Game-show formats 8-1-1999

Meetings & Conventions: Short Cuts May 1999
August 1999
Short Cuts:Game-show formats

Want to place your meeting in Jeopardy or something close to it? Companies that design game shows for groups have the solution. Game-show formats, based on popular TV shows but customized to meet the objectives of individual clients, are being used for a variety of purposes including product presentations, training and trade show entertainment.

At Minneapolis-based Interactive Personalities (612-332-7625), customized shows have featured everything from a motorcycle theme for Harley-Davidson to a re-creation of ancient Rome for Compaq. A typical setup involves dividing the audience into teams with team captains on stage. Using response pads, the entire group can compete. For trade shows, the company creates a minitheater inside a booth.

Another option is Chaska, Minn.-based Art James Productions (800-909-3124; www.corpgameshow.com). Owned by Art James, former host of Concentration, the company creates atmosphere with music and classic commercials.

Formats combine trivia questions with those on company-specific topics, and serve a practical purpose. "It's possible to track how much the audience knows about the product or company goals," says David Seckinger, brand builder for Interactive Personalities.

While game shows are used in a variety of scenarios, they may work better for some groups than others. "Salespeople are the ones that really love them. They're competitive by nature."

COLOR YOUR STAY at The Time, a new midtown hotel in New York City where guests can choose their room’s color scheme. Snacks will be coordinated, too: strawberries and apples in the red rooms, blackberries and blueberries in the blue, bananas and pineapple in the yellow.

A.D.T.

MARIA LENHART