A stunning 24 degree day prvided the perfect backdrop for the transformation of the site: a huge flat carpark that had previously housed the pop-up display suite. A clear-span marquee anchored the space and a team of fantastic suppliers brought in stylish furniture and staging that spoke to the finishes of the Signature Broadbeach interiors, with touches of white marble, gold accents and clean lines. A fresh and generous grazing table reflected the quality level of execution and sparkling water, champagne and beer kept guests cool whilst they mingled under the briliant sunshine.

Striking signage brought the architecture and landscaping of Signature Broadbeach to life, providing a backdrop for the “ground-breaking” photo opportunites, which were enjoyed not only by the Project team, but also by buyers who had flown in to be part of the occasion.

SHOOT A HOOP/WIN  A BURGER

Colour and movement was the tone of the day, and even the poor Melbourne weather (rains and overcast) couldn’t deter involvement! We created a vibrant hub of activity and fun with a “Block Party” that invited the community to engage in a friendly competition to see who could ‘Shoot a Hoop” and Win a Burger from a participating retailer. The colour palette was striking with the overall Campaign creative signage drawing attention to the tone of the Activation.

ENGAGE IN CONVERSATION

The purpose of this element of the project was to engage with shoppers, visitors and residents of Polaris 3083 Town Centre to understand what events and programs they would enjoy. Place-based engagement was the chosen method of engagement, speaking with people as they went about their daily activities and use the centre. Our partners The Conversation Caravan were brought in to deliver this element, which ended up taking place inside due to the wet weather, however this ended up providing a sanctuary for people to spend time. A magical face-painter also provided an opportunity for parents and carers to chat with the team about their responses and thoughts around the following 4 questions:

Q1. What do you love doing with your friends and family?

Q2. What activities and programs would help you or your family learn something new?

Q3. What activities and programs would help you to connect more with your family?

Q4. What activities and programs will make visiting Polaris Town Centre more fun for you and/or your family?

The team at ENGAGE are always looking for opportunities to create activations that recognise our place in the global community and offer ways to make a real difference through experiential marketing. Cromwell Property Group were onboard from the moment we pitched partnering with SolarBuddy to produce the Project Shine Campaign. The campaign invited Northpoint’s local business community to become agents for change in their lunchtime, by building a SolarBuddy solar light and writing a personalised letter to the recipient – shining a light on energy poverty and demonstrating how one small act of kindness can change the life of a child in our global community.

The gift of a SolarBuddy solar light helps children living in energy poverty to continue studying long after the sun goes down improving their education outcomes and overall health and wellbeing. Children also spend less time collecting firewood for cooking and heating and instead spend more time attending class, preparing for exams and completing homework assignments.

A custom designed and built installation took centre-stage for completed SolarBuddys to be placed on, with a daily “light-up to showcase how many lights had been completed each day.

RETAILER INTEGRATION

ENGAGE worked with Northpoint retailers to produce a “Buddy”-themed promotion for shoppers across the campaign. We encouraged them to work around the concept of “Bring a Buddy” or a friend referral offer, where they both receive a reward for either referring a friend or being referred, which tied in neatly with the Project Shine SolarBuddy Campaign.

Event Produced by AliveEngage in association with Alive Events Agency.

A targeted activation was a prime opportunity to generate some buzz and excitement in the lead up to Christmas, and also provided a way to test the market and provide solid data to formulate the future engagement strategy for both customers and retailers.

Shopping centre activation has hit a new level in the past five years. Driven by increased competition, improved retail mixes and a desire to occupy a singular position, Centres and brand experience agencies such as ENGAGE have sought to create integrated campaigns that contain a mixture of peak moments and always-on interactions.

ENGAGE designed the vibrant and interactive “13 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS” campaign for Northpoint, which consisted of 13 activation days from 28 November – 14 December. A custom designed “Pick-A-Present” display that invited shoppers who spent a certain amount to show their receipt in order to pick a present. Signage supported the promotion across the Centre and engaging promotional staff encouraged passing foot traffic to enter the Centre, make a purchase and take part in the giveaway.

In addition, every Pick-A-Present participant went into the draw to win a $1000 gift card to spend in the Centre which encouraged participation and was an opportunity to collect data on the shoppers. A PR campaign to support the promotion of the campaign and 3 social media influencers participated and promoted the campaign. As ENGAGE is a nimble agency, the team was able to identify that dropping the minimum spend to enter the Pick-A-Present competition from $20 to $10 would increase participation, and so half-way through the activation period this change was made.

Speciality Northpoint cookies and balloons delivered to key surrounding offices to encourage employees to visit the Centre and participate in the promotion

The International Donut Day Activation was tailored specifically for 120 Collins Street.

The strategy to engage existing registered portal tenants, as well as drive portal database growth, was to offer a limited number of free donuts to those who registered. This was advertised on signage during the prepromotion phase in the lobby, on the portal and through the customer service representatives at 120 Collins Street.

To establish community engagement we created a dedicated International Donut Day activation area. This eye catching and fun lobby installation included a donut station decorated with a colourful balloon garland, custom-made donut balloons of which were hand painted and decorated plus colourful and fun furniture.

Specialty donut artists in donut inspired uniforms were on hand decorating customised donuts from an array of delicious toppings which included decadent fondants, toppings and glazes.

Equiem staff were available to register tenants on the spot which further increased portal database growth and created conversation opportunities to strengthen ties and ensure positive interaction between the asset and tenants.

Overcoming a challenge requires a real solution. In developing brand activations, identifying the solution is best done by going to the root cause of the issue. Obtaining data is a challenge; the solution is to provide a relevant reward. Creating community engagement is a challenge; local partnerships will build strong community ties. Acland Street retailers had not been backward in expressing their dissatisfaction with the closure of the famous promenade to traffic, resulting in a sudden decline in retail sales. The council had a serious PR problem, even if only in the short-term before awareness grew and the warmer months brighten the St.Kilda sands again. The solution was more people. Activity. Life. Shoppers! And more than just the presence of bodies, it was necessary to build the character of the space and create a new identity for Acland Street in the mindset of locals and retailers.

As an experiential agency, not only do we know how to create life and draw people in, we also own the means to do it. Our warehouse holds a range of event-ready furniture, display devices, props, games, décor and styling gems. So when our event designer set about making a pop-up playground, the means were close at hand. A series of coloured shapes at various heights were strategically placed along site-lines to interrupt passers-by and create interest. Once they were in the activation space – a newly paved area joining the two sides of the now defunct road – the options to be creative, interact and while away the time were plentiful. Giant versions of chess, Jenga and Connect 4 created friendly rivalries and the chance to make new friends. Art blocks – over-sized white cubes with coloured chalk in arms reach – were an instant hit, allowing the activation to become a record of itself over the duration. The space was layered in key locations with astroturf, which managed to soften the abundance of concrete and provide additional places for kids to sit and just be. Parents were happy to sip coffee (from a local retailer!) whilst sitting on a coloured cube – exactly as we hoped they would. As this activation took place during the school holidays and across the AFL Grand Final weekend, kids and families were not in short supply, hence the need to supply materials with the dual purposes of décor and seating.

Being a community event in a public area with a strong skew towards younger patrons, we stationed a supervisor at the activation across the 4 days. This also enabled us to maintain the cleanliness and order of the infrastructure and facilitate a speedy pack-down each night into a vacant storeroom adjacent to the site. The onsite ambassador was also able to promote the council’s involvement in the project and manage ‘story time’, which was provided by the local library each day at the site.

The City of Port Phillip Acland Street pop-up playground was conceived out a simple desire to be visible and attractive. Simple techniques – colour, size, interactivity – played their part, along with community integration and effective time-planning.

An event plan is more than just a document that includes contacts, runsheets and site drawings. Truth be told, an event plan starts way before the first supplier is contacted or even considered. It begins with an overall vision for the event; everything that the event is about; why it is happening, who is it for and what type of experience are you looking to deliver. With the Athlete’s Village handover event for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, the vision was clear – a premium, stakeholder occasion that showcased the development, but equally, the character and uniqueness of the region. Guests needed to leave feeling like they had had a true Hinterland experience, and that the developer and the building acknowledged the local inspiration in all its colour and richness. This was the event plan.

Like no other, this property development event relied on our awareness of the key elements that make an event what it is, and then knowing the people or organisations that can deliver these to brief. First amongst these was – and often is – the food. Catering sets the tone for the evening and is often the one element people recall over all others. ‘Local‘ was the key ingredient and essential to creating a unique experience. In this instance, we were aware of a former Masterchef finalist based in Queensland who was known for his bespoke menus created from local ingredients for corporate events. The food at this event was described by one of our senior team members as the best she had tasted “in 15 years of doing these types of events”, and that is quite a statement considering her experience in experiential marketing. Mouth-watering Mooloolaba King prawns, a delicious cheese selection from nearby Woombye Farmhouse and a Buderim Ginger and mint infused signature cocktail were just some of the gastronomic delights on offer that night.

Decor and styling elements were given just as much attention. Designed to support the intense tones and bold architecture of the Athlete’s Village, the furniture was elegant yet unobtrusive in quantity, placement and appearance. Floral arrangements inspired by Queensland coastal native grasses and Gold Coast succulents greeted guests and provided pops of muted colour, but also curated to play a supporting role to the building we were there to launch. Staff were hand-picked for their bubbly Queensland dispositions and fully briefed to converse informally with guests about the unique qualities of the food and signature mocktails.

Experiential touchpoints included some that were mandatory based on their importance to the development as well as some that were custom-built by our event designer. Created specifically for the internal hallways of the new building was a 96m continuous artwork inspired by the sun and moon cycle of the Queensland bush. Our client was keen to showcase this original work, but initially had only a rough idea of how to incorporate such a giant installation. The end result was a 300m square marquee, completely black to the sun that housed the work in a heightened, sense-deprived experience. One truly ‘lived’ this immersive artwork. Another priority for our client was showcasing the giant outdoor sculpture that sat adjacent to the event space. Designed specifically to represent the heart of the village precinct, the 60m installation was introduced to guests on the night through a dazzling lightshow that included a custom-built soundscape. The lightshow revealed and complimented the sculpture but was never so overpowering as to clash with the subtle throw lighting that washed the surrounding buildings. As an accomplished brand experience agency, we knew balance was always going to be required to ensure the true character of the development was conveyed to all.

Sensitivity was also called for when acknowledging and profiling the indigenous qualities of the project. A local elder performed a Welcome to Country followed by a Deadly Award-winning musician, from Queensland and respectful of the local tribal elders on whose ground she was performing. The journey to the ‘art marquee’ was made more authentic through the placement of an indigenous didgeridoo player en route, with the enchanting Australian bush sound drifting up through the cool twilight air being one of the most moving experiences of the night.

Shopping centre activation has hit a new level in the past five years. Driven by increased competition, improved retail mixes and a desire to occupy a singular position, Centres and brand experience agencies such as ENGAGE have sought to create integrated campaigns that contain a mixture of peak moments and always-on interactions. ‘Place-making’ – the term used to describe the process and outcome of being inspired by local stories and characteristics – is finding increasing value in the shopping-centre space, particularly as it pertains to design and visual elements. Our involvement in the Grand Central launch was a perfect example of this new approach, and one which we took very seriously based on the visibility of the outcome and its propensity to drive PR content.

Launching in spring and around the same time as the iconic, 60-year-old Towoomba Carnival of Flowers, the subject of our installation seemed an obvious one. The variety of textures, colours, shapes and hanging options available to florals also gave us – and the designer – plenty of scope to vary the execution at each of the three locations. However, as an experiential agency, well-versed in product launches and property development events, we know that impact and memorability are created when an artful twist takes the viewer in an unexpected direction. Hence our decision to install giant, colourful PAPER flowers from the roof of the new Centre. A paper application also mitigated operational concerns around upkeep, longevity and appearance.

Experienced paper artists are not easy to find however, especially ones working on this scale. Thus, a significant consideration in the planning stage for this project was finding the right collaborator, which happily resulted in the engagement of Benja Harney, a paper engineer extraordinaire. With over 12 years’ experience developing a body of work that pushes the possibilities of the paper medium, Benja and his studio, Paperform, are at the top of their game in this country.

Central to the design phase of the installations was identifying techniques for representing Grand Central’s four core values. An exhaustive process of modelling and experimentation allowed us to work closely with the designer to achieve an on-brand execution that truly spoke to all four values with sensitivity and devotion: ‘Genuine’ was captured by respecting weight and gravity and hanging the heaviest elements at the lowest point. ‘Charming’ was evident in the detail and warm, matte finishes. ‘Spirited’ was brought to life via bold colours matched subtly and through interlocking forms. ‘Pioneering’ – perhaps the hardest to manifest – was referred to in scale and by juxtaposing repetition with open form. Anything we produce, from visual displays to brand and sponsorship activations, always takes the soul of the brand as its most influential element. Nothing else creates the kind of ENGAGEment we are known for.

The final piece of the puzzle was the installation, which despite a few operational issues – such as the remoteness and size of the assemblage area – was seamless. Nothing is ever a certainty in large-scale activations that take shape in spaces being completed as you are bumping in! But this is the nature of shopping centre launches and one that we are very comfortable with.

Event Produced by Alive Engage in association with Alive Events Agency.

No matter where you are, or why you are there, urban street events need to be original and provide enough interaction to ensure people have a good time, share a good time and walk away happy and pleasantly surprised. To achieve a consummate experience, there needs to be layers of activity that work well together. The EcoWorld event, aptly (without a letter to spare!) named the ‘SY Spring Festival by Yarra One’, was designed with a particular look and feel that allowed the event designer to create perfect synergies between contributing elements.

First and foremost, the ‘urban oasis’ aesthetic was ideal for the season and inner-city location. By using a soft, tropical colour palate through décor, activation and even live art pieces (more about that later), the mood of the entire space was set confidently and necessarily in the face of the city dankness that surrounded it. Even the abundant plant life was chosen for its large-leaf variety, and hung as well as grounded to provide a complete visual range. It should be noted at this point that this event took place in a carpark adjacent to a disused warehouse, adding yet another layer of synergism to the event, in that the ground level of the new building will become an indoor, multi-purpose community space called ‘The Atrium’.

Entertainment content at this event was also selected based on its brightness and shareability. The DJ might these days be considered ‘old skool’, but the hedonistic, upbeat tunes were exactly what the space demanded. Fun games of ping pong on brightly decaled tables and spectator-driven giant Jenga challenges were completely frivolous, but perfect for sharing with new or old friends in the urban oasis.

Artist Ellen Porteus is known for her quirky, wallpaper style illustrations, and with various collaborators across the weekend completed a wall mural that of course spoke directly to the aesthetic of the event. Banana-sized pieces of colourful chalk were laid about the place, beckoning other, yet less Instagram-worthy, “artists”, to take part in the shared creative outpouring. The result of these scribbles in no way mirrored the professional contribution of another artist on hand: fashion illustrator Sarah Darby, who provided personalised portraits to those happy to be drawn rather than draw. A truly local flavour was added with a selection of pop-up designer market stalls offering artisan-made jewellery, soaps and scarves. By providing springboards for interactivity and creativity, the construct of the space was alive and personalised. It seemed to evolve as each brush stroke was placed upon the wall or new group of kids tried their luck at Jenga.

Food provided guests with yet another chance to create their own experience, this time by the range of cuisines and servings on offer. For those looking for a sweet treat or coffee break, Melbourne icon St Gerrys was deep frying delicious Greek donuts and Coe&Coe was providing the caffeine. Lunch was served hot and soulful from Gumbo’s New Orlean’s kitchen or Nem Nem Vietnamese. Things kicked into overdrive on the second Sunday of the two-weekend event when food was provided for free, giving EcoWorld every chance of creating positive good will be appealing to the stomach of locals!

Fairfield, located just minutes from the Melbourne CBD, is the epitome of urban, educated style. Furthermore, the new Greenwich residential development is clean, crisp and modern, and the first co-mixed residential/commercial development of this scale to wear the Grocon badge. In terms of design, the development aims to become one of the area’s most sustainable and socially driven, garnering the enviable 5-Star Greenstar and Silver Standard Livable Housing accreditation while also supporting the Big Issue’s Homes for Homes initiative. To deliver an event that lived up to the panache of Fairfield and our client’s impressive new development we did our research by studying the design renders and taking as much direction from the Grocon team as possible. The result was an aesthetic – almost Scandinavian in terms of the linear qualities and muted palette – that looked amazing on the day and acted as an extension of the building we were there to celebrate.

Community integration was a key ingredient in the ‘Greenwich’ development – something that we too sought to incorporate into the sod turning event. Where Grocon had worked closely with local council and community organisations to ensure all interested parties were consulted and given the opportunity to contribute to the project, we extended on this idea by ensuring catering for the event was provided by a café just metres from the site. This may seem like a small detail, but it’s these types of ‘local stories’ that make each event special and gather maximum support now and into the future.

The guest list, including senior Grocon executives and local Ministers, would have been blissfully unaware of the challenges we overcame that morning to deliver on our promise – such as the unexpected positioning of a site office in the guest’s field of vision, however, after a quick readjustment of the floor plan we were back on track. Even some delays to bump-in due to construction conflicts was not enough to set the ENGAGE team adrift, with everything ready and delivered at the agreed time.