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How to effectively communicate your event message

Events can help make your business stand out against competitors. When holding an event, it’s important to ensure that the message you want your guests to walk away with is presented loud and clear. This message could be about increasing brand awareness, letting guests know about your cause for fundraising, or communicating excitement for upcoming product releases and launches.

We’ve put together a few tips on how you can effectively communicate your event message:

Styling and decor

Visual components like decorations and colours are a very valuable part of any event, so it’s important that these make sense for the type of event and guests attending. You might decide to use branded decorations, themed colours, or modern decor to help convey your event message.

Marketing touch points

Every channel or technique you use to communicate your event provides a marketing touch point for your message. Make sure that every touch point is cohesive and consistent. You want the event message to be registering in a guest’s mind from their first interaction with your event, whether that be online, through an invitation, or when entering the room.

Audiovisual components

The production elements at your event can make a huge impact on the way your event message gets seen, heard and absorbed. Great audio can help build emotion and engagement, and effective lighting will set a mood and create a sense of enjoyment and fulfillment.

Remember that all event elements, when brought together, combine to create an atmosphere and experience which helps communicate your message. If you’d like to discuss this further, talk to us today.

4 creative ways to use a gobo at your next event

If you’re looking to add that something special to your next event, gobos are one of the most striking, versatile yet affordable lighting options.

A gobo is essentially a stencil cut out of glass or metal, that is then positioned between a spotlight and the area you want lit, creating a unique projected shape. The gobo can be made to project patterns, text, logos, and other special effects, which makes them a great option for promoting brands and products.

The imagery can be projected onto almost any surface such as the dance floor, the stage or a prepared backdrop – instantly decorating and lighting the surface, transforming the space and promoting your event’s message.

Here are some of our favourite uses of gobos from our events:

Patterns as a feature wall

At this event at Sofitel Brisbane Central, a gobo was used to project a series of pinspot lights onto a backdrop, creating a twinkle light look that complemented the event name ‘Shine’ perfectly.


Colour coordination

Often a gobo can be setup to match the colours of your event theme or decor. In this example from Sofitel Brisbane Central, we projected patterns onto a feature wall, matching the colour scheme of the entire room for seamless integration and effortless continuity.


Branding enhancements

Imagine being able to project your logo or message onto the wall, floor or table for all your guests to see. It’s a great way to give your brand extra exposure at the event, and can create a feeling of luxe exclusivity.

Below is an example of this in the lobby at our Sofitel Brisbane Central venue. Using a small projector in a moving light, we could change the image from the computer rather than physically at the light.


Festive theming

A gobo can change the way an entire room looks and feels and it is such an easy way to support your theme at your event. It’s especially fun with themes such as Winter Wonderland, as seen below with snowflakes all over the room at Sofitel Brisbane Central.


Because of the flexibility in design and impressive visual elements, gobos really help to set a mood and atmosphere at your event, which gives guests an even better experience and leaves them with a lasting impression of your message.

If you’re excited to use gobos at your next event, contact us today!

3 creative ways to use a projector at your next event

Gone are the days when a projector’s main purpose was to light up a white wall in a meeting room and project onto it with boring words and graphs.

Projectors are now a huge part of the events industry, and it’s easy to see why! Projecting images, logos, graphics and information onto surfaces not only looks impressive, but also brightens event spaces and can complement your event theme. The options are endless when it comes to creatively planning your event projections.

Here are some of our favourite creative uses of projectors at events:

Creating digital visuals

One of the most common ways to use a projector is to simply project imagery or graphics onto the wall. An example below from our Sofitel Brisbane Central venue shows that this can be utilised in a large format, so it’s a great way to showcase a lot of images or make one stand out. Unlike traditional artwork on canvas, projected images can be changed continually throughout the event, thus changing and enhancing the mood, theme or event message.

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Enhancing your branding

Another one of our favourites is to project a business or brand’s logo onto a surface area. This is such a great way to give your brand extra exposure at the event, and can create a feeling of luxe exclusivity. Below is an example of this in the lobby at our Sofitel Brisbane Central venue.

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Video projection and projection mapping

The projection fun doesn’t stop at images – we can even project videos onto surfaces! This can be done by simply projecting a video onto a wall, or it can be a source of entertainment in and of itself by using projection mapping. Projection mapping essentially ‘maps’ out the surface area of where the video will go, usually over odd and irregular shapes, before a detailed projection is showcased on the object. It’s the same technology used in Sydney’s Vivid lights festival.

Our team at Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre (PCEC) recently did a fantastic job projection mapping a St John’s ambulance, and wowed guests at their conference. They positioned two ‘unbranded’ ambulances in the room on either side of the main stage and projected an animated “multi-stickered” ambulance image onto the vehicles.

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To see it come to life, check out the video on PCEC’s site.

If you’re keen to include this technology at your next event, contact us today!

Are these events still in your marketing plan? They should be!

At AVPartners, we live and breathe events. We know events offer an exciting opportunity to engage your customers or clients in a truly unique way. There are a number of reasons for your business or brand to hold events,  and keep them in your marketing budget.

However, it is also a good idea to consider the types of events you have in your marketing plan. Are they worthwhile from a business point of view, or do they need a little refreshing?  

Here are the some of the types of events you should consider including in your marketing plan for your business to get the most out of the year ahead:

Launch parties

If you’re launching a new product or service, a launch event is a great way to showcase your new or upgraded offering to a captive audience.

While the product or service is the reason for the event, a launch party is also a great time to meet and greet your stakeholders and customers, and answer their questions in person. There’s so much scope with launch events to really make an impact and have fun, such as styling the event, offering demonstrations and running competitions.

Client or customer focused events

Sometimes simple things like thanking your clients or customers for their patronage goes a long way to strengthening those relationships; maintaining loyalty and encouraging excitement in your business or brand. You can also use the event as an opportunity to introduce guests to your other products or services, further build your business’ profile or add value by facilitating networking opportunities. If your business is a not-for-profit, you could also use events like these for fundraising.

Employee focused events

Your employees are your gold – without them you have no business. So it makes sense to treat them right and keep them happy, yes? When people feel appreciated, it helps to motivate them and increases their loyalty to your business. Employee events give everyone in your business a chance to mingle and bond in a more casual setting than the workplace which fosters positive relationships between colleagues and builds a great company culture. Popular employee events include team building events, cocktail and dancing events, or even weekend trips away! At AVPartners we organise regular team events and believe we are stronger and more in tune because of it.

Events are a powerful tool for your business’ marketing strategy, so make sure you consider how each event type fits into your marketing plan. Then, give us a call so we can help you organise the event and impress your guests!

Event trends you need to know about

Are you planning to hold an event next year? If so, you’re probably hoping that it’s an interesting and engaging one, and that everyone has a great time. One thing to consider when it comes to planning interesting events is what is ‘on trend’ at the time.

There are so many unique ways to impress your guests and give them a talking point during and after your event.

Here are our favourite event trends for 2017:

Creative catering

Unique catering is a great way to stand out and impress, and you can also use it to brand your event. Elements such as signature cocktails using your brand’s colours, or desserts with edible rice paper logos or messages on top, are interesting ways to get creative with catering.

The extreme dessert trend is likely to continue into 2017, with dessert walls (think donuts and Nutella) becoming part of the decor!

Personalisation

People want more than the standard cookie-cutter event, so they’re looking for more personalised options when they scout their venues and plan their events. The possibilities for personalisation are endless, with more simple things such as personalised email or app communications to guests through to more complex data driven elements such as tailoring events to the individual based on their reactions on social media.

According to a study by Eventsforce, personalisation is a key priority for 82% of event planners, with 97% saying they believe that event personalisation can change a guests perception of your brand or event.

Audiovisual technology also plays a huge part in personalisation of events. Lighting effects, colours and staging options can all contribute to a more tailored event. At AVPartners we pride ourselves on fully understanding our client’s event and design briefs so that we can deliver on a completely unique and successful event.

Digital interaction

More and more we are seeing that event planners are embracing digital channels to reduce costs, to be more environmentally conscious and to better engage guests. There are so many interesting ways to deliver information at your event digitally rather than expecting guests to take notes constantly or handing out paper. Examples include leveraging an event app, providing a digital handout via files made available on a USB or having notes delivered by email.

Video content

We all keep hearing that video is the future, and in 2017 we will see a greater role for video at events. One example of where video is being used effectively is through the live-streaming of events. This is where an event is filmed and delivered to online viewers in real time, so that they don’t miss out and can be part of the action as it unfolds. Usually this footage can then be packaged up and shared on a business’ website or social media, or used in-house.

It’s important to note that you don’t need to go overboard with event elements to create an impact. Choosing just one or two ideas and exploring how they can meet your business and event needs will be enough to impress.

Talk to us to start planning your 2017 events!

Why hold an event?

Events are a great way to bring people together, and share a moment, message or idea with a captive audience. They do, however, take considerable time, effort and organisation to execute successfully.

When deciding whether to hold an event, the first step should be to ask why you’re holding the event. This will help you get to the heart of whether an event will be valuable and help you achieve your goals. Here are some of the common reasons organisations hold events.

To build brand awareness

Events bring people together at the one location at the one time, giving you focussed time you can utilise to build brand awareness around your business with target audiences. You might make a presentation highlighting your services, or hold a workshop that builds on your thought leadership, making you a respected and trusted person within your industry.

To humanise the business

It’s usually quite fun and interesting to meet the people behind certain brands, so make sure you give your customers or clients what they want by introducing yourself and letting them know that there are real people in your business. It’s also a good time to thank customers and clients for their support, and offer to answer any questions they have or help them in some way if you can. People buy from people, so make sure your business is real and authentic.

To provide networking opportunities

Events are a great way to expand your connections, gain new clients, customers or referrals, and also to show your existing customers or clients what else you can offer them. It’s also an excellent way to meet like-minded individuals in your industry, and you never know where those relationships may lead!

To fundraise

For not-for-profit and charity organisations events are a perfect way to do drive fundraising efforts. They offer a controlled and focussed environment for you to spread the word and incite empathy and curiosity in attendees.

To launch a new product or service

New products or services are a cause for celebration! Events can allow you to inform guests of this, offer demonstrations, or give away samples. It gives your potential customers a chance to interact with your product or service in person, and in a fun and upbeat atmosphere.

To recognise and reward

Awards ceremonies are a very common type of event to hold, and a fantastic way to recognise your team or others for their hard work. Recognition is always appreciated, and usually makes for a more loyal team.

To offer a face-to-face communication experience

Too often in this digital world, we lose that personal, human interaction. While the internet has opened up a world of possibilities, the feeling of being in front of someone; having a conversation and sharing a laugh, can’t really be replicated online.

So, now that you know some of the reasons and benefits of holding events, you might be wondering just what type of event suits your business. Events vary in style, size and outcome, but some common event types include a sit down dinner, a fundraiser, an awards ceremony, a cocktail party, or a conference. You might like to read more about which events really engage your customers or clients, or how to know which conference type suits your business.

Once you’re ready to start planning your event, ensure you have a solid timeline in place. For tips on this, check out how long it takes to plan an event.

At AVPartners, we love to help bring your event dreams to life! Speak to us today and let us know your ideas.

How colours can create atmosphere at your event

When deciding on the styling for your event, it’s important to consider the role that colours play in creating atmosphere. The colours you choose, be it for your decor or your lighting, say a lot about your event message, brand, and theme. Colours can leave your guests with an even deeper appreciation of your event.

Colours can stimulate many different reactions in people, so it’s a good idea to plan ahead, incorporate a bit of thought into your visual element choices and ensure that your colours suit the event type.

You can use certain colours to create atmosphere by:

Using warm, light colours

Warm and light colours such as red, yellow, orange or a combination thereof, can help create a relaxing vibe as they remind people of warm weather and positivity. These colour combinations are great for when you want to encourage interaction and communication between people.

Using cooler colours

Cool colours such as blue, green and purple can make people feel calmer and are somewhat soothing. These colour combinations are used for a lot of awards or gala dinners and tend to give a professional but harmonious vibe.

Using dark colours

Dark colours such as black or navy can create a sophisticated feel at your event, and might help to entice guests to dance. Darker colours are often used for black tie events and can go well with splashes of colour or white, to give some contrast.

Using bright colours

Bright colours include a mixture of warm and cool colours in vibrant tones such as neon. You can use bright colours in your lighting displays to showcase exciting elements, which will easily evoke a fun, party mood from your guests.

As with most event styling options, our colour choices will depend on what you are pairing them with. If you need some help deciding on colours for your next event, contact us today!

AV Favourites Wrap Up

With all the exciting events going on and new technologies we get to use, we’ve realised our blog posts cover a lot of ground in the audiovisual space. We thought it would be great to look back at some of your favourite posts over the past year!

Here were some of the topics that our readers found particularly interesting:

Digital technology for your event

Social media has become a huge part of events. We looked at 5 ways to use social media to promote your event, along with how to integrate social media into your event.

Planning an event is a complex undertaking, with countless tasks to keep track of, tight deadlines and multiple stakeholder demands. With the use of apps, the enormity of event planning becomes a whole lot easier.

Event styling, planning and layout

For those not sure how long certain event planning aspects may take, we asked how long does it take to plan an event? We also investigated how to take your event to the next level with event styling, and depending on the type of event you’re having, how to decide on the best seating layout for your event.

Events and your business

Attending an event can make such a positive impact on your business and brand. In this day and age, we often overlook the importance of being in a live environment and interacting with people face-to-face. This in person interaction means you have a great chance to improve brand exposure, and really engage more with your audience.

Audiovisual elements

Audiovisual elements can add a special something to your event. Whether you use lighting to create atmosphere in the room, or require a stage to be set up with microphones and speakers for perfect sound, a good AV team will have you covered.

The right AV team supporting your event can be the difference between a good or bad event.

Interested in finding out more about any of these topics or have a topic you’d like us to explore? Contact us today!

How to decide on the best seating layout for your event

The task of choosing a seating layout for your event may seem small or unimportant, but it is what will decide the flow of your event. You need to ensure that the layout suits the theme and style of your event, and that you are utilising the event space to its full potential.

The layout should give your guests the most comfortable experience for the setting and style of event. You’ll need to consider if people will be eating in a formal setting and therefore needing tables and chairs, or if they will be encouraged to mingle and network where a cocktail style layout might better suit.

Here are the most popular seating layouts and which event types they best suit:

Cabaret

This style is popular for conferences, gala dinners and training sessions. Guests are seated at a round table, all facing the front, with only five or six chairs so that no one has their back to the main stage or focal point. Cabaret style can take up more room though as you need more tables to seat everyone.

Banquet

The banquet seating style is similar to the cabaret, however it utilises the entire table and seats eight to ten guests. This takes up less room and makes serving food more streamlined. Banquet seating is ideal for awards nights, gala dinners, weddings and other such events.

Cocktail

A cocktail layout does not usually involve chairs, but instead utilises a few high-rise tables as mingling points for guests throughout the event. Consider the type of event you’re having, the guests who will be attending and if it will make sense to have them seated or not. This layout is great for Christmas parties and other social functions, along with more casual weddings.

Boardroom

The boardroom layout is essentially a large table setup with chairs around, ideal for board meetings as people are facing towards each other which makes interaction easy. This layout is used a lot for corporate meetings, events and small presentations.

U-Shape

The U-shape seating layout is ideal for when the boardroom layout is too small for your event needs. Commonly used for small conferences, workshops and meetings, it is made up of tables positioned into a U-shape and makes it easier for each person to see the speaker or screen if one is set up.

Theatre

This seating layout takes up a lot less room per person and is ideal for conferences and other such presentations. Guests are seated in rows and all facing the front, much like in a theatre, giving everyone easy viewing.

Classroom

The classroom layout allows guests to be seated behind long tables. It’s similar to the theatre layout but gives guests the use of tables, so for this reason it’s ideal for training, workshops, meetings and conferences where writing may be required.

Need some help deciding on your seating layout? Contact AVPartners today.

How long does it take to plan an event?

Planning events takes a lot of organisation, effort and time. It’s best to start as early as possible and give yourself a checklist so you don’t miss important elements. Lists and spreadsheets will become your best friends. Always make sure you have contingency plans in place for things like unexpected weather or a speaker not being able to present.

Below is a general timeline of some common event tasks that may help you plan your next event. Remember that every event is different, even those held at the same venue, so it’s important to work out a plan that suits your needs.

6-12 months before the event

  • Establish the event goals and objectives
  • Select a date and choose a venue
  • Get cost estimates and create a budget
  • Identify speakers and/or entertainers
  • Seek out and contact sponsors or partners for the event

3-6 months before the event

  • Promote the event through the appropriate channels; for e.g. social media, radio, TV, newspapers
  • Establish the audiovisual plan and equipment needed with your AV provider
  • Finalise arrangements for speakers and/or entertainers
  • Confirm if the venue requires any permits and confirm access for guests such as parking

2 months before the event

  • Send reminders to the attendee list
  • Follow up with sponsors or event partners
  • Release announcements about VIPs or keynote speakers to the media

1 week before the event

  • Do a final registration check of names
  • Brief your team and volunteers about their event duties
  • Finalise the seating plan
  • Inform the caterer of final numbers
  • Make copies of any speeches, videos or presentations
  • Identify where photo opps and interview opportunities will be

1 day before the event

  • Ensure all signage is in place
  • Do an audiovisual test
  • Ensure registration and guest tables are prepared or decorated
  • Ensure all promotional items or gifts are on site

The day of the event

  • Have copies of all important documents, phone numbers, information and seating charts for the event team
  • Ensure the event is running to plan and manage any issues as they arise
  • Enjoy the event and the work you have put into it!

After the event

  • Send thank you notes or emails to attendees and sponsors
  • Post event photos on social media
  • Conduct a post event evaluation to assess the event’s success against your initial goals and objectives

Your event will be much more complex than this snapshot alone. We recommend creating a project plan to ensure transparency on all tasks and to ensure they are completed on time.

Need advice on the timing of AV or staging tasks for your event? Contact us.