UCSD Nontradition Campaign

UCSD was looking to elevate their annual donation event into an immersive experience that highlighted the technical ingenuity and accomplishments of the university. The event was to be held at their basketball arena, however, as they were inviting their top philanthropic alumni, they wanted the space to feel more personal and intimate. Our solution was to create an attendee journey from the moment they walked in, creating spaces within the larger arena that slowly unveiled themselves as the evening progressed.

Keeping our focus on showcasing the technical ingenuity of the university, we utilized more interactive technological components so the attendees interacted with technology throughout the evening:

• As attendees arrived, they walked through a scrim tunnel that really set the tone for the whole evening leading guests to the cocktail reception.
• Two autonomous interactive robots were programmed with facial recognition and conversed with the attendees on a personal level.
• RFID and beacon technology initiated personal experiences around the entire event.
• The cocktail reception was enclosed in a fiber-optic curtain that was eventually raised up to reveal seating for dinner and presentations.
• Data from the attendees interfaced with the catering so that special meal requirements could be served in real time regardless of where the attendees were located.
• All presentations were prerecorded ahead of time and presented as holograms so the presenters could enjoy the evening amongst the audience.

Over eleven unique live event technologies contributed to a memorable evening for the alumni, which helped the university surpass their donation goals for the event.