Digital signage for events can be easy to overlook when you are planning an event but on the day screens can have a big impact.

We love working on events, from the build-up and content planning to the excitement and energy once doors open.

This October, we provided signage for not one but two prolific marketing conferences: PerformanceIN Live 2017 in London and the Digital Marketing Summit 2017 in Southampton.

PerformanceIN Live (24th-25th October)

PerformanceIN Live was attended by over 2,500 international marketers, publishers, influencers and affiliates. All the big players in performance marketing were represented with a diverse lineup of speakers including the Condé Nast of social media Steven Bartlett, Emma Jones MBE and Rugby Sevens Fiji Coach Ben Ryan.
A network of digital signage screens greeted attendees around the Old Billingsgate, formerly London’s main fish market, an19th century Grade 2 listed building on the River Thames, overlooking Tower Bridge and South Bank.

Sponsorship messaging

Strategically placed around the venue to ensure maximum footfall and attention, screens served a number of functions throughout the event. They were used to promote and thank PILIVE17’s generous sponsors, without whom such a successful event would not have been possible. Offering sponsorship coverage on digital signage screens at an event is an attractive addition to any sponsorship package that can help close deals.

Concessions promotions

Screens were also used to advertise the array of food stalls attending the event. Mouth-watering images and video ensured everyone was hungry by lunchtime, with most attendees having already decided their meal of choice long before joining the queues! By promoting the concessions offered within the event, PerformanceIN were able to retain attendees who otherwise might have left the event for lunch.

Recorded interviews

Throughout the event, professional videographers were recording interviews from speakers and attendees. This real-time content, once edited, was uploaded to the screens in minutes, broadcasting the content around the venue. Interspersed between other messages and adverts, this video content provided a nice contrast and had many people stopping to listen to interviews. It was great to share this content on the day and not just on social media.

Attendee interaction

Our favourite element of the digital signage at PerformanceIN Live was the way they used screens to encourage the use of their bespoke event app. The PILIVE17 app was a brilliant feature of the event, allowing guests to register for talks, check their personal timetable, network and much more.
Using screens around the venue to remind attendees to download and use the app boosted engagement and gave the event a real digital favour, appropriate at a leading marketing conference!

When it came to the event talks themselves, screens again teamed up with the event’s app to provide a unique audience experience. At the end of each keynote, attendees were welcomed to post their questions to the speaker through the app. These questions were then pulled up onto a screen, projected for the audience to see. Further interactivity was achieved with the option to ‘vote up’ other people’s questions, this ensured the most popular and useful queries were answered. Digital signage for events opens up all kinds of possibilities like this.

Digital Marketing Summit Southampton 2017 (19th-20th October)

The Digital Marketing Summit Southampton was a specialist marketing event attended by over 300 marketing professionals. The two-day conference combined a day of presentations from acclaimed speakers, with a day of practical workshops where attendees could receive tailored and actionable advice. Top international experts arrived from Europe and the US to attend, with giants like Google and Microsoft represented.
The event took place at the Novotel Southampton in the city centre, close to St Mary’s Stadium and the Solent Sky Museum. Upon arrival, attendees were welcomed by a digital screen so they knew they were in the right place!

Event schedule

One of the greatest challenges faced by event organisers is keeping attendees informed about the schedule, making sure they know where to be and at what times. Digital signage for events helps achieve this by integrating with live timetables. Last minute changes to the schedule, whether timings need to be changed or sessions moved around, can be updated with ease and amended instantly. 
The Digital Marketing Summit in Southampton was brilliantly organised, with no fears of delays or schedule changes. A screen in the foyer area of the hotel and a projector on the live stage simply refreshed the event’s itinerary throughout the day so people knew what was coming up.

Social media

As you would have expected as marketing conferences, both events were great at using social media around and during the events to create a hype around speakers and document to those not in attendance.
DMSSO displayed a live Twitter feed on screen, pulling in tweets featuring their official hashtag. An alternative way of showcasing social media using signage would have been to embed a particular account and then retweet messages from attendees. Both options are great at fostering engagement with audiences online.

Attendee networking

Another way the Digital Marketing Summit Southampton utilised their digital signage was embedding a networking feature of their website.
The event created a networking board/forum online where attendees could leave a message ahead of the event, describing who they were and why they were attending. This was effective at encouraging networking before the event even began. These posts were also displayed on-screen. This small touch was appreciated by those that had taken the time to engage and helped to promote networking during the event too. Everyone likes seeing their name on a big screen!

Both PerformanceIN Live and the Digital Marketing Summit Southampton were a huge success with deployments enhancing attendee experience.

For help with digital signage at your event, please contact TrouDigital to discuss your requirements. We would love to help and provide your big project with something special.