Verve Marketing - The Blog

An Experiential Voyage of Discovery

2011-09-28T10:47:00.000+01:00

We love this gobsmackingly original brand experience for Tuvia (a calorie free artificial sweetner made from stevia leaf). Bompas & Parr flooded part of Selfridges roof to create a 'crystal island' with an emerald boating lake, thousands of stevia plants and breathtaking views over the city...awesome.

Augmented Reality Chocolate Bars and Newspapers

2011-09-21T10:17:00.000+01:00

The free Dublin daily 'Metro Herald' is leading the charge for digital integration with Blippar, an augmented reality app that allows for nifty interaction on your smart phone. 'Smart Editions' of the newspaper will feature Blippar optimised images in both advertising and editorial content - hover your smart phone over the image and the image immediately springs to life on your phone allowing you to 'like' and 'share' on social media and interact in AR. The possibilities for use in brand experience and field marketing programs is seriously exciting. Watch this video of Blippar enabled Cadbury chocolate bars which demonstrates the app in a few seconds:

Verve Win Ireland's Best Event Management Company for the Third Year Running!

2011-06-17T00:58:00.000+01:00

We honoured, humbled and delighted (!) to have been voted Ireland's Best Event Management Company for the third year in a row at the EIAs (Event Industry Awards 2011). We also picked up awards for Best Awards Ceremony (An Post Direct Marketing Awards), Best Product Launch (Aviva Stadium) and Best Event Sponsorship (Guinness Area 22). Slane's Lord Henry Mount Charles was a thoroughly deserving winner of the Outstanding Contribution to the Events Industry at the Awards held in the Burlington Hotel.

UEFA Europa League Opening Ceremony Event

2011-05-18T12:12:00.000+01:00

After more than 6 months in planning, our opening ceremony event for the UEFA Europa League Final comes to life tonight in the Stadium. We beat off competition from 12 other event management agencies across Europe to design and produce the event which will take place before an audience of over 40 million viewers. UEFA asked for a celtic themed opening ceremony which was streamlined with modern elements. Our event design features a Celtic goddess Macha who will lead standard bearers representing the 56 competing League teams as they prepare to battle it out for the UEFA Europa trophy. A cast of 240 dancers, drummers and standard bearers will be performing just before the two Portuguese teams walk on pitch tonight. Coverage on TV3 begins at 7.30pm tonight - don't miss it!

Verve Win 7 Promotional Marketing Awards!

2011-04-11T16:19:00.000+01:00

It was lucky number 7 for us at the APMC (Association of Promotional Marketing Consultants) Star Awards last Friday with our experiential campaigns scooping up a total of seven awards! Best of all, we were the only Irish Agency to win three category golds. The awards are heavily weighted towards campaigns which can demonstrate real results and return on investment for the client which in the current economic climate is an absolute priority. More about the APMC Awards

GOLD Non-Alcoholic Beverages Promotion - Diet Coke Silver Palace
GOLD Best Promotional Innovation- Aviva Stadium 3D Experience
GOLD Best use of Experiential with a budget > €30k - Diet Coke Silver Palace
SILVER Best use of Experiential with a budget > €30k - Aviva Stadium 3D Experience
BRONZE Best Use of Experiential < €30K - Compeed Foot Fairies
BRONZE Best Promotional Innovation- Coca Cola Human Snowglobe
BRONZE Best Creative Execution (Judges Award) - Diet Coke Silver Palace

Verve Shortlisted for 6 Promotional Marketing Awards

2011-03-09T12:28:00.001Z

We're absolutely delighted to have been shortlisted in 6 categories at the Association of Promotional Marketing Consultants (APMC) Awards. The nominated promotions are Coca Cola Human Snowglobe, Compeed Foot Fairies Diet Coke Silver Palaceand Aviva Stadium 3D Experience both of which received two nominations. We'll be dusting off our Sunday best for the Awards which take place on April 8th in the Radisson, Golden Lane in Dublin.
More about the Awards

The Oscars Award Ceremony: After The Party

2011-03-01T23:22:00.000Z

The Oscars are the big daddy of award ceremonies but we're always more interested in the after parties and the Vanity Fair party is the swankiest of them all; this behind the scenes video shows how the event build on this year's gold themed event came together.

Experiential Nike Campaign

2011-01-27T13:00:00.000Z

Another running inspired experiential idea, this time from Nike. This ARG (Alternate Reality Game) called Nike Grid uses London as a street running gameboard. The idea is simple - run from phone box to phone box, street by street across London to claim the most streets in just 24 hours. For each phone box “check in” you’ll get points, and the more you run the more you get. www.nikegrid.com (digitalbuzzblog.com)

Verve named as Event Partner for An Post Direct Marketing Awards 2011 for the ninth year in a row!

2011-01-18T16:21:00.000Z

After 8 years as event organisers on the An Post Direct Marketing Awards, Verve have once again been named as event partners on this prestigious awards ceremony for the creative industry. We could not be happier. A strong, creative theme is chosen each year for the awards and previous awards ceremonies have themed around CSI ("killer ideas!"), Music ("ideas that rocked!") and pop-art inspired geniuses. The An Post's Mail Media website is a brilliant hidden gem of ideas, practical tips and case studies - have a look here for the latest trends in relationship marketing by some of the winners from last year's award ceremony.

New Year's Resolutions and Brand Experience

2011-01-05T10:16:00.001Z

With the excesses of Christmas firmly behind us, a lot of us are reaching for the Rivita and the gym membership we haven't used since September - the promotional opportunities for brands are obvious. Adidas' concept store 'Runbase' in Tokyo effectively turns a sports store into an urban running hub. The free facilities include shower cubicles, lockers and expert advice from brand ambassadors - consumers can even 'try before you buy' by borrowing running shoes and clothing! Read more

Merry Christmas from Everyone at Verve

2010-12-21T17:00:00.000Z

All that remains for the last blog of the year is to wish everybody a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Despite all the doom and gloom, we've had a fantastic year and we're already looking forward to working on UEFA Europa League events and our 20th Birthday in 2011! Verve is closed from Thursday 23rd Dec at 12.30pm and reopening Tuesday 4th Jan, 2011. For any urgent enquires during this period please call 087 274 7898.

A Festive Sampling Promotion Christmas Tree

2010-12-21T16:53:00.000Z

Our top three Christmas trees of 2010:
1. The Ferrero Edible Christmas tree
2. John Galliano's weird and wonderful Christmas tree for Claridges
3. A Recycled bicycle Christmas tree in Sydney

Verve proud to be selected by UEFA as UEFA Europa League Final Event Partner

2010-12-16T20:01:00.000Z

Dublin will host the final of the UEFA Europa League, 18th May 2011 in the new stadium - and we're delighted to have been chosen as event planning partner for the opening ceremony. We were up against some stiff international competition from event planning companies in the UK, Germany and Switzerland and we're very proud that an independent, Irish event company, was judged better by UEFA, against leading European event companies. Our tender submission was based around a celtic theme with a contemporary twist - all will be revealed on May 18th 2011. We will be using Irish talent, Irish production teams and Irish suppliers, to deliver a world class ceremony for UEFA. Last year's ceremony in Hamburg gives you an idea of the scale of production involved.

Christmas Party Themes and Ideas

2010-12-15T20:15:00.000Z

Irish people love a party and even two feet of snow hasn't deterred revelers from the Christmas parties we've been event planning since July. Escaping the Irish winter inspired one of the largest Christmas parties we planned this year. 1,400 people attended a 'Winter Getaway' themed Christmas party with feature areas that included Brighton Beach complete with deckchairs, beach huts and a full size vintage ice-cream van; Ipanema (limbo dancing and cocktails at the beach shack); a full moon party with authentic Thai tuk-tuk at Phuket and a chilled out surfing vibe at our Byron Bay beach.

On the same night, we created a 'Fairytale of New York' inspired Christmas party in an NYC loft-style space in Dublin 4. Party goers enjoyed a taste of China Town, cup cakes at Magnolia Bakery, cocktails in Midtown, performances from a street dance troupe - and they could even get a (temporary) tattoo in our Hell's Kitchen inspired biker's bar. Best part of the night for us? Hearing the "wows" coming from guests as they entered the event venue for the first time - it's what makes event planning at Christmas really magic.

The Coca Cola Human Snowglobe; A Magical Brand Experience

2010-12-09T20:19:00.000Z

Coca Cola advertising since the 1930s has shaped our modern-day image of Santa Claus (jolly, red suit, a clear fondness for the mince pies) and this year we're bringing a little bit of seasonal Coke magic to the streets of Dublin, Cork and Belfast. Over the next ten days, you'll be invited to climb inside a giant 4 metre high snowglobe and have your photograph taken as a memento by a Coca Cola elf! The Coca Cola Human Snowglobe will be located in Mercer Street at the side of St. Stephens Green Shopping Centre (Friday 9th Dec 2pm-7pm, Saturday & Sunday 2pm-5pm), The Victoria Square Shopping Centre in Belfast (Tuesday & Wednesday 14th/15th Dec 3pm-8pm), Liffey Valley Shopping Centre (Thursday & Friday 16th/17 Dec) and Back to Mercer Street in Dublin on the 19th/20th December (12pm-5pm). If you can't make the giant snowglobe, then you can create your own snowglobe online to send onto friends by visiting cokesnowglobes.com or download the iPhone app.

Dublin Pop-Up Another Store

2010-09-23T12:44:00.000+01:00

Another day, another pop-up store for Dublin. Bord Gáis is showcasing its new iPhone app through touch screen technology in a Grafton Street pop-up store recently vacated by West Coast Cooler. A stone's throw away on edgy South William Street, the PlayStation Hub gaming pop-up was buzzing when we visited. The trend isn't just limited to vacant shop units - we've created mobile pop ups; a cafe for Diet Coke in a 1950s Airstream and a pop-up hair salon in a pimped out ambulance for Garnier. With everyone from Marmite to Chanel getting in on the act; this global phenomenon is still going strong six years on since the term was first coined.

Art Meets Marketing Stunt at the Fringe

2010-09-06T14:41:00.000+01:00

After last year's huge pixel animations on Liberty Hall, the Dublin Fringe Festival is back with another attention grabbing slice of public art: Liffeytown. Artist Richard Conway has created eleven internally lit red and green monopoly houses which will bob along the River Liffey between O'Connell Bridge and the Hapenny Bridge from September 12-26th. Conway has described it as a commentary on Irish architecture during the boom years - lets hope it doesn't go the way of the infamous Millennium Clock aka The Time in the Slime.

Green Event Planning at Electric Picnic

2010-08-30T11:32:00.001+01:00

We're pulling on our wellies for ESB and Diet Coke at this weekend's Electric Picnic. The Picnic has always been serious about reducing waste and energy so its timely that ESB have come on board as sustainability partners with 6km of energy efficient festoon lighting and electric cars to taxi artists around the site. We'll be event managing the amazing 'Showeraoke' stage - the love child of karaoke and an electric shower all powered by bicycles! Special guest MCs will be on hand for Showeraoke performances so make sure you drop in and lend some pedal power support. Meanwhile, we've ordered some fabulous silver hunter wellies for our Diet Coke promo personnel who'll be product sampling around the Pamper Palace - roll on the Picnic! More on ESB Picnic Power

Verve's Aviva Stadium 3D Experience Launches!

2010-08-13T10:09:00.126+01:00

Our Aviva Stadium 3D Experience launches today to the media appropriately enough at the Aviva Stadium - a world first for personalised 3D? After nine months in development, it's an incredibly exciting day for us and the team who made it happen. The idea for the 3D Experience was born when Aviva asked Verve to come up with ideas to activate their naming rights on the newly developed Stadium. We thought what could be more powerful that fulfilling every sports fan's dream of playing on the Irish squad?

Imagine being a rookie player on the Irish squad, the roar of the crowd, the tension and camaraderie of the dressing room... To make it as realistic as possible, we partnered with 3D digital wizards vStream and members of the Irish rugby and football squads. Housed in a mobile simulator, we'll be taking the 3D Experience around the country in the coming months as well as to all the big international matches.

More on the Aviva 3D Experience

Clever Promotional Messaging - Nike Chalkbot

2010-08-13T09:56:00.000+01:00

Ever noticed those messages of support chalked or sprayed on the roads during the Tour de France? Nike decided to go one better with the creation of Chalkbot; a robot which allows people from around the world to create their own inspirational messages along the route. Messages are submitted by text or online and once they've been created, a link is forwarded to the person who composed the message, showing them a photograph of their message. An incredibly clever example of a brand connecting with their consumers through an integrated campaign.

Event Lighting with a Twist

2010-08-06T18:03:00.000+01:00

Architectural projection mapping made its premiere in Ireland this week on a vacant building opposite the new Grand Canal Theatre. Light projection mapping is basically projecting a 3D object onto a 2D surface; building facades make an ideal surface. This promotions and events orientated technology offers endless possibilities on a grand scale - expect to see a lot more of it over the next year.

Saturday Launch for Diet Coke's Experiential Roadshow

2010-08-06T17:23:00.001+01:00

Una Healy from the girlband The Saturdays was on hand to launch Verve's recent 'Love it Light Tour' for Diet Coke. This experiential sampling campaign had four major tasks 1. Win back the brand's sexy, iconic status among a new generation of consumers (16 -24 females) 2. Credibly link Diet with fashion and beauty 3. Deliver the Love it Light taste message with product sampling and 4. Deliver a WOW campaign with PRable hooks.

The centre piece of roadshow was the 'silver palace' pop up cafe; a fabulous 1960s Airstream trailer converted into a Diet Coke bar and lounge. Visitors to the Silver Palace enjoyed mini makeovers from TV3 stylista Laura Cunningham as well as pampering from brand partners Rimmel and Sally Hansen. Citroen came on board to sponsor the Diet Coke convoy with two gorgeous new DS3’s.

Una proved the perfect brand spokesperson - a local girl who's made it big in one of the UK's biggest pop bands (and never out of the glossy fashion pages!) - aspirational yet attainable for our young female target audience. To launch the 78 days of Diet Coke sampling, 78 girls who perfectly embodied the Love it Light attitude joined Una for a giant photo shoot. The PR achieved was incredible hitting most of the Irish dailys, several weekend magazines and even appearing in UK glossy More! for two consecutive weeks.

Verve Score Aviva Stadium's First Hat Trick

2010-06-22T20:31:00.000+01:00

As far as we know, we have scored the first hat trick in Aviva Stadium! Taking place in the hugely impressive surroundings of Aviva Stadium's 1872 suite, over 400 event planners, lighting companies and entertainment acts gathered for the annual EIA Awards. We were honoured to walk away with three of the top prizes - Best Awards Ceremony for the An Post IDMAs, Best Sponsored Event for Guinness Area 22 and for the second year running: Best Irish Event Management Company. A massive thanks to all our fantastic clients, suppliers and of course our families (who put up with all the late nights and working weekends!). www.eia.ie

An Employee Conference About YOU

2010-03-23T10:52:00.000Z

How do you create real engagement and awaken creativity at employee conference events and seminars? All too often the starting point at these events is a panel of 'experts' and senior management presenting Powerpoint to a passive audience... but consider the idea that the real experts at your conference are the employees in your audience. After all, who knows your business and the challenges it faces better than those working at the coal face?

We recently planned a conference event for a corporate client where the focus was firmly on 'YOU' in the audience; your ideas, the challenges you face and the changes you could realistically make in your daily professional life.

Working with the client, we wanted to create an environment for conference attendees that was light years from the politics and hierachy of the boardroom; professional but not conventional. The solution was a huge inflatable dome nestled into its own private secret garden, Fitzwilliam Square. Under the dome, conference attendees were seated in the round with a central circular stage. This allowed for greater interaction and contribution from conference attendees as speakers went into the audience to gauge reactions and gather ideas during presentations.

In place of a formal gala dinner, conference attendees returned to the dome for an evening of casual dining, live music from Spring Break and fun entertainment that included a Silent Disco, a photobooth and WII challenges. The next morning, delegates were re-engergised with a giant, outdoor Tai Chi session before settling down to a day of workshops and brainstorming. Of course this event is only a success if attendees can convert the ideas and energy from the conference into their daily working lives. Post-event, we're working with the client to make sure that this is exactly what happens.

Flipping Shove Tuesday Events

2010-02-16T11:01:00.001Z

Pancake racing hasn't caught on in Dublin yet - but judging by the amount of pancake-related events happening in London today, it can only be a matter of time. Westminster MPs battle it out against members of the press in The Parliamentary Pancake Race - celebrity chef Gary Rhodes will be on hand to officially start the 2010 race. Further east, The Great Spitafields Pancake is a fancy dress flipping run down Brick Lane. Serious contenders hit the biggest Shove Tuesday event which appears to be The Poulters Pancake Races where teams of four fight for the grand prize of the Copper Pancake Pan! (Image from Guardian)

Audi Centre Launch Event - The Ambassador's Ball

2010-02-09T19:06:00.000Z

The new Audi Centre is located in the heart of Dublin 4's embassy belt - a fitting location for us to help Audi preview their luxurious new A8. VIP guests included Chinese Ambassador Mr Liu Biwe, rugby's Rob Kearney, the beautiful Kathryn Thomas and RTE's Room to Improve architect Dermot Bannon.

International classical music star, Lang Lang (named "hottest artist on the classical music planet" according to the New York Times) provided entertainment with a 30 minute private recital for the lucky few. Definitely one of the most glamourous Verve events of 2010.

Snow Tagging - Making Your Mark

2010-01-06T15:32:00.000Z

Snow; the perfect advertising media and promotional tool? Maybe not but we still had fun "snow tagging" on Leeson Street during lunch...

Powering into 2010: Duracell Promotion

2009-12-18T18:06:00.001Z

Duracell is using pedal power to light up the 2010 numerals in Times Square, NYC on New Year's Eve. Six Rover bikes convert human pedal power into energy which is stored in Duracell Battery Centres for usse at 23.59 on December 31st. Visitors to the Smart Power Lab can also recharge iPods and phones, play some Xbox 360 and pose for a keepsake photo beside the giant 2010 numerals. Experiential, seasonal and completely green; a perfect way for any brand to start the new year. www.powerlab.duracell.com

3 Tips for Greening Your Promotional Marketing Campaign

2009-11-19T16:00:00.000Z

Accusations of greenwash aside, an increasing number of brands are integrating green marketing into their business models. Green is now mainstream and some of the most compelling reasons for the trend include brand differentiation and the value that the "eco-iconic" badge brings.

1. Have you ever visualised how your brand might look in dust or snow...or moss? Curb are a London based company that specialise in sustainable promotional marketing and PR campaigns. Their 'rake ads' for example create enormous digital-quality images on sand - we think Sandymount Strand is calling out for this!

2. Although Polyboard, Plywood and MDF are almost ubiquitous in the manufacture of props, POS and trade stands - but they're don't win any prizes for being eco-friendly: Reboard , a Swedish invention, is a 100% recyclable alternative. This lightweight material is waterproof and super strong meaning it can used outdoors and in on everything from point-of-sale to temporary shelters (rumour has it that IKEA are considering using it in their products). Reboard has been available in Ireland since the beginning of this year.

3. Most of never give a second thought about where those little plastic gift cards end up once we've finished with them in the January sales. Eco-cards are an elegant, guilt free solution. Not only are they made from recycled materials but they're also impregnated with wildflower seeds so when planted, they're "reborn as poppies, daisies and buttercups". The idea can be transferred into brand loyalty and business cards. Your green halo awaits.

Flyvertising: Left of Field Promotional Marketing Idea

2009-11-02T17:31:00.000Z

An inventive and slightly revolting promotional marketing idea from the Frankfurt book convention last month. German publisher Eichborn attached tiny banners to 200 flies before letting them loose around the convention centre. Clearly this fly propelled promotion fit with the brand - the publisher's logo is a fly - but we're not sure what the RSPCA would have to say about it. We're almost entirely certain this is not a hoax - watch the video and judge for yourself. (via AdLand)

Poles Apart: Motivational Speaker Mark Pollock

2009-10-28T18:00:00.003Z

Imagine completing six marathons in one week in China's Gobi Desert. Now imagine doing it without your sight. We were lucky enough to have blind adventure athlete Mark Pollock in the office today speaking about his experiences since he lost his sight ten years ago. The amazing story of his 1,000 kilometre race to the South Pole last year had us glued to our seats. 2009 has been a very challenging year for most businesses so hearing someone who has overcome such incredible adversity was truly inspiring. Mark has turned his adventures into a successful motivational speaking business - we can't think of anyone who would be better qualified. www.markpollock.com

Pecha Kucha: Avoiding Death by Powerpoint

2009-10-27T15:30:00.000Z

Death by Powerpoint: at some point we've all experienced (and inflicted) it. If you fancy sharpening your presentation skills you might consider Pecha Kucha Nights held every few months in The Sugar Club, Dublin. It's a simple 20X20 presentation format where you show 20 images, each for 20 seconds. The images forward automatically and you talk along to the images - meaning there's never a dull moment. Originating in Japan and meaning "chit chat", Pecha Kucha nights now take place in cities all over the globe. Speakers present on a really diverse range of design and creative related topics - anything from social responsibility in architecture to a personal photographic project. http://www.pecha-kucha.org/night/dublin/

Verve Kids' Halloween Party 2009 - Photos!

2009-10-22T17:58:00.001+01:00

Well over 300 friends, family, clients and their kids descended on Wanderer's rugby club which had been transformed into a haunted house for Halloween Party. Activities for our little gremlins guests included halloween themed t-shirt stenciling, bracelet making and lots of scary challenges set by Count Dracula. On the menu were specially commissioned Verve Halloween cupcakes, popcorn, candyfloss and fish and chips in a cone. Most original costume of the night had to go to the mini 'John and Edward' X Factor look-a-likes. Not even the drizzling rain could dampen spirits as the evening drew to a close with an amazing firework display.

Verve Kids' Halloween Party 2009

2009-10-16T12:56:00.000+01:00

Now in its 7th year, the 2009 Verve Kids' Halloween Party promises to be our most SPOOKTACULAR ever! This year's event will feature lots of traditional halloween games and activities, spooky crafts, face-painting, a fancy dress competition as well as an amazing surprise finale. Some of last year's costumes included a little boy dressed as a washing machine and another as a rubix cube! If you're looking for some costume inspiration candidcostume.com has lots of creative ideas.

Aviva Stadium Partner with Verve for Stadium Opening Event

2009-10-09T17:45:00.000+01:00

We’re absolutely delighted to have been chosen as the event managment partner for the Aviva Stadium opening in May 2010. Details of the launch are still under wraps but it promises to be the most spectacular event of the year. As events go, launching the home of Irish rugby and football to the world is a dream job for any event planner – we are very, very excited. > More on the Stadium

A Case of Mistaken Identity for our Promotional Staff

2009-10-08T12:55:00.001+01:00

Japanese tourists were extremely excited to be photographed with the Ireland Rugby Team yesterday. Except they weren't the Irish Rugby Team; it was a team of Verve personnel promoting the new PUMA Ireland Rugby Jersey (on behalf of Horizon Sports Management and PUMA).

Needless to say, this was a dream job for our rugby loving promo boys who also aroused considerable curiosity among an unsuspecting public on the Luas and around town! (Thanks to Brendan Moran of Sportsfile for additional images)

Buzzword of the Week: 'Sellsumers'

2009-10-06T16:44:00.000+01:00

A Trendwatch.com report has coined the term 'Sellsumer' to identify the growing number of online platforms that help "part-time entrepreneurs... to make money instead of just spending it." Sellsumers are defined as online consumers who sell "their insights to corporations...and creative output to fellow consumers, or renting out unused assets.” The report credits the global recession combined with the online revolution for the trend. For consumers the payoff isn't just financial - it's also about "showing off business acumen" to peers and being in control of the product you use. Just some of the endless Sellsumer examples include:

Creativity: Springspotter.com rewards marketing-savy spotters who contribute new business ideas to the network with Amazon gift cards. Etsy.com has become a massive selling channel for part-time/hobby designers, crafts-people and artists. Starbucks Ideas Force invites consumers to "share, vote and discuss" ideas to improve the brand experience.
Space: Consumers can rent out their unused parking spot (Parkatmyhouse.com), extra space around their homes (www.storeatmyhouse.com), or even a piece of land as a camping site (www.singlespotcamping.com ).
Eco: Green Energy Minsiter Eamon Ryan announced incentives for Irish households to sell excess energy. Said Ryan: "Before you received your power from a central source and paid for it. Now you can generate for yourself and be paid for the excess you don’t use. This type of on-site electricity generation will put more money into consumers’ pockets."
Expertise: Ether.com allows a diverse range of experts (accountants, computer wizards, agony aunts) to earn money by selling advice over the phone.

The report concludes by suggesting that brands that create Sellsumer platforms " alongside your consumer strategies" will benefit greatly from stronger consumer relationships. > More about Sellsumers

So You're Looking for a Tent?

2009-09-30T13:47:00.028+01:00

Gone are the days when event planners only had one option when it came to temporary event structures. The standard marquee with white vinyl walls, musty lining and rickety wooden floors has been replaced with a bewildering array of options from glass to solid sided, alucassette floors, inflatable domes, kayam tents, yurts, tipis, saddlespans… so how do we choose the right one for our clients' events?

1. Corporate Events and Weddings: A solid sided marquee with an alucassette floor and some glass paneling (like this one we used on the grounds of Luttrellstown Castle) is the preferred choice for weddings and corporate events. Two things we're always conscious of when choosing the glass A) make sure there is a view for guests and B) that the sun does not bleed out screens.

2. Festival/Party/Social/Concert: Kayam big tops are the daddy of tents, popular for concerts, festivals and circuses ranging in size from 10,000 sq ft to 65,000 sq ft. with even larger versions 'Valhala Tents' stretching to over 100,000 sq ft. The high roof clearance and light opacity are great for production and ease of entry and exit. Music fans will be familar with the shape of this saddlespan marquee which we used last year at Google's festival-themed summer party. It resembles a half shell to provide cover for bands or it can be balanced on its axis points to give a tunnel effect shelter.

3. The Traditional/ Retro Option: We find vintage military tents lend themselves well to traditional village fete and nostalgic garden party themes. Offering interesting shapes, they can be transformed using rattan flooring, rugs and throws and Bedouin style cushions. A word of caution though - as they are old school tents, they may not offer clear sight lines or may have a lot of guy ropes and pegs. On the other hand it is hard to beat the glow and colour from an internally lit traditional canvas tent. Some other traditional tents include:

> Norwegian Yurts are circular tents build around a wooden frame. The cover is felt, made from the coats of the flocks of sheep that accompany the nomadic herders, on their travels.

> Wigwams are firm favorites on the festival circuit. Wigwams offer good accommodation for up to 6 guests.

> Tipis are making a comeback for teambuilding and BBQ style events. Link them together and put trestle tables inside them, for a fun party venue solution.

4. Inflatable Tent Structures: These inflatable pods make great spaces for stylish launches, drinks brands and exhibitions. They are becoming more popular as they require less time and labour to erect and come in varying shapes and sizes. They require access to power, mains or a generator to keep them inflated. It's best to keep them away from high wind sites and we always factor in good water weighting!

'Team Building' Your Event Dressing

2009-09-23T22:45:00.012+01:00

Wandering through Temple Bar recently we came across this quirky, floating canopy of giant inflatable 'spiders'. It turned out to be an art installation put together by the audience using "5,000 balloons and 40 pumps" as part of the Fringe Festival. As corporate event budgets shrink, creating a team building activity that contributes to the event dressing or the menu can be both fun and economical. Ice-breakers like designing an element of the staging (or a sushi workshop that becomes lunch!) give attendees a sense of ownership as well as being budget friendly. Google used this idea for their conference in Berlin a few years ago. Conference attendees were divided into teams and tasked with decorating a 'Berlin Bear', a symbol of the city. The bears were used to dress the conference venue and later distributed to Google offices around the world.

Brainstorming Ideas using Twitter

2009-09-22T15:36:00.000+01:00

Really successful experiential promotional activations are probably one part creativity underpinned by two parts logistics (plus blood, sweat and tears). If brainstorming isn't your strong point there's always Ideas Culture, an Australian company using the power of Twitter to crowdsource creative ideas for brand challenges. The idea is simple:

> Submit your challenge by 4pm

> Twitter-based "Ideas Agents" set to work overnight

> By 10am the next morning you'll receive between 40 - 100 ideas

A fee of AUD $ 880 is attached and although the quality of ideas are not guaranteed, it seems there's no stopping Twitter-enabled on-line innovation.

Event Design Inspiration: Bompas and Parr

2009-09-17T21:53:00.000+01:00

"Bespoke jelly makers" Bompas & Parr might just be the world's most eccentric caterers. Their spectacular culinary events have included a scratch and sniff cinema, glow in the dark jelly and a walk-in cloud of "breathable cocktail." If you're searching for Halloween themed ideas, check out their "monochromatic feast of black food" which takes place in London on September 23rd.

Players Get the Giggles at the Ireland Kit Launch

2009-09-16T18:12:00.001+01:00

Whilst helping the IRFU and Horizon Sports Management launch the new Ireland rugby kit, we couldn't help but notice the high jinks going on back-stage between players. Later on-stage Paul O'Connell had a serious attack of the giggles which rendered him almost speechless... It was a moment his unfortunate interviewer will probably rather forget!

Is Social Media a Fad?

2009-09-11T16:46:00.000+01:00

As more marketing budgets are re-allocated towards online spend, brands have really woken up to the power of social media. Facebook Pages are now being embedded into the heart of an increasing number of promotional marketing campaigns (HB, Captain Morgan, Rowntree's Randoms to name a few). At today's Dublin Chamber Digital Media Networking Event, Google's Ronan Harris and Facebook's Rick Kelley shared their insights. To illustrate his point about the explosion of social media, Rick shared this eye-opening video:

Coca Cola is Still King

2009-09-09T13:56:00.000+01:00

Coca Cola is still top of the Irish brands according to the Checkout Top 100 Brands report. However Irish FMCG brands face increasingly tough competition from own-brand; supermarket brands have risen from 9% to 19% of overall spending in the last 4 years.

Top Ten Grocery Brands

1. Coca Cola

2. Avonmore

3. Lucozade

4. Brennan's Bread

5. Danone

6. Tayto

7. Cadbury Dairy Milk

8. 7Up

9. Denny

10. Jacobs

In the alcohol section the top five brands were:

1. Budweiser

2. Smirnoff

3. Heineken

4. Bulmers

5. Guinness

It's encouraging to see many of our clients up there: Coca-Cola, Budweiser, Jacobs, Denny Smirnoff, Guinness and Avonmore.

Persil Take the Muck Out of Electric Picnic

2009-09-07T10:27:00.000+01:00

With most festival goers caked in a thick layer of Stradbally muck, Persil's debut at Electric Picnic couldn't have been better timed. Located beside our own Nestea Pamper Palace, The Persil/Comfort Naturals Launderette offered a free, same day service wash to campers. Other brands at the festival we spotted included Kenco, Arnotts Project, Nokia, Barcardi, Southern Comfort along with festival media partner The Irish Times and Heineken who had pouring rights.

Flight BOI 2009 Touches Down

2009-09-04T22:39:00.000+01:00

Vervies know Autumn has finally arrived when the college campus tours kick off. Students are a demanding lot so not only are Bank of Ireland offering free flights to Europe, there's also an ice-cream van. Our BOI flight crew will be touching down in a university near you for the next 3 weeks. (Photo by Steve Humphreys from today's Irish Indepe ndent)

Four Tips for a Successful Exhibition Stand

2009-09-03T08:55:00.000+01:00

Whether it's Electric Picnic or the National Ploughing Championships, live events are a great way to connect with your target consumer. Here are 4 great ways you can improve the return on your investment:

1. Be Creative with your Branding

How do you stand out in a sea of white marquees? Remember your exhibition stand is not a brochure so make it visually arresting and experiential. We're creating a cosy cottage interior for www.cottages4you.co.uk at the Ploughing Championships. At brand shy Electric Picnic we're using Nestea bottles to hold floral arrangements that represent the different drink flavours. Attract the eye and capture the imagination!

2. Data Capture with a Competition

How do you engage with consumers who have reached brand saturation after visiting hundreds of other stands? Generate leads post-exhibition with a competition entry form that has an opt-in for follow-up contact.

3. Location, Location, Location

Make sure your stand hasn't been relegated to no-mans-land. If you're unfamiliar with the event, speak with someone who has been before and knows the layout. Corner junctions are obviously prime sites but it may be easier to interact with consumers in quieter areas. If it's right for your brand, consider sponsoring an existing area of the event.

4. Offer Something of Value to the Consumer

We all love free stuff. Apart from branded merchandise and samples, you can also offer ways of improving the visitor experience. Cup of tea? Our roaming Aviva promotional personnel warmed up the crowd at St Patrick's Day Festival with tea served hot from jet packs in branded cups. Our Compeed Foot Fairies invited consumers for a foot massage at Girls Day Out in the RDS. At Debs Expo, roaming O2 Pixman brand ambassadors captured the moment with a photo of attendees that was emailed directly to their account. Simple engaging ideas that instantly build a relationship with the consumer.

Lighting Liberty - Event Lighting on a Grand Scale

2009-09-02T19:54:00.000+01:00

We love Daft.ie sponsored Playhouse. Liberty Hall (the ugly sister of Dublin architecture) gets a makeover as it's turned into a giant public canvas during the Theatre Festival. Each of its windows is used as a coloured pixel to create a giant moving animation. You can even create your own animation design online and have it displayed - finally, your name in lights.

'To Do List: Create Verve Blog...'

2009-08-28T22:30:00.000+01:00

After a lot of procrastination and a little bit of encouragement (from social media guru Krishna De - thanks Krishna!) we've finally launched our shiney new blog.

We know the rest of the world has been blogging furiously for ages. So why a Verve blog now?

1. Sharing is Caring
Every day we come across amazing brand experiences and inspiring events - plus weird and wonderful promotional marketing ideas from around the world. Why keep them all to ourselves?

2. Postcards from the Front Line of Marketing
We like to keep you up to date on what we've being doing. What's inside those funny looking boxes in reception?... Why do we have an amoured SWAT vehicle parked outside the office?... Which events are making us giddy this month?...

3. A Blog is a Two-Way Street
It's not all about us. We'd like to hear your thoughts and comments; we welcome your links.