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Event Branding: How to Customize an Engaging Event that Aligns with Your Brand

When going through the steps for planning your event, don’t let branding fall to the wayside! Read our event branding guide to create a memorable experience.
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November 26, 2022

When it comes to your event brand, several factors make up the overall look and feel of your company. When in the planning process for your event, keep in mind that your event brand represents not only your company colors, logo and services, but also your relationship with clients, employers and customers. All of these elements come together to create your personalized event brand. 

What Is Event Branding?

Event branding is being able to capture your company’s signature essence and promoting that brand within your events and marketing campaigns. Event branding can be done through both digital branding, like event websites and email marketing. Onsite branding for events can be done through things like food, swag bags and event posters. Taking the tone of your company and translating that into your event brand will take your event to the next level. Taking your company and adding a little twist, such as a theme or tagline, will make your event brand your own, and it will be memorable for everyone attending your event! 

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Benefits Of Event Branding

1. Brand Recognition 

When you have your event brand represented at your event, your guests and sponsors are more likely to retain the information they received at the event. The main goal of event branding is using these tools and elements to help your guests remember your event in a positive way. Having a signature color or phrase is going to be recognized by your guests, even after the event is over! According to the University of Loyola Maryland, a company’s signature color can boost an event brand’s recognition by 80%

2. New Customers 

One large benefit of event branding is generating new customers. Increased brand exposure will get the word out about your event, therefore reaching a larger audience. The more you put a unique event brand out into the world, the more people are going to notice it and will want to be a part of the next event. 

3. Increase Business Value

With the right branding, the business value of your company can increase. According to a study by Forbes, consistent branding across all platforms increased revenue by 23%. 

4. Improve Employee Pride & Satisfaction

Employee pride is something that not many companies think about when it comes to making decisions. It’s important to keep this in mind when talking about event branding - employees want something that they feel proud to represent. Having a company with strong branding will help achieve that. 

5. Creates Trust Within the Marketplace 

The more a brand is recognizable to the public, the more they feel that they can trust that brand. Think of household name products or companies that you know of- they’re a household name for a reason! This all ties back to branding, and the more your business is a reputable name in the industry with the help of branding, the better. 

6. Supports Marketing & Advertising 

Having a strong brand for your event will make the marketing and advertising process that much easier. It will help the marketing team know exactly what colors and logos to use when it comes to the event brand. 

10 Event Branding Ideas

Creating a unique event brand will be the expectation that your guests will want to see when they attend your next event. When creating your event brand, be sure that your brand tells a story and sends a positive message to your audience. If you need a spark of inspiration, these 10 event branding examples will help you jumpstart your event!

1. Social Wall

Social walls are growing in popularity on the homepages of a company’s website. Social walls gather content from social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. This content is usually displayed in a grid style fashion, and will display hashtags or live filtered content. The use of a social wall can be interactive for your guests! With the correct software, your guests can use certain hashtags to tweet or post about the event, and the guest will be able to see their tweet or post on the social wall within seconds! Guests will not only be able to engage with your company’s social media channels, but they help to promote your company to their followers. 

2. Set And Stage Design

With your event being in person, you may have a staging area, or at the very least a main seating area for your speakers and moderators. A classic way to brand your event is by having a backdrop for your speakers to sit in front of. As your speakers talk to the audience, your guests will face them and view not only the speakers but also your company’s backdrop. This backdrop should include both your company’s signature colors along with the logo. Having a backdrop is also a great opportunity to take pictures at your event! Whether the photographer takes candid pictures of a discussion panel or having your guests pose for pictures at the conclusion of the event, the background will serve a great purpose for the event!

3. Event Logo

One of the most important elements of event branding is your company logo! Your company logo can be branded on just about anything! When creating your company logo, creating something innovative and exciting will be a great way for your guests to remember your event! The great thing about your personalized logo is that it can be branded on just about anything! Brand your logo on items for swag bags, signage and agendas, and even food items like cupcakes and cookies! Once you have found an event logo that accurately represents your company and your brand, stick with that logo! It will be recognizable for years to come! 

4. Event App

Take your event brand to the next level with the use of an app, designed specifically for your event! Parenting with an app designer can help get your event app off and running!

Your event app can have tabs for items like networking contacts, a tab to hold your ticket into the event and even a spot for surveys! Hubilo has an event app that allows either in-person attendees or virtual attendees to have a similar experience. This can be used as a hub for any event where they can see the schedule, engage in breakout sessions, and network. Having a single app that can hold all of your event information is much easier than holding onto a folder with pamphlets and pieces of paper!

5. Swag Bags

Swag bags are a great tool to incorporate branded items into your event! The possibilities for swag bag items are endless! Your company logo is able to be branded on t-shirts, hats and notebooks! Swag bags are a fantastic way to thank your guests for coming to your event, and filling them with goodies with your logo will be the best way to remind your guests of all of the fun they had at your event! Understanding your audience demographic will help narrow down the items you want to provide to your attendees! 

6. Booths

If the event is not being held within your company, you may have an in-person or virtual booth set up! Whether this event is a trade show or an exhibition, you have the ability to customize your booth directly to your brand. Using your company logo and even your company color scheme, you are able to attract guests to your booth and pass out information to everyone. Using small giveaway branded items like hand sanitizer or keychains will help people remember that they visited your booth! 

7. Marketing

When you decide to host an event, the best way to spread the word about your event is through event marketing and promotion. Marketing can be done both online and offline! If you are working back in the office, using items like fliers and table tents can spread the word about your event! Keep in mind that everyone in your company may be back working in the office, for a number of reasons. Using email marketing to send out information about your event is the best way to inform everyone! Designing the email with your company colors and logo and all of the correct information will be sure to catch people’s eye! Adding a registration link for people to sign up for your event will keep all of that information organized and in one place! Also, adding information about the app that they are able to download to keep all of the event information in one place will help your guests become organized and informed about the event! 

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8. Website

Your company’s event website will be the most useful piece of information when it comes to planning your event since it will be the hub of all of the event information! Be sure to include your event website anywhere you do your marketing (email, event app, social media, etc). After the event concludes, uploading pictures and feedback onto your website will ensure that your guests will return to your website in the future! 

9. Social Media

Much like the social wall, social media has always been the best way for your guests to express their feelings and opinions. Creating a social media channel (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube) for your company will allow you to interact and engage with your guests, all throughout the year. Keeping your social media channels updated with any event information such as registration dates, ticketing and any other important information will keep your guests updated leading up to the event! 

Some other social media tips to keep in mind while working with event branding are: 

  • Shout out any important guest speakers you have
  • Don’t forget to have your sponsors and speakers/panelists/presenters promoting your event in their own social media posts
  • Remember to track UTMs to track where registrations are coming from 

10. Lanyard and Badges

When guests begin to arrive at your event, handing them a badge attached to a lanyard is the best way for them to be identified by other guests! Both the lanyard and badge can be adorned with your company logo and color scheme. With Hubilo, you don’t have to worry about printing your badge, since it’s a feature you receive when working with us! Using badges for your guests can also be a good way to keep track of attendance as well. At the end of the event, be sure to collect all of the lanyards and badges, and they can be reused for the next event! 

Free Marketing material for an in person event

4 Elements Of An Event Brand

Think of your event brand as a giant tree trunk, and the elements of your brand as the branches. The event elements are what people see and remember from your event. The elements work in tandem to help create an event brand that is specific to your company! 

1. Foundational Elements

The foundational elements of event branding set the precedence for how you present the brand moving forward. These elements shouldn’t be taken lightly - they’re how your event will be represented as you plan all the way to the end! We’ll cover all the essential foundational elements of event branding.  

Color Palette

Most companies have a color scheme that they stick with. A combination of colors can make your company stand out from the rest! Depending on the theme and overall vibe of your company, there are certain color combinations that may work better than others. Yellow and blue are for the playful, yet authoritative company. For a company that is on the more peaceful and tranquil side, maroon and peach pair very well together. First, determine how your company is perceived, and then from there, choose a color palette and transform that color palette onto everything event brand related! 

Theme

Theme is also a part of the foundational elements of event branding. A theme is a fun way to get your guests involved with the event and have them participate in the event early on. Given the time of year that you host your event, you may have a summertime theme, or a winter wonderland theme! Having the decor, food and drink match the theme, whatever it may be, will fully immerse your guests into your event. Changing the theme for your event every time will keep your guests on their toes and leave them always curious about the theme of the next event. 

Slogan 

Does your company have a signature slogan? Having that slogan be a part of your event brand is a great way for your guests to remember your event! Using your slogan on social media or on any kind of branding material at the event will allow your guests to see it over and over again! Putting the company slogan on swag items and merchandise will allow your guests to be reminded of the slogan, even after the event concludes! 

Tone 

Every company has a tone, and how you convey that tone to employees, sponsors and customers is very important. Once you have determined a tone for your company, be sure to always use that tone throughout your event and in the branding. Your tone can represent your company in the best way possible! The way you engage and communicate with your employees, customers and guests must be consistent throughout, no matter what the situation may be. Remaining calm, clear and focused is the best kind of tone to have. 

Logo

A logo is a key part of creating a great brand. Oftentimes, a logo is how people will recognize your brand over any other branding elements. A logo can be a unique design, letters of your company, and so much more. To create a great design that encompasses your brand, contact a graphic designer who can help develop one that’s unique and eye-catching- your audience won’t forget it! Your logo will be displayed on almost every kind of marketing material and marketing element, so you want it to be the best possible representation of your company. 

2. Digital Event Branding Elements

Digital branding has become the best way for your company to spread the word about any upcoming events. Branding your event website, marketing materials and even social media channels will help your guests attending your event be aware of what they are in store for! 

Contact Influencers

Reaching out to the right influencers to help promote your event can make a world of a difference when it comes to your event! Doing research for these influencers and approaching them with a pitch for your company will allow the influencers to see your plan and how you are going to carry out that plan. If the influencers agree to your pitch, then you can create an agenda for them as well! They can either promote your event on their own social media channels or even attend the meeting virtually.  

Registration 

If your event requires registration of your guests, having a digital registration link is the easiest way to go! Your attendees can enter all of their information, and then you, as the event organizer, have access to all of that information digitally. Make it fun by adding a few questions asking what their favorite music, food or activities are to personalize the event! Be sure to include your company logo and color scheme on the registration page as well. 

Ticketing

Selling tickets to events digitally has simplified the event process! If your guests need to buy tickets in advance to your event, providing them with a link to do so is the best way to go! This link can be provided either through email or even during the registration process. Tickets are made available to be used digitally as well! Through the use of an event app, all of your guest’s information can be held in one spot! No need to worry about losing a paper ticket, the app holds your digital ticket to enter your event. 

Website 

As you go through the process for planning out an event, one thing you shouldn’t take lightly is your website. The website for your event should encompass everything anyone needs to know about the event, including the date, times, and all the unique and fun features it will hold. Branding for your website is crucial - you’ll want the theme, fonts, and color scheme of the website to align with the event brand to ensure consistency. 

Event App

Choosing an event hosting software that has a mobile event app makes all the difference for everyone involved! An event app like Hubilo’s can be customized to match with your event’s branding; just because some guests may not be present on-site at the event, doesn’t mean they can’t experience your brand from the event app! 

Social Media

Possibly one of the biggest components to digital branding, social media is a key element to branding. Through social media, you can cater posts around your brand and use brand-centered images. Use paid social media advertising to get granular on who you want your posts to be shown to as well as specific locations! 

Post event cocktails with audience members

3. On-site Event Branding Elements 

On-site branding elements are a key factor to your overall branding strategy. On-site elements include any signage like banners or posters that you can display while your event is happening. This type of branding also includes what you’d place on an event agenda, any photo booth features, and the type of food and drink you provide at the event. With on-site branding, make sure to include things like your company’s logo, color scheme, and slogan just as you would with any other kinds of branding. 

Food

Now that you have a company color scheme and logo, you are able to have fun with your food! Food branding is a great way to get the conversation going among your guests about your brand and company! Putting your logo on cupcakes with your company’s colored frosting is a fun way to brand yourself, and be sure to get pictures of any food branded items at your event! They will look great on your company website and will be sure to stand out to any potential guests. Plus, who doesn’t love a cupcake?

Branded Signage

Wherever your event is being held, depending on the guests you have attending, it may be a new building for some! Using branded signage for your guests to find the meeting rooms, restrooms or common areas will help everyone find their way. Be sure to include your company logo and color scheme on the signage, as it will make your company and your brand consistent throughout your event. 

Photo Opportunity Booths

Everybody loves a photobooth opportunity, right? Hats, oversized glasses and silly props are a great way for your guests to remember your branded event! When it comes to props, try to incorporate your company logo and brand for your guests to pose with! That way, when your guests look back at the fun time they had at your event, they will remember your company and your brand. Include a backdrop with your company’s logo and color scheme to incorporate additional branding to a photo booth, too. 

Swag Bags

Is there anything better than receiving exclusive merchandise completely free of cost? We don’t think so! Swag bags are the perfect addition to any event because they allow your branding to shine through. Choose different types of merchandise to include in your bags - we recommend t-shirts, water bottles, pens, and more! You can get as creative as you want with your swag bag items, just as long as it’s something attendees can keep to remember your brand! 

Decor

Decor is a key way to emphasize your brand during an event. Things like colored lights to match your brand colors and any signage with your logo on it are perfect ways to enhance the event with branding! 

Finding the right color scheme for your event

7 Tips And Guidelines For Creating A Stand Out Event Brand

Your event brand should be a combination of your company, tone, and your attitude towards guests and customers. Your company, when creating your event brand should want to stand out above the rest. Following these tips will help you in creating a stand out event brand. 

1. Understanding Your Audience

Knowing the demographics of your audience will help you with your event brand and how smoothly your event runs! During the registration process, providing questions to your future guests can help event organizers better understand what their audience would like to see at the event. Using this information to plan games, food or music will help engage your audience and have them return for events in the future. 

2. Plan Content 

Content refers to the information given through a variety of channels including internet, social media and live events. Keep in mind that content can come in many forms, so be sure to plan for that! For instance, your guests may be active on social media, so use that to your advantage! Creating content across all platforms will ensure your guests receive the content they need before, during, and after the event. 

3. Make Sure The Elements Flow Together 

The elements of event branding need to come together to make the overall event work. If one element doesn’t work, it has the ability to throw off the whole event. Through trial and error, you are able to determine which elements work for your event and which ones don’t!  

4. Lay The Brand Foundation 

Events can come in many different forms. Depending on the nature of your event, be clear about the brand foundation! Think about your event brand as a whole, and how you want to convey that event branding! If your event is meant to be more informational and educational, having that conveyed before the guests arrive will ensure that there are no surprises. 

5. Use Technology 

The use of technology can be your best asset! The use of computers to display slideshows will help pass along information to your guests! Using cameras to capture photos and videos for you to use on your company website will be a great way to show off your event. If your event requires information that needs to be passed along, the use of videos to show your guests will help them receive that information.

6. Have A Floorplan For Onsite Design

One element of planning an event requires a floor plan for the event! Planning out where your speakers and guests are going to sit makes the setting up for the event simple. If you have booths or vendors coming to your event, knowing where they can set up takes the guesswork out of your event. The more planning you have done prior to your event, the better you’ll be the day of! 

7. Pair with Sponsors And Speakers 

Sponsors are there to help with your event, either financially or with in-kind donations. Don’t be afraid to use sponsors to help with your event! Make your pitch to potential sponsors clear and precise, making sure to add your tone event brand. Clearly defining your overall goals for the sponsors will make them want to sponsor your event! 

Technology Can Be An Asset For Event Branding

Technology has come a long way over the years, and it has become so beneficial to your events! Technology can mean the use of computers, for passing on information to your guests. The use of fun technology, like VR headsets can immerse your guests into the virtual world, and will be a fun break for them during the event! Technology is only getting better as time goes on, so why not use it to your advantage to make your event stand out above the rest! 

Getting event branding down isn’t always easy, but with the right knowledge it can be a breeze! If you want to learn more about the best insights on branding and marketing, check out our Studio Chat with Rita Shukham, SVP of Brand Marketing at Diesel during the Cannes International Festival of Creativity! 

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