Event Activation ideas

Top 20 Event Activation Ideas To Up Your Game in 2024

12 minute read

After planning and organizing your event for success, the key to making it truly memorable lies in effective brand marketing. Ensuring that people understand the essence of your event is crucial. 

To achieve this, it’s essential to focus on brilliant event activation ideas, making the task easier and more result-oriented. That’s where we come in!

In this blog, we will be discussing the best 20 event activation ideas that can help you reach your goals faster and more effectively. 

So without any longer, let’s get started!

What Is Event Activation?

Event activation involves strategic marketing initiatives designed to effectively promote an event and yield optimal results. It represents the latest and most potent method in marketing and event promotion, leaving a lasting impression on those attending the event.

Best Event Activation Ideas To Boost Your Events

  1. Employ Social Media Platforms and Hashtags
  2. Showcase a Social Media Wall
  3. Embrace Cryptocurrencies for Transactions
  4. Curate an Outstanding Event
  5. Metaverse: Embrace the Future
  6. Illuminate the Evening
  7. Activate QR Codes for Feedback
  8. Place Storytelling at the Core
  9. Provide Exclusive Access to VIPs
  10. Captivate the Audience through Virtual Reality
  11. Harness the Influence of Influencers
  12. Develop a Dedicated Event App
  13. Provide Interactive Workshops
  14. Broadcast Your Event Live
  15. Showcase Your Partners and Sponsors
  16. Provide a Distinctive Experience
  17. Bring Behind-The-Scenes Forward
  18. Gifts and Promotions
  19. Generate Excitement
  20. Integrate Photo Booths

What are the Advantages of Event Activation?

Event activation offers several benefits for your event planning endeavors. Consider the following advantages of integrating event activation into your next event:

Enhanced Brand Awareness 

Deliver an unforgettable experience to your audience, significantly improving your brand visibility in the process.

Increased Engagement

Incorporating efficient event activation techniques into your planning can elevate engagement levels through the introduction of creative activities.

Elevated Revenue

Create an exciting environment and offer engaging activities to attendees, including exclusive VIP experiences, to generate monetary profits for your brand.

Top 20 Event Activation Ideas for 2024

Explore the most effective event activation ideas that promise outstanding results.

To further optimize your event planning, contemplate the use of free project management templates. These templates can streamline the planning process, foster collaboration, and guarantee a seamless execution of your event from beginning to end.

1. Employ Social Media Platforms and Hashtags

Create a unique hashtag that allows you to respond to visitor inquiries, provide directions to your booth, and more. Engage with trending hashtags and topics to enhance your event’s visibility. Displaying your event’s personality through these interactions showcases your event’s relevance and resonance.

While hashtags have been previously emphasized on this list, they serve both practical and promotional purposes in this context.

event activation ideas

Create a unique hashtag that allows you to respond to visitor inquiries, provide directions to your booth, and more. Engage with trending hashtags and topics to enhance your event’s visibility. Displaying your event’s personality through these interactions showcases your event’s relevance and resonance.

While hashtags have been previously emphasized on this list, they serve both practical and promotional purposes in this context.

2. Showcase a Social Media Wall

The social media wall stands out as a powerful marketing tool and a recent standout in the realm of event activation ideas. Incorporating a social media wall into your event activation strategy is a must-not-miss opportunity.

The real-time display of user-generated content from diverse social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube offers a multitude of advantages.

event activation ideas

A social media wall contributes to social proof, audience engagement, heightened sales efficiency, increased revenues, word-of-mouth marketing, credibility, brand advocacy, and more.

Throughout the event, a dynamic social wall elevates audience engagement through its visually appealing display. Attendees are drawn to the user-generated posts showcased on the social wall, inspiring them to contribute to the event’s social media buzz by creating their posts.

3. Embrace Cryptocurrencies for Transactions

There is a persistent belief among individuals in the reliability of various cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. This customer trust underscores the enduring presence and credibility of the cryptocurrency industry.

best event activation idea

Given the growing significance of cryptocurrencies, considering them as a viable payment method for event services, akin to prepaid and credit cards, is a forward-thinking move. Furthermore, events should proactively adopt new payment alternatives to stay ahead of evolving trends.

4. Curate an Outstanding Event

Event organization resembles assembling a complex jigsaw puzzle, where each piece must harmonize to accomplish the event’s goals. Refining your event strategy involves cultivating innovative ideas such as incorporating photo booths, entrusting an emcee with responsibilities, introducing virtual reality, and more, all aimed at enhancing audience engagement. The array of potential ideas is extensive and may include:

  • Securing Live Keynote Speakers
  • Implementing Breakout Rooms
  • Introducing Icebreakers
  • Employing Live Polling
  • Facilitating Live Q&A Sessions
  • Distributing Swag Items
  • Orchestrating Auctions
  • Hosting Contests

5. Metaverse: Embrace the Future

Transform your attendees’ experience by enabling them to play videos and showcase documents, data sheets, and photos within a 3D virtual booth. Engage a professional 3D animation studio to craft interactive materials for this purpose. Additionally, for sponsors and exhibitors, create a virtual networking space tailored to the unique dynamics of your event.

event activation ideas

The concept of gamification, already employed to enhance attendance, takes on new dimensions within metaverse events, resulting in a substantial increase in audience engagement. After all, the metaverse offers virtually limitless possibilities.

6. Illuminate the Evening

Elevate your evening event to unforgettable heights by incorporating a captivating light show or experimenting with the latest trend of drone projection mapping.

These cutting-edge technological alternatives to traditional fireworks not only offer an eco-friendly option but also deliver an immersive visual spectacle for your audience.

Synchronize music with visuals to transform the crowd into active participants in the unfolding story, adding a modern twist through this event gamification distinguishes your event and leaves a lasting impression.

7. Activate QR Codes for Feedback

Not every event can perfectly cater to the diverse needs of attendees, making feedback an invaluable aspect. However, if the feedback process becomes cumbersome, attendees may choose to skip it. Simplify the feedback submission process by incorporating QR codes.

best event activation ideas

Utilize a QR code generator to produce various QR codes for your marketing campaigns and social media walls. This streamlined approach facilitates faster review generation. Attendees can effortlessly scan the QR code and share their feedback and reviews about your event, contributing to the enhancement of future events. For added convenience, consider employing a customer review platform to create personalized feedback QR codes.

8. Place Storytelling at the Core

Effectively engage your audience by incorporating storytelling into your marketing strategy. The essence of any successful event marketing endeavor is to convey a relatable narrative to potential clients. Emotional marketing, built on the premise that connecting with people’s emotions creates memorable experiences, serves as the foundation.

Craft your story around the challenges faced by your target audience. Utilize impactful design templates to illustrate how your services can address and resolve their specific problems.

Start Planning Your Next Event Now

9. Provide Exclusive Access to VIPs

Elevate your upcoming event by curating a VIP experience that includes exclusive lounges or privileged access to specific areas and activities. This special treatment not only makes these individuals feel exceptional but also adds a touch of exclusivity to your event.

This approach serves as an outstanding promotional strategy, fostering a sense of enjoyment and anticipation among your audience. Organize meet-and-greet sessions for VIPs, grant access to private viewing areas, and enhance engagement.

Consider offering private tours or activity sessions led by professionals, tailored to delve deeper into the unique interests of your distinguished guests.

10. Captivate the Audience through Virtual Reality

Virtual reality stands as a favored choice among sponsors, providing advertisers with the opportunity to create memorable interactions using cutting-edge technology.

Moreover, VR can immerse spectators even further into various experiences, ranging from 360-degree views of athletic events to concert performances.

Introduce a virtual 3D lobby featuring a sponsor area, support desk, and a welcoming video wall, creating a fantastic entrance for your guests. Establish a 3D virtual event auditorium to host breakout sessions, live conferences, and Q&A sessions, with the ability to run up to five concurrent polls.

event activation idea

Enable attendees to engage by playing videos and showcasing documents, data sheets, and photos within a 3D virtual booth. For sponsors and exhibitors, construct a virtual networking space tailored to enhance the collaborative experience of your event.

11. Harness the Influence of Influencers

Leveraging the popularity of celebrities and influencers is a brilliant strategy for event activation, as people have a natural affinity for these individuals. Moreover, influencers bring along their dedicated followers, significantly expanding the reach of a brand activation campaign.

event activation idea

Bloggers and social media influencers, particularly those well-established in their respective domains, offer valuable insights and commentary that can significantly enhance marketing campaigns and event activation. Depending on the nature of the product, consider inviting reputable and influential figures to add vibrancy and appeal to the event.

12. Develop a Dedicated Event App

Crafting an app specifically for your event proves immensely beneficial for both organizers and attendees, fostering seamless communication and updates.

This dedicated app assists in managing schedules, navigating the event venue, and uncovering exclusive offerings from sponsors. Elevate the experience by incorporating a social wall feature, ensuring everyone remains informed and enhancing the overall enjoyment and memorability of the event.

To further enhance engagement and recollection, consider integrating social media content or a live social feed into the event app, adding an interactive and dynamic dimension to the experience.

13. Provide Interactive Workshops

Enhance the overall experience for your event guests by offering captivating interactive workshops that encourage active participation.

Invite your audience to actively engage in these workshops, fostering collaboration and co-creation that elevates the brand and takes your event to new heights.

Organize educational and interactive activities, encouraging guests to participate more creatively. Deliver a memorable experience to your attendees, reaping the fruitful benefits of a more engaging and dynamic event.

14. Broadcast Your Event Live

Studies indicate that event attendees consistently prefer live streaming over reading blogs or social media updates. To amplify excitement, enhance participant engagement, and connect with those unable to attend in person, consider live-streaming segments of your event on social media.

event activation ideas

Furthermore, engage in real-time conversations with your attendees or host live Q&A sessions. This not only fosters communication but also adds a human touch to your event, strengthening audience connection and identification with your brand.

15. Showcase Your Partners and Sponsors

Showcasing your partners and sponsors via an Instagram wall stands out as an excellent event activation strategy. Share the collaborative journey with your partners by featuring captivating real-time posts on the social wall. This approach not only engages your attendees but also brings joy to your sponsors, creating a win-win situation.

By highlighting how you promote your partners and sponsors, you are likely to attract more collaborations in the future, as other sponsors will be eager to partner with you.

16. Provide a Distinctive Experience

Several event organizers leverage their expertise to offer tools and equipment for diverse activities, such as swimming, mountain climbing, and camping, to accompany and guide customers.

Engaging in such activities not only allows organizers to showcase their knowledge but also provides an opportunity to strengthen relationships with attendees.

This approach is particularly effective for building a strong reputation in the market. For instance, a bicycle supplier who organizes group riding sessions is likely to garner more respect than a seller who does not actively participate in local team activities.

Also Read – Best Event Engagement Ideas For Your Next Event

17. Bring Behind-The-Scenes Forward

By bringing behind-the-scenes details to the forefront, you create numerous opportunities to share insights with both current and potential consumers. This approach allows you to first keep them well-informed.

event activation ideas

Secondly, it provides a platform to commend your team. Thirdly, it makes you more relatable to your audience. Lastly, it enables you to diversify your content and display your personality.

18. Gifts and Promotions

Identifying the event’s target audience and providing the product for free in exchange for social media posts featuring the giveaway’s hashtag campaign is a creative approach to event activation.

Numerous companies, spanning from clothing and fashion labels to consumer electronics and food brands, leverage giveaways to enhance brand visibility and provide their customers with a unique and memorable experience.

These giveaways can include items like Wallpics Cheap Canvas Wall Art, customized with their branding, to make a lasting impression.

19. Generate Excitement

Generate anticipation for your event with a pre-event buzz via a social media campaign. It’s crucial to get people talking and build interest. Create posts, explainer videos, countdown posts, pre-orders, or even countdown videos. Ensure each post comes with its hashtag.

20. Integrate Photo Booths

Photo booths, known for their fun, playful, and creative elements, have made a comeback in various settings such as events, corporate seminars, weddings, conferences, trade exhibitions, and conventions. They add an element of interest, engagement, and enjoyment for guests at any event.

These imaginative and interactive photo booths contribute to providing the audience with an exceptional experience. Furthermore, leveraging recent technological and digital advancements allows you to maximize event engagement and social sharing through the full potential of the photo booth experience.

event activation ideas

These events exemplify experiential marketing, offering attendees the opportunity to share pictures, animated graphics, and brief videos on social media, showcasing their participation and experiences.

Over to you

Events attract diverse individuals, and regardless of the scale of your event, they require a certain level of engaging activities to unite and enhance the attendee experience. So, whether you are hosting a local or an international event, some basics can go a long way — display your viewers’ content, keep the screens fresh and updated, and finally showcase your authentic social media feeds.

One such tool that can help you aggregate and create engaging social media walls is Tagbox, the best place to get content made by people and a great tool to bring together content from over 20 social and review platforms.

So, without further ado, incorporate a live social media wall into your event and make it a success!

Start Planning Your Next Event Now