The San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) is the largest of its kind in the entire world and also happens to be the largest convention held in San Diego. To put a number on it, the 2022 SDCC saw over 135,000 attendees. Not only is this a massive affair every year, but it’s also become a testament to, and test of, modern event technology.
Celebrating the culture of comic books, films, TV series, and the Fantasy/Sci-Fi genres demands a serious commitment to event technology, IT, and cybersecurity. On top of that, SDCC has garnered such a strong reputation for themselves and their event each year that a step backwards in their spectacle, made possible through IT and event technology, would hurt their reputation with their most loyal consumers.
The San Diego Comic-Con makes an incredibly captivating case study for the practical application of event technology and IT on a grand scale. Understanding the success of SDCC can help you plan your next big industry conference from an IT, AV, and cybersecurity perspective while delivering a seamless and exhilarating experience to the attendee.
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Creating Memories with Event Technology
When it comes to an event like San Diego Comic-Con, a lot of attention is put on the keynote speakers, the main discussion panels, and the futuristic or interactive displays. All of this is powered by event technology and IT and it’s part of what makes San Diego Comic-Con so memorable.
Consumers are continually blown away year after year by the stunning cosplay, invigorating panel discussions, and deep-dives into the fantastical. Fans flock to SDCC not for the display of technology, but the experience that the technology enables.
This high-level event technology is only the tip of the iceberg. 90% of the IT infrastructure, committed cybersecurity strategy, and other technology solutions for a large-scale conference like Comic-Con are underwater, so to speak.
A great example of subtle event technology that should go mostly unnoticed but still drastically improves the attendee experience is the check-in technology. Creating a smooth and seamless check-in process with QR codes, for instance, is a great way to efficiently check people in while still authenticating identities.
“As event planners, creating a positive first impression for attendees is crucial. The on-site check in experience sets the tone for attendees’ overall event experience. It is the first touchpoint where they interact with your event, gather information, and get ready for what is sure to be an incredible experience. As an event planner, it is vital to make this process seamless and efficient.”
This is the type of technology enabled process you want to be non-disruptive. In other words, if your attendees are leaving the event still thinking and talking about the check-in process, that’s a pretty serious issue.
The Event IT You Don’t See
As mentioned above, the majority of event IT and event technology goes unseen. Running a major international conference like San Diego Comic-Con requires reliable IT support that can handle the traffic and sheer volume of users, end points, and smart-devices.
With over 900 exhibitors scheduled for SDCC 2023 who all need internet access, IT support, secured payment services for cashless transactions, and any number of monitors, displays, or interactive technology to demonstrate products and services – you quickly gain an idea of just how large an undertaking conferences like San Diego Comic-Con are from an event technology, IT, and cybersecurity standpoint.
In the same vein as IT, and often lumped together, is AV (audio-visual). This is another massive arm of event technology on which events like San Diego Comic-Con heavily rely. Let’s go back to the panel discussion example.
Especially in today’s digital ear, panel discussions are often supplemented by additional media. Graphics, videos, animations, and other visuals can help stoke the excitement of attendees and enhance presentations or discussions for the viewers.
Starting with the microphones that the panelists need, stretching all the way to the screens displays, and audio for supplemental media AV, IT, and event technology are involved at virtually every level of a successful panel discussion.
Without the proper teams in place to install, monitor, and run your event IT, you can run into major speed bumps that create messy presentations and result in a poor attendee experience.
Innovative Event Technology Integrations
When pulling off something like San Diego Comic-Con, it’s not enough to simply meet the bare minimum IT, event technology, and cybersecurity standards. By implementing innovative technology into your event, you can create an impact that will stay with your attendants well into the future.
Beyond display monitors, interactive exhibits, QR code access points, sleek audio-rigs, and other technologies that have become somewhat expected at a large-scale event like SDCC, committing to an innovative tech strategy can elevate the conference to the next level.
Hologram enabled conference rooms, 3D presentation capabilities, and interactive digital signage are all great examples of innovative event technology that can significantly improve the attendee experience while simultaneously adding a wow factor to the event.
A few Final Thoughts on Technology and IT at at SDCC
All in all, planning and executing a large-scale international conference like San Diego Comic-Con takes an extremely detailed logistics plan, IT infrastructure, and robust event technology. By strategically integrating event technology into your conference, you can create seamless entrance and exit transitions, dazzle your attendees, and leave participants with life long memories.
The multi-tiered IT, event technology, and cybersecurity solutions that make international conferences like SDCC possible can also power your business. With a dedicated comprehensive IT team working with your business to create customized solutions, you know you’ll have the IT and event technology you need to keep things running smoothly.
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