There’s been a lot already said about new technology entering the event industry, but we at Trademark really do see it as the trend of the year and worth focusing on here. The pandemic hurt the industry’s bottom line, sure – but it also saw people embracing virtualization and new technologies in general, and that momentum has carried over in a big way to the post-pandemic events space.
Our story: just a few weeks ago – November 4, 2023 – The Rockefeller Center (yes, that Rockefeller Center) opened a 12,000 square foot destination within their sprawling underground compound. It’s called “Hero”, and it is home to – what else? – an immersive experience called “The Liminal”.
The offering here is typical of other such exhibits: larger-than-life LED volumes, 360 sound (here, funded by speaker giant Bose), and many other instagram-worthy experiences to walk through – or just stand in front of, if you prefer. But the story isn’t so much about the exhibit itself, as much as it is about Rockefeller Center incorporating these technologies into what is ostensibly a semi-permanent space.
Rockefeller Center is not quite a bastion of the cutting edge and experimental, and “Hero” is really a high watermark for just how common this new tech has become. For the events industry, it’s a sign that immersive tech alone is not enough to wow your audiences (though as Hero proves, there is no shortage of “wow” factor when it comes to tech like this). To stand out from the crowd, you have to use this technology to tell a story, to connect with your audience.
If you can leverage this immersive tech in service of a story with emotional impact, the results can be truly stunning. Check out our case study on charity:water for how immersive storytelling raised millions of dollars in just a few hours. And keep your eye on this space – there’s more to come here, to be sure, and we want to be at the bleeding edge of this.