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Media release – AVPartners has launched a new ultra-wide LED screen at Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach

Leading audiovisual company AVPartners has installed a permanent 10.5m LED screen in the ballroom of the Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach.

The state-of-the-art ultra-wide screen is over three times larger than a traditional projection screen and displays high resolution imagery, and 4K video accompanied by crystal clear sound.

The only permanent screen of its type in event spaces in the region, the LED screen offers Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach customers a very impressive, yet cost effective way to enhance their events at the venue.

To complement the technology, Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach has undergone a soft refurbishment.

AVPartners’ Partner at Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach, Mitch Tucker, said “The brand new ultra-wide LED screen opens up endless opportunities for us to create spectacular event experiences for our clients. The technology represents the future of corporate events, and we’re thrilled to be able to offer it at Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach.”

Director of Sales and Marketing at Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach, Christian Wachter, said “AVPartners has truly gone above and beyond to add value to our venue and clients. The new technology further bolsters Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach’s reputation as a premier luxury Queensland venue.”

To book an inspection contact Mitch Tucker on +61 (0) 438 160 429.

About AVPartners

AVPartners is a leading provider of audiovisual services to major venues. Combining state-of-the-art audiovisual technology, unrivalled expertise, and a highly-tailored approach, AVPartners delivers unique event experiences. AVPartners innovative business model not only enhances events through the provision of technical production, audio, visual, lighting, rigging, event design and styling, but also improves C&E revenues.

www.avpartners.com

About Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach

Immerse yourself into Australia’s chic coastal lifestyle at one of the most perfectly situated hotels in Broadbeach. Created with the philosophy that authentic experiences and smart design are vital to today’s global nomad, Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach was designed so guests can personally connect with their surroundings and each other in locally inspired luxury, style and sophistication.

Merging a modern, beach-savvy aesthetic with European elegance, Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach features beautifully appointed ocean view accommodation and bright, spacious social areas that celebrate the Gold Coast’s brilliant surf and sun. The hotel also features a pair of stunning swimming pools and a Two Chef Hat restaurant, room81 that brings guests and stylish Broadbeach locals together for signature cocktails, cuisine and nightlife experiences.

www.sofitelgoldcoast.com.au

To theme or not to theme? That is the event planning question!

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Planning an event? You might be considering whether or not to have a theme.

A theme is the idea or concept behind your event that can give the event structure. Having a theme can benefit an event in many ways, but it does come with a few drawbacks. So should your event be themed or themeless?

Benefits of having a theme

It can make your event memorable. A theme can make your event distinctive and memorable for guests. By selecting a theme that is unique and fully committing to it, you can wow your attendees and drive your event message home.

It can help steer your event planning. Having a theme in place can help dictate your event planning decisions. A theme can provide a rough guideline for your event so that you can streamline your planning process.

It can engage your guests. A theme creates a point of difference that will be compelling for your guests. Themed audiovisual elements or a themed dress code will help your guests be fully committed to your event and immersed in the event experience.

It can reinforce your event message. If chosen well, a theme can elevate your event message, help with your branding and make an impact on your guests. In order to enhance your event message, your theme should be chosen with your event objective in mind and at the forefront of your planning process.

The drawbacks of having a theme

It’s not always practical. Events like roundtables and seminars aren’t as well-suited to having a theme as Christmas parties and gala dinners. Information-focused events like these will have focus topics already, so having a theme could distract from the discussion topic at hand.

It can limit your choices. After selecting a theme, your event decisions will be driven by it. While this isn’t alway a problem (it can give you focus and clarity in the planning process), having a theme can make your event decisions more limited.

It might distract from your messaging. If executed well, a theme can help reinforce your event message and key takeaways, but if your theme doesn’t meld with your event objective, it can do the complete opposite. You’ll want your guests to remember your event for its message, not just the theme. So if you think a theme might distract from your message and branding, it’s better to go without.

If you choose to have a themeless event, you can still make an impact through unique styling and a branded colour scheme. Creative lighting and decorations can help deliver your branding and boost your event message.

If you choose to have a theme, you can promote it through your audiovisual elements, dress code, invitations, programs, marketing, decor, entertainment, food and music.  

Stuck for ideas? Here are a few themes that we have coordinated in the past: wild west, roaring 20s, the 80s, the 90s, pop star, masquerade, acrobatic and circus theme, chocolate fantasy, black and gold, global cuisine, the Olympics, and a jungle theme. While a theme should have a strong presence and be consistent across your event, it can be as flexible as you’d like it to be! If you would like help with your next event, contact us today.

How a destination conference can invigorate your guests

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Hosting a destination conference can create a memorable experience for your attendees. It can energise your guests and really drive your event messaging home. Here are a few reasons why a destination conference is a great option for your next event.

There are fewer distractions

Attending a destination conference means guests won’t have distractions from their daily routines like commuting to work, errands and chores. Instead, they will have a clear mind for taking in what your conference has to offer.

Guests are more dedicated

Guests attending a destination conference will have made a commitment to travel there. This extra level of commitment can translate to more engagement with your event program.

It can double as a holiday for your guests

The destination you choose can work as a big drawcard for people all across the country (and world) to attend your conference. Selecting a location that is a common holiday destination means guests can plan a vacation before or after your conference.

It’s more memorable

Being in a new setting can really make your event unique and memorable. Taking your guests away from their normal day-to-day routine and into a new location will create a new and exciting experience for them – and make your destination conference an event to remember.

It encourages a new audience to attend

If you’re hosting a conference that is open to the public, picking a destination away from your local area is a great way to encourage a wider audience to attend and tap into a new customer pool. Guests living near your chosen destination might be more likely to attend, as well as those from across the country (or world).

You can impress your guests

Choosing the right venue can really impress and rejuvenate your attendees. Choosing a venue with impressive styling, facilities and state-of-the-art technology can wow your guests and make your event memorable. AVPartners has venues all across Australia, providing expert audiovisual and styling for spectacular event experiences.

If you would like to host a destination conference, take a look at AVPartners’ venues or contact us today for more information.

You’re engaged! Now what?

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Getting engaged is an exciting moment! It’s a time filled with joy, love and celebrations. But once the celebrations subside and the dust settles, it’s time to get into serious planning mode. So how can you plan your dream wedding and keep the process as stress-free as possible? The team at Novotel Twin Waters Resort share their tips.

Establish a timeline

The first and most important thing you’ll want to put in place is a timeline for planning your wedding. Your timeline will establish the different stages of planning. It will dictate when you organise different components of the day so that it doesn’t come to the month before the wedding and you still have a tonne of things to plan. Here’s a rough timeline that can help you get started with your wedding prep.

10 – 12 months to go

In the initial stages of planning, you’ll want to establish your budget, pick a date, develop your guest list and lock in your venue. Once you have a venue and guest list in place, send your save the dates.

6 – 8 months to go

Now’s the time to think of a theme for your wedding. Think of the decor, lighting, colours and floral arrangements that you want for the big day. Once you have decided on the style you would like for your wedding, find your vendors and communicate any necessary information they might need for the day. Find a caterer, book your photographer and select the right audiovisual team to create the perfect style for your wedding.

4 – 6 months to go

At the 4 month mark, you’ll want to have your transportation organised. Pick your celebrant and figure out arrangements with them. Book your music and entertainment, appoint an MC, start organising your invitations and choose your attire for the day.

2 – 4 months to go

Send your invitations, decide on the decorations you would like and prepare the logistics of your ceremony.

1 -2 months to go

Organise your marriage license, confirm your final guest count, prepare speeches and toasts. If it’s a sit down dinner, consider organising a seating plan. Don’t forget to try on your wedding garment to make sure it fits!

1 week to go

Finalise all your transport, guest list and seating plan. Confirm the speaking arrangements with your MC and celebrant and finalise arrangements with your vendors. You should have everything organised by this stage, so it’ll be a matter of finalising all your arrangements and making sure everything is ready for the day.

On the day

Put a friend, family member or wedding planner in charge of keeping the day running smoothly so that you and your partner can spend it enjoying yourselves.

Looking for a stunning location to hold your wedding, with all your planning and styling taken care of? Check out Novotel Twin Waters Weddings & Events.

If you’re looking for an audiovisual team that can create the perfect experience for your wedding day, contact AVPartners today.

Conferences are evolving – are you up to date with these conference trends?

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When running a conference, the most important thing to nail is keeping your audience engaged. A dull and slow-moving event can leave your guests bored and frustrated, while a lively and captivating atmosphere can boost awareness for your brand and create a more memorable experience for your event guests.

Successful audience engagement comes down to how well you can keep your guests not just interested, but delighted throughout the entirety of your event.

These new conference trends are helping event planners do just that.

Multisensory events

In the past, conference planners haven’t gone out of their way to energise the senses in their event design and agenda. While most events do provide stimulus for most of the senses – for example through food, entertainment, speeches and decorations – event planners are only recently paying close attention to how they can use the senses strategically.  More and more events are using knowledge on the five senses to engage their audiences and drive their event goals home. We’re seeing more immersive lighting shows, life-size games and visually unique food offerings, all of which are used to enhance event messaging.

Daytime into night

While this type of binary event isn’t completely new, the way it is being executed is starting to change. For a while now, we’ve seen events transition from one venue to the next, with the first event concentrating on the icebreakers, presentations and activities and the last on networking, dinner and entertainment.

Now we’re seeing more event planners execute both daytime and nighttime events in the one place. Many are transforming daytime conferences into a gala dinners within the same event space. This is a perfect way to reignite energy into your room and keep your guests engaged from daytime to night. Running a binary event in the one venue has proven to create a memorable experience for guests, while keeping costs down.

Hybrid events

A hybrid event is an event which has a virtual component to it. As technology continues to advance, we’re seeing this trend more and more. Event planners create their in-person event as well as engage an online audience through live streams and digital seminars. Providing an online experience to accompany your event is the perfect way to grab the attention of a wider audience of people who might be unable to attend in person on the day. It can present your brand to people who would have missed out otherwise.

Digital immersion

Event technology is evolving at a rapid speed. We’re now seeing technology used to entertain, captivate and shock. Virtual and augmented reality, digital holograms and drone technology are changing the way people experience events. Virtual and augmented reality are being used to create an immersive experience for guests and to heighten event branding. Digital holograms are being used for entertainment and to provide the wow-factor, and drones are being used to film highly immersive event videos.

If you would like to boost audience engagement through AV technology at your next event, contact AVPartners today.

What to do after your event to ensure its ongoing success

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The success of an event doesn’t need to be dictated by what happens on the day alone. Yes, everything should run smoothly on the day, your guests should be engaged and you’ll want to make sure you meet your event objectives. However, an event’s success can extend well beyond the actual day.

Even a successful day can be tainted by a lack of post-event follow up and evaluation. So here’s what you can do to ensure the success of your event after the event itself.

Follow up

Following up with your guests after your event is an important way to let them know that you care about them. A follow up can be as simple as thanking them for attending on your event’s Facebook page or sending an eDM that reinforces your event objectives and says thank you.

Post-event evaluation

Undergoing a post-event evaluation is the best way to analyse what went well and what you can improve on next time. It can help you identify areas where you might be able to tighten up your budget and things you missed that you might like to include in your event next time around.

Feedback surveys

What a post-event evaluation might miss, feedback surveys can make up for. Who better to analyse your event than the event guests themselves? Asking your guests to answer questions about the different aspects of your event can help you to view your event from the perspective of your guests. This type of analysis can really help with improving the event experience at your next event.

Showcasing your event on social media

Social media is one of the best ways to communicate information effectively and efficiently to a wide audience. It is also a great way to show-off your event, boost brand awareness and build anticipation for any upcoming events. Showcasing your event on social media might include sharing footage from the event, developing and sharing an event video that showcases the event’s highlights, or creating and sharing a photo album from the day.

Provide a next-step

Whether it’s on social media or via email marketing, providing a next step for your guests is a great way to keep them engaged with your brand and event. It can also increase the likelihood of guests attending your future events. Provide one simple call-to-action in your communications with guests, for example “Visit our events page to find out what’s coming up” or “Sign up to our mailing list to stay in the loop”.

If you would like to maximise the experience at your next event, contact AVPartners today.

Media Release: AVPartners promotes Mat Brooke as Technical Director at Crown Perth

Leading audiovisual company AVPartners has once again demonstrated their commitment to promoting from within by appointing Mat Brooke as Technical Director at Crown Perth.
Previously a Senior Technician at the popular Perth venue, the promotion will see Mat continue to use his technical knowledge and problem-solving skills to create event concepts which exceed client expectations.
Mat commenced his career with AVPartners as a Trainee Technician in April 2012, and in six short years has progressed to a leadership position.
Regarding his promotion, Mat said, “I had no idea six years ago that I would have been able to progress so much within one company. AVPartners is a supportive network of passionate audiovisual people, and I’m ecstatic to be able to continue to grow and advance with them.”
AVPartners’ Partner at Crown Perth, Daniel Watters, said, “Mat is an extremely hard worker which has made his advancement through the ranks at AVPartners an easy decision for management to make. I look forward to seeing him take on the responsibilities of his new role.”
AVPartners and Crown Perth have enjoyed a partnership for several years. AVPartners provides AV support for conferences and events at the venue and professional technical assistance for delegates.

Using colour to help deliver and enhance your event message

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Professionals in neuroscience, interior design and advertising know very well the impact colours can have on our mood and how we experience things. Colours can excite, provoke action and can even encourage concentration. So how can event planners make the most of colour at their events?

While there isn’t one magic colour to use in events that will evoke a positive response from event attendees and make your event memorable, studies have shown that different colours can ignite different emotions in people. So depending on your event objectives, you might want to consider using certain colours to drive home your messaging.

Using colour in your event decor and lighting can influence the way your guests engage with your event and can create a memorable experience. Here’s how colour can make an impact on your event delegates:

Cool colours

Cool colours including blue, green and violet generally have a calming effect on people. Blue is a cool colour that is often used at corporate events. This is no coincidence. The colour blue relaxes people and studies have shown that it can help with focus and concentration. It can stimulate clear thought and put people at ease. Consider using the colour blue in your event decorations to create a calm atmosphere. You can also use blue lighting during event activities to improve guests’ attention spans and encourage concentration. The colour green can have a similar effect on our emotions. It is reminiscent of nature, and can therefore have a soothing effect on people.

Warm colours

Warm colours like red, orange and yellow create feelings of warmth and positivity. These colours remind us of warm weather and carry an energetic feeling with them. Red in particular has been proven to stimulate the mind and enhance our heart rates. It is a colour that can influence us to act. Consider using the colour red to communicate your event messaging throughout your event. It can be used in your event banners, in your decorations or on your screens.

Incorporating colour

Colour can be incorporated into your decorations, stage set and lighting. While the colours used in your design and decorations will be fixed throughout the duration of your event, you can use different coloured lighting throughout your event to enhance and complement any event styling. This helps to create different moods and experiences for your guests. Utilising different colours throughout your event can keep your guests engaged and entertained.

If you would like advice on incorporating colours into your next event, contact AVPartners today.

Are smartphones helping or hindering your event?

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Whether we like them or not, smartphones have become an important part of our daily lives. They are used to aid with various tasks including shopping, getting from one place to another, scheduling plans and setting reminders.

People spend hours each day scrolling, checking emails and social media notifications. Wondering what this means for your event? Chances are most, if not all, of your attendees will arrive at your event with smartphone in tow. They are hard to ignore. So it might be time to address the elephant in the room – the sea of smartphones in your event space.

So are smartphones just another distraction for guests to be swallowed up by? Or can they help with your event outcomes?

The disadvantages

There is no doubt that smartphones can be distracting. They can divert attention away from your event sessions. Disengaged guests won’t experience your event for what it is, potentially harming your re-attendance rate.

If you were to have a no-smartphone policy at your event, your guests would certainly have fewer distractions and might be more engaged throughout the event. Whether this is a realistic and productive request is less certain.

The advantages

Smartphones have become a huge part of events. When it comes to event planning, there seems to be a smartphone app that can help with every aspect of organising and running an event. Whether it’s organising ticket sales, sharing your event agenda or facilitating a networking platform for guests, there’s an app for pretty much every stage.

There are several apps on the market, both free and with subscription costs, including Eventbrite and Ticketbud for ticket sales, Whova for attendee networking and Pathable for developing and sharing your agenda – just to name a few.

Smartphones also provide your event with an opportunity for marketing and promotion. Never underestimate the power of your guests taking selfies at your event, using your event hashtag online, live tweeting or checking-in on social media.

If you can’t beat them, join them

Smartphones are an integral part of everyday life. While they might be distracting and addictive, they can serve the really important purpose of helping you reach your event outcomes. They can be used to simplify logistical tasks, engage guests and build an awareness for, and at, your events.

So, if your main objective is to run a seamless event with good occupancy, it might be time to embrace what smartphones have to offer.

If you would like advice on social media for your next event, the AVPartners team can help. Contact us today.

Media Release: AVPartners promotes Ben Davis to Technical Event Manager at Crown Perth

Leading audiovisual service provider AVPartners has appointed Ben Davis to a sales role at Crown Perth.

With over 12 years experience in the industry, Ben brings his unique skill set and passion for events into his new role.

Ben previously worked as a Technical Director at the venue. Ben has extensive experience in the day to day running of audio, visual and lighting, along with coordinating staff, event set up and pack down, and liaising with clients.

His new role will see Ben nurture and build on client relationships while creating event concepts to suit their AV needs.

Commenting on his new role, Ben said, “I’m excited to work with our loyal clients on creative and innovative events in this new capacity. Of course, I’m also eager to welcome new clients to our venue where I know we will exceed their expectations.”

AVPartners’ Partner at Crown Perth, Daniel Watters, said, “It’s been a pleasure to be a part of Ben’s evolution here with AVPartners. He is great at what he does and brings a lot of creativity to his work. I have no doubt that he will continue to impress in his new role too.”

AVPartners and Crown Perth have enjoyed a partnership for several years. AVPartners provides AV support for conferences and events at the location and professional technical assistance for delegates.