Tag: creative
ABCey’s Weekend Lineup: 2/26/16-2/28/16
With the weekend just around the corner, I hope you decide to trade in your business suit for some jeans and shades! The Bay area has been warming up, and it’s the perfect weather to open up the windows and take a walk around the park. For this week’s weekend lineup ABCey wanted to take advantage of the forecast and give you some great outdoor events to choose from!
Friday February 26th, 2016 | 5:00pm – 9:30pm |2460 Sutter St. | $12 Adults $8 Students (Seniors & Kids under 12 free)
If you’re looking to travel the globe without the baggage fees, step out to Pacific Heights Friday night and experience a taste of Russia! The festival will host an array of events that are triggered to entice all senses. So if you’re looking to indulge your tastebuds with some authentic Russian food or admire the art of traditional dance, this event is the place to be!
THE COMEDY ROAST OF DONALD TRUMP
Friday, February 26th, 2016 | 8pm | Pappy’s, Berkeley | $10
One of the most debated candidates for this year’s election has been nominated as the guest of honor for this month’s comedy roast hosted by RoastSF! Mr. Trump will not be in attendance for this event, however, his impersonator is KNOWN for his class act impression, and will be severely roasted by 8 improv comics. Regardless if you love him or you hate him, it’s no question that you won’t have a hurt stomach from laughing at this event!
HOMELESS HOMES POP UP WORKSHOP
Saturday, February 27th, 2016 | 11am – 6pm | Nimby, Oakland | FREE
Want to make a difference in your community? Homelessness in The Bay area has been the topic of discussion, especially with the growing tents that are vacating the streets. This Saturday and Sunday, this pop up workshop is uniting people within the community to take a hands-on-approach by creating micro-homes for the homeless. Start off your Saturday the right way by giving back to those in need!
Saturday, February 27th, 2016 | 1pm-4 pm | Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara | $79-$125
For all of the bacon lovers (we know how many of you there are), this is an event you don’t want to miss! Enjoy the VIP treatment of walking the field while enjoying a brew and a slice of bacon. Guests will be able to indulge in 50+ bacon infused dishes and proceed to wash them down with a choice of 100+ craft beers and cider samples, all of which are from some of the best local vendors and breweries! Enjoy games, some fun in the sun, and if you’re feeling brave, sign up for the bacon eating contest, which is sure to leave you full for days!
MARDI GRAS CELEBRATION TREASURE ISLAND FLEA
Sunday, February 28th, 2016 | All Day | Great Lawn, Ave of the Palms, Treasure Island | $3
If you can’t make it out to New Orleans this year to celebrate Mardi Gras, the Treasure Island Flea has the solution! This Sunday, local street musicians and New Orleans menus will be fused together to make this event come to life. Choose to shop from the 400+ curated vendors while trying a 2-fo-1 TI Flea Hurricane Cocktail as you watch the city transform, this is a great way to kick back and relax before Monday! 
A GATHERING OF ROYALS- ACADEMY OF FRIENDS 2016 GALA
Saturday, February 28th, 2016 | 5pm-10 pm | San Francisco Design Center, San Francisco | $225.39-&757.95
Are you planning to watch The Oscar’s Sunday night? If so, and you’re looking for a change of scenery, head down to the San Francisco Design Center for a great cause! Not only does this gala give you the opportunity to dress up as if you were at The Oscar’s, but 100% of the proceeds are directed towards HIV/AIDS services in the Bay area. Enjoy complimentary food, wine, and champagne, and if you’re feeling up to it keep partying at the after party at SF Oasis!
What event(s) are you placing on your calendar for this upcoming weekend? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!
6 Ways to Spark Creativity Within Your Workspace
Event professionals are constantly trying to come up with new ways to create and design. Studies show that your workspace environment can boost innovation among yourself and others! ABCey has six fun ideas to help create a workspace that will optimize your creativity.
1. Lighting
Make sure you have a good balance of light. Turning down the lights can spark creativity. Also make sure to get natural light in to to keep the mood alive! Find a unique desk lamp with an adjustable nob so you can’t set the prefect amount of light and set up your space by a window.
2. Organized Clutter
Keep your desk organized but cluttered. Some disorder simulates creativity, but don’t have it so messy that you can’t find anything! Keep a desk organizer that holds all the office essentials, but leave some magazines or newspapers laying around for those days when you’re stuck. New ideas can come from anywhere!
3. Inspiration Board
Create a “mood board” by carving out a blank space of your office wall, or use a cork board. Whenever you see something that you love or sparks your interest add it to the board! Be sure to rotate pictures so you are always seeing something that inspires you in the moment. Your board can be a gateway for inspiration!
4. Comfort
You probably spend just as much time at the office as you do at home so make your space comfy with a great desk chair. If your sitting in a chair you love, you can do hours of undisturbed work. Add a colorful patterned pillow too!
5. Greenery
Add some real life to your desk by putting some small office plants or succulents. They not only make your desk prettier and more cheerful, but according to The Huffington Post the color green can boost your inventiveness!
6. Take a Break
Too much time at your desk can make you feel burnt out, no matter how much you love your space! Find a spot in the office where you can just get away, take a break and clear your mind. Not giving your brain a rest can actually hinder the flow of creative ideas.
Will you be upgrading or adding any of these elements to your workspace? Let us know in the comments or message us on Facebook and Twitter!
Tips to take your FIFA World Cup Viewing Party to the next level!
Calling all sports fans! In light of the recent start of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, here are some tips to help make your next sports viewing party a win! Here at ABCey, we love these ideas and hope you can use them for your next viewing party!
1. Fans unite, online! Download the Official 2014 FIFA World Cup App on your smartphone and stay updated! This app provides live coverage of all 64 games, wherever you go! Unite with the players, coaches and fans worldwide. With this free app, you can now take the game with you everywhere you go, literally.
2. Seating! Bring the indoors outside and get creative with seating! Take the couches and blankets to instantly give your viewing party a different vibe! This is where you will be spending the most time, so make sure it’s comfortable. To make your party outdoors and affordable, just rent a projector if you don’t have one!
3. Make food, fun! Create an interactive, personalized snack bar so friends can customize and eat without having to wait for the snack bowl to make it’s rounds.
4. Photos! Take photos of your friends and all the fun you are having! Redefine the selfie and use the Muku Shuttr remote to capture all the guests at your party, including yourself! Check out the Muku Lab Shuttr!
5. Theme! Let your party show which team you’re rooting for! Don’t be afraid to create your food and wall decor using soccer balls and team flags as inspiration! Let your next event scream team spirit! We think an overarching Brazil theme is great too. Don’t know where to start? Try this brazilian pineapple and coconut batilda; it’s bound to be a hit at your next party!
Are you planning to throw a FIFA World Cup viewing party? Let us know if you would use any of these ideas! Leave us a comment below or on Facebook & Twitter.
Tech Tuesday: Maptiv8
Tech Tuesday highlights the best and brightest ideas in the tech world. ABCey would like to recognize these up and coming companies for their innovative ideas and ability to think outside the box!
In today’s events world, we are always looking for ways to engage event attendees. Maptiv8, founded by Seth Familian of Familian&1, is a new private directory visualization platform for students, alumni, event attendees, and supporters.
The Map Admin sets branding and adds the member list, which enables you to visualize the list in an appealing and simple way. Maptiv8 will then invite members via email, and reveal affinities within the community. Once members sign in with Facebook, LinkedIn, or email, the map will automatically take shape! This ignites connections and actions among the Map members.
Some of Maptiv8’s powerful features are an easy 30-second profile setup, activity feeds and profile notes, up to three custom affinity groups which can be based off of cities, industries, or companies, campaigns and events, and volunteer tools to drive engagement.
What’s great about this platform is there are three different options that can be used based on the type of groups you are involved with. GradMap is designed for students, alumni, faculty and staff. OrgMap is for members and supporters of both non-profits and for-profits. RSVPeeps is for attendees of events and conferences to utilize, which will enable event networking!
The pricing is straightforward and aligned with the number of Map members. Mini is used for up to 100 members, Midsize is up to 500 members, and Mega is up to 5,000 members. We love Maptiv8 because it has so much versatility and adheres to audiences made up of different groups and sizes!
Would you use Maptiv8 to engage your attendees?! Which features do you like best? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook & Twitter!
Top 10 Event Tech Trends in 2014
The incredible advances in technology bring value and versatility to the event industry. At ABCey, we love keeping up on the latest in the tech world! While 2013 was filled with innovation, we can expect even more in 2014. Here are the top event tech trends to keep an eye on in the year ahead. This blog post has been adapted from George P. Johnson’s Kevin Jackson, Adding Value’s Randle Stonier, and TFI Group’s Simon Maier.
1. Event Apps: These innovative platforms cover everything from event itineraries to delegates being able to download files relevant to presenters, and attendees having the ability to directly interact with event speakers!
2. Connected Technology: Clients used to base their budget off of the number of guests they wanted to attend their event. In today’s world, advances in technology allow events to reach so many more people beyond the guest list.
3. Google Glass: Wearable technology, specifically Google Glass, is going to make a big impact on events this year. It will encourage planners to make event experiences more personal.
4. Tailored Social Networks: Public social networks will continue to be used to generate buzz for events. There is a growing number of tailored social networks that have features to connect people before, during, and after an event!
5. E-Posters: With the reduction of costs and advances in e-poster technology, the interactivity and versatility will be a hit for 2014 events!
6. Live Audience Engagement: Mobile apps and SMS texting can now enable guest conversations to be linked directly through to the podium, allowing the speaker to respond to inquiries. This can continue even after the session is over!
7. IPS and Geofencing: Indoor positioning systems lend themselves to plotting where you are in an indoor environment. Geofencing creates a virtual boundary of space so delegates can be given a route to various stands or booths in a venue.
8. Advanced Digital Display: In the events space, we can expect to see various monitors – one could display real-time news and another with content from the event, tied together with software that allows you to change over at the flick of a switch.
9. Spread of Content: It is common for organizers to set up portals such as live streaming and webcasting of live event content for larger audiences to have access to the valuable material. This will continue to be a trend in 2014.
10. Mobile App Integration: A key trend in 2014 will be incorporating more features into mobile apps, such as scientific abstracts, social networking, and interactive content!
What do you think of the top event tech trends for 2014?! Which do you hope to see at events? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook & Twitter!
ABCey’s Weekend Lineup: 3.6.14 – 3.9.14
We can’t believe it’s already time to figure out our weekend plans! There are tons of unique events taking place in the Bay area, from Mardi Gras celebrations to music festivals and much more! Here are our top picks for the days ahead.
FEATURED EVENT | French Quarter Jack Daniels Mardi Gras Party | Supperclub | Friday, March 6th | 10pm| Become part of our Mardi Gras Mystic SOCIETY and celebrate! Dress up, eat, drink, and dance! There will be complimentary Jack Daniels tasting, a food tasting station, Jack Daniels VIP Bottle Service & Bar Specials, and Jack Daniels party favors. SF Club Hits will be playing all night long, and there will also be an aerial performance! The dress code is cocktail dresses for ladies, and men must be in collared shirts. No flip flops, hats, athletic attire, sweats, baggy jeans or shorts will be allowed.
1. The Time is Now – 20Mission Bitcoin Art Show & Meetup | 20Mission | Thursday, March 6th | 7pm Bitcoin inspires individuals around the world and certainly can spark creativity. On Thursday, March 6, 20Mission will host the first ever Bitcoin Inspired Art Show entitled, “The Time is Now”. As Bitcoin truly prompts individuals to rethink finances and the future of our financial system, now this innovative technology has also inspired artists. Bitcoin Magazine was pleased to learn of this event.
2. YMCA of San Francisco’s Third Annual Y for Youth Luncheon: Fire Up the Startups| Yerba Buena Center for the Arts | Friday, March 7th | 12pm |Because no start-up has more potential than our youth, the YMCA of San Francisco is pleased to offer opportunities to be a part of the next big thing at the 3rd annual Y For Youth Luncheon: Fire Up the StartUps, on Friday, March 7 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Join more than 400 corporate, philanthropic and community leaders who are investing in the community through their support of the YMCA of San Francisco, which serves 10,000 youth in SF, San Mateo and Marin counties every day.
3. The Art of Graffiti: “Letter Stylez” Workshop | 1AM Gallery | Saturday, March 8th | 12:30pm | Taught by the one and only Opaque, this class will cover a slideshow on various styles of graffiti lettering, a drawing lesson, and finally, piecing together your own letter style to go home with. In addition, the class comes with a complimentary KRINK paint marker. Get your ticket for the workshop here!
4. Nick Waterhouse, Boogaloo Assasins | Great American Music Hall | Saturday, March 8th | 8pm| Nick Waterhouse at just 25 is the New Breed – An R&B fanatic who combines an uncanny old-school sensibility with a charged, contemporary style. For Waterhouse, his muse is the over-modulated sound of vintage R&B, and his take on such a time-honored tradition evokes the back-alley thrill of New Orleans, Detroit and Memphis in their heyday. He combines an astute attention to detail with an honest desire to match the emotional impact of the music that inspires him.
5. Wes Anderson in 35mm | Roxie Theater | Saturday, March 8th | In anticipation for The Grand Budapest Hotel, the latest film from classic rock aficionado and saviour of Latin, Wes Anderson, San Francisco’s Roxie Theater will be hosting a retrospective of his filmography. Not only will every film be screened in 35mm — fitting for the retro-inspired director — but every ticket buyer for any screening is automatically enrolled in the Zissou Society Members which affords each member a ticket to a sneak preview of a new film on March 13th.
With so many great events to choose from, which ones stood out?! How do you plan to spend the weekend? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook & Twitter!
Tech Tuesday: 5 Event Startups to Engage your Audience
The world of technology is constantly changing and is adding value to the event industry! Here at ABCey, we love to keep up on current startups and trends that can enhance the event experience for attendees. We did some digging to find 5 event startups that will engage your audience and make them active participants throughout your event.
1. Postano: Put your attendees in the spotlight and make them feel like social media rockstars through this unique platform! Bring your conversation to life at your next event by showcasing your attendees’ social content, tweets and Instagrams on social media displays. Attendees can actively participate rather than simply listen and this will enrich their experience and create visibility for your event.
2. Catchbox: The world’s first throwable microphone was created for audience engagement. It is a great way to get participants talking! Catchbox lowers the barrier for people to comment and present questions. The box comes in different bright colors and is easy to throw or pass from one audience member to the next, making participation easy and fun!
3. PowerVote: Maximize the value of your event by engaging your audience, encouraging your participants, and encouraging their feedback. If you want your to gather information about your audience’s opinion, PowerVote can instantly display voting results in an graphical format. Presentations can be directly streamed to the audience’s mobile devices and people can vote or provide feedback in the moment.
4. Sopreso: Through this unique platform, your audience can ask, comment, and like your presentation live. Once you develop a presentation and run Sopreso on your laptop, the audience can connect to the presentation with their smart devices. Additionally, this platform extends the lifetime of your presentation! You can easily follow up on your leads, answer all questions, and keep the community alive.
5. TweetWall Pro: A TweetWall offers a great opportunity to interact with audiences. Rather than asking a few audience members questions, inspire all attendees to share their thoughts. People can ask questions on Twitter and get live responses. Interesting topics can quietly be discussed, and interaction is highly encouraged. Onlookers of TweetWalls find it difficult not to participate, inspiring engagement from all viewers. Post event reports allow you to follow up with attendees directly!
With so many advances in technology, passive audience participation is coming to an end. We love each of these startups, and Postano really stands out to us because you can see what people are saying about your event and what popular topics of interest are, as well as create visibility for your event! Which of these unique event startups would you use to engage your audience members? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!
Startup Monday: Postcard
At ABCey, we are often juggling multiple social media accounts of our own as well as our clients for event marketing efforts. As many of you may know, managing multiple social media accounts can be absolutely insane. These days, social media is the way many people market themselves, products, or services. So, how do you manage posting to so many different sites?
This is where the app by WordPress blogger Kyle Newsome comes in handy. Postcard was designed to be the platform linking all social media accounts. You can set any one social media site, even your personal website, as your content host and post from there. Your multiple twitter accounts will re-tweet, etc. It is a pro-tool for those looking for an easy, all inclusive way to manage their many personal and business based social media accounts.
Postcard gives you that post-by-post control of where and how your message should be shared. This even includes WordPress, which gives Postcard the upper hand many other similar apps don’t have. We love the ease of use it offers as well as the ability to manage our personal website running on WordPress!
The app comes with support for 3 networks, with additional network support available via in app purchase. Do you manage multiple social media accounts? Would Postcard be useful to you? Let us know in the comments below, or on Facebook & Twitter!
RSA Conference: Find out what the Mobile App can do!
Today marks the first day of the RSA Conference! This yearly event began in 1991 and has become as a forum for cryptographers to gather and share the latest knowledge and advancements in the area of Internet security. The conference is taking place at the Moscone Center and the week will be filled with live keynote sessions, seminars, tutorials, networking and more! Here at ABCey, we are so excited to be producing FireEye’s Guardians of the Galaxy themed event this Wednesday in conjunction with RSA.
With so many opportunities to take advantage of this week, how will you build your schedule? The RSA Conference Mobile App is a great solution! This mobile app allows you to:
- View agenda items and explore sessions
- Build your personal schedule and manage meetings with fellow attendees
- Access speaker profiles, sponsor information, and find networking opportunities
- View interactive maps of the Moscone Center and of the expo floor
- Participate in the conversation on Twitter through the #RSAC stream
- Update – a quick way to share photos, comments, where you are, and which session you’re attending
- Activity – see what other people are doing, view photos of the event, find trending sessions and topics, and “like” and comment on other attendee check-ins
- Agenda – view the full agenda and related information (session time, room number, etc.)
- Attendees – see who is at the event and connect with them through the app
- Sponsors – find sponsors, check-in to leave comments and feedback
- Profile – you have an official app profile which highlights your name, profile photo, title, and company
Startup Monday: Education
Silicon Valley’s biggest event of the year is finally here! Tonight, we find out which companies will win Tech Crunchies Awards. Here at ABCey, we decided to dive into those nominated for Best Education Startup. We think each company in this category has made valuable contributions to changing the face of education. Let’s take a look at the nominees!
1. Code.org: This non-profit organization is committed to growing computer programming education. This startup believes every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science, and the subject should be included in the core curriculum of U.S. education. Code.org’s mission is to spread the word that there is a worldwide shortage of computer programmers, and that it is much easier to learn to program than you think. Online courses, brick + mortar schools, and summer camps can provide students with computer programming education!
2. CreativeLIVE: The world’s leading live, online classroom is designed for creative entrepreneurs. This startup is transforming the $100 billion continuing education market by offering complete access to the brightest teachers in the world via a social and interactive video platform. Anyone in the world can watch the live-streamed classes for free. Copies of the courses are available to purchase at any time. Since the company was founded in 2010, more than one million students from over 200 countries have utilized the platform, and popular classes have attracted more than 150,000 students!
3. Duolingo: This free language learning service is fun and user-friendly! While you are learning a new language, the users help translate the web, completing sentences, and rating other users’ translations. This startup offers courses in Spanish, French, Italian, German, and Portuguese! An independent study was conducted that proves Duolingo trumps university-level language learning. The app is also available for iPhones and Androids so you can be productive on the go!
4. Khan Academy: A free world-class education is available for anyone anywhere. This educational non-profit produces a collection of free online micro lectures on various subjects such as mathematics, finance, physics, computer science, history, astronomy, economics, chemistry, and biology. Game mechanics are also incorporated to reward students with badges for reaching certain skill levels. Khan Academy’s resources and materials are available to anyone and it is free of charge. Stats are available to track what you’ve been learning and whether or not you are hitting your goals.
5. Treehouse: Affordable technology education is available for people everywhere! In order to help subscribers learn web design, development, and iOS development, Treehouse uses short videos, quizzes, and badges. The service comes at a cost of $29 to $49 dollars per month. You are guided each step of the way. To start, just hop onto a track. Tracks offer guided pathways through the content. Content is structured in a way that makes it quite simple for you to learn skills within a specific role.
Technology is truly changing the dynamic of education and educational resources are readily available for professors and students with access to the web. Each of these startups are helping people achieve their dreams. Which one do you think should win an award? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!