International Mass Timber Conference
Project
International Mass Timber Conference
Service
Event Activations
When Innovation Meets Wood: Revitalizing the International Mass Timber Conference
“The minute we met with you, I was like, ‘Okay, they’re going to be expensive because I can tell they have it together and know what they're doing. But it's going to be worth it because otherwise it could be a disaster. And I don't want this disaster to be on me.”
Amanda Schreiner, Project Manager
Challenge
Keeping Returning Attendees Engaged Year After Year
The Big Picture: How do you keep your annual event refreshed and exciting while adding value?
After nearly a decade of hosting the International Mass Timber Conference (IMTC), Amanda Schreiner and her team faced a new challenge familiar to many in the event industry: how to keep returning attendees engaged in the exhibit hall, particularly in the area traditionally occupied by an exciting live demo that had lost it’s spark after repeated appearances..
Their popular two-story cross-laminated timber live build had been a highlight for years, but in its third appearance, it had lost some of its wow-factor. The IMTC team needed something new to draw people to the back of the exhibit hall–something that would capture attention, spark conversation, and embody innovation.
Solution
An Interactive Visual Experience That Draws People In.
Ink Factory Pitched Amanda One of Our Event Activations, Designed Specifically to Draw Attendees in and Capture their Insights in Real Time.
After exploring several visual note-taking firms, Amanda discovered Ink Factory. From the first call with our co-founder Ryan, she recognized our professionalism and clarity of process.
Despite initial budget concerns, Amanda concluded that working with a team with our years of experience would be essential in a high-stakes conference environment.
For IMTC, we knew we had to go beyond our standard artist boards. After all, this conference is the largest gathering of mass timber experts in the world, focusing on the entire wood and timber industry supply chain. Our team pushed creative boundaries by using large sheets of birch plywood as the canvas for our markers, connecting the visual experience directly to the heart of the conference.
After exploring numerous concepts, we landed on a simple, four panel installation that could be folded into a 4-sided pillar and unfolded into a stunning 16’x 8’ wall. We co-designed the layout which included the Woodworks logo, two engaging prompts for attendee interaction, and a QR code to learn more about one of IMTC’s initiatives.
Result
A large-scale, visually striking art piece that captured the spirit and insights of the conference.
Engagement That Extends Beyond the Event
During the event, our artist transformed attendee responses and key conference insights into real-time illustrations…the result? A large-scale, visually striking art piece that captured the spirit and insights of the conference.
“People would stop, say, ‘Oh, what’s that?’ and linger. It absolutely captured attention.”
- Immediate Engagement: The installation piqued attendee curiosity, drawing them in; many attendees engaged with the board, and once complete, it gained even more traction— becoming a popular photo spot shared across social media.
- Post-Event Use: Digital files were used across IMTC’s social channels to extend the conversation and engagement beyond the event. Amanda shared that it will likely be used again in promotions for next year’s conference.
- Sustainable Impact: The activation board found a second life when the Port of Portland claimed it for display in public-facing Terminal 2!
- Internal Confidence: Amanda emphasized that having Ink Factory on board gave her and her team peace of mind.
Amanda and her team are already brainstorming ways to expand our collaboration for the next IMTC. She’s even begun recommending Ink Factory to colleagues in other industries who manage conferences and events.
“The output was better than anything we expected… no complaints, no suggestions for improvement. I’ve already shared your name with a bunch of friends in events who hadn’t heard of this kind of thing. It’s a great enhancement to any type of conference—and if you hire anyone, look nowhere else but here.”
Amanda Schreiner, Project Manager
Meet the TEAM
No, we’re not tattoo artists. We’re really big visual note-taking nerds. The kind of people who get genuinely excited about the perfect marker color and debate the best way to draw a lightbulb. Sure, we take our work seriously—but we refuse to take ourselves too seriously.
Ryan Robinson
Founder, Chief Client Officer
See it for YOURSELF
Finding the next step is harder when your wires are crossed. Drawing can help you get everyone on the same page—without all the sticky notes.
You won’t regret it
