Transport your guests to another world with one of the hottest trends for 2018: Immersive Experiences

Immersive events are all the rage right now – it’s one of the hottest trends in event planning, so if that’s part of your role, you should be thinking about it. Pioneers in the genre include companies like Secret Cinema, who put on immersive event experiences which are based on films. Their Moulin Rouge event was set in the famous Parisian club and in addition to a screening of the Baz Luhrman film, included bars to buy themed cocktails, actors to add to the atmosphere and a dress code, to keep the theme going.

Other people too have taken on the challenge of the immersive event in recent years; the company Bombas and Parr has become famous for it. One recent event was called Beyond the Waterfall – guests at Westfield shopping centre in London were ‘transported to another dimension’ inspired by mythology. The project involved an impressive amount of structural engineering for a glorified cocktail bar, but was a huge hit with the public.

Immersive events don’t have to be so full on though – you can take elements inspired by the aforementioned events and build them into an event that you’re planning, to keep it fully on trend.

What do you need to consider to build immersive elements into your event?

Stick to an Aesthetic

One of the most important things to consider when designing an immersive experience is the aesthetics of your venue. You don’t need to spend a lot of time or money on decorating your venue, however – just pick wisely in the first place. A theatre might be the ideal venue for a Moulin Rouge themed awards evening, or a boat could be the setting for an Agatha Christie murder mystery party.

Touches that don’t cost a lot like a dress code and themed invitations will help ensure the experience is immersive – but the visuals are often less important than other elements of the night.

Hire an Actor or a Celebrity

One of the reasons that events like those put on by Secret Cinema are so great is the actors they hire, and their instructions to stay in character. Everyone from the person checking tickets to the waiters and entertainment should be acting in keeping with your theme, for a truly immersive experience.

For some events it might be suitable to hire a celebrity relevant to the event that you’re putting on. For instance, if you chose to theme a corporate party around the popular reality show, I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here you could hire a guest who has been on the programme like Peter Andre. His famous appearance on the show means he’ll really help to immerse your guests – especially if he’s dressed in those iconic red shorts!

Maybe a Strictly Come Dancing event with dance lessons is more up your street? Hire a professional from the show, like Flavia Cacace. Any sporting event would be enhanced by the appearance of a relevant sports star, whether it’s a World Cup theme or an Olympic Games immersive experience. Take a look at the people on the books at top talent agency MN2S if you’re in need of some inspiration.

Don’t forget food and drink

Most events involve some food or drinks, and this presents you with a brilliant opportunity for a theme. Maybe you’re putting on a Murder on the Orient Express themed event on a train? Could you serve your welcome drinks in old-fashioned champagne glasses in keeping with the theme?

Taste and smell are two senses which can instantly transport us to another time and place, so if your theme is the beach and it’s midwinter, serving BBQ food might help your guests to really get in the spirit of things.

Create the atmosphere and select your audio carefully

The sounds with which you choose to accompany your event could also have a big impact on how it comes across, whether that’s live music, a playlist or even some kind of soundtrack. The music that you might choose to play at a Great Gatsby themed event, for instance, should reflect the era in which the story is set. A playlist of roaring 20s songs or, even better, a jazz band to play them, will help everyone at your event to feel like they’ve stepped back in time.

If your event is built around a specific film, you could even have the soundtrack playing in the background – it’s an easy way to change the mood.

Quick tips on how to create an immersive experience:

• Create an aesthetic and reflect this in your venue, deco, audio, food and displays.
• Add some actors and celebrities to the mix to interact with your guests. Hire a celebrity here.
• Elevate the experience with food and drink.
• Keep your theme exciting, from the agenda to the audio.
• For the full immersive experience, make sure you cover all senses to make the experience an event to remember.

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