That's Interesting - May 2023

“Every great idea came out of work. If you sit around and wait for a bolt of lightning you may never get a good idea.” – Chuck Close, Artist

Welcome to May’s That’s Interesting. This month we draw inspiration from theatre and museum design, and share practical tips for using AI within your events. 

Most Interesting

Behind the mask

(30min Listen)

Punchdrunk Enrichment were fabulous contributors to our Audiences Unleashed breakfast. This podcast sheds light on how they think about experience design. 


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Events Build Trust

(4min Read)

There’s no other media channel that builds employee or customer trust like live experiences.

Learning from Museums

(5min Read)

Experience design tips relevant to business and brands.

Steve Job's Storytelling Framework

(3min Read)

Gold dust for anyone who needs to build a presentation.

Practical Uses for AI in your Next Event

(5min Read)

Everyone should be experimenting with ChatGPT and other AI tools.

Where Do Ideas Come From?

(5min Watch)

Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get the work done.

Alptitude

(2min Explore)

Perhaps the ultimate brain-friendly leadership experience.

Something to go to

Interesting 2023

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That's Interesting - April 2023

“Your audience gives you everything you need. They tell you. There is no director who can direct you like an audience.” - Fanny Brice

Welcome to April’s That’s Interesting. Amongst other things, we share two brilliant reports giving valuable insight into how audiences are changing and how live experiences might respond – nicely summed up as ‘captivate, don’t capture’.

Most Interesting

Meet Your New Generation

(15min Read)

Tradeshow company Freeman have released their latest trends report full of smart insights on what upcoming audiences value from events. 


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900 Plastic Chairs

(3min Read)

Using multiple existing items to create event environments can be both sustainable and striking.

Glam

(30sec Watch)

Joyous animation from Dan Stein.

Google’s Xi Days

(5min Read)

Smart thinking on experience design from Google’s Experience Institute in New York.

Your Best Voice

(17min Watch)

The Old Vic has lots of useful resources, things that can be adapted from theatre for other areas of life, this video from a voice coach is one of them.

Scroll Stoppers

(10min Read)

Our friends Storythings have released their report on how hybrid working is changing attention, it’s relevant and inspiring for anyone designing live experiences.

Something to go to

Thin Air

David Hockney

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That's Interesting - February 2023

“I would rather entertain and hope that people learn something, than educate people and hope they were entertained.” - Walt Disney

Welcome to February’s That’s Interesting. As ever, we’re sharing stories and inspiration from the frontline of experience design. If you want to learn more about how we think about the event world, take a look at our report Audiences Unleashed. 

Most Interesting

President Zelensky’s Incredible Speech  

(17min Watch)

With the anniversary of the invasion imminent, it’s timely to watch yet another example of the Ukrainian President’s amazing communication skills. If anyone asks you how to write and deliver a speech, point them to this.


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Punchdrunk - Behind the Mask

(90sec Watch)

There are many Punchdrunk fans at Live Union. This documentary has been keenly awaited.

Yayoi Kusama Harrods Takeover

(50sec Watch)

Gorgeousness from Pixel Artworks.

Eurovision Stage Design

(60sec Watch)

450 metres of stage, 220 square metres of moving video screens, 700 video tiles, 1500 metres of LED.

Closed Captions Badge

(30sec Watch)

Designed as meditech, but surely has great possibilities for events.

Why Gen Z Loves Closed Captioning

(4min Read)

Expect to see more closed captioning at events in the future.

Towards a Net Zero Exhibition Stand

(2min Explore)

Feels like there’s potential to do something striking with these materials.

Something to go to

If you happen to be in Prague, check out this beautiful kinetic sculpture

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That's Interesting - January 2023

"Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is a progress; working together is success" — Edward Everett Hale

For our first That’s Interesting of 2023, we wanted to share the most interesting ideas that inspired us in the last year. Here’s a collection of our favourite entries from 2022.

Most Interesting

Audiences Unleashed   

(15 min Read)

We wrote a think piece about how event design is evolving to meet changing audience needs. We also hosted a breakfast to talk about that in November. Don’t worry if you missed it - you can still read the report!


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Beyond

(4 min Watch)

An immersive experience inside a 35m long tunnel. Incredibly inspiring!

Music Of The Spheres

(15 min Explore)

Coldplay’s latest tour definitely left a mark, with its inflatable LED spheres and the outstanding commitment to limiting its environmental impact.

Voxon Technology

(3 min Explore)

These 3D interactive holograms are definitely a good taste of what the future of immersive technology will look like.

Event Cycle

(5 min Explore)

This great resource helps turn your event materials into donations. Always great to keep it in mind!

Punchdrunk

(3 min Explore)

It’s no secret that we love Punchdrunk here at Live Union. Here’s a reminder to check out their workshops.

Things we loved seeing

Outernet

Frameless

Saint Jude

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That's Interesting - December 2022

“To say that something is designed, means it has intentions that go beyond its function. Otherwise it’s just planning.” — Ayse Birsel 

In this December’s That’s Interesting, we’re sharing ideas that will inspire you to go beyond when you’re designing experiences, and don’t stop at merely planning events.

Most Interesting

Inside The Outernet   

(5 min Explore)

This venue that calls itself a “district”, is using the latest immersive technology to bring the Metaverse directly to Oxford Street. We recommend “Room to Breathe” – a 15-minute total multi-sensory experience teaching people how to use breathwork to reduce anxiety in just four minutes.


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Dream is Destiny

(22 min Watch)

This Ted Talk by Vince Kadlubek, one of the creators of MeowWolf, delves into the power of the unknown and invites you to get in touch with your imagination.

Making Collaboration More Inclusive

(37 min Listen)

A conversation with Detria Williamson, former Chief Marketing Officer of IDEO, which covers inclusion, what it means when design becomes commoditised, and how remote and hybrid work impact inclusivity.

The Recombombulation Area

(4 min Read)

Travelling can be stressful. Milwaukee’s airport’s Recombombulation Area reminds us all that it’s okay to take a moment to breathe and “recombombulate”, when things get overwhelming.

Punchdrunk: Introduction to design

(5 min Explore)

This masterclass takes you behind the scenes on the work of PunchDrunk designers, showing you how to use images and stories to create epic and immersive worlds.

Zoomtopia

(3 min Read)

Zoom takes on the future of virtual events. We’re here to embrace it!

Flipper’s at Exhibition

(5 min Explore)

Get ready to travel back in time to the 1970s, with this West Hollywood roller rink-inspired venue. Rather head-spinning, we might add.

Voxon Technology

(3 min Explore)

Voxon technology physically builds “holograms”, using millions of points of light, so they can be viewed at any angle without glasses or headgears.

Things to see, places to go

Twist Museum

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That's Interesting - November 2022

“People ignore design that ignores people” - Frank Chimero - Designer
It strikes us that this quote is especially true of live experience design. In November’s That’s Interesting, we share stories and approaches that ensure you don’t ignore your audience.

Most Interesting

Audiences Unleashed   

(5 min Read)

On 30th November, we’re hosting a breakfast event unpacking the ideas raised in this think-piece. Book your place to hear Santander, Arm and National Grid discuss how they’re evolving their event design to meet changing audience needs.


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Spatial Chat

(5 min Explore)

These guys are leading the way in helping people collaborate in digital environments. Remember that solutions like this can be integrated into our virtual event platform, Beehive.

Nohlab

(2 min Explore)

Deeply beautiful experiences at the intersection of in-person and digital.

Karavanaoke

(2 min Explore)

It’s karaoke in a caravan. Hats off to a truly great product name.

Transformative Experiences

(30 min listen)

Former Disney Imagineer, Margaret Kerrison, discusses how Disney World attractions such as Star Wars are created. We love her description of ‘plusing’ an experience.

Are You Sitting Comfortably?

(4 min Read)

Seating should never be an afterthought. Here are 16 ways to challenge the norm.

Dance Powered Venue

(2 min Read)

Fabulous energy generating innovation at Glasgow’s SWG3.

How Experience Design Can Save The World

(3 min Read)

A format that helped Reagan and Gorbachev form a deeper relationship.

Things to see, places to go

Saint Jude

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That's Interesting - October 2022

Welcome to October's That’s Interesting. This month’s stories from the far corners of the event world, include innovative workshop ideas, set designs made of paper and inspiration for autumnal activities.

Most Interesting

Formats Unpacked   

(5 min Explore)

An occasional newsletter and online resource from the guys at Storythings. Each edition showcases an interesting media format. Amazing how often they’re applicable to events. This Billie Eilish one being a good example.


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Punchdrunk Workshop

(2 min Explore)

We’re big Punchdrunk fans at Live Union. So we’ll be checking out their online experience design workshops.

TalkMagic

(2 min Explore)

And here’s another great looking workshop. Magicians sharing secrets to help with creative problem solving.

Re-board

(3 min Explore)

It’s paper, but not as you know it. Stunning set designs, gorgeous furniture.

Listening is the new Talking

(7 min Watch)

This isn’t new but we were reminded this week of how good it is. Interestingly presentation maestros Duarte are now running listening workshops.

Metaverse and the Office

(5 min Read)

You might feel overloaded with metaverse articles, but Pop-up City produce great content and this piece has huge relevance for experience design in general.

Things to see, places to go

Frameless

Immersive art in Marble Arch

Public roof garden

A secret space to visit

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That's Interesting - September 2022

Welcome to September's That’s Interesting. This month’s stories from the far corners of the event world, include a band's innovative commitment to limiting environmental impact, reusable and sustainable vinyls and inspiration for autumnal activities.

Most Interesting

Music of Spheres Sustainability Initiatives  

(15 min Explore)

Impressive commitment to limiting the environmental impact of the band’s world tour. Also, a masterclass in how to clearly communicate what’s being done.


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The Next Web Conference

(2 min Watch)

TNW took place in Holland recently. The highlights video shows how much joy was built into what could easily have been a standard business conference. If people are going to bother to travel, they want it to be fun.

Inflatable Croydon

(1 min Read)

Yet more joy! A fabulous takeover of the streets of Cronx.

Snapchat Selfie-Drone

(4 min read)

When Snapchat spectacles first came out we had lots of fun building them into events. This gesture controlled, pocket sized selfie-drone also looks like it has plenty of scope for use in events.

Nike’s Joy Run Station

(5 min Explore)

More joy!

The Music of Spheres’ Spheres

(6 min Read)

The creative production that made it possible. Here they are in action.

Ink Factory

(4 min Read)

Live illustration is nothing new but amazing how great it looks when drawn on to backlit panels.

Ambient Vinyls

(10 min Explore)

For anyone who’s ever worried about leaving marks on venue walls, these are the answer.

Things to see, places to go

Nicer Tuesdays

The last Tuesday of the month. Some of us went in August, it was brilliant. Amongst other’s we heard from illustrator Joseph Melhuish who creates his work in VR.

Room to Breathe

Not something you normally associate with Tottenham Court Road.

Open House Festival

Two weeks of poking around buildings that are normally off-limits.

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That's Interesting - August 2022

Welcome to August’s That’s Interesting. This month’s stories from the frontline of event design include: a brilliant live art format, ways to create more inclusive experiences and inspiration for summer things to go to.

Most Interesting

Haptic Suits for Deaf Music Fans  

(2 min read)

Inspiring story unpacked by the team behind it at Not Impossible Labs


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Events’ Inclusivity Problem

(20 min Watch)

Jez and Sandy from National Grid co-presented at the ICE conference, sharing an event that tackled the challenge of reaching as broad an audience as possible.

Headset AR at events

(1 min Watch)

Great example of how this technology will add new layers to experiential design. And here is AR already in use on Broadway to enhance people’s show experience (although open to debate if people really want this).

Venue to check out - Fireworks Factory

Beautiful light-filled brick and iron venue in south London.

Art Battle

(3 min Read)

Fabulous live experience format that turns painting into a tournament, the audience deciding the winner.

The Thinking Path

(4 min Read)

We’re big fans of designing walking meetings into events. This post from Steven Johnson unpacks why it’s so effective.

FLWA GRL

(1 min Explore)

Floral set design.

Things to see, places to go

Art Battle London

See above

Wake the Tiger

The world’s first ‘Amazement Park’

Jurassic World

Face-to-face with life-sized dinosaurs

Dare to Dream

185 years of Tiffany & Co

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That's Interesting - July 2022

Welcome to That’s Interesting - The July Edition. This month we share tips for building a bank of creative ideas, look at innovations in event upcyling and recycling and immerse ourselves in LARPing…

Most Interesting

Paris Olympics & Paralympics 2024 

(3 min read)

Merging the digital & the physical – the future of events


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Leading a creative life

(3 min Read)

The worst time to look for an idea is when you need one

Simple tip for better presentations

(1 min Read)

To whom it may concern…

LARPing – Live Action Role-Playing Game

(20 min Explore)

Valuable insight into a booming area of experience design

Event upcycling

(2 min Read)

Repurposing event banners as merchandise

Event recycling

(2 min Read)

Reducing the impact of temporary flooring

Personalised baking

(1 min Read)

Available for your next event

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