Aztec Event Services transporters were working non-stop last week as official AV supplier to Destination Star Trek Germany (DSTG), at Messe Frankfurt, 21 – 23 February 2014.
Chosen to deliver AV to the convention for the second time by the event’s organiser Media 10, Aztec revisited their role at Destination Star Trek London (DSTL) 2012, furnishing the Frankfurt event with an unmistakeably futuristic and technological look and feel, in keeping with the spirit of the starship Enterprise.
Rob Nathan, marketing director, Media 10, explained why Aztec had been chosen a second time, “Aztec’s previous work on DSTL 2012 was exemplary. By working with them from the outset, we were able to fully realise our sky-high technological ambitions for the show AV, secure in the knowledge it would all work as planned, and any contingencies would be swiftly and expertly resolved with Aztec’s customary, drama free, can-do attitude.”
Destination Star Trek Germany featured an impressive list of guest stars, from all the series, including the original captain of the Enterprise, James.T.Kirk, aka actor William Shatner. Dozens of other stars from the series were also in attendance, including Karl Urban (Dr.McCoy), Brent Spiner (Lt. Data), Michael Dorn (Worf), Levar Burton (Geordi La Forge), Marina Sirtis (Deanna Troi) and Gates McFadden (Dr. Beverly Crusher).
Aztec Event Services deployed a specially equipped mobile projection van onto the streets of Berlin and Milan between 8 – 16 December, for its client onedotzero, the digital experience specialists. The activity was part of a campaign conceived by London creative agency Publicis for German conglomerate Tempo.
The van was equipped with two Christie Roadster projectors, a selection of lenses, two small petrol generators and a selection of laptops, tablets and networking equipment. It was driven and operated by Ed Kitchingman, project manager, and Ashley Attwood, technical manager.
For three days in Berlin and two in Milan, the Aztec team spent daylight hours scouting for suitable city centre locations with good projection opportunities while also being suitable for interviewing passers-by without causing too much disruption.
With three or four locations on the shortlist each day, the onedotzero and Aztec teams took to the streets as the sun set and outdoor projection became possible. The onedotzero production team interviewed willing passers-by on camera, asking them “If you could relive one moment from 2013, what would it be?” .
This straightforward question elicited huge variety of responses, from the deeply moving to the frivolous and, as soon as the answer was given, the onedotzero interviewer would tap a summarised version into their tablet.
At that moment the text was transmitted via WiFi to the Aztec team waiting in the van and armed with a 13,500 lumen projector. Within seconds the interviewee’s moment of the year would be projected onto the wall behind the subject in bright, crisp and large letters for the whole world to see. Then with a dramatic flourish, the subject was invited to turn around for a “reveal moment” caught on camera, when they saw their very personal and unique memory emblazoned in letters of light high up on the wall of a building. The pieces were later posted online through the campaign’s dedicated website.
Ashley Attwood, Aztec’s technical manager and long distance van driver, clearly enjoyed the experience, “This project was really different. The ‘guerilla’ nature of the work, deploying and packing up rapidly several times a day, made it hard work but great fun. Finding the locations was pretty challenging, the late finishes weren’t always easy, but watching the final results was really rewarding and there were some genuinely moving moments. It was a great experience.”
Sophie Walter, managing director of onedotzero, was full of praise for the Aztec team, “Ashley and Ed did an outstanding job, scouting locations, managing the tech and, of course, creating the all important projections to make the magic happen. The resulting videos from Berlin and Milan really speak for themselves!”
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Aztec Event Services has launched the newly augmented EventIgnite digital signage platform at World Travel Market (WTM), London ExCeL, 4 – 7 November, as an official contractor for the thirteenth consecutive year.
The event, organised by Reed Exhibitions, attracts a large number of global travel professionals, and this year Aztec has deployed its digital signage solution using its newly updated EventIgnite platform to manage the schedules and content.
The new version of EventIgnite offers improved branding and sponsorship opportunities, now organisers can make use of full screen posters, video, promoted tweets, full width bottom banner and a breaking news feed displayed on their digital signage, all integrated along the time sensitive schedule. Reed will be able to remotely control each of the five digital signage screens placed outside the Knowledge Theatre, Travel Tech Theatre, and three of the Platinum Suites.
In addition to the comprehensive digital signage solution, Aztec has also supplied and installed high intensity HD projectors and PAs for both the Travel Technology Theatre and the Knowledge Theatre, and full AV provision for one Platinum Suite. Aztec has delivered 8 cyberpods for the Digital Hub and the Buyers Lounge North, as well as several projection screens, projectors, laptops, iPads and other technological equipment for use around the show.
Aztec also built the stage and set for the Greek National Tourist Board press conference, and also for an edition of the BBC’s HardTalk programme made at the show. Aztec designed the oval set, and used projection and lighting to create a truly professional OB studio, with three Aztec camera operators and digital video management facilities to capture and rebroadcast live footage.
Leo Speck, Aztec’s sales director, was clearly pleased to be involved, “World Travel Market is a show that does some pretty serious business, so the delegates are very demanding when it comes to accurate, timely and easy to access information. It’s the perfect environment for digital signage, and at this year’s show we are demonstrating how it can deliver not just for delegates and organisers but for sponsors too.”
Aztec Event Services put some serious shine on IP EXPO 2013, 16-17 September at Earls Court, with an 18 meter wide twitter wall greeting the estimated 12,500 visitors to the Social Media Lounge with a compelling, full spectrum, media wall that became the talking point amongst many of the delegates.
Imago Techmedia, organisers of IP EXPO 2013, and Aztec devised the LED wall as a way of boosting participation in, and engagement with, the show’s social media sphere, and providing a showstopping central feature with opportunities for liberal sponsor branding. Jovan Maria, account manager at Aztec recounts its development, “Imago Techmedia wanted an inventive way of making social media a more gregarious experience, and to create a feature that wouldn’t fail to impress a technologically sophisticated audience. We suggested the LED wall with a twitter feed to begin with, but then things really took off, and in the end we were bringing in data and media from all over the show, and aggregating it in real time. I think it really knocked peoples’ socks off.”
Aztec used EventIgnite in combination with the LED wall in order to give Imago Techmedia the ability to fully manage the twitter feed displayed on the 36m2 screen. Using EventIgnite’s intuitive interface, Imago Techmedia’s personnel could log into the system and moderate tweets and select tweets to highlight in real time. By collaborating with the Imago’s digital signage providers, Aztec was also able to include schedule information and other show announcements in the mix of images and video footage made available from other sources. Three Aztec technicians remained on-site to manage the LED wall’s overall operation.
To manage the LED wall twitter output and for general operational duties, Imago’s personnel were supplied with 18 iPads by Aztec, whose technicians trained them in the use of the EventIgnite platform and how to moderate and configure the live feed.
In addition, Aztec broke its own record for number of screens supplied to an exhibition, installing more than 160 wallmounted HD screens from its warehouse. With the additional equipment for 17 seminar theatres with full PA and HD rear projection facilities, the Aztec’s total manifest for IP EXPO 2013 filled four articulated lorries.
John Robson, Aztec’s managing director, summed up after the show, “IP EXPO is a technologically demanding show, and this year the whole team has done an outstanding job. Our capacity to simultaneously deliver large scale exhibition AV and create innovative signature features depends on their imagination, talent and commitment.”
Aztec Event Services has announced its best ever month of business, with a record breaking performance featuring a staggering 35% increase in revenue over its previous record, set last year in September 2012.
This September Aztec was selected as official AV contractor for more than twenty exhibitions and conferences, twenty five corporate events, and completed more than 1000 jobs in a solid month of activity for the Mitcham based firm.
Aztec’s managing director, John Robson, commended his staff for their achievement over this traditionally busy month, “From Offshore Europe in Aberdeen to the Halal Food Festival at Excel, and at every one of the shows in between, we’ve delivered a consistently high standard throughout an incredibly busy month. Our capacity and bandwidth to supply and service simultaneous major events, plus the fantastic dedication and teamwork from everyone on the Aztec team, made this record breaking month possible.”
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Aztec Event Services is celebrating the success of two former apprentices, now trainee technicians. Both Ryan Colbourne and Archie Mortimer, who joined Aztec straight from school as apprentices in 2011, have just been awarded their NVQ Level III Events and Live Production diplomas.
After spending one year as apprentices and one year as trainee technicians, Archie and Ryan are now both fully qualified AV technicians.
Aztec’s rolling apprenticeship scheme has been a revelation to the firm, according to Aztec’s operations director Steve Colesell: “In the past we found it quite difficult to recruit qualified and knowledgeable staff prepared to adopt the Aztec ethos and way of doing things. Our apprenticeship scheme has become a valuable route to finding the people we need, and in the last two years we’ve established a really successful pathway for conveying young talent into the company.”
Working together with NVQ trainers, Aztec has helped to develop a tailor-made NVQ syllabus in Events and Live Promotion that gives the new apprentices a flying start in the industry, whether they choose to stay with Aztec or not.
New apprentices at Aztec spend their first three months just learning the aspects of the business by preparing equipment in the warehouse, and by six months they are confidently prepping, storing and checking items in and out of the inventory. After six months, apprentices start working in the field, assisting in rigging and derigging AV installations. After a year, they reach the level of trainee technician and can rig a screen and basic PA by themselves, and as well as their technical skills they have developed a keen understanding of the industry and its various wrinkles and foibles, setting them in good stead for their future careers.
As John Robson, Aztec’s managing director puts it, “Because apprentices are inculcated into the Aztec way of doing things and its ethos of sustainability and corporate responsibilty from the outset, they’re not just excellent employees, but great ambassadors for the company too.”
Aztec Event Services is embarking on a 12 month journey to multiple International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certifications with the help of ESSA, and the ESSA Extra consultancy service, and is aiming for compliance with four ISO standards, 9001, 20121, 14001, and OHSAS 18001 by the final quarter of 2014.
These four standards will serve to strengthen and deepen Aztec’s existing commitments to total customer satisfaction, health and safety, sustainability and environmental management. The initial period of face to face gap analysis revealed many of Aztec’s processes were already consistent with the standards. Aztec will be working with the ESSA Extra consultancy service over the next year to formalise, develop and map its processes across to the criteria of the relevant management standards.
Aztec chose these four international standards as part of its policy of continuous improvement; ISO 9001 governs quality assurance and will give Aztec the opportunity to refine and improve their customer service; ISO 20121 is an event industry specific standard governing event sustainability, and ISO 14001 is a more general standard for environmental management. Attaining these standards will help Aztec formalise and demonstrate its commitment to sustainable and environmental practices. Aztec places a high priority on health and safety and thus ISO 18001, the world’s most recognized occupational health and safety management systems standard, was a natural choice.
John Robson, Aztec’s managing director, expressed his enthusiasm at the start of this certification process, “We’ve worked very hard to improve and refine our business processes, with great success, but working with ESSA Extra consultancy service has helped us select four international standards and to create a feasible routemap to successful certification.”
Aztec Event Services has deployed its Silent Seminar technology in the Deep Water Zone seminar area at the Offshore Europe Conference and Exhibition, 3-6 September 2013, at the Aberdeen Exhibition & Conference Centre.
In this extensive deployment Aztec also used its new Christie HD projectors to create a large 5m HD screen to display content authored especially for the event by Aztec’s studio, installed digital signage driven by the EventIgnite platform outside five theatres, and set up full AV facilities inside each one. Aztec also used their video feed system to stream the proceedings from the main auditorium out to the media centre and breakout rooms. iPads were placed as information kiosks on the show floor and were issued to the ops and sales teams, and Aztec also supplied a number of high tech exhibitor kits.
Chris Harris, Aztec’s senior account manager, spoke after the show, “This has been one of the most technology heavy shows we have done for some time, with all of our most innovative systems being tested in parallel, at a busy and demanding event. Having seen it all in action, from the silent seminars to the digital signage, our technicians did an excellent job bringing it altogether, and the technology itself has performed flawlessly.”
Offshore Europe, organised by Reed exhibitions, is held every two years and is the leading global platform for businesses to connect with the upstream oil & gas industry.
Aztec Event Services is gearing up for Marketing Week Live, 26-27 June 2013 at Olympia Grand Hall, London, and is finalising preparations for what promises to be a very busy couple of days.
Aztec has been selected as official for AV by organiser Centaur and the firm is also exhibiting with its own stand, promoting its products and services as powerful marketing tools, in the Live Zone, stand B212.
In a first for Marketing Week Live, Aztec will be deploying it’s newly developed digital signage solution and EventIgnite platform. This remarkable system was developed by Aztec to give event organisers a flexible, interactive digital signage solution that responds instantly to changes, engages visitors with relevant information and interactions, and is straightforward to administer by the organiser through a standard web interface.
Aztec will be running live demonstrations of its digital signage and EventIgnite platform on its stand in the Live Zone, as well as demonstrations of silent seminar technology and Aztec’s iKit solution for exhibitors.
Aztec is also collaborating with the organisers to produce digital multimedia content for an innovation at MWL, the “Agency Ask the Experts zone”. Described as “a kind of geek version of speed dating” by Marketing Week, the event will be matching marketers and the agency experts they need to speak to ahead of the show and getting them together in a whirlwind of one to one meetings.
MWL is one of the largest shows of the year for Aztec, with 14 seminar theatres requiring full AV facilities, a computer network to support the popular “speaker ready room” facility and a complete AV solution for the centre stage including twin HD projection and lighting. Installing and operating all these systems will be 18 Aztec AV and IT technicians in their trademark black and orange uniforms.
