media wall - clever content or wasted asset

Thursday April 4, 2019 15:16

Everyone knows that an event done right doesn’t just touch those in attendance. The quality of the event, the WOW factor and substance, work hard to drive that Word of Mouth (arguably the most powerful form of marketing). And the visual delivery, the aesthetic and theatre deliver the user-generated social content. The penetration of social media onto our ever-present phones and into our everyday lives means the opportunity exists to make every one of your guests a marketing channel. 

The fastest growing social media platforms in New Zealand are Instagram and Snapchat. Both are centred around images – either static or video – and both are growing in use across the range of demographics. So, it makes complete sense that event organisers are then focused on asking the question, “What’s our shareable moment? Our Instagram shot?” when designing their experience. Sharing and content creation is no longer a nice to have, it's now becoming a key measurement of success for events.

So how do you infiltrate an Instagram account? Entertainment, food, drinks, little details, floral arrangements and artwork are often considered. But one of the most popular and effective ways that event planners use are social media walls.

A social media wall is an oversized photo backdrop that tends to contain repeating or continuous logos, design or imagery that guests want to and are encouraged to take posed photos in front of. It’s an opportunity for branding, marketing and publicity all rolled into one. If your event has numerous sponsors, then this is a quick and easy way to add value to them all simultaneously. If you have a new product, logo or brand that needs to grow awareness, a media wall is a great way to get many eyeballs with little investment. If you focused on changing brand positioning and your event is attracting the right kind of people, an image of them and your brand in the background is the perfect kind of “cool by association” activity that a media wall can deliver. 

But too many logos, a very busy design, unflattering light, or unconsidered placement can make the difference from clever content to a wasted asset. These are the things to consider before you head into the design for your media wall:

1. Size – consider if guests are likely to be arriving solo, in pairs or groups. Ensure that the social media wall is big enough to house the guests in their likely groups in a photo all together. Also factor in wall overflow to allow images to be captured from multiple angles and with wide lens, not just straight on,
2. How many logos is too many logos – ensure that there is enough clear space around each logo to make it clean and clear. But also ensure that the logo can be fully captured in shot, so that not just the last third makes the cut.
3. Lighting – ensure you have considered lighting of the media wall and the placement of the sun at the time guests will arrive. Will the sun be in their eyes, will it be dusk, is the entrance way dark and gloomy? Consider investing in hiring the right lights for the event, otherwise it could compromise the quality of the photos produced.
4. Placement – where do you want to capture your guests? Before they walk into the venue, with a drink in hand, post coat check? Will the position create a bottle neck, or will it ensure all guests are captured before they begin to socialise? Make sure you not only carefully consider where but how it works within the flow of the event.

So it’s pretty hard to argue there is no need for a social media wall but how do you get a cost-effective solution?  

We’d recommend TubeLoc media walls. These are borderless images, designed to ensure that every inch of space is prioritised for promotion. They minimise wasted space by doing away with traditional frames, instead using a lightweight alternative and the fabric over the frame that is then zipped to pull the skin taught ensuring the perfect fit and providing a seamless display with a sleek, crease-free fabric.

We have a range of sizes available and for those odd occasions can even customise these for more bespoke applications. Perhaps most importantly, the fabric graphics are glare free and produce vibrant colours through the high-resolution sublimated printing technique to ensure the best outcome for your brand and associated imagery.

Ensure that your next event has a dedicated space for guests and content creators to generate and share content. Do it right and every image taken becomes a promotional tool for your business, endorsed by the person that posted it.