Dick van Motman: How experiential has brought Dentsu Aegis Network to life

by Dick van Motman

Southeast Asia

In 2014 Dentsu Aegis Network hosted its first party during the Spikes Asia festival. The underlying idea for this event was not just to bring some of the Cannes party atmosphere to Singapore – literally anyone with credit card can open a bar and turn the speakers up. From the early planning stages we set out to organise an event that connects talent in a way that is relevant to them, to Spikes Asia and also our network.  

Last year we highlighted the innovation capabilities of Dentsu Aegis Network by introducing wristbands with remote controlled led-lights so that all individual guest were connected and part of a bigger unity. This year we wanted to raise the bar and we set ourselves the challenge of bringing our view of convergence to life at this milestone event – while not losing sight of our mission of Innovation.

In an always on world characterised by 24/7 connectivity, both brands and consumer have the ability to connect and drive real and digital experiences everywhere, all the time. As the borders of digital and real become increasingly blurred, we wanted to present this on- and offline convergence in an experiential, fun way that highlights our network’s capability in innovation. Enter: Neuromance.  

This theme is inspired by William Gibson’s early work Neuromancer – which in turn forms the basis of the The Matrix Trilogy. Gibson envisioned a vast digital network interlinked with the world – the lines between what’s real and what’s virtual blur up to the point where it became philosophical. For our Neuromance party we want to create encounters that span these on- and offline worlds.

The team searched for innovations that would bring the experience to life for our guests. Without giving too much away they visualised a matrix-like space complete with gamified interaction. Beautiful retro 3d graphic visuals create a virtual ‘cityscape’, constructed using data from guests’ social footprints; as party goers share or connect with each other socially, giant screens react and converge before their eyes.

I’m still waiting to see what will happen this week at our event – the new connections that will be made, which DJs will go down the best. But I’ve found some key ingredients that make a successful experiential event and drive strong consumer engagement, so I’d like to share them.

1) Know your brand

Knowing exactly what you want to convey to consumers is essential, especially when you’re connecting with your audience through an experiential marketing event.

2) Consistency, Consistency, Consistency

No matter what your guests are seeing, reading about, listening to or experiencing when it comes to your brand, the takeaway should always be consistent.

3) Social Is Key

The most important thing to keep in mind is that it’s not about the few hundred people you reach at an event – it’s about the millions you have the potential to reach through social media.

4) The concept leads, but don’t forget you’re throwing a party

People are encouraged to engage with the concept, but in the end it is also about having a good time. I trust that the top DJs that our partner MassiveMusic brings in, the custom made cocktails and the mind blowing location will guarantee a Spikes Asia highlight for everyone attending.  

Neuromance is by invitation only. To request an invitation visit the website.