24th World Route Development Forum
Corporate Communications, Events
Having wowed audiences at the 23rd World Route Development Forum in Barcelona with a Pufferfish solution, Alpha Business Images approached us again, on behalf of their client Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, to roll out some interactive magic in Guangzhou, China for the 24th iteration of the event in 2018.
World Routes is the global meeting place for every airline, airport and aviation stakeholder. The event presents an unrivalled platform for route development professionals to discuss, develop and plan route strategy on a global scale.
With airports, airlines and tourism authorities from all over the world vying for attention from the 3000 delegates, competition is fierce, and for the creative team at ABI, ensuring the world’s fourth busiest airport stood out from the pack was of the utmost importance.
Wanting to reach audiences in new ways, ABI also wanted to give visitors a clear, concise and easy-to-interpret insight into DFW’s 244 routes, intensive operations and reputation within the global aviation industry. Giving visitors to the show a chance to discover, connect with the world and grow, in line with DFW’s mission for their passengers was key.
With the stand structure itself bearing brightly lit, vivid images of Dallas, the system would need to be just as eye-catching and able to deliver an optical performance to match, while offering up an entirely cutting-edge experience engaging with the story of DFW’s place within the world.
The newest generation of the PufferSphere® system met the demands of the project, harnessing the latest innovation in projection technology to deliver an enhanced experience with our brightest, most powerful PufferSphere yet. The use of UHD laser technology in the system doubles the pixel count for the sphere, delivering the highest resolution single projector display to date.
The 600mm touch-enabled screen is the perfect height and diameter for eye contact over and around the PufferSphere, encouraging group engagement and discussion. Its innovative interactive nature would ensure meaningful engagement with attendees. Positioned at the outer edge of the booth to capture as much passing traffic as possible, the PufferSphere was housed in a unit with an added incentive supporting free charging for visitors’ devices.
DFW have a strong brand, open culture and values rooted in innovation. With a focus on transforming journeys through the airport into experiences, they were keen to impart those values and brand identity on their offering at World Routes.
Working closely with the team at ABI, we set about producing a multi-layered interactive application that embodied that aim. Calling visitors to action with a rotating screensaver featuring the iconic tail logos of the 28 airlines served by the airport, the initial animation invited passers-by to ‘touch to activate’. Scrolling through a visualisation of the digital experience housed within the screen, the sphere then transformed on being touched into a rich and colourful globe.
From there, users were taken on a journey through a series of menu interfaces hosting a mix of static and animated content on the diversity of routes between international, domestic and cargo destinations. Throughout, dynamic animations spread across the globe showcasing DFW’s global impact.
Tailored to a mix of user appetites, the app offered users top-level info, video overview or to navigate into further detail on all destinations including airlines, frequency, tourism, relationship with Texas and local commerce.
A hit with the audience in Guangzhou, The PufferSphere maintained a continuous draw to the stand, stopping streams of visitors in their tracks in front of the booth. Keen to get tactile with the display, the photogenic PufferSphere’s magnetic draw encouraged them to explore the stand. The display also acted as a gateway to the other rewards on offer, sparking conversation and leaving them with a positive brand encounter.