Who knew this tech could have such an amusing and practical second act?

How could I use this technology to gamify the guest?

Unlike complex tracking systems I've used before, this one keeps it simple assigning single points per person. Imagine real-time tracking of hundreds of people, influencing the event proceedings en masse, turning the entire experience into a journey of community action, a democratic experience that anyone can be a part of. When the interaction level is as straightforward as standing in a particular spot, even the most introverted attendees can play an integral role in the event narrative.

I asked the owner about other applications his tech has been used for; had the collected data been used to create immersive experiences, perhaps influence an event's lighting, sound, kinetics, etc.? This led to him sharing the past struggles he had by presenting the product primarily as a safety tool. Clients were always hesitant to invest in event innovations when traditional tools, like a security team armed with tally counters, have worked in the past at a fraction of the cost. However, he said clients showed much more willingness to invest when the tool's purpose shifted from security to marketing applications. The ability to accurately track guest positions, analyse their dwell times at each display, and, most importantly, provable return-on-investment opened doors to a different budget.

Repurposing live tracking tech for multiple event outcomes

Of course, it would be nice for that not to be the case. Safety, a fundamental concern, shouldn’t have to take a backseat to the allure of marketing, but we all know that is so often not the case. Nevertheless, it's heartening to see how this kind of developer isn’t confined to one role but can be repurposed to fulfil various event management needs.

This struggle to repackage proposals to fit clients mirrors my own experiences in pitching event tools. We promote using wearable tech with unique NFC chips to help guide guests through events in an intuitive way while delivering personalised messaging and an evolving narrative based on their previous interactions to make them feel the event was designed just for them. I mean who wouldn’t want that? But that argument didn’t convince the client, but focus on the tech’s ability to also provide precise KPIs for guest interaction with the various displays and products onsite, and that this targeted information can be packaged and clearly delivered to their superiors to prove a quantifiable ROI was a feature they instantly understood and were eager to invest in.

Be it ideas or technology, the impulse that drives a creator is seldom the use case of the final application. But if creatives can run with their ideas while finding convincing arguments for various sectors and welcome input from all sides, the more versatile their work will become.

Adding accelerometers and GPS to phones opened a plethora of uses that went way beyond the initial idea. The same principle applies here – emerging tech can be repurposed to deliver unique and engaging experiences for both audiences and clients alike. Finding the balance between the activations that you feel will work, the enjoyment of those who participate, and the needs of an end-client may feel like a constricting straight-jacket of compromise, but I can also be an exciting environment for cultivating new possibilities, and the creative integration of technology into events is a great catalyst to bring out the unexpected.

See how we repurposed tech in our last project!

Link here