Page 36 - Protec PR Book Volume 2

FEATURE
Advertisement Feature
in conversation with
PROTEC
PROTEC European Events Robotics Open Day 2018
How the industry reacted to this exciting new event technology.
Protec European Events organised an open day to showcase the latest in innovative event technology at their UK base in Birmingham. Driven by an ambition to continually raise the bar of creativity, they proudly showcased their robotic technology to a select few guests and clients. We caught up with Stephen Lakin, owner and CEO of the Protec group and Chris Bramwell, director of Protec European Events, to ask them a few questions.
Steve Lakin: On the topic of success, our guests’ reactions are the
best indicator of that. We can see the potential and the value in this technology but the bottom line is always – can our clients envisage it? Did it provoke the right response? So, let me share some of their thoughts on the day, because that’s what really matters!
“Thanks for inviting me to your Robot Open Day...
Simply WOW! They have to be seen to be believed, and certainly open up a completely new world of opportunities to do something different. I’m looking forward to promoting these ideas further within Xerox and can’t wait to see the video!” –
Jane Campbell, Event Operations Manager, Xerox
“The robotic AV demonstration at Protec was awesome, powerful
and absorbed your personal and total attention. What a fabulous attraction to hire for any launch, award ceremony
or special live event!” –
Lesley Russon, Director, Showoff Display Limited
You mentioned value – in what way do these robots bring value to your clients?
Steve Lakin: We feel it is essential that innovation adds true value and offers real solutions – particularly from the client’s perspective. Firstly, we believe these robots offer exciting solutions from an AV point of view. Each robot can master an array of multi-directional movements with sensitivity and speed. It honestly makes me hold my breath when I see how quickly they move and how closely they appear to come to colliding! It offers another dimension to how we can move not just screens – but also lighting arrays and other heavy objects in multiple directions not previously possible with traditional motors and truss.
Chris Bramwell: Also, everyone wants their event to stand out from the ordinary. We know that our robotics will make our clients’ events more memorable or leave a lasting impact, creating a buzz
or a conversation.
On top of their unique AV integration capabilities they leave your guests with an ‘Instagram worthy’ experience which engages the audience, creates hype and gets people talking about the event and the company. Be it with a RoboBar, or the strange sight of a robot sketching a portrait, they exponentially grow the clients’ profile, through social media, press, or word of mouth, enhancing the perception of their brand which we feel delivers an excellent return on investment for our clients. Our highly skilled team can create a bespoke experience for your guests anywhere in the UK and Europe.
Our clients often ask what Protec European Events can do differently – well, this new event technology is just one way we
can push out the boundaries of what is possible and deliver a unique event experience.
Being part of the Protec Group, we have access to a much larger palette of event production resources, including state of the art technology, equipment & highly skilled staff.
We are in a stronger position to extend our services to a larger client base and offer a more comprehensive and creative approach to our technical productions.
Are clients limited to what they saw at the Open Day
and past events?
Steve Lakin: Absolutely not, one purpose of the Open Day was to stir and activate our clients’ imaginations. If a client can imagine
a scenario they would like to see the robots in – perhaps related to their own industry –we can work closely with them to choreograph moves on a show to show basis so they can see their own idea become a reality and
take an active part in evolving the technology. We welcome new challenges and encourage our clients to be as creative as possible.
First off, tell us about the open day...
was it a success?
Chris Bramwell: Initially, we reached out to our clients and connections in the UK to come in and see the robots in action.
We wanted to demonstrate to small intimate groups so we ended
up running it over two days. Seeing it first-hand really impresses and surprises people! The robots were integrated with our video, lighting and audio department to create an immersive audio-visual experience. With each robot capable of carrying up to 250kg, they were able to move large LED screens with speed and pinpoint accuracy. Over the open days we were able to demonstrate this in action whilst showing
content of the robots at real events drawing portraits, being bartenders at our RoboBar, or even interacting with dancers.
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