Top 20 Ideas For Corporate Event Entertainment
Whether you’re spearheading a gala for a non-profit or pulling out all the stops for a major business milestone, hosting a memorable corporate event in the digital age requires a certain degree of finesse, careful orchestration and a great deal of planning. However, with a virtually limitless array of exciting activities available, getting creative will certainly not be one of the challenges you’re faced with. From boosting company morale to bringing the ‘wow’ factor to your guests and clients, a successful corporate event is your company’s opportunity to shine while creating lasting impressions that will be remembered for years to come.
Despite the broad spectrum of corporate entertainment experiences available, companies are required to go a step further – remember, these activities are not merely used to amuse, but actually serve a purpose. Engaging your guests isn’t just a clever gimmick, but a useful way to impart an interactive opportunity that will forge corporate relationships, spark productivity and strengthen employee morale. Therefore, choosing interactive activities that reflect your company’s mission while positively influencing your guests is not only an incredible branding opportunity but a valuable business investment. In this article, we’ve amassed 20 of our favorite corporate entertainment ideas, whether you’re hosting a meeting for a small start-up or a planning a major company event within a global expo.
1. Swag Bag
It’s human nature – people love free stuff! There are few better branding opportunities than offering merchandise with your company’s logo on it. Do be wary, though, when selecting the type of merch you’re offering – while a cute stuffed panda bear may seem like an irresistible choice, remember who your demographic is when selecting swag options. If you’re hosting a non-profit fundraiser for kids, a toy may be a perfect choice; not so much if it’s an award dinner celebrating a senior-level partner. In fact, many giveaways wind up in the trash, simply because they’re deemed useless by the recipient.
If your budget allows for it, a customizable swag booth offers a win-win for everyone – your attendees will love the personalized entertainment options, and you’ll know your money was well spent on gifts they’ll actually use.
2. Captivating Contests
Livening up the action at your next company event is easy with creative contest ideas – activities such as trivia-based competitions, quirky scavenger hunts, and spirited tournaments are both captivating and exhilarating.
Challenges that engage guests intellectually can be delightful for guests of all ages – we love the idea of a game show-style event that incorporates corporate trivia facts and team-building exercises (think ‘Family Feud’), which will not only be a great ice-breaker but is certain to elicit plenty of laughs among coworkers and clients alike!
3. Mind-Bending Magic
Few activities come close to rousing a crowd than an act of magic – whether it’s a traditional sleight-of-hand card trick or a dazzling illusionist, featuring a magic act at your next event is sure to create a stir.
Depending on your budget and the type of event you’re hosting, you can opt for a single magician for a smaller gathering or hosts a full stage show for a night your guests will be buzzing about on Social Media.
4. Music For The Masses
Whether you’re hosting a 1960s-themed affair or an over-the-top holiday soiree, nothing gets the corporate party going like live music. In order to determine the right background music genre, think about the crowd you’re hosting as well as the event itself – while a smooth jazz quartet may be suitable for a formal business conference, a polished classic rock cover band may be the ideal soundscape for a festive fundraising marathon.
There are numerous resources available to hire live entertainment featuring a variety of entertainment including live bands, magicians, photographers and more. If your budget is limited, you may opt for a DJ; a good disc jockey should be able to accommodate a customizable playlist that’s tailored to your event’s demographic.
5. Caricature Kitsch
A tried-and-true favorite, caricature artists have been a hit at street fairs, carnivals, and events worldwide for decades. However, with the advent of today’s technology, it’s easy to take this personalized activity to the next level – using tablets, your caricature artist can project their drawings onto jumbo screens in real-time to elevate the excitement.
The experts at Vario can help to coordinate this activity to create a one-of-a-kind multimedia experience for your upcoming corporate event.
6. Attention-Grabbing Graffiti
If you’re looking for a truly attention-grabbing spectacle, you may want to consider hiring a professional graffiti artist for your next big event. Guests will marvel watching your artist’s canvas come to life, and a large-scale mural easily becomes the focal point of your affair.
Kick it up a notch and ask your graffiti artist to create a theme-specific piece of art – if you’re celebrating a rebranding kick-off, request he or she incorporates the new logo into the piece, and hang in your corporate headquarters as a meaningful reminder of the day’s activities. You might also decide to create a raffle drawing, with the highest bidder winning this coveted prize (and unique keepsake).
7. Celebrity Impersonator Pizazz
From Elvis impersonators to Marilyn Monroe mimics, celebrity impersonators are a novel way to jazz up your next affair. Depending on the type of event you’re hosting (as well as any theme you may have in place), these corporate entertainers are sure to energize any evening, whether they’re interacting with attendees or putting on a stage act.
8. Dance The Night Away
There is a myriad of dance-related activities that you can incorporate into your next conference or corporate affair. Hiring professional dancers – including styles such as breakdancing, salsa, or even belly dancing – can both energize your event and engage guests.
Whether you choose pro dancers as a feature activity or invite a professional dance instructor to show the crowd some new dance moves, you’ll be sure to get people out of their chairs and kicking up their heels in no time!
9. Karaoke Cool
Although it may not be a new concept, karaoke has remained a quintessential favorite pastime among millions because of its interactive and entertaining nature. With an infinite selection of songs to choose from, guests will revel in the fun of belting out their favorite tune – and fellow attendees may discover a hidden talent in a coworker they didn’t know about!
This highly-interactive activity is a tried-and-true way to get the corporate party started, and can easily be dialed up easily for extra oomph – add a smoke machine, colorful lights and a stage area for heightened drama, and go a step further with fun props (think toy instruments, feather boas, hats etc.) for the ultimate in photo-ops!
10. Photo Booth Frenzy
Although the selfie-stick may be yesterday’s news, photo booths are a time-honored tradition whose charm hasn’t faded over the years. Make a potential photo-op even more appealing by offering guests a dress-up rack with hats, wigs, fake mustaches, colorful clothing & whimsical accessories for an extra dose of fun.
Added bonus: today’s modern social photo booths allow guests to take videos, still shots and even GIFs while enabling them to share directly to their favorite Social Media account of choice.
11. Comic Relief
It’s easy to lighten the mood & get some guffaws with the talent of a professional corporate comedian. Specializing in business-related topics and being mindful of language, corporate comics are adept at spinning an amusing office anecdote while poking fun at the daily grind.
When hiring a comic for your next affair, be sure they specialize in corporate comedy in order to avoid the instance of any un-PC material or offensive routines.
12. Circus Chic
In light of such acts as Cirque du Soleil, today’s modern circus entertainers have grown increasingly sophisticated, lending themselves as an obvious entertainment option for upscale corporate affairs.
From acrobatic acts and contortionists to fire-eaters and aerial performers, events featuring any number of the circus performance are sure to dazzle even the most discriminating attendees.
13. Interactive Tastes
Offering delicious beverages and treats at your special event may not be a novel concept, but presenting them in an interactive way is sure to add some spice! Whether you opt for a customizable ice cream bar, a sizzling wok station or a bespoke cocktail created especially for your affair, you’ll be sure to make a tasteful impression on your guests.
14. Vegas Vibes
Hosting a casino at your next corporate event is a surefire way to hit the jackpot with your guests. Experts recommend calling in the big guns for this one – hiring a professional rental service vs. DIY will save you a lot of grief.
While purchasing the supplies and renting the equipment (e.g., slot machines, game tables etc.) might be easy, learning all of the rules can be difficult; in this case, a professional croupier is your best bet (literally).
15. Climbing To The Top
If you’re considering hosting an outdoor event, incorporating physical activities into the day’s agenda adds another element of imagination into the equation. For guests who enjoy a challenge, a mobile climbing wall is a great way to instill a team-spirit mentality while encouraging bonding moments among coworkers.
16. Inflatable Wonderland
Another great outdoor element: inflatable games! Appealing to your guests’ inner kid is a cinch with inflatable game rentals including obstacle courses, mini putt golf, and ball pits. Perfect for company picnics, non-profit fundraisers and other outdoor affairs, people of all ages will enjoy this crowd-pleasing activity.
17. Field Of Dreams
Whether they’re a sports fan or not, creating an indoor field at your next corporate event is guaranteed to build team spirit. From sack races and bubble football to other field-day type games played in school, indoor sport-themed activities are a great way to engage everyone (and for those happier on the sidelines, appoint a cheer squad so that nobody’s left out).
Round out the day’s festivities with custom team jerseys featuring the company logo, rent a popcorn machine, and offer ballpark-style franks – and you’ve got a home run on your hands!
18. Fortune-Teller Fun
Conjure up the mystique of a bygone era (think Coney Island boardwalk circa the 1940s) and book an exotic palm reader dressed in full gypsy-style regalia to make ‘psychic’ predictions about the company’s future, provide fortune-telling, or offer tarot readings to the enchantment of your attendees.
19. Artsy Deco
When you’re looking to enliven your evening event, neon light-up furniture is the way to get glowing! Functional as well as decorative, it instantly imparts an artsy flair to large indoor spaces and is equally funky in an outdoor setting. While this may not be an activity, it will certainly transform the atmosphere and dramatically set the stage for any special event, big or small.
20. Giving Props
For larger events, providing your audience members with props is not only guaranteed to elicit excitement in the crowd but ensure attendees are interactive with whatever performance is staged. From balloons, glow sticks, and giant inflatable toys, to bubbles, beach balls, artificial snow or confetti, props are an awesome way to get a big crowd pumped up while creating photo-worthy opportunities sure to be cherished long after that magical moment in time.
When deciding on the perfect entertainment solution for your corporate event, remember to keep the interests of your attendees in mind. After all, your attendees satisfaction with the event is what the event is all about!
