As trends in social media continue to be some of the fastest ways to spread the word, new interactive forms of technology are being used to boost events, the most recent being vending machines.
The latest and greatest venture of vending machines exchange tweets for treats. Incentivizing attendees to help spread the word, participants are asked to tweet special hashtags in exchange for merchandise. Either prior to the event or once onsite, registrants will reach out to their networks via various social media platforms. With the click of a button their message is sent, and out comes their swag in exchange for their hashtag.
A highly successful venture for Old Navy using vending machines, the company issued a “Tweet For Your Feet” campaign to help boost their $1 flip-flop sale. At a promotional event, a built-in tablet asked participants to send a tweet completing the phrase “The best place to wear flip-flops is,” along with their shoe size, Twitter handle, and a special code. Once the tweet was sent, vending machines would detect the phrase, generate a thank you tweet, and pop out a free pair of flip-flips – right size and all.
Vending machines are no longer a destination for snacks and sodas, and this kind of technology brings a refreshing edge to both event planners and participants. Check out Techsytalks writeup here (http://techsytalk.com/event-technology/vending-machines-at-events-tweets-for-treats-signup4/) and keep a lookout for these inventive ideas at your next event.
