It


should be no surprise, then, that tech- nology can be utilized in making spe- cial events more exciting, too. While some innovations have helped to make the execution of events easier and more efficient, others have aided in the enhancement of the overall experience.


And while a continued sluggish economy has limited opportuni- ties to incorporate some of the very newest, most cutting-edge technologies into the event landscape, Steve Wildemann, presi- dent of Advanced Staging Productions, notes that planners are still benefiting from numerous upgrades to existing technologies.


“The real challenge has been working with our clients to help them get the biggest technological bang for their buck,” Wildemann observes. “Much of the new technology has really been an evolution in more widespread use of things like LED lighting, true HD production, blended, widescreen stage sets, and digital media servers as scenic or decor elements.”


He says Advanced Staging’s most commonly requested services in 2010 continue to be sound and video among corporate clients. But Wildemann adds that creative lighting designed to add impact to an event has been the biggest differentiator for his com- pany this past year.


“After the ‘meat and potatoes’ of getting a message across - clear video and crisp sound - clients are looking for creative ways to make their message and their event memorable.


Creating an


environment or ‘experience’ that makes their event stand out is critical,” he stresses.


Challenges like smaller budgets and decreased lead times have made clear and open communication even more pivotal when it comes to working with a client and planning for their event.


“Working with a client to understand their goal, and suggesting solutions that meet their budget is certainly a big part of the equation these days,” continues Wildemann. “But shorter lead times just mean we have to be proactive in identifying potential pitfalls and be ready for them. The experience needed to know what those problems might be and the flexibility to react to them is more important than ever.”


As for what planners want for their events these days, Wildemann has observed more requests for odd-shapes and different meth- ods of delivering video content. “Again, some of the technology has been around, but not in widespread use for corporate events...


things like wavy screens, super wide projected back-


drops (10’ high x 100’ wide) and large, seamless plasmas,” he notes.


“Christie Microtiles is a product that is giving LED a run for its money in the high brightness arena,” adds Wildemann. “Bright, modular and lacking the ‘pixilation’ that makes LED tough to look at up close, they are making big inroads into scenic design, exhib- it booths and digital signage applications. Still a little pricey for


your small to mid-sized events, they are beginning to show up more frequently in specifications for high-end productions.”


According to Jason Cataldi, CTS, director of sales and marketing for IMS Audio Visual, while special events (like almost everything else) have been affected by the lagging economy, they also are now - and continue to be - a major factor in the nation’s resur- gence and emergence out of its financial woes.


“In 2010, the meeting and events industry has proven to be a pos- itive driving force behind the rebuilding of our economic condi- tion,” says Cataldi. “Organizations like ours have formed new part- nerships and better relationships with meeting professionals nationally who share the same common goal: Results.”


Cataldi says that by working together with their clients to expand on combined experiences and by developing new cost-effective memorable collaborations, IMS Audio Visual has been able to successfully improve their clients’ business communications by documenting and measuring their return on investment.


“As we move ever closer to the new year,” notes Cataldi, “I antici- pate our clients using presentation support as an advertising and marketing opportunity. For example, selling space on projection screens and guest invitations to incorporate a sponsor’s logo is a common method of working to raise additional monies and increase meeting budgets.”


IMS has provided digital signage and kiosks for its partners in lieu of using traditional printed signs and easels. This allows for the ability to change content on the fly and to include things like: key timeline updates, meeting reminders, attendee messages, announcement of sponsor-hosted functions, and egress instruc- tions - all instantaneously!


C


ataldi further adds that as digital technology con- tinues to advance and become less cost prohibi- tive, IMS has been offering its partners the ability to save their recorded meetings on Flash media stor- age devices. “By capturing data, video and audio on a memory storage device, our clients can selec- tively download information directly to their com- puters via USB ports. They can offer Flash Media


sticks to their attendees as ‘take away items,’ value adds and pro- motional material that can be branded with exclusive company or sponsor information.”


Among other trends Cataldi has observed this year, he says, IMS’ clients are choosing unique venues and raw flex space when hosting traditional meetings and planning events. Each new space poses its own unique logistical challenges and presenta- tion limitations.


“Besides the obvious décor benefits - or lack thereof - each facil- ity has other considerations that need to be addressed, like park- ing, ease of load in, structural obstructions, venue restrictions and the all important available power,” he notes. “Electrical power is key to the pre-design of a meeting or event. So if the venue is


Mid-Atlantic EVENTS Magazine 39


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