Mid-Winter Ball 2027, for Martin
Every guest walks away with a picture of themselves and their own pet, in whatever scene they fancy, with the sponsor's logo in the shot. Made at the booth, printed there and then.
The web version of my email, with bigger pictures and the clip playing. Not public, just for you.
Hi Martin,
Hope you're well and the practices are keeping you busy. Last year we were talking about the Ball around this time, so I thought I'd get in early and see if we can pencil you in for 2027 before the January dates go.
Have you got a date and venue sorted yet? If it's the usual end of January or start of February I'll block it out now and we can sort the details whenever you're ready.
January went really well from our side. The AI Mirror had a queue most of the night, which is what you were after when you saw one at the Vet Show, and the galleries ended up with 242 people registered and over 2,600 photos sorted into everyone's own gallery. People were still signing up a week later.
Everyone gets a picture that's theirs: their face, their own pet, in whatever scene they fancy, with the sponsor's logo in the shot. It works for a whole table as well, so a group photo with somebody's dog in the middle is doable.
It runs on a new AI photo booth we've built to replace the enclosed one, and it does different things in the day and at night. In the day, at the conference, it does proper portraits, team photos and themed shots with the sponsor's branding built in. At night it switches to the pets.
It's our own software and we've tested it on real people and real pets. I've not seen anyone else doing it, so you'd be the first. In a room full of vets I think it'll go down a storm, and it's a good fit for Hill's if they're sponsoring again.
Not registered? They still get the normal scenes, and a QR code on screen lets them add their pet from their phone and come back.
We can also turn the finished picture into a short clip for their gallery. This is a first test from the red carpet picture above, it took about 45 seconds to make.
Could be a nice one for the sponsor's social media. No sound, tap it for controls.
The same booth in the day. Hope you don't mind me pinching the photo from your website, it was the easiest way to show you. Took about ten seconds.
Six different people, six different pets, six different scenes, no two the same. Superheroes went down well last year so they're in, along with vet, red carpet, astronaut, firefighter, 1920s and whatever else fits the theme. The sponsor's logo goes where it would naturally be rather than plastered everywhere. The people in these are made up, the pets are what it does with a real pet photo. I've used the Hill's logo as they sponsored the last two years, but it can be any sponsor, or Vets for Pets.
When the award's announced, the winner comes up on the big screens as a film poster hero with their pet, and we give them a framed print on the night. Sponsor's name on it too.
As people register and add their pet, a page on the Ball website (v4pball.co.uk, where the galleries are) fills up with the pets that are coming. 142 dogs, 61 cats, 3 rabbits and a tortoise. Good for building it up in the weeks before, and something to put in your update emails.
Most people registered after the event last year. If we open it a couple of weeks before on v4pball.co.uk, people add their pet at the same time, more faces get matched on the night, and everyone gets their photos while they're still there.
A one pager for Hill's (or whoever sponsors): branded prints, gallery views, AI pictures made, how many people took part, plus the best photos. Leigh mentioned needing to justify the spend, so this should help.
That's last year's package with a small increase. The new booth replaces the enclosed one rather than adding to it. The Unsung Hero poster and the pet gallery page are included. The only extra is the moving clips, from £350 for the night, which might be one for the sponsor.
Once I know the date I'll put the proper proposal together with timings like last year.
Let me know what you think. Happy to pop over to Cleveleys for a brew and go through it if that's easier.
Cheers,
Lee