evm_september-2023 - 25

BEST PRACTICES
also brought in the brands absent at OR,
creating a growth opportunity for the show
and also delivering value to the community.
On the show floor at the Salt Palace,
the Basecamp networking event held at
The Ranger Station was not only a celebration
of inclusion but also a prime example
of the power of online communities
injecting vibrancy into in-person events.
Close to a hundred enthusiastic attendees,
identifying as women or nonbinary,
gathered to meet one another in person
and network, facilitating one of OR's most
well-attended events. Initially started as
a Facebook group, Basecamp focuses on
connecting job seekers and brands in the
outdoor industry and is now a thriving
community with over 52,000 members.
Unlike many order-writing trade
shows, OR felt like a festival of all things
outdoors, where exhibitors created ad-hoc
collaborations, booth walls were lined
with photos documenting employees'
adventures and dogs were welcomed
attendees. Here are some of the activations
and booths that caught our attention.
VOLKSWAGEN
Part of Outdoor Adventure X, Volkswagen
welcomed outdoor enthusiasts at Snowbasin
Resort with an activation featuring
its more outdoor-minded models-such
as Atlas, Tiguan and the electric ID.4-
but the real draw was the scent of live
cooking demos by outdoor bloggers Ali
and Lincoln of @ribbitandco. The collab
was as successful as it was delicious. The
morning crowd got
to sample campfire
doughnuts with blueberry glaze, and in the
afternoon, ramen with pork stole the show.
Attendees scored custom dog tags, hats and
solar lanterns by filling out a brand survey.
FORD BRONCO
Also at OAX, outdoor-ready Bronco
tapped into its rich heritage with an activation
anchored by photo galleries and
swatch samples tracing the brand's 50 years
of history. Attendees could explore the latest
vehicle models outfitted for adventure
and draw inspiration from corresponding
gear displays, as well as purchase brand
swag as a first step toward the bigger purchase.
With the goal of getting more people
excited about adventuring, the brand invited
a neighboring exhibitor, Oru Kayak,
to demo its foldable, lightweight kayaks,
which captured attendees' interest and
eventmarketer.com
ultimately earned kudos for both brands.
JACKERY
Solar generator manufacturer Jackery
showcased the many uses of its products
to power the off-grid lifestyle through
multiple themed demo areas around its
exhibit. Set against a green backdrop, tents
and other elements in bright orange, the
brand's signature color, drew attention to a
campout area. There, attendees could take a
seat in camp chairs and watch a demo video
while snacking on popcorn or drinking
a cup of coffee, all powered by Jackery's
portable solar generators. From the largescale
impact, like solar panels flanking an
Airstream trailer,
to thoughtful details,
like a portable NBA Jam game, Jackery's
exhibit offered an immersive and engaging
way to present various use scenarios to the
outdoor crowd.
FLEXFIT
To get inside of Flexfit's exhibit, attendees
were invited to interact with a " secret servant, "
a custom-made vending machine
that dispensed a hat based on a participant's
answers selected on a touchpad. The activation
also helped the hat manufacturer
gather valuable intelligence about attendees'
product and technology preferences,
which will inform the product showcase
choices at the next OR. Once the interaction
was completed, the vending machine
would then slide off to the side, revealing a
passage inside that led to a bright, modern
space featuring the brand's customization
capabilities and two activation stations
presenting the hats' water-resistant properties.
Although attendees could enter freely
on other sides of the footprint as well, the
wall with the vending machine generated
the most traffic. Sustainability also played
a key part in this exhibit: Inside, a sustainability
wall focused on the brand's efforts
going forward, and the exhibit itself was
built out of a reusable frame with stretch
fabric interchanged based on the event.
THERMORE
It is only fitting that thermal insulation
brand Thermore would deliver its brand
message in a semi-private, inflatable igloo,
which brought an element of elegant and
unexpected creativity to the show floor.
Inside, the warm glow made the space feel
surprisingly cozy and inviting, unlike traditional
walled-off exhibits, and provided
a natural setting for trying on outerwear
featuring the Italian brand's products.
OFF-PISTE PROVISIONS
A 10-by-10 exhibit by Off-Piste Provisions,
a New Zealand-based producer of plantbased
meat snacks that just launched in the
U.S., had the look and feel of a mountain
cabin with stunning views and a promise of
outdoor adventures. The corrugated metal
countertop displayed samples of the brand's
products, and a driftwood backdrop made
attendees smile with a note about hobbits.
Together, the unassuming but wellthought-out
elements made the small
space feel chill and authentic, proving that
it doesn't take a massive footprint to bring
all the right-in this case, Kiwi-vibes.
FALL 2023 EVENT MARKETER
25
http://www.eventmarketer.com
evm_september-2023

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