1) Pretend you are still 4 years old:  Keep asking questions!

  Photo by Salvatore Vuono via FreeDigitalPhotos.net

2) Develop a creative consortium

  Photo by Idea Go via FreeDigitalPhotos.net

3) Don’t be afraid to doodle

  Photo by My Heart via FreeDigitalPhotos.net

4) Make sure your message is clear

  Photo by Winnond via FreeDigitalPhotos.net

5) Clean lawns help keep naysayers out of your process

  Photo by Nuttakit via FreeDigitalPhotos.net

6) Blooming is tricky – go ask any flower

  Photo by Suphakit 73 via FreeDigitalPhotos.net

7) Get a sun lamp…or better yet, go get some sun!

  Photo by My Tung Photo via FreeDigitalPhotos.net

8 ) Great ideas should inspire a comma….not a period.

9) Use nature to nurture

  Photo by Simon Howden via FreeDigitalPhotos.net

10) Remember….growing pains yield great results

  Photo by Markuso Photo via FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What steps do you have that helped you gain fresh perspective on a project? Thoughts on our 10 steps?

Use Creative Meeting Tools

• Pens, Pencils, Paper for Doodling & Drawing

  

  Photo by healingdream via FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

•  Play-Doh or Clay, something to get your fingers moving



 photo by Stuart Miles via FreeDigitalPhotos.net

• Colored Pencils



 

• Building Blocks



photo by Idea go via FreeDigitalPhotos.ne

These tools are items you would never think of incorporating in to your meeting. Upon initial thought they seem only to be used for elementary school children. “Eliminate traditional thought processes out of your head!” Joan explains. She elaborates more about these tools, expanding on their purpose, added value, and increased engagement and focus for attendees in our brief interview.
 

What’s the value you’ve seen first hand by individuals doodling?

“Sunni Brown says it all! [Doodling] It – along with playing with something (a top, a magic spring, something squishy like SillyPutty or Model Magic or WikkiStix) will help your brain pay more attention. It’s a way to focus.”



To learn more about Sunni Brown CLICK HERE to view her TED talk on Doodlers Unite!

 

What’s your favorite doodling or creative tool?

 

Colored Pencils photo by Mrpuen | Ace of Spades photo by posterize via FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“I’m happy with colored pencils! My doodles are mainly shapes and swirls and with color, they make me feel better. It’s relaxing. That said, when I am on conference calls, I play Solitaire instead of doodling – it helps me focus and that helps me focus.”

 

The Power of Play

• Laughter

 

photo by Ambro via FreeDigitalPhotos.net

• Singing



photo by AngelFree via DigitalPhotos.net

Laughing and singing lend for quite a release and create engaging human connection through emotion.
 

Joan, how do you incorporate the power of play into your daily life and business?

“In business, you give permission for play (and to laugh) by bringing the “tools” – the ModelMagic, color pencils, spring toys, Lego, etc. for people to use. I take those to client meetings or to day-long trainings in which I’m involved. Not everyone wants to; those who do are delighted with the permission to “act like an adult who plays”! It makes me want to start every meeting with Sunni Brown’s video and provide paper and pencils/color pencils, etc. and encourage doodling!”



Joan Eisenstodt

 “In my daily life – I find laughter in so many situations – and I often want to share the humor. People make meetings so serious and rarely laugh even when something strikes THEM alone as funny. We need more laughter to release endorphins to expand our thinking. This past weekend, with a group of colleagues, even while we discussed heavy subjects, including politics, we laughed.  There was lots of laughter and we all felt better.”

Enjoy this this fun fact  LINK that mirrors Joan’s thoughts on the subject: 
 

Results



photo by tungphoto via FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What is your biggest accomplishment or proudest moment while educating a class on meeting planning? 

“When people join in and play or create, like the cartooning exercise we did at the Orlando meeting– and when, months later, I hear how they are using what they learned to improve their own meetings or to consult to clients about how they can improve their meetings. I have “special highs” when venues get it and decide to do things differently!”

 

Joan’s Top Creative Thinking Releases



What small things do you do each day to encourage creative thinking and encourage breaking the mold?

“For me, personally, as an “I” on Myers-Briggs, I need to have quiet time. I am depleted if I am around or involved with too many people for too long a period of time. Knowing that, I take “time outs”. I read – blogs, news, cartoons, etc. – and just take away things. And I simply observe. Like in the hotel in which I am currently staying, there is a meteorite that struck the hospital across the street. It’s neat! And I LOVE how the hotel has it displayed — just off the elevators on this amazing stand and with twinkling “stars” on the ceiling above. Art from the sky for stimulation for thinking!”

 

What’s Next: Meeting Trends



photo by jscreationzs via FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What trends have you seen emerge in meeting planning with these creativity tools in mind?

 “There are too few trends that are making meetings different or energizing. We are still, ho-hum, in the same places we were with little stimulation. There is a hotel company that IS doing something fabulous: the 21cMuseum hotels — are OMG amazing! They are hotels with museums and the art changes and is wonderful. One can’t help but be stimulated. And it could be such a neat learning experience.”

 

Take-away advice



 photo by ningmilo via FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What is your biggest fear or a trend you are “not a fan of” in the meetings industry?

Not a fan of: “Lack of willingness to TRY more things, or trying things once to make a meeting different and then not getting 100% “likes” and never doing it again. One industry association did registration “in the round” and I loved it! It was different, useful and fun.  It invited engagement. Someone didn’t like it – said it was “too different” – so the group reverted to “flat-against-the-wall” registration which isn’t inviting.”

  A Raving fan: “Revising seating arrangements- Paul Radde, in his book, “Seating Matters” shows some simple tweaks to standard room sets to make the rooms more audience-centric. Hotels are reluctant to adapt.”

 

What are the top 3 “no no’s”, you see cause meetings to be extremely boring?



 

photo by Ambro via FreeDigitalPhotos.net 

Caveat: my “no-no’s” may be someone else’s “yes-yeses”!

  1. Theatre or schoolroom sets: they discourage interaction and are not designed for comfort. If one needs to provide a writing surface, use crescents or cocktail tables or highboys.

  2. Rows! Even crescent sets in rows are boring and do not provide anything visually stimulating when one walks in a room.

  3. Lights down! If I can’t see others, I can’t connect with them. If I can’t see to write, well, my notes are incomprehensible.”

 

Last Thoughts:



photo by Fotographic1980 via FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Spontaneous meetings – the new trend for the future? What can we expect?

“Let’s put this in context: I read an article about how the Gates Foundation designed their new offices with many nooks and crannies specifically for people to meet with others or to work alone to think better. If hotels were designed for spontaneous meetings with seating areas that were near windows and art, it would enhance the experience for meeting-goers, internal guests and employees too … places to go to talk about an idea when, across a crowded meeting room, you and others see that you’ve had an idea sparked and want to take it further. Perhaps instead of saying “spontaneous”, we could ask if there will be more real un-conferences — where a time and place are set, people come and the agenda and activities are determined by the group as needed. THAT I hope will happen more. Our lives are over-programmed and we need the ability to determine what we need now! “

-Joan Eisenstodt

To learn more about Joan and her unique Educational training for the meetings industry, contact Joan at www.eisenstodt.com On Twitter @joaneisenstodt

 

What ideas do you have to create unconventional, creative and exciting meetings? We want to know what’s on your mind!

 ]]> http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/03/29/bye-bye-boring-meeting/feed/ 4 http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/03/22/award-show-event-accents/ http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/03/22/award-show-event-accents/#comments Thu, 22 Mar 2012 18:29:40 +0000 Stacey Barabe http://exhilarateevents.com/?p=2485   The trends in award season inspire us to take a closer look at these ideas to apply to our next client award show. Here are some top takeaways that can create a replicated look of super stardom. Awards celebrate accomplishments, so it’s go grand or go home! You want your guests to remember the experience and sponsors to feel like they got that bang for their buck. Better yet, you want to be sure to always top your last one!

 

Backstage Correspondents



photo via zayzay.com

  Backstage, behind-the-scenes correspondents are a dynamic way to add humor to your award show or even provide a change up between breaks along the show program. If you have the budget you can hire actors and comedic entertainers. If you want to keep it in house, creative scripting from your event company can make use of your most talented and charismatic personalities in your business or industry – in the way Miss Piggy & Kermit were the lucky personalities selected for this year’s Oscars.  

 

Cheap and Cheery LED glow sticks



photo via digi10ve.com

 

As featured in our 12 trends from the 2012 Special Event show blog, these glow sticks reigned supreme among the crowd for DJ & Producer David Guetta’s performance at the Grammys. Utilized for crowd excitement these LED glow sticks also added a mobile lighting element within the audience and created a multi-dimensional illumination on an otherwise dark crowd.

 

LED staging walls



photo via glamour.com

  Chris Brown’s performance at the Grammys literally lit up the stage with every step he took. Modern technology and advancements with LED lighting and video walls made this completely possible for the eyes of millions of viewers. The multi- layered LED video wall also doubled as tiered step staging and was completely synchronized to every transition of each song he performed with every dance move he made.

 



photo via digi10ve.com

  This effect was also replicated during DJ Deadmau5’s set which included a larger than life DJ booth which mirrored different images, with lights synchronized to each beat as it hit. This technology isn’t just a LA made for TV trick, many large convention cities have similar technology available.  

 

LED Panel Backdrops



photo via prettymuchamazing.com

  LED Panel walls are amazingly bright and allow for so much graphic flexibility as shown at the 2012 Grammy awards.

  LED panel walls are immensely popular in the event industry and made a powerful appearance at the 2012 Grammy awards. The Grammy stage production team used multiple freestanding LED panel walls, incorporating an ultra cool vertical graphic orientation with a combination of videos and photos as presenters announced each nominee.

 

Stage Props & Accents

 



photo via woodshedperussion.com

  Bruno Mars’ performance at the 2012 Grammy awards

  Stage props and accents are a sure-fire way to create more appeal for any entertainment performance. At the 2012 Grammy Awards, Bruno Mars and company performed under an over-sized suspended personalized Marquee, while chrome reflective temporary walls with complementing multi-level stage risers lent a unique accent to the stage design.

 

Branded Step & Repeat Walls



photo via reuters.com by danny moloshok

  A series of Red Carpet Step and Repeat branded temporary walls at the 2012 Grammy Awards make for dream backdrops for marketers.

  Among my favorite event aspects at any award show is the red carpet entrance area with the ever-present branded step and repeat wall. A vital element for photography and marketing purposes as event producers, marketing executives and sponsors get an archive of all guests that attended the event and receive massive press with their show logo. A design trend that we are noticing includes 2-color vector designs of the award show logo with a hint of a geometric design accent, as seen at the latest Grammy Awards.  

 

Widescreen Projection



photo via frontowardsgamer.com

  Widescreen projection in action at the 2012 Academy Awards, while nominees are announced.

  Technology has come a long way, especially HD projection. Widescreen video projection has taken over in the production world, allowing for lighting designers and technical directors to create realistic graphics that span the entire length of a stage with amazing sharpness and 3-D qualities.

 

Ceiling Treatments: Decorative Chandeliers



photo by PictureGroup via emmys.com

  Design accents are sometimes icing on the cake at any award show. Not only do they make for unique ballroom focal points, but they can take the emphasis off a minimalistic stage design. LED florals suspended in clusters created an enchanting chandelier at the 2011 Emmy Awards. This design accent also lent an interesting lighting effect during transitions throughout the intermissions between award announcements. 

 

Window Pane Stage Backdrops 



photo by PictureGroup via emmys.com

  Adding texture and depth – frosted window panes as a background to the stage set added a lovely touch to the 2011 Emmy Awards.

 



photo by PictureGroup via emmys.com

  Frosted window panes with alternating color LED up lighting behind the panes are a great way to add depth to any stage set. Another option to add further customization, is branding the panels in alternating graphics. This way, your message, or award image and award name can be featured as well.

 

What ideas inspired you to take into consideration while planning your next awards gala? Share and compare, we want to hear from you!

   ]]> http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/03/22/award-show-event-accents/feed/ 0 http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/02/20/creative-corporate-social-responsibility/ http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/02/20/creative-corporate-social-responsibility/#comments Mon, 20 Feb 2012 22:02:26 +0000 Stacey Barabe http://exhilarateevents.com/?p=2446

“My family and I had a fantastic time at the carnival yesterday, and we just wanted to say thank you very much. The most incredible part of the event was not the fabulous games, prizes, popcorn, or crafts- they were great- but the enthusiasm displayed by all of your employees, the way they welcomed my son with a warm and patient smile, and made him feel like the most special kid in the world, really made my eyes swell with tears, and for that I will always remember that day and be so grateful for the wonderful Open Solutions company. THANK YOU!” – Theresa

Demonstrating how there is “Power in Community,” we produced a free mini carnival at the Loews Portofino Hotel for children from various disabilities – such as Autism and past families.  The carnival included the classic booths such as: Ring Toss, Krazy Kans, Frog Hop, and Skee Ball, as well as several other fun activities such as face painting, a moon bounce, mini-golf, balloon making, and craft tables that provided endless entertainment for the children and the volunteers alike. But dissimilar to a traditional carnival, each and every child walked away from the booths with a prizes.  in hand  In addition to prizes, raffle prizes of tickets to movies, dinner, Universal Studios and the favorite amoung the kids – a giant stuffed animal, that made a huge impact on Adam.  



“If this is the company that provided the wonderful carnival at the Portofino Hotel in Orlando for the local Autism Society this afternoon. I just wanted to say Thanks! Our family had a wonderful time and my son, Adam was so happy to actually win at a carnival. In the past, he has never one anything. So, today changed that, especially when he walked out with “Bob” the bear. Your team was warm,welcoming and cheered all the kids on. There were smiles everywhere. Thank you for making my son happy and giving us a Norman Rockwell afternoon. This is what makes this country great, the random acts of kindness, empathy and caring that does exist even in the corporate world. Too bad the Occupy crowd could not have witnessed this event. There is goodness all around you just have to chose to see it. Sincerely, Heidi”

What made this event truly unique and essential is the obvious impact it had on the community.  While the children initially walked into the venue feeling overwhelmed,  they all left with huge smiles on their faces and a feeling of accomplishment in their hearts . And if laughter and smiles is the best medicine, than it is safe to say we cured all the guests Overall, this event not only benefited the children who attended, but the parents and the company volunteers as well. Simply being surrounded by the kindhearted energy is enough to make you truly think about the world we live in, and motivate you to support the Power in Community. Check out this video for a full recap of the event!  

]]> http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/02/20/creative-corporate-social-responsibility/feed/ 0 http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/02/10/12-terrific-trends-from-tse2012/ http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/02/10/12-terrific-trends-from-tse2012/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:07:21 +0000 MichelleBergstein http://exhilarateevents.com/?p=2312   This year, unlike year’s prior, Special Event Magazine hosted their annual conference in our neighboring backyard of Tampa, Florida and the Exhilarate team was “all in” literally! We participated in 4 education classes, produced a spotlight event and even took lead in providing marketing support for the closing night – Gala Awards and Celebration event.

  From the week long conference, we discovered many unique ideas, whether appearing on the tradeshow floor, during the after hour parties, through the educational content, execution, and down to the closing night award celebration- our feelers and eyes were wide open.

  We invite you to take an inside look as to what we uncovered via 12 Terrific Trends from #TSE2012 “TTFT“. Big thanks to Christie’s Photographic Studios for providing some of these fabulous images!

 

(12) Branding and hash tagging education sessions



I cannot emphasis enough the importance of creating hashtags, not just for your overall conference, but even for your individual education sessions. This allows speakers as well as conference managers to gauge the success / feedback of their session and engage attendees post-meeting. We did just that in our Marketing All-Stars session. We provided attendees with a Marketing All-Stars lineup that included baseball trading cards graphics on a 11×17 poster handout, it included not only background info on the session’s speakers, but our twitter handle and the session’s hashtag of #MktgAllStars. From the start of the session we encourage attendees to engage afterwards and that did just that!

 

(11) Integrating conference theme and messaging in opening entertainment

  If you are going to kick off your conference, kick it off with some subliminal messaging, and what better way than incorporating it into your opening entertainment act. The producers of the opening general session did a fabulous job of really combining the overall message of the industry and underlying themes of the conference via creative scripting, glee-style singing and high-energy dance numbers!

 

(10) Session interaction & attendee engagement

What do attendees love most? Involvement. Most sessions are 60 – 90 minutes tops, for that length of time, who really wants to be lectured to? Don’t you love as an attendee when a speaker asks the question- how many of you are – event planners, managers, business owners- etc.? And you enthusiastically raise your hand, feels good huh? Yes we all want to interact, be engaged, we all have limited attention spans, so how do we keep audience members engaged? By interaction!

 



Taking it back to our session Marketing All-Stars, we created round tables, which created an intimate environment and put the focus back on the guests- they were in charge and they asked the questions, it was one-on-one consulting, and we even rotated the guests every 20 minutes to meet and interact with the other speakers. The response was phenomenal!

 



  We also took the same audience interaction practice and applied it to another session our team produced called WOW Moms. We inserted breaks after every 3 panelists, this created a pause and brought it back to the audience, we even called the break- a “WOW Mom moment”. We intentionally wanted a segment where the audience would get the chance to express how they can relate to any of the panelists’ stories that were shared. This allowed for a direct connection and comfort level. This is a great tactic if you have a session with lots of panelists and a great way to break up the monotony! Big thanks to Kismis Ink Photography for capturing the above foursome photo grouping from WOW Moms!

 

(9) Intimate stage sets with design elements



Step it up with staging. Getting creative on a budget is possible. With a couch, a chair some decorative draping to replace your humdrum pipe and navy drape, and some battery operated up lighting a dull stage set can be created into a camera ready stage dressed like it was supposed to be on TV.

  Oprah double take at the Spotlight event on Fundraising produced by the Exhilarate team!

 

(8) Exploding balloon drops



We all love balloons and we especially LOVE balloon drops! The next generation of WOW in balloon drops are exploding balloon drops- within each balloon, are a myriad of colorful ribbons and confetti that immediately burst on cue! What a new and creative way to make your event pop!

 

(7) CaterLight- Wireless decorative catering lighting



Catering professionals prepared to be AMAZED! The latest catering craze is decorative wire-free lighting for buffets. Buffets are the way to go at events, and now you never have to compromise your design based on where the electrical outlets are!

 

(6) Creative exhibit hall entrances



At large convention centers what better way then to create an impactful entrance to your shows exhibit hall! Show your attendees where to go with these attention grabbing arch structures!

 

(5) Backdrop walls creating dual attendee lounges



Any theme, any design, a dual sided attendee lounge crafted with a floor to ceiling backdrop is a unique approach for an attendee rest area! The design possibilities are also endless! Either fit a backdrop design to meet your conference objectives or get crazy and creative with a exotic location. What a great way to set the mood for attendees to sit back and relax with a view!

 

(4) Entertainment that blends into event decor



Go Grand or go home! At the conference’s wedding event, the talented Sean De Freitas created a wonderland that every event designer in the world would admire – an absolutely blissful and magical environment! One trend that caught our eye from this floral /event design mastermind was a single opera singing model, who stood on top of a stairwell, and was literally framed to perfection! The model featured within an oversize picture frame was outfitted with a ballroom gown that sprawled the entire ballroom. Guests completely had to do a double take as the blending of this entertainer into the décor landscape was completely flawless!

 



Yours truly with Sean De Freitas

 

(3) LED lit furniture for after parties



 Soft lighting for lounge areas that also double as a great decorative look is uniquely cool and especially for a rocking after party!

 

(2) LED wands



Now you would think these fun glow sticks would just be great at kids parties and raves- but definitely not the case! These LED glow wands were a perfect addition and most certainly got the party started!

 



 

(1) Tented events



If you want to keep your conference’s premiere event on property, but space is an issue, why not take it to the backyard and tent it! With the right event expert, they can guide you through the red tape, permitting, and all the production involved! Yes it is a huge undertaking, but the endless design options with tents are more than the average person realizes! For the closing night Gala- the producers went with not just any ordinary tent, but a 2-story floor tent at that! Now tell me, does this interior look like a tent?

 

If you missed TSE2012, we hope our perspective allowed you to feel like you were there in spirit! We look forward to getting your notes on these trends!

  And for those of you who were there- what were your favorite trends?

 

Till next year, where we take it to the windy city, Chicago!

 ]]> http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/02/10/12-terrific-trends-from-tse2012/feed/ 2 http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/01/23/meet-simone-squirrel-moments-at-tse2012/ http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/01/23/meet-simone-squirrel-moments-at-tse2012/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:21:11 +0000 MichelleBergstein http://exhilarateevents.com/?p=2282

 

Meet Simone!

Exhilarate’s newest team member! Why did we hire a squirrel as a brand ambassador? We are in fact a equal opportunity employer, yet Simone arrived at our door bearing us gifts- yes, they were nuts! She was exactly the right candidate for the job of representing us, the creative type of who we are and what our industry represents.

  Learn more about Simone below in our YouTube video and her debut at The Special Event show in Tampa.

 

  We’d love to hear about your squirrel moments! Look for us at #TSE2012 and meet Exhilarate’s brand Ambassador, Simone The Squirrel. She’ll be popping up everywhere and looking for interview you to hear your favorite Squirrel moment..

 

Be sure you tag your experience with her with #TSE2012Squirrel via Twitter and Facbook! We look forward to having a squirrel moment with you!.

 

]]> http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/01/23/meet-simone-squirrel-moments-at-tse2012/feed/ 0 http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/01/10/awards-speaking-spotlight-events-and-squirrel%e2%80%a6-oh-my/ http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/01/10/awards-speaking-spotlight-events-and-squirrel%e2%80%a6-oh-my/#comments Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:18:35 +0000 Stacey Barabe http://exhilarateevents.com/?p=2161 Can you feel the excitement in the air? 2011 was great, 2012 is shaping up to be even better. As thousands of event professionals are about to embark on a journey of creative showcases and educational sessions in our backyard of Tampa, Florida for The Special Event Show, Team Exhilarate is preparing to show up in full force. We have a full schedule this year, producing the spotlight event, four educational sessions, nominated for a Gala Award and plans for a fun promotional stunt. We are thrilled about these upcoming opportunities and ideas. We consider every event and project as an award winning endeavor. We take that approach in everything we do and excited about what we have in store for this next year!

  Our Marketing Maven Michelle Bergstein is dominating the education realm with three amazing and diverse educational sessions. I am so impressed with how much energy and great content she comes up with every year to share with industry peers. This year adding to her repertoire of trends in marketing and social media she is spearheading a more personal side. In a session called “WoW MoMs” highlighting a cast of brilliant women event pro moms sharing tips, war stories and how to survive as a good mother in a business that is notorious for late hours and days on end away from home.

  Kicking off the week, we are producing the Spotlight event on non-profit and fundraising. It is a creative spin on an Oprah’s talk show “Living Your Best Charitable Life” which is sure to deliver laughter, tears and free stuff. In addition my favorite wine pimp Tonya Valdez and I are presenting an educational session on tackling Food and Wine Festivals on Wednesday.

  The trifecta on our TSE 2012 adventure is being nominated for a “Best Event Marketing” Gala Award.

 

  The competition is tough in this category and it really is an honor just to be nominated with these other great marketing events. However, a matching bookend to our award win a few years back would be awesome.

  Finally we are about to unleash a dynamic force of energy to the show, our newly appointed Director of Sales, Amy Colbert, is back in the game after a small break and is ready to take the industry by storm. Amy and special guest “Sir Squirrel Moment” will be out and about to make new friends and share a few laughs.

 

  We hope to see you at The Special Event 2012.



If you can’t make it, come back to this blog after the show as we will be reporting on show highlights.

 ]]> http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/01/10/awards-speaking-spotlight-events-and-squirrel%e2%80%a6-oh-my/feed/ 0 http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/01/09/12-inspiring-trends-for-2012/ http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/01/09/12-inspiring-trends-for-2012/#comments Mon, 09 Jan 2012 02:10:37 +0000 MichelleBergstein http://exhilarateevents.com/?p=2014 This last year we traveled to the West Coast then back home to the East Coast, attended all the hottest event trend focused tradeshows and put together a list of our favorite trends for 2012. Ironically the number of trends we arrived at ended up to include 12! So feast your eyes on these amazing trends that are sure to inspire some great ideas and components to include in your programs this year. If you have any questions as to how and where to get some of these fabulous finds, drop us a line!

 

(1) Go Bananas for Backdrops!



  These new wave walls add dimension and a unique dynamic to any room. The way lighting bounces off these walls really creates an interesting appeal for any type of stage set, lounge area or even partition wall.

 



  These circular curtain drapery pieces come in white as well as iridescent and are groovy yet ultra stylish. A great addition to any stage session and take background up lighting to a whole new type of ahh- mazing! Big Thanks to my high school buddy and oh so talented photographer, Pete Gebhart of InFocusNYC.com for capturing this shot at BizBash NYC Expo.

 



  Art, design, branding, you name the print and you can make it happen within these “light box” background walls.

 

(2) Table Top Decor & Design



  Being a marketing maven, I absolutely adore tastefully branded décor pieces. These beaded clear decorative charger plates are the perfect frame for our local Orlando WOW awards’ show logo. The black silhouette of the logo coordinates perfectly with the elegant linens and Chiavari chairs.

 



  I call this “On a bed of roses” While in Vegas at an ISES Las Vegas chapter showcase at the Mandarin Oriental, this shiny robust, oddly oval shaped charger on top of white rose petals really created an interesting, yet romantic table setting that is also cost effective!

 



  At first glance this totally looks like lamps coupled with a white and pink floral arrangements. Look again, as what appears to be a set of table lamps are yet two tall vases with floating florals inside with lamp shades on top. What a creative and resourceful approach for a beautiful centerpiece arrangement.

 



  Taking creative centerpieces to another level and shelving it! This table setting was part of a tabletop competition and I had never seen anything like this before. Combining a spice rack theme but adding florals inside frame the top shelves, while in the center, bamboo with lilies extend from the base of the shelf into the top shelf level. While at the bottom, supporting the shelves are tall circular vases filled with citrus and greenery. Finishing the accents in the center floating candles inside medium clear vases bring together the look for complete harmony.

 

(3) Fabulous Floral



  A huge trend I keep seeing among many floral designing experts is suspending florals. This extraordinary centerpiece took a large tree branch and surrounded the uniquely organic focal point with tangerine orchid blooms which are all individually suspended flower by flower, making this an absolutely emulated whimsical butterfly garden.

 



  Floral Chandeliers are so in! They most certainly add an enchanting look to any room. This particular chandelier that I snapped showcases white dendrobium orchids with silver spheres accenting in between each chandelier strand. That’s what I call a sensational ceiling centerpiece!

 

(4) DJ Entertainment to the Extreme!



  Technology is constantly evolving and really taking hold to the DJ industry. Long gone are the days of two turntables and a microphone, turntables have now evolved into LED over sized touchscreen DJ mixing consoles. Not only can you control the mixing console via this touch screen panel, but your DJ can also create custom messages while songs are playing throughout the evening.

 



  Who would think you can take your events into motion? You sure can now! These mobile DJ vehicles- The H3 Hummer Xtreme, pictured here- debuted for meeting professionals worldwide at MPI-WEC 2011 in Orlando at Planner Playground at Dave & Busters. The Exhilarate Marketing team was proud to have handled all event marketing and promotions for this launch event. We are a little bit biased on this piece of DJ technology, but no longer do you have to be restricted to power outlets as these vehicles are completely self-contained!

 



  In addition the company just released this month their newest vehicle, the Mini Cooper Clubman, which offers a more compact option for venues that have smaller space constrictions. All their vehicles feature custom features like you wouldn’t believe! Lamborghini doors, LED lighting, LCD screens, the branding capabilities are endless!

 

(5) Stage Design &Temporary Structure Design



  Bring your event theme really to life with temporary structure displays! A 50’s diner themed façade with authentic features are perfectly tailored on the outside as well as on the inside. The inside also features a full bar with real deal props and 3 table booths face the windows. Checkered flooring completes the diner’s interior. This set provides the perfect environment for a small food and beverage lounge area!

 



  Stage sets are really important when you want to create a complete WOW factor. Simple vertical fabric panels that surround this stage’s backdrop helped bring out all the color that this over the top laser light show provided for an award after party we attended last year. Coupled with an amazing lighting design this stage set really stood out to me and in a good way! While above, white spandex sails added ceiling treatments that coincided with the entire stage design. The lighting and colors continued to reflect from the floor to the ceiling. This type of ceiling treatment surely took an ordinary boring and black ceiling, replacing it with a kaleidoscope of colors.

 

(6) Make An Extraordinary Entrance!



  How do you make your registration areas really stand out? Inflatable archways are a great solution to add drama, an overwhelming focal point and great directional to guide guests upon first arrivals.

 

(7) LED Technology

LED technology has been extremely prominent in event design this year and I predict it will continue to advance and allow for so many more design opportunities. Some LED elements that have caught my eye included:



  LED Chandeliers- multi-color, energy efficient- what more can you ask for!

 



  HD LED Walls- so realistic, so three-dimensional, images seem to be so close you experience them at your finger tips!

 



  LED Panel walls, colors, shapes, graphics so vividly bright, really bring a stage program to life! Animating the stage background!

 



  LED Panel walls also available in wave arrangements! Adding depth and possibility!

 

(8) Living Decor Creates Amazing Atmosphere Accents!



  Living red carpets! No your eyes do not deceive you! A beautiful model’s dress doubles as a 12 foot plus long red carpet entrance! Now that’s what we call a grand entrance!

 



  If your event theme is not as elegant, but more Asian-inspired, opt for the geisha girl living red carpet!

 



  Another magical option is employing strolling décor models! if you have a specific theme, why not couple it with a larger than life butterfly!

 

(9) Catering Displays



  Why not put your appetizers on the wall! Your food can now even act as your décor! With decorative walls and Velcro fabric squares you can put your finger food buffets on the wall!

 

(10) Twinkle, Twinkle, Starred Dance Floor

 



  Decorative lighting is not just limited to traditional perimeter lighting! Now your dance floors can twinkle! LED technology is present once again making twinkling dance floors now possible!

 

(11) Touch Screen Technology. A Photo Booth Phenomenon



  Don’t you feel like the whole photo booth craze has totally outlived its fifteen minutes of fame? Well it lives on through touch screen technology! This awesome photo booth alternative not only immediately uploads your image to twitter and facebook, but instantly prints out to a digital photo printer. In addition this interactive photo booth allows users to personalize their photos with customized messages, or even funny face accents- whether it be mustaches, angry eyebrows or gaudy goatees, this is a definite crowd pleaser! It had me totally engaged!

 

(12) Leader Boards



  Leader Boards that are chalkboards and collage walls. Each day of your conference is unique, so planning out your print collateral months in advance is not always ideal, but this leader board eliminates your need for extra signage and puts you in charge of day by day customization!

 ]]> http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/01/09/12-inspiring-trends-for-2012/feed/ 1 http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/01/09/delivering-emotion-through-technology/ http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/01/09/delivering-emotion-through-technology/#comments Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:13:22 +0000 Amy Colbert http://exhilarateevents.com/?p=2010 How do you deliver a video with emotion that drives results?

 

Treat it like your favorite recipe.  Made-from-scratch, authentic ingredients are so much sweeter than stale store bought.

We follow this tried and true formula most recently for a project we did for our client Eric Roukey for his ongoing fight for awareness for Juvenille Type 1 Diabetes. His daughter, Taylor was diagnosed when she was only 9 years old. Eric shares his story with the world in this video piece we produced for him.





Can you feel the emotion? You can achieve a production just like this! Just follow our 5 steps to success to video marketing greatness!



1) Know your audience:  Just like you would inquire about a food allergy, make sure you are serving something they are hungry for and ready to eat.

2) Choose your recipe, Be Authentic & Tell your story: Speak from the heart, ask the client to tell their own story, in their own voice.  Live video enables you to communicate physically and verbally.

3) Assemble the ingredients:  Pre-determine questions, and interview your client live, so the emotion will translate to the camera. Measure, and follow the recipe in order:  Tell your story with a clear beginning, middle and end.  Prompt transitions with questions such as “you might be wondering…?” and  add humor to flavor.

4) Taste and see:  Tape in segment, by question, so that you can review each portion of the story as it’s being captured. Celebrate, correct and continue until desired result.

5) Sharing is always caring: If you like it, share with a friend!  Referrals are always the greatest compliment.



How do you communicate emotion in your sales efforts to connect with your audience?


]]> http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/01/09/delivering-emotion-through-technology/feed/ 0 http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/01/07/website-engagement/ http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/01/07/website-engagement/#comments Sat, 07 Jan 2012 10:14:17 +0000 MichelleBergstein http://exhilarateevents.com/?p=49
Our intentions are not to blast you every week with what we are doing. Although we do want to deliver you relevant content that you can use in your day to day business operations that will help you create better events. Beautiful events, engaging events, savvy events, forward- thinking events,  that will be buzz worthy, and memorable.

Keeping you interested and engaged with what we have to say, we know is going to be quite a feat, but are up to the task. Today’s online landscape with all the information that is out there make information overload on all of us a challenge. It is now easier to connect with your favorite brands and companies online, but it is also easier to get TMI and burnout.

People can tweet, post facebook statuses online, but are you really reading them, yes there is LOTS from every direction, But what information do you care to read or weed through?

This is our promise to you with our fresh new website, deliver you content that you care about:

-Relevant Content

-Tips/tricks that you care about

-Trends that you may have just heard about but never seen. 
Supplier trends- décor, A/V, lighting and event technology.

-Why trust us?
View proven results through event recaps and case studies.

-Transparency
Sharing is caring. Reviewing success stories and event challenges – so you can avoid learning it the hard way or reap the rewards faster.

As our gift to you, we thank you for visiting our site, and hope you come back again and again-, we welcome you to discover the latest in online engagement strategies- a FREE e-book courtesy from our friends at Awareness, Inc.  – social marketing software.

11 Strategies to Increase Engagement highlights best practice examples that businesses of all sizes can emulate. Follow these strategies and reap the benefits of increased engagement, including:
– Getting people talking about your brand
– Learning more about your customers
– Learning more about your competitors
– Develop and solicit feedback on new marketing strategies to communicate with potential customers

Let us know what you think of the FREE e-book and Exhilarate’s new website! We welcome your feedback and “look forward to continuing the conversation”!

]]> http://exhilarateevents.com/2012/01/07/website-engagement/feed/ 0