Design Inspiration: 10 A/V Ideas for Your Next Event or Experience

Lighting effects can greatly impact your mood and, thus, the moods of your event attendees. It may affect how they take in information, their energy levels and their overall happiness.

But beyond mood lighting (which, side note, MGM Resorts International studied extensively as it developed its Stay Well Meetings program), a/v elements within experiences create feasts for the eyes, generate fodder for social posts and have the potential to increase brand loyalty (check out this compilation of insights on color psychology).

Among trends we’ve been following this year are large-scale moving graphics, LED striping and neon everywhere. Let’s take a spin around 10 recent and wide-ranging uses of a/v effects, including lighting, at events.

 

‘Human Video Screens’

Audiences in the stadium at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Closing Ceremony became part of the story when their LED wristbands (PixMob Moving Visual Transmitter technology) went dark or light to form silhouettes of images that appeared to move across the stands and helped create “immersive storytelling” around the history of the Games. One outlet called it “human pixels.”

 

LED Icicles

Microsoft’s START Conference at the Hyatt Regency in Seattle featured 1,200 attendees and the theme “SOAR.” For the opening evening reception, the brand brought in the Party Crashers band, the Air Elite Dunkers (aerial trampolinists), a lighted dance floor and, what caught our eyes, LED “icicles” that hung from the ceiling rigging, driving home the theme of looking up. (Agency: emc3)

 

Lighted Surfaces

We’re seeing a range of impactful, glowing surfaces at different events this year. At InfoComm, Fujifilm and Igloo’s floor-to-wall 360-degree projected modular room in its exhibit leveraged content shot from a VR headset. (Build: Falkbuilt)

 

Mercedes-Benz hosted a dinner experience called The Table that brought together celebrities, musicians, entertainment executives, stylists, brand partners, media, influencers and up-and-coming creators to share perspectives while learning about Mercedes-Benz’s brand story along tables with interactive surfaces. (Agency: Engine Shop)

 

And AT&T at the WNBA Live fan fest flooded its activation in the brand’s signature blue with the striking Splash Court Challenge at the center of it all. The immersive, multiplayer basketball game let fans practice their skills like WNBA stars, including “shooting on top of water” while collecting pool floaties linked to their favorite WNBA stars. (Agency: Wasserman)

 

LED Furniture

Quest Software held its annual sales kickoff event that brought 1,200 of its employees from across the globe for a weekend of professional development and team building with a festival-style event at the Anaheim Hilton. “NXT FY25” featured a dj dance party, muralists, interactive photo ops, a rage room where employees could “destroy Quest’s old tech,” as well as motion digital signage updated each day, an in-room TV channel and, in a lighting moment, LED swings for attendees to lounge on. (Agency: edgefactory)

 

Neon Striping

WWD, Beauty Inc., FN and rivet, and a host of sponsors together brought to life The Wear House at SXSW, a space that featured talks with fashion and beauty pros, as well as activations. An activation from Mielle Organics featured the “From One Queen to Another (FOQTA) GlamCorner” offering hair styling, scalp education, an infinity photo moment and a hot-pink throne for FOQTA photo ops. (Agencies: Fairchild Live, creative/production; LDJ, a/v)

 

Beautycon at Essence Fest brought an equally bold and colorful vibe to the show floor with neon stage designs and installations, and LED strips at every turn for photo ops that popped and bursts of bright color that helped drown out the typical convention center overhead lighting scheme. (Agency: Mark Stephen Agency)

 

‘Moving’ Graphics

Nat Geo’s Hexadome exhibit at Disney’s D23 superfan event in Anaheim, CA, featured a six-screen cinematic experience complete with more than 520 audio tracks that featured the channel’s diverse programming in new dimensions. Large-scale video on extra-large screens enveloped attendees and generated repeat visits from those who didn’t want to miss an angle. (Agency: Little Cinema)

 

Featured Article Photo: The a/v design for the 36th Deloitte IRGAwards 2024 held at the Carlos Lopes Pavilion in Lisbon, Portugal. The event, organized by Desafio Global, featured a 360-degree environment that combined round screens and immersive audio.