Tag Archives: RFID
How to turn your event into a social media scoop
Posted on 17. Feb, 2012 by Jonathan Cherry.
Many brands want to capitalise on social media platforms these days, but the real question is how?
How do you convince the captive audience, that you have invited to your event, to share their experience with their networks and generate loads of great free word-of-mouth reach for your business?
As a solution to this wasted opportunity – we found this analysis by Timo Arnell, a designer and researcher working with interactive products, media and emerging technologies, rather interesting.
He describes the RFID photo booth that has been used at PICNIC during the past years as a good example of a physical object that stimulates social interaction. In short, you walk into the booth (also with other people), you touch an icon, it takes a photograph and it tags you and your friends on the event’s social network.
The Cherryflava RFID Photobooth recently used at the Dimension Data Sales Conference in Johannesburg
Timo is particularly interested in the “between spaces” in conferences, like those that happen in between sessions when you meet other people. In order to further stimulate social interaction amongst the attendees, he suggests you find activities that don’t need full attention: “not full-on immersive games but stuff that you can do casually”. Using the technology (or the gadget that conveys it) shouldn’t be the main goal but a means to generate a specific behavior. It doesn’t have to interrupt but build on top of (a behavior).
“I think the real incentive for doing digital interaction is doing something more than business cards. It’s doing something about media, entertainment, something that’s engaging, [...] different and playful, not necessarily about the utility of exchanging information between people”.
Having spent the last year perfecting our own skills and infrastructure that combines RFID-technology with Facebook for use at events, we couldn’t agree more with Mr Arnell.
More: Cherryflava RFID event: Video Case study
Previously: The re-engineering of a conference – Cherryflava
Read: How to stimulate social interaction with RFID and NFC technology – link
Case study: The re-engineering of a conference
Posted on 09. Nov, 2011 by Jonathan Cherry.
Conferences should be fun
On of our best clients is Dimension Data. They really get it – and are dedicated to pushing the innovation envelope when it comes to their conferences. They understand that hosting a conference is a huge opportunity to demonstrate forward thinking to the people that matter – the people attending the event.
Most brands [even the seemingly progressive ones] when hosting events, surprisingly just can’t tear themselves away from the standard conference format. It’s the same ol’ format with the same ol’ tired outcome at the end. It feels like event organisers are too scared to do something different for a change.
Last year, we produced a conference quite out of the ordinary with a 2-week long game called State of Grace. This year we stayed physically in Sandton, but instead produced interactive and immersive elements for the event that enhanced the overall message and experience of innovation.
Finishing touches to the RFID stations
RFID tag technology has remarkable applications for events, allowing you to blur the barrier between physical interactions, digital tracking and social media integration. We designed, prototyped and build a series of RFID stations, which we placed throughout the conference venue - tracking each participant’s progress between sub-venues through the day. All were build from scratch in our lab using Netbooks and Arduino circuit boards and software applications that we wrote. Tags were personalised and loaded with individual information that even indicated the preferred beverage of the conference goers to the barman at the end of it all. Unexpected touches that make a huge difference and all possible with the technology.
Our RFID-trigger photo booth
Part of the series of stations was an over-sized RFID triggered photo booth [that we also designed and built from scratch] that tagged photos with the names of the people triggering the shot based on the RFID cards swipped. These images were then displayed in real time via large projections to the dance venue at the end of the event. At one stage we had eight people crammed into the booth firing multiple images of themselves and then running through to the dance floor to revue they efforts.
RFID picture taking and tagging
Some couldn't stay away
In the repackaging of the conference content we also created a 2m high hologram [for real] and a 5-minute long 3D-projection mapping that was displayed on a partially wrapped 14m x 5m specially design stage. We used the backdrop of the mapping throughout the conference as a dynamic theme to pull all of the content together.
[Once the video of that mapping is complete we'll share more about that then.]
Projection mapping set up
Space ship masking
Mapped conference backdrop
In conclusion: Our philosophy is that an event or a conference that people have elected to attend is an unbelievable opportunity to WOW! people with your brand. We hear a lot about ‘death by PowerPoint’ these days, but in truth it’s not PowerPoint that’s putting people to sleep, it’s the company’s unimaginative intention behind that presentation that’s the crying shame. If you’ve managed to attract an audience to your gig – do them, and your brand a favour and make sure the overall experience is remarkable and unforgettable.
To infinity and beyond...
Invest the budget and leverage off the massive amount of word-of-mouth you could potentially generate. In an overcrowded global media environment it’s the hardest working investment you can make. If you’re not sure how – call us.
Cherryflava creates futuristic 3D projection mapping magic
Posted on 24. Oct, 2011 by Jonathan Cherry.
Our stage that forms part of the mapping
We’re in Joburg at the moment creating some 3D projection mapping and RFID magic for one of our corporate clients. We’ll be shooting a small video of some of it to show you after it’s all done and dusted on Wednesday. The platform is a corporate conference, the experience of which we have transformed using our background in producing commercial alternate realities and a huge dollop of interactive technology awesomeness.
Posting on the blog will resume at full-speed on Thursday.
Tactile technology
Posted on 25. Jul, 2011 by Jonathan Cherry.
Using RFID and modern technology – just about any static display can be turned into an amazing interactive surface that can make any bland information entertaining.
Create a Chemical Reaction is an interactive exhibit in the Science Storms wing of the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. Using specially-tagged pucks, visitors can grab atoms from the periodic table and combine them to cause chemical reactions.
Wish they had one of these at school when we were trying to understand chemistry.
[thanks Sam]
Asics interactive: New York City marathon campaign
Posted on 19. Nov, 2010 by Jonathan Cherry.
If you’ve ever run a marathon – you’ll know that at certain stages of your marathon journey you tend to question your mental stability. You ask yourself probing questions like: Are you really dumb enough to put yourself through such physical agony? How much does a Wii Fit cost? Will this bleeding groin chaff leave a scar?
Thanks to Asics – during this year’s New York marathon, the crazies didn’t have to ponder theses serious questions alone. Courtesy of some fairly basic technology and a load of hi-tech signage – they had their families make them feel bad about their poor athletic perfomance to contend with too.
It’s a simple idea that makes an otherwise impersonal experience more personal. Just must have cost a pretty penny to produce with the multilayered media they used, but money well spent.
Coca Cola village offers Facebook access in real-life
Posted on 23. Aug, 2010 by Jonathan Cherry.
If you can ignore the cheesy marketing dude voice-over in this video – it’s yet another worthwhile example of digital going analog as part of an experiential event for Coca Cola.
Using RFID tags, this project by Coke in Israel allowed people to “like” real world objects and places, with these “likes” appearing immediately in their Facebook status. via
