Sky Vegas – Experiential Event

Back in June we collaborated with creative agency bigdog to help deliver an experiential marketing event at Doncaster Racecourse for Sky Vegas.

We worked together to create an experiential event for the race goers, aiming to promote the Sky Vegas Prize Machine game and increase brand awareness.

BRIEF

bigdog had created a concept of a physical prize machine where attendees could play the game to win small prizes as well as converting horse-boxes to photo booths where attendees could use their picture to win a larger prize.

We were tasked with turning this concept into reality.

 

Video

PROCESS

Time was of the essence with this project, we had a time frame for this event of only 7 weeks between initial briefing and event day.

Constant communication between ourselves, bigdog and Sky Vegas, along with comprehensive site inspections was key in allowing us to make the event a success. Throughout the whole process we kept in mind the difficulties of holding an experiential event at a Racecourse.

Some challenges included:

• Rules of the Race Track, on this particular race day the horses were young two-year olds that are particularly skittish and easily frightened. Taking this into account we had to seek approval for all timings and activities with the Clark of the Course. This included when we were able to play the music for the Punters Prize Machine game and flash photography from the horseboxes. To make this a success an Event Manager from Premier sat high in the stands and was our “Eye in the Sky” to ensure all horses were out of the vicinity before allowing our technical team to start the countdown and game.
• Betting laws, with the legal age to bet as 18, we had to ensure anyone who took part in either the prize machine structure or Punter Prize Machine game was over 18. We arranged for brand ambassadors to monitor racegoers as they queued for the photobooths and entered the prize machine structure are that they were over the age 18 before being allowed to participate.
• Internet connection, as the event was taking place at a racecourse, we were required to install our own internet connection. This was needed for the photobooths as well as a big screen and bespoke web-based game in the prize machine. A solid internet connection was event critical, so we decided to install our own event specific network with satellite back up to ensure we could run the web base games and wirelessly connect the photobooths to the main frame.
• Capturing footage, we had onsite videographers to create a highlights video as the racecourse was serving alcohol we had to brief all videographers not to capture racegoers drinking alcohol as this would be against Sky Vegas’ principle of responsible gambling.
• Power supply, as each element was placed throughout the racecourse away from main concourse we had to feed a power supply from the stands and ensure all cabling was safely covered.

The brief was to create a stand-alone prize machine structure that would allow racegoers to play the online prize machine game. We fabricated the structures based on the agreed client visual. The Prize Machine structure needed to include a hidden room inside to provide space for our technicians to run the show, built in iPads for racegoers to play the prize machine game and a video wall which would show pre-recorded clips and act as a winner’s screen. The outside of the Prize Machine structure was wrapped in red vinyl and included bespoke signage and modifications to match the Prize Machine game.

Along with the Prize Machine structure, we provided white picket fencing to close of the area and to enable our brand ambassadors to ensure anyone who entered was over 18 and managed the queue by directing racegoers to the next available iPad.

The Prize Machine game followed the same format as on Sky Vegas website and allowed everyone who played to win a prize of either; £10 cash, a food voucher or a free taxi ride home. We had provided the dedicated brand ambassadors with bespoke Sky Vegas bags containing prize envelopes to hand out prize winners.

We were also briefed to create a fun, unusual space for racegoers to take their picture to enter a competition to win larger prizes including £1,500 holiday voucher, iPhone X, Luxury Break for 2.

We sourced two horse boxes that would be suitable to modification. Once the horse boxes arrived at our warehouse, we were able to modify them to match the visual agreed with the client.

We vinyl wrapped both horse boxes in Sky Vegas red, installed internal lighting, creating bespoke lit signage and modifications for the exterior of the horsebox and created a mechanism that would provide a backdrop for the magic mirror and provide information on the competition to the public queuing to take part.

To ensure that the photobooths were accessible to all, we fabricated a bespoke DDA compliant ramp with hand rails and fit this to one of the horseboxes. This proved to be essential on the day as there were a several guests required assistance when entering the photobooth.

To meet our clients, brief we were required to modify our standard Magic Mirror workflow. We worked closely with bigdog’s digital team to rebrand the software. On the live day we provided 2 members of the Premier Team to capture data and assist with the photo and a brand ambassador for queue management. We created a system to rename the files to include their full name and mobile number so that winners could be easily identified and contacted if required. As we were collecting personal information it was important we complied with GDPR guidelines.

We created bespoke photo wallets to house the print outs from the magic mirrors. The wallets included information about the race day and included Sky Vegas activations.

To be in with a chance to win one of the big prizes the punters photographs were wirelessly transferred to our onsite technicians who fed these into the web-based gaming software.

This software was connected to the big screen in the middle of the racecourse. Between each race there was a short countdown with music to alert punters to the beginning of the game. The prize machine would then spin, the winner would be selected and directed to the prize machine structure to collect their prize.

We worked with Sky Vegas to develop and supply a uniform for the BA’s that represented their brand. Once they looked the part, the BA’s were briefed on-site, so they were fully immersed in the Sky Vegas world, and able to engage with attendees with confidence.

As well as the pre-planning for the event Premier Events also attend on-site. A wide range of Premier event staff attended on the day to fill all roles to make the event a success.

 

LOGISITICS

As with any large event, there were multiple logistics that needed to be arranged. After fabricating the horseboxes and prize machine we needed to arrange large transport to take the items from our base in Leicester to Doncaster race course. As well as transporting the large structures Premier also took five vans to include all additional equipment required.

On arrival in Doncaster our crew was given one and a half days to erect the Prize Machine Structure, kit out the horseboxes with the additional equipment and attach the DDA Compliant ramp.

Once the event had come to a close the Premier Events staff started de-rigging of the horseboxes and returned the next morning to take down the Prize Machine Structure and transport all kit including the horseboxes back to our warehouse.

 

CLIENT TESTIMONIAL

bigdog

On behalf of everyone at bigdog, thank you all so so much for all of your blood, sweat and tears you have put into the event. There is nobody else that we could have done any of this with, and you have all made what could have been an absolute nightmare of an event, a ridiculously fun project.

Honestly you have been absolutely amazing and blew anybody and everybody’s expectations out of the water. Totally unflappable, incredible, trustworthy people. Who are also just really really fabulous human beings outside of work and I would like to think that we have made a really strong partnership through this job and we will be working together lots in the future.

Sky Vegas

I just wanted to say a massive thank you again for last night. I was absolutely bowled over by how well executed the event was. Usually with these things, there’s the odd hitch, or maybe things we’d do differently, but I can honestly say that I wouldn’t have changed a thing (apart from maybe winning on a few races!).

The whole event was a credit to bigdog, and special thanks to Premier too. Such a professional and meticulous bunch and very easy to work with. Everyone, including the brand ambassadors, did themselves proud.
Thanks once again. There’s a real buzz around the office this morning and it was completely your making.