Ideas for Winter Brand Activation Planning 

Ahh, the holidays. Are you dreaming of a white Christmas? Winter is a special time. It’s pumpkin spice, hot chocolate, cozy fires, and winter sports.  

It’s easy to romanticize winter. Events held in the winter have a sense of special significance to them, as well. But, it is often up to the event planner to ensure that this quality is, in fact, present in the event.  

Here are some clues to help you plan the perfect winter event.  

Location 

Depending on your area, winter weather can range from the ideal to the freezing, icy and snowy. The days are shorter, and the nights are colder.  

So, the goal for an ideal winter location is one with gorgeous views and plenty of outdoor space. But, you also want your guests to be able to escape all that wonderful fresh air when they start freezing their toes off from the wind or an unexpected blizzard suddenly appears.  

It can be difficult finding a location that has amazing access to the outside and enough space inside. Plenty of brand activations happen in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado during snow games. However, in warmer areas where snow is unthinkable like souther California or Texas, bringing the snow with you can catch the attention you want.  

Fortunately, you don’t have to limit your options so severely to places without snow. Event Architecture’s creative structures come with AC and heating capabilities and are weatherproof. Being weatherproof, you can reach your prospects up north in a safe, secure and captivating way.  

Furthermore, the contemporary design of these tent structures looks great and is so unique that eyes are drawn to them. They’re the perfect alternative to square tent designs, and shipping is much more affordable when compared to mobile units.  

In addition, creative structure’s tents are connectable, giving you the ability to build your own wintry town or North Pole experience. Their Igloo-esque shape makes them the ideal winter building to host your event.  

The line of structures provides a variety of configurations that can be sized up and down to fit your exact requirements. In general, the structures are fully brandable inside and out, they can connect endlessly, completely closeable, and are compact to transport.  

• Crossover M. Total weight is 675 lbs. and two people can set it up in under an hour.  
• Crossover L. Total weight is 911 lbs. and two people can set it up in under an hour and a half.  
• Hexadome M. Total weight is 1484 lbs. and three people can set it up in 2 hours. 
• Hexadome L. Total weight is 3582 lbs. and four people can set it up in two and a half hours.

There are no limits to your options. There’s plenty of space inside the structures to hand accessories like tv monitors, lights, decoration, and even a chimney. The optional climate control means guests can take a break from the weather to remain warm and dry.  

The Theme 

Every memorable event has a theme. It doesn’t have to be an official theme that is announced before the event begins (you’re not throwing a prom, after all), but you should have one even if it is informal. It may be as simple as tying some under-table lighting to your brand colors or matching the floral designs to a recent product launch.  

Two things you need to be aware of when conceptualizing a theme are your guests and your budget.  

By having a thorough understanding of your guests, average age, likes and dislikes, and general expectations, you will be better able to judge how to allocate your budget.  

Be sure to alert possible attendees early 

As mentioned, winter means the holidays and family time—and most people make their vacation plans early. So, you need to beat them to it with your Save the Date notice.  Your ideas for your winter brand activation will be for nothing if no one knows it exists.

Also, when sending these out, try to tie them into your event. If it’s a fun theme, make the invite fun. If it’s more austere, tone it down a little. Give your guests a hint of what’s to come with your invitation.  

You can also link the RSVP to head to a micro-site that’s integrated with Eventbrite. This way you can accurately keep track of yeas and nays as well as any additional information you need — like who is bringing a guest, specific dietary requirements, etc. 

The Menu: Food 

Winter food consists of warm, heavy and creamy dishes. 

For snacking items, provide baked oatmeal and muffins, homemade hot chocolate and banana bread and nuts. Of course, you are going to want to keep these warm. Adding a heating system to your structures is a stable solution.  

For meals, you should also stick to soup, pizza and stew. Remember that people are likely thinking of hitting the slopes at some point and may be watching what they eat. 

It’s also fun (and promotable as sustainable) to visit local markets (farmer’s and otherwise) and source all your ingredients from these sources. Allowing in-season ingredients to dictate what winds up on the plates is very on-trend and can allow you to get creative with a healthy, locally sourced menu. 

For dessert, again you can’t go wrong with going warm and rich. A pudding bar is a good idea. Also, for richer options you may want to include desserts that feel light in texture, like cheesecakes or key lime pie, even though they may be heavy in calories. 

The Menu: Drinks 

Warm cocktails like hot buttered rum, mulled wine or hotty toddies are a welcome addition to any cold, winter day at the park or home.  

Snow angels  

Winter events and snow decorations are a natural fit. These centerpieces and displays add a breathtaking serenity to your display. Go with soft, fluffy textures to compliment your surroundings.  

The secrets to showcasing a memorable winter event are at your fingertips. To get more ideas for your winter brand activation, call Event Architecture at 972-323-9433.