How to Brilliantly Execute Immersive Entertainment

By: Michael Brown, Senior Design and Development Manager, Las Vegas

Everyone in the meeting and events industry is buzzing about immersive entertainment. Planners are looking to push the envelope, and DMCs are evolving their offerings to be more innovative and entrancing than ever before. But planning these experiences is no easy feat. Don’t worry, we’d never leave you walking on a high wire! Here, we’ll share some of our favorite trends and tech to try and important elements to keep in mind so you can soar through planning your next interactive event.

Immersive Entertainment 101

Your client or company has requested immersive entertainment for your next event… but what exactly does that mean? Let’s start with a quick overview. At its core, this approach features unconventional shows where guests actively participate in the storytelling process. Typically, these experiences include elements like interactive performances, roaming acts, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and immersive theater. The key is to invite participants to engage with the narrative and their environment. 

Why Audiences Crave Interactive Experiences

We’ve all yawned our way through a dull performance or a less-than-exciting presentation. When they learn what you have planned, the last thing you want your audience to think is “been there, seen that.” Traditional entertainment puts attendees firmly in the backseat, watching the content pass them by. Interactive entertainment enables the audience to become the co-pilot, actively driving the experience forward, changing its path, and engaging more meaningfully. Often, multi-sensory elements to these performances go further than ever in involving a guest’s whole self, leaving no room for boredom. Collaborative elements also help break the ice and enable colleagues to form deeper bonds. The technological and performance options available create an emotional connection with the audience that goes well beyond the expected.

The Fundamentals of Executing Flawless Immersive Events

Choose Your Event Types Wisely

Are you ready to dive in feet first? We don’t blame you! However, not all corporate events are created equal, and immersive elements are not one-size-fits-all. These performances are best suited to programs where you have the budget and footprint to make a splash, and fostering bonding amongst attendees is a primary goal. We’re talking product launches, conferences or trade shows, team-building events, galas and fundraisers, and networking events. 

Find the Right Partners

As you might expect, specialized entertainment requires specialized expertise. There are a few fundamentals you want to look for when deciding which professionals to collaborate with.

• Trust the Experts: Find skilled artists, designers, and filmmakers with a proven track record in high-end productions. Ask to see videos of past performances in their portfolio to ensure you’re getting the best of the best.
• Invest in Production Value: Again, these experiences are not a low-budget option. You’ll need to pay for high-quality production elements such as lighting, sound, set design, and costumes. 
• Attention to Detail: Every aspect of the experience should be meticulously created—from costumes to props and event staff training. Your partner should be ready and willing to participate in every aspect of the process to help bring your vision to life.

Remember Your “Why”

When designing an experience like this, it can be easy to get swept away on the tide of creativity. However, as with any event you plan, everything should be centered around your primary purpose of getting people together. If you’re planning a formal awards ceremony or shareholder meeting, immersive entertainment might be seen as more of a distraction than an enhancement. Corporate culture plays a role here, too, as not all audiences will be open to being active participants and would prefer a more passive role.

Emerging Trends & Tech to Embrace

360DG’s Annalise Corso, Creative Services Manager, Corporate, authored an amazing blog on current event trends. Some highlights included futuristic event tech, neuro-inclusive design, and a focus on wellness. In the world of immersive events, these trends are shining through in innovative and engaging ways! Here are a few of our favorites.

• Enhanced Virtual Reality (VR) Experiences: VR headsets have come a long way in the past few years, including lighter designs, higher resolution, and better tracking. These advancements have empowered more fully immersive experiences across gamification, brand storytelling, and virtual tourism.
• Augmented Reality (AR) Integration: AR blends digital experiences with the physical world through mobile devices and wearables like smart glasses. The event applications are seemingly endless in terms of how they enable attendees to experience narrative or interact socially.
• Leveraging New Tech: One request that our clients have been a-buzz about is integrating drones into entertainment options. We’ve had drones tend bar and even planned branded performances featuring drone choreography!
• Mental Health and Well-Being: Incorporating wellness aspects into events has been a priority for our clients the last few years. These personalized experiences lend themselves well (get it?) to immersive activations. We’ve combined mindfulness sessions, relaxation zones, and even whole-body experiences. You can also leverage emerging tech like virtual and augmented reality here, using serene virtual environments and guided meditations.  

Immersion in Action

How about a little real-world inspiration? Here are some examples of how we’ve taken popular immersive entertainment options and brought them to life for our clients.

Themed Characters

Try to align roaming performances with your event’s theme. The event you see here was a Party on the Moon, meant to be otherworldly and playful. Our client wanted to incorporate elements of Cirque du Soleil performances, perfectly at home in Las Vegas, to create an atmosphere that defied gravity and expectations.

Human Art Installations

Immersive entertainment enables entertainment to flourish in the intersection between artwork and movement. You can invite guests to witness creative evolution firsthand while providing an evocative and stunning backdrop by employing performance artists who can create live art installations that change throughout your event. Our client wanted to create a steampunk-style event that encapsulated the theme of momentum. Our performance, set on a moving stage, certainly fit the bill!

Culinary Performers

Pairing catering with performance art is always a delicious combination. Using themed characters to serve food or treats can take your event theme even further. Whether the chefs put on a show or the servers offer up bites or drinks in an innovative way, the results are always sweet!

If you’re ready to make your next event a real show-starter (see what we did there?), we’re here for it! Whether you’re planning a meeting or event in Vegas or beyond, the options are as endless as your imagination. We hope that you’re feeling inspired and ready to embark on your next immersive entertainment adventure. Our team would be honored to help you bring it to life.