Emotions, event experiences and event technology – our experts in creation, event technology and project management deal with the topic of experience every day. It's time to look at the event experience from different Habegger perspectives:
• Eloisa Avila, stage design is her passion
• Christoph Runne, dramaturgy is his speciality
• Konstantin Kommnick, the consummate audio professional
• Thomas Herdener, public and corporate events are his baby
As part of our four-part series "Event Experience: Manipulation of emotions?", learn from our experts what elements they think are needed for the perfect staging of an event experience and how they manage to create emotions.
First, let’s hear from Eloisa, creative director. She is bubbling over with ideas and inspiration and reveals her recipe for successful event scenography.
What is left to chance and what is staged when it comes to creating, designing and implementing experiences?
Eloisa: I leave nothing to chance. It is the staging that makes us think it is chance. Time is an essential factor here, because a successful dramaturgy is based on good timing, so that highlights are placed at the right moment.
I develop the dramaturgy for each event individually, because it always depends on the type of event. Events are never static.
The magic formula for a successful staging is: Surprise your guests!
How do you go about it exactly?
At the beginning of planning an event, I always ask myself the following questions:
An event is always organised for a specific target group, at a specific location, for a specific purpose. This applies to physical events as well as to hybrid events, such as a World Cup broadcast.
The magic formula for a successful staging is: Surprise your guests! With something they are not expecting. That depends on the target group. That’s why we deliberately work against a certain expectation of the participants. With success! This is the only way to create big WOW moments.
Colour, light, space: what do you have to pay attention to when staging an event in order to arouse emotions and create a lasting experience?
Emotions arise from the interplay of all elements that touch our senses. Images, light, sound, aromas and of course the thematic setting arouse emotions and thus contribute to a perfect atmosphere. It is important that the setting is right and that the guests feel comfortable and safe. This makes it much easier to get involved in something new.
That’s why we attach great importance to the spatial staging, the scenography. Light and colour, foreground and background, stage and auditorium together form an experiential space that must be coordinated with each other and form the space for the production. We always develop this along the needs of our clients.
An event experience can be compared to a heartbeat, because the “experience curve” is structured like a sine curve. Lasting experiences always consist of highlights and lowlights, they create the balance in the dramaturgy.
From your point of view, what is the best experience you give clients?
Satisfaction when everything goes according to plan and the event leaves the guests and the client not only with a positive feeling, but a lasting WOW. To achieve that, I like to go the extra mile to exceed expectations.
With our events, we create lasting moments and give people a time-out from their everyday lives.
Your expertise is stage design – what are the special features here?
Stage design is a complex matter. That’s why we work in an interdisciplinary way, because many trades have to dovetail very well. The exchange with the stage and event technicians is therefore very important and we are already in close exchange during the design phase to discuss feasibility and technical solutions. The event technicians are largely responsible for the success of a production. This is a huge advantage at Habegger, because all these trades are under one roof. Everything therefore flows into one another simply and without complications.
Which button do you have to press to generate the perfect experience?
There is not one button, but rather several buttons that I push. Because every event is unique and places very different, individual demands on me as a designer. That’s why I always try to put myself in the shoes of my target group and focus on the message I want to convey to the audience.
Dramaturgy is his speciality: Christoph, show director at Habegger for over 15 years. He takes us into the world of magic.
Christoph, how much is left to chance and how much is staged in dramaturgy?
Christoph: Very little is left to chance in the dramaturgical design of an event experience: 2/3 is planning, 1/3 is working towards a specific reaction. However, it always depends on the dynamics of the event itself, the target group, the message or even the protagonists who are involved. Keeping the conversation at a high level for the audience throughout a talk show depends greatly on the choice of speakers to entertain the audience but also the interaction between the speakers. An element of surprise also plays an important role. Another guaranteed way to keep the audience happy is to introduce celebrities as special guests or deploy a well-known speaker.
It is important to ensure the room and the event speak the same language.
What role does the room setting play in evoking emotions?
The room setting plays a crucial role. The location is what conveys the first impression, and the ambience impacts each participant’s sense of well-being. This is known as non-verbal communication with the target group – and it is an important part of the message and story. It is important to ensure the room and the event speak the same language, so that both work in harmony.
What is a corporate event for you today?
Companies want to move away from simple, inflexible events, away from classic staging and towards a more modern approach. We offer lots of options with this in mind. From a moving stage to a catwalk – changes that positively surprise the guests. The integration of mobile elements is attracting widespread interest. These on-going changes are creating new interactive staging possibilities.
Underlying mental and physical security is needed on stage.
Live vs hybrid event: how do you build suspense?
Every event is made up of several small highlights that intensify towards the end. A similar structure is used in a good film: the major climax does not happen at the end, but shortly beforehand.
At a virtual event, the timing has an even tighter structure. A fresh stimulus is required every 5-10 minutes by using a new image or voice. At a live event, on the other hand, people can talk about the same topic for a longer period.
What other key points are there for successful dramaturgy?
For each type of event, there are different basic elements to be fulfilled. Underlying mental and physical security is needed on stage. The content must be highly relevant to the target group. Flawless presentation of the design elements is essential. Only then does the audience get involved in the dramatic composition of the event.
An excellent moderator can make all the difference. The moderator needs to understand the content as well as being highly articulate and able to react spontaneously. Another consideration is whether this person has an internal connection or is recruited externally. In my opinion, it tends to be better to hire an internal moderator because they are already familiar with the business environment.
In a chat with Konstantin, head of audio, we are fascinated to hear how audio creates emotional experiences.
Konsti, in the field of audio, how much is chance and how much is staging?
Konsti (laughs): Nothing is left to chance in my audio – nothing at all. We have to plan every moment, down to the smallest detail, so that everything goes as desired on the day. This is the only way we can make sure every signal is switched with pinpoint accuracy. There are lots of technical interfaces in the background. Everyone needs to know what to do and when. This attention to detail is essential for creating the desired audio experience for event participants. Precision is our virtue.
So, there are no surprises?
On the contrary, we certainly use our audio work to create surprise effects for the audience. Auditory perception is strongly linked to visual impressions and spatial orientation. We can play with that. If a sound effect or noise suddenly comes from an unexpected direction, the audience will be surprised.
What is your biggest challenge for an experience?
Ultimately, everything has to come together in harmony – the audio, the rest of the event technology, and everything around the event. People are always the focus, and they are not robots. We can plan everything to perfection right down to the smallest detail, but we can’t control the people, their reactions and interactions. Sometimes, the speakers on stage deviate from the plan, drifting away from the programme schedule. We have to stay flexible and make decisions within seconds. But that also makes it exciting for us.
We have to stay flexible.
What’s the best audio experience you can give clients?
That indescribable feeling, which we still remember years later as if it were yesterday – that’s the experience I want to create with my audio skills.
Corporate and public events are his thing. He holds the project threads in his hand. Thomas – known as Poppy – has been working as a project manager at Habegger for over 5 years. He gives us an insight into event experience requirements and successes.
How can technology contribute to successful staging?
Poppy: Staging is often associated with our creative department. But the technical contribution is just as important. Successful lighting design, for example, creates a “wow effect” for the audience.
How much is left to chance and how much is staged?
With us, nothing happens by chance. Light, sound and video follow a set staging. Ultimately, the audience will notice mistakes – especially in sound and video. Errors in the lighting production are less noticeable because the sequence and selection of lights is individual for each event.
Poppy, what is the foundation for successful staging?
The staging and design of events are based on people’s basic needs. Part of the planning is not just the event itself but also making sure that everyone involved is happy, able to work and has the necessary materials available. To give an example, if a food stand at a public event has no electricity, not only would the caterers be dissatisfied, but also the visitors and ultimately the organisers. Dissatisfaction leads to a chain reaction because all the target groups are interlinked.
What are the key factors at an event to evoke emotions and create an experience?
Bild: Nicole Roetheli
The complete package has to be right: the location and setting must suit the requirements, target group and ambience. A heavy metal concert is unlikely to go down well at a fancy venue. But there are also “neutral” event locations where requirements can be adapted to the target group. The most important thing when creating an event experience is to put yourself in the shoes of the target group. You have to know what the “wow effects” are for the target group.
From your point of view, what is the best experience you can give clients?
On the one hand, complete satisfaction and expectations exceeded. On the other hand, always being flexible and able to find a solution in the shortest possible time, even if the situation is hectic.
Which button do you have to press to generate the perfect experience?
There is no such thing. Every event is individual, unique and not a case of copy & paste. I always adapt to people and their needs to create a highly individual experience.
