Themed events come in several types. The most common ones use a broad, easily recognised theme to give guests an instant understanding of the event experience, while a more nuanced theme can be used to highlight business goals and bring a brand to life.
Live communication agency Uniplan Hong Kong says themes should be carried through all aspects of the event, not just in the printed materials or venue décor. Entertainment should be related back to a theme as well, but one must be careful to avoid being too obvious.
Uniplan advises considering bringing catering into the theme as well, for broad themes as well as brand-driven ones. For example, an event that is highlighting the high-tech, cutting-edge nature of their customer service may not want to serve food that is traditional and old fashioned.
More than ever, content is key in creating engaging and captivating experiences. The content translates into a coherent story that brings guests on a journey to the brand. The basis of a good event is a good story.
Event planners are transforming into storytellers, creating concepts and themes that overarch the event with performances and designs that relay back to the theme.
Below are four themed events that Uniplan conceptualised to capture the hearts of the attendees:
Through a romantic story of life and love in Paris, over 1,300 VIP guests experienced a journey to “Become Part of Paris”, brought to life by dancers, world-famous performers, choreographed fireworks and an electrifying light show on the 525-feet (160-metre) tower.
For the grand opening, Uniplan transformed the base of the Eiffel Tower into one of the largest event stages in the world.
A fully customised story of Paris and Francois was created, where romance, fashion, spectacle and light were brought to life. The 30-minute show integrated the grandest activation moment they have seen to-date: a tailor-made eight-metre hot-air balloon flew over the guests to deliver the main characters on stage.
Mime artists, caricaturists, Petanque players, magicians and Parisian street sellers engaged the crowd, recreating a scene from the streets of Paris.
Uniplan personified Paris for guests to explore the city through her eyes, told through immersive movies and set pieces that culminated into a breathtaking finale of fireworks and light show.
Moët & Chandon joined hands with FilmAid Asia to present the third annual Power of Film Gala in Hong Kong, and appointed Uniplan to develop the entire event series consisting of a press session, welcome cocktail, gala dinner and after-party.
The highlight of the occasion was Uniplan’s transformation of Clearwater Bay Film Studio into a luxurious event space for the celebration and honouring of FilmAid’s recent definitive moments.
The event’s theme of “Technicolour and Monochrome” created an exciting visual experience for more than 500 guests and celebrities that attended the event.
Key celebrity appearances include Moet’s brand ambassador Fan Bingbing, Tilda Swinton, Donnie Yen and Jamie Campbell.
To ensure guests experience the power of cinema and understand the heritage of the industry through the event, the venue space design had to embrace the cinematic elements of the raw venue and incorporate old cinematic techniques with a modern twist.
Trick of the Eye – A mixture of optical illusions was used as one of the decorations and a play on perspectives to bring the theme to life.
To play on the theme “Trick of the Eye”, an oversized chair, a television set with a giant popcorn bag and a mannequin located in the middle of the space were created to wow the guests and allow unique photo opportunities to project a strong brand presence.
As the guests left the glamorous press area, they entered into a raw space framed with waiters on both sides, carrying champagne on trays just like usherettes in a cinema.
The Essence of Luxury. This was the theme of the all-new Mercedes Maybach S-Class Launch on top of the Hong Kong Central Pier 4.
The launch was all about showcasing the Maybach S-Class and the Pullman, one of the most expensive and limited cars in the world, to over 500 media partners and VIP guests.
Uniplan designed and created an event that stayed true to the brand, all the while accentuating the beauty and elegance of the Maybach S-Class.
The massive glowing transparent marquee at the top of Pier 4, viewable from key financial towers in Hong Kong, also became the talk of the town and translated into significant coverage across social media.
The highlight of the event was the unveiling of the Maybach S-Class models through a classical contemporary dance performance, fusing the classical ballet with contemporary dance, to bring out the sophistication of S-Class.
Throughout the event, LED costumed servers with gourmet canapés and champagne as well as a contact juggler roamed the floors as VIP guests admired the elegance and luxury of the two new models.
Uniplan designed the launch around two main colours, blue and black to create a luxurious atmosphere and to incorporate the brand DNA into the design.
Lighting system played a key role in producing a glowing marquee in the centre of Hong Kong.
Brand activation events require some of the most meticulous and creative minds to pull the heartstrings of attendees and embed a lasting branding perception to the memory. What are some of your most inspiring themed events?
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