{"id":7007,"date":"2021-01-13T22:07:19","date_gmt":"2021-01-14T05:07:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tycoonevents.ca\/?p=7007"},"modified":"2021-01-24T20:53:15","modified_gmt":"2021-01-25T03:53:15","slug":"an-out-of-this-world-holiday-celebration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tycoonevents.ca\/?p=7007","title":{"rendered":"An ‘Out Of This World’ Holiday Celebration"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Image credit to Sarah Tiemstra, <\/em>Backstreet Creative<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

When your current planet is on lockdown, what choice do you have but to take your guests on an \u2018out of this world\u2019 adventure to Mars! Introducing the Mars Habitation Mission<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For two years in a row (see A Holiday Adventure Like No Other<\/a> and Le Cirque De R\u00eaves<\/a>), the Tycoon team brought our A-game to assist BioWare\u2019s Edmonton Studio with their annual holiday party. But, as you may expect, if we were to tell you we weren\u2019t a bit intimidated to bring everything online in a way that could impress BioWare\u2019s team that (let us remind you) lives in the virtual world\u2026 we\u2019d be lying. But for us Tycoons, we feed off of a good challenge, and when approval was received with just 4 short weeks out from event day, our crew suited-up and was more than ready for take-off!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the summer months, when we were feeling optimistic — as many event professionals may have been, that \u2018this\u2019 (i.e. COVID) would have been resolved by the winter — we began our brainstorming process for the possibility of a live event or hybrid event. Initially developing six different ideas, we narrowed it down to two different themes that would be put-on-hold until October, when we\u2019d have a bit better of an idea on what type of restrictions we\u2019d be working with. As we came to terms with a fully-virtual holiday event, it was back to the drawing board on how either of the proposed themes and corresponding activities could be translated and transformed to a virtual environment.

Virtual Event Platform Vs. Zoom<\/strong>
As we went along, one major discussion point became one that reigns true for many of our colleagues in the industry: To use a platform, or not to use a platform — that is the question.

After exploration, comparison, and a very accommodating customer service team from Socio, it was not for lack of trying that we ended up with the \u2018no-platform\u2019 approach of Zoom, as a stand-alone solution \u2014 but, we made it work!

25th Anniversary Easter Eggs<\/strong>
In past years, based on the request of our client, any branding or reference to the BioWare assets have typically been kept to a minimum. However, being that 2020 marked an incredible milestone of BioWare\u2019s 25th Anniversary, we were given the opportunity to include a few franchise specific nods, throughout. The benefit of going digital allowed for a bit more freedom and flexibility with imagery (especially on a much shorter timeframe than usual). Leveraging the gaming world convention of planting Easter eggs, we layered in imagery, narrative, iconography and even background music from both Mass Effect and Dragon Age, along with the BioWare 25th Anniversary logo in unique and surprising places throughout the various event activities. These hidden-gems were incorporated into:<\/p>\n\n\n\n