#DesignMonth: Bringing old-school nostalgia to trendy events

Imagine an event taking place in 2016 without a roaming photographer, just shaky cellphone selfies to prove it took place. Not exactly a ‘warm and fuzzy’ event outcome. Well, maybe fuzzy, literally, when it comes to photo quality.

Now picture a different world – one where your well-planned event comes with all the trustworthy values of an old-school camera set-up tied into the social media boosting necessities of real-time image tagging, event Wi-Fi, on-pic branding, and instant shareability and you’ve reached what makes RevelBox such a revolutionary design idea.

The name comes from ‘revel’ and ‘photobox’, and it represents the moments that the product is trying to capture, as ‘to revel is to enjoy oneself in a lively and noisy way’, especially with drinking and dancing. Cue business event.

Owner Ben McInnes, explains how his photobox succeeds in capturing the moments people never want to forget; happy moments shared with friends and family…

1. What industry gap does RevelBox fill?

McInnes: RevelBox started as a small project to earn some money on the side until I realised photobooths all offer a variation of the same thing: take photos and print them. While this is exactly what you would expect from a photobooth, there is so much more that you can do to capture and share fun and exciting experiences. As I design the hardware and software from scratch, I offer more features and ultimately tailor the RevelBox to the specific needs of my client. The photobox set up allows the client to choose their own backdrop and move the RevelBox around during an event.

That’s one of the main reasons why RevelBox trumps traditional photobooths: It’s easy to set up, and can be moved easily. And instead of having a boring white wall for guests to take photos against, clients can show off spectacular views or awesome parties. Another plus is that it uploads straight to social media, ensuring clients have great content posted to their platforms.

I really liked the idea of developing a service that’s a win-win for everyone involved. The RevelBox client gets social media coverage and a novelty attraction to their venue or event that their customers in turn get to take home as a physical keepsake. Everyone walks away happy!

2. Explain how the portable photobox works.

McInnes: The photobox is made up of several components, including a camera, a screen, a flash, long-range Wi-Fi and a big tactile button. There’s also a printer that is kept separately from the photobox to reduce the weight and increase its portability. It runs on batteries, so is wireless and easy to move around. The device is set up on a stand that can be adjusted to a range of heights and can swivel easily from side to side.

Operation of the device is very simple: The user walks up to the RevelBox and presses the button to start the process. While everything is ‘touchscreen’ these days, it’s easy to forget the simple satisfaction of pressing a large tactile button!

The screen shows a live view and gives the user a three-second countdown until the photo is taken. Once the photos are taken, the images are sent wirelessly to the printer and uploaded to social media.

The device can also print a variety of different layouts, whether it be one large photo, four smaller images or a double strip of eight, all of which can be customised and branded. You can even opt for a gif animation of the photos taken, or a time lapse between shots.

3. How do the social and online aspects of cloud storage, incorporated Wi-Fi and automated social posts simplify the ‘must post everything to social media’ process for event guests?

McInnes: Social media is a powerful force, allowing customers to interact with brands and vice versa, offering a fantastic opportunity for marketing. By automating the process, RevelBox frees up resources for the brand and lets them focus on their customers’ experiences. Brands using RevelBox can increase their visibility and ensure customers always associate the memory of a great time with the brand itself. Because RevelBox outputs like social media posts and physical photos can be customised, brands can add their own designs, slogans and hashtags. Revelbox also drives traffic to the brand’s site, and leaves the customer with a tangible reminder of their exciting experience.

Cloud storage serves as necessary backup because while technology has made huge strides, it is still prone to fail and we want to make sure that if anything goes wrong, nothing is lost. It’s also the best way to store high-resolution images, as social media tends to reduce the image quality once it is uploaded.

4. Talk us through the ‘Polaroid picture’ aspect – are we seeing a comeback of physical in this time of digital overload?

McInnes: There’s something special about putting the physical photo in someone's hand right after it has been taken, as it becomes something more to the person receiving it. They don’t just have an image in their hands, they have a moment; a one-off photo without touch-ups.

The physical still has value in this digital age – when I look at my old photos, I remember the moments that they were taken so vividly. It's like magic, I can touch the photo and relive the experience. That feeling is something I want to bring to every event that uses a RevelBox.

People tend to hoard their digital media, they have troves of photos stored away on hard drives that they might look at the photos once in a blue moon, if ever, but if they have a printed photo, the memory stays close. It goes up on the wall or gets stuck up on the fridge. Even if it lands up in a drawer and you happen to find it again, a photo is bound to bring a wonderful sensation of joy.

Sounds like a win-win to me.

For more information email RevelBox, visit their website or like their Facebook page.