When TikTok envisioned a next-generation interactive experience for its new EMEA offices, the challenge was anything but ordinary. They sought a solution that would not only enhance daily user engagement but also revolutionise group activities and live presentations, making them immersive, fun, and unforgettable. That’s where Giant iTab stepped in.
In the fast-evolving world of events, one question has started to echo louder than ever: is becoming more sustainable… sustainable in itself?
As industries grapple with ESG targets and evolving consumer expectations, sustainability is no longer a fringe consideration; it’s a central pillar. But with the increasing pressure to go green comes a fair and complex concern: how far should sustainability efforts be taken before they start to compromise production efficiency or strain operational budgets?
When it comes to creating memorable moments at live events, it’s no longer just about what happens in the room, it’s about how far those moments can travel online. For the EN Awards, Exhibition News wanted to go beyond the expected and deliver an interactive experience that guests would not only enjoy, but also share.
The London Marathon is more than just a race, it’s a global celebration of endurance, inspiration, and human connection. At this year’s London Marathon Events Show at ExCeL London, we were thrilled to be part of something extraordinary: turning a traditional app demo into a truly immersive digital experience.
Giant iTab powered the UK- Balkan Trade and Security Forum and Doing Business in North Macedonia at the Macedonian Embassy with giant touchscreens that impressed guests and enhanced presentations. Praised by
Ambassador Katerina Straveska, we were chosen for our Made In Britain quality and experience at UK Government and British Embassy events, including VivaTech.
Creating smartphones into a monument for change
“What if the smartphone, so often at the centre of online challenges, could be transformed into a beacon for empathy and change, ?”
That’s exactly what Giant iTab achieved in partnership with The Archewell Foundation and M&C Saatchi in one of the most powerful public installations of recent years.
Raise urgent awareness about the real-world consequences of online harm, especially among young people. Rather than relying on statistics or headlines, the campaign sought to make the issue deeply personal and emotionally resonant for the society.
Giant iTab supplied 55 giant lightbox-style smartphones for a rooftop installation in New York. Each screen displayed the lock-screen photo of a real young person lost to digital abuse or mental health crises linked to social media. By mimicking the look and feel of actual smartphones (scaled to human size) the installation turned familiar tech into stark symbols of loss and remembrance.
Behind the scenes, Giant iTab handled everything from custom manufacturing to international logistics, all under tight deadlines and NDAs. The result was not just a tech exhibit but an emotionally charged experience that stopped pedestrians in their tracks.
Why It Worked: Bridging the Gap
This wasn’t a passive awareness campaign, it was a peaceful protest through art and technology. The installation’s emotional weight, combined with powerful symbolism, ignited conversations far beyond the rooftop. National coverage by BBC News and others turned it into a global talking point on tech accountability.
Duncan Collins
Project Director/Producer
M&C Saatchi, London.
“Giant iTab were fantastic from our initial production scope calls right through to final supply.
They were positive and enthusiastic throughout the project, leading with calmness and experience against what was a challenging brief working to a live event deadline overseas with crunched lead times.
The event was a huge success attracting lots of positive press and PR online. I won’t hesitate to work with Giant iTab again, a real professional company.”
This campaign builds on Giant iTab’s portfolio of purpose-driven tech storytelling. From TikTok activations and IBM AI demos to cybersecurity education with police departments. Whether sparking reflection or showcasing innovation, Giant iTab’s giant devices are fast becoming the platform where campaigns turn into conversation starters.
Whether you’re launching a bold brand message, leading social change, or redefining engagement, Giant iTab bespoke solutions help transform ideas into real and impactful experiences that people not only see, but feel.
Giant iTab supplied 20 of its 43-inch giant smartphones for exhibitors & visitors at MWC Barcelona (formerly Mobile World Congress). The smartphones helped to increase visibility of, and access to, key event information and to drive attendees to where they wanted to go.
We all know how much live events rely on the tenacity of event planners and venues pulling together to create marvellous exhibition spaces, and the creative agencies that help exhibitors engage with their target audience on a human level – it’s very much a people driven industry and there’s no better alternative in our opinion!
What was our roundtable about?
Our roundtable discussion at Event Tech live, Las Vegas, highlighted the relationship between experiential interactive technology and its users within the event space. We shined a spotlight on some current concerns surrounding data usage, what the main focal points for the event industry players are, and whether the visitor is getting the most out of their experience.
In addition, we opened the floor to exhibitors, gaining a concrete idea for how experiential interactive tech can benefit their stand and their visitors.
What were the main points covered?
Q1. Why are exhibitors & planners increasing their investment in experiential & interactive event tech?
Person 1: To meet the growing expectations of visitors wanting a more “modern”, “immersive” and “memorable” experience that will improve the “connection” between the visitors and their brand engagement.
Person 2: It’s a by-product of modernity. As the outside world evolves, so too does the events industry. The dynamism of the event sector is continuously evolving with new ideas constantly revolving around how technology can better assist the organiser, exhibitor and visitors.
Person 3: Well, exhibitors with almost identical services, like stand builders for example, are automatically going to compete for clients, and if prices are being matched, the only competitive edge left is their ability to offer greater value and experience in their solutions. Having the resources to offer “new” and “practical” interactive technology adds expendable utility to their services, products, and overall brand.
Person 4: With technology being integral to every day modern life and new generations all too familiar with the use of tech in every aspect, it’s become customary to have technology everywhere you go. That might sound somewhat “entitled” but the fact of the matter is when people go to these events, they want to see something different, they want to be “blown away” and impressed.
Q2. What are considered the most interactive & engaging aspects within an event?
Answers:
1. Technology
2. Games (contests, trivia, raffles etc)
3. Networking
4. Discussions
5. Photo Booths
6. Food & Drinks
Q3. Is there an overuse of event apps & does the data share potentially deter users from signing up & attending events?
Follow up question: What are the benefits of event apps & do they out-weigh the risk of overburdening users with too many intricate technical steps creating too many jobs for the user, which might lead them to remove the app entirely because of unnecessary features in the app?
Top 5 Positives:
Top 5 Concerns:
Q4. Does the idea of “Big data” using events as a channel for capitalising on exhibitor and visitor information reflect the limited incentives that organisers offer for the app users to retain the app on their device post show?
Person 1: This could be because of a lack of marketing resource and imagination from the organiser.
Person 2: Most incentives are not persuading enough for users to retain apps long term. Perhaps a chance to win an all-inclusive luxury cruise would be a better incentive than Amazon vouchers.
Person 3: Most organisers are GDPR compliant, well they all should be, and the risk of a data leak is highly unlikely. App users should take it upon themselves to utilise the full benefits of event apps to get the most out of their event. Because that’s what they’re designed for.
Person 4: Balance is key. Depending on what type of event you have, your need for experiential interactive tech may vary and this may impact the user’s experience. Insomuch as if you feel the event was more data driven than experiential it could be worth understanding the reasons for this as it could be focused on market research to help improve on the next event for example.
Person 1: Surely most organisers would have done pre-show market research through surveys, polls, Q&As? Data is king in today’s world and the more you have of it, the more chance of influence you have. In this sense, event apps have shown themselves to be a scapegoat for organisers to create live and digital marketplaces for their paying clients to sell to each other and visitors on a much larger scale. While doing the bare minimum to maximise visitor experience.
Person 4: As with any modern industry working with people, bridging the gap between technology and humans has always been a challenge in the way you tailor experience. There has to be mutual benefit for all. Organisers must see themselves as hospitality with the visitor’s needs as a driving factor. Visitors must see themselves as openminded purveyors open to understanding the intricacies of modern events. As with visitors wanting a better experience with technology, organisers need the “know-how” and resources to do so.
Q5. What are the “risks” around experiential tech within the event space and what interactive limitations does it have when achieving its purpose?
Person 1: Form should follow function. The intended use of experiential event tech should aspire to achieve
specific aims as to try and not alienate or confuse the user. Being precise should circumvent as many foreseeable “risks” as possible.
Person 3: I suppose there’s certain quantifiable limitations on how well you can measure live experience. I’ve seen some companies try and overcome this with digital poll boxes with a range of emojis you can click on to reflect your experience a visitor.
Person 2: It might be difficult to extract raw data from live experience but I genuinely believe if something is popular than it’s evident that it’s enjoyable. A good way to research this is through social media platforms like TikTok. Research what’s trending and find a way to implement that experience into your event or stand.
Person 4: Also, it depends on the demographic you’re trying to engage with. Call me presumptuous, but generally speaking if you’re attending an insurance network event as an exhibitor, where from experience most of the attendees and delegates are from a older generation, and on your stand you have a TikTok inspired challenge theme, it might be unlikely you’ll get the interactivity intended. However, this type of stand maybe perfect for an event intended for graduates. Knowing your audience is fundamental.
Here are some stats to consider!
82% of B2B event personnel believe that attendee engagement is an important KPI for event success and 89% of businesses using event technology save roughly 200 hours per year (or roughly one hour per day), and 20% see 360+ hours saved per year (Bizzabo).
51.5% of planners say that the inability to match live engagement is the most frustrating thing when it comes to sourcing event tech, and 25.4% say cost is the biggest challenge (EventMB).
Event personnel say 64% of their brand awareness comes from hosting events (Bizzabo). A recent study showed event technology can increase attendance by 20% and productivity by 27% (VISME).
A study ran in 2019 showed the majority (63%) of respondents believe a mobile app can drive attendee engagement (Bizzabo).
90% of event marketers believe that technology can have a major positive impact on the success of their events (Bizzabo) and that 78% of event marketers believe that in-person events is becoming increasingly important to their company’s success (Bizzabo).
54% of event planners are spending more of their time and attention on the attendee experience rather than logistics (AMEX).
63% of respondents believe tools to engage event attendees will play a key role in their future event strategies (Bizzabo).
85% of leadership (Senior Managers, Executives, and Board Members) believe in-person events are critical to their company’s success. Research also shows that many different types of events are effective, and often underused, methods of generating leads and driving brand awareness (Penguins).
If you’re interested in learning more about interactive event technology and how it can help you deliver a better visitor experience and engagement with your stakeholders, we’re here to help!
Energie Fitness attribute the Giant iTab to increasing sales by 30% with an income revenue stream ratio of 10:1, proving its ‘value for money’ and effective sales features. Compared to any previous sign up method, Energie Fitness believe the Giant iTab is the most cost effective solution on the market today.
