Michael Lloyd-White, General Secretary of The World Kindness Movement, was named Momentum’s Most Inspiring Man of The Year to raucous applause. Have you seen our new Kinetic Lights? Watch the video and see the Kinetic Lights in action here. ... Read More