Live communication: reality and appearance
Technology is increasingly becoming a jack-of-all-trades at events as well: multimedia tools bring people near and far together, and three-dimensional projections blur the lines between reality and illusion.
It's that moment when thousands of wristbands light up simultaneously, move to the beat of the music and the entire stadium seems to pulsate. On New Year's Eve in 2025, FC Bayern Munich's basketball arena was transformed into a glowing universe of LEDs, lasers and augmented reality - a pop spectacle that shows what will shape event marketing and live communication in the future: Technology that not only impresses with special effects, but also connects emotionally.
Several elements were used for the "Schlagerboom" concert last December: a monumental LED stage, projections, light and laser choreographies and augmented reality effects that seamlessly connect the stage and the room.
The boundaries between reality and appearance become blurred. Jürgens TV produced the event for Bayerischer Rundfunk and commissioned the content production studio Luppix to create the video elements. The visuals were designed to accompany each song, visually expand the stage and create a sense of depth. The video effects and AR elements came via modern media servers. The audience became part of the production - every wrist, every glance, every beat was embedded in the experience.
Faber Creative Services is also involved with such high-impact concepts. On its Instagram channel, the event technology service provider presents the full range of its skills, including the example of Dell. At its annual "Dell Technologies Forum" congress in Frankfurt am Main, the technical event service provider created a special show effect: at the beginning of the "Opening Session", Tim van Wasen was not on stage - at least not in the flesh. Whoever stood there and spoke like the Managing Director of Dell Technologies in Germany was his virtual alter ego. The digital image, which looked amazingly similar to the real Tim van Wasen, spoke to the presenter, responded to questions in real time and addressed current events in the room. A great show effect.
What is a metahuman?
The idea came from van Wasen himself. The Managing Director didn't just want to talk about innovation, he also wanted the audience to experience it first-hand. Customers and partners should see and experience what is possible with their own eyes. Together with Faber Creative Services, the Dell Technologies team developed a concept that aimed to set new standards both technologically and creatively. Modern technology made it possible: the 3D avatar was created using a full-body scan by Tim van Wasen, which captured tens of thousands of data points and coordinates. This data was used to create a "metahuman", which was able to reproduce movements, facial expressions and gestures on stage in real time. "This is a new way of using technology to create art," explains Matt Finke, CEO and Managing Director of Faber Creative Services.
SmartVillage also works with digital twins - albeit in a different context. The provider of event spaces in Munich, Cologne and Berlin allows companies to virtually inspect the event spaces and plan their events directly in them. "Thanks to photorealistic 3D visualization, all rooms can be explored virtually," says Markus Semmler, Head of Event and Project Management at SmartVillage. "This allows you to customize the floor plan, design the furnishings or try out different set-ups as if you were there yourself. Especially when several decision-makers are involved, you can tinker with the layout together in real time."
The end result is a clear, coordinated concept that SmartVillage then implements one-to-one with its customers. So if you want to make your event as perfect as possible, the event manager advises you not only to look for the most beautiful room - but also for the innovative technologies behind it.
Invisible backbone
Once the event has been planned, HubSpot comes into play - like an "invisible backbone in the background", as Semmler describes it. The CRM system transfers inquiries on the website directly to the customer database via an intelligent form. "This saves our customers time because they immediately receive accurate information. It helps us to process each inquiry in a targeted and personal way," says the SmartVillage manager. He and his team use the tool to manage the entire lead and sales funnel: From the initial contact to the final booking, the event location providers accompany their prospective customers through individually tailored email follow-ups and automated information routes. "HubSpot also evaluates the interest profile so that our event staff know exactly which topics the customers are interested in - and can respond to them in a targeted manner." This process enables the team to make a seamless transition from the online inquiry to the actual meeting at the event. "Without any frictional losses or unnecessary coordination," says Semmler happily.
During the event on site, guests are usually surrounded by digital content as soon as they enter the rooms. Semmler and his team use the PosterBooking digital signage software to control all displays in the event locations centrally from the headquarters. "Whether welcome messages, individual daily programs or last-minute schedule changes: The content can be time-controlled and displayed live on all screens," he says.
This has proved particularly useful for larger events. Changing sessions, breakouts or time-critical updates appear on all screens in a matter of seconds or only in the relevant rooms. "Our team doesn't have to be physically on site to ensure maximum information presence," explains Semmler, who puts the efficiency gains from the individual tools at between 60 and 90 percent. Digital networking makes it possible.
André Sutter agrees that high-quality technology is now standard and is also expected by visitors. The Head of Marketing at the event management company Habegger in Regensdorf in the canton of Zurich notes that the shared experience is once again taking center stage, which was not possible during the coronavirus pandemic. Even the hyped social media could not replace such an emotional, personal live experience. However, it is also important to offer events not only on site, but also remotely.
In view of tight budgets, it is important today to get the most out of limited resources - and to prove it. Habegger has developed a solution to determine whether an event achieves the content objectives that the organizer has set itself: With knw.net, event organizers can record participant reactions live and gain valuable insights into topic interest and format effectiveness on an ongoing basis. Using a combination of cameras, sensors and AI-based analysis software, the tool collects anonymized movement and mood data. It can be used to precisely measure the length of stay, attention and emotional reactions of visitor groups. A user-friendly dashboard displays the results so that event organizers can optimize both the security situation and the effectiveness of content and placements in real time. In addition to large public events, we also use knw.net for corporate events, trade fair appearances and roadshows, for example to analyse visitor flows and interests and to optimize programme structures in a data-driven manner. "Our real-time analysis allows us to flexibly adapt the content to the current mood at the event," explains the Head of Marketing, comparing it to a weather radar in the cockpit. "This allows us to react during the event and not just retrospectively."
"In view of tight budgets, it is important today to get the maximum out of limited resources - and to prove it."
