Case Study: Beyond the Bench - A VIP Brand Activation at Rogers Place

How Flash Co. delivered a branded, high-impact portrait activation for VIP contest winners at Rogers Place.

THE CONTEXT

Contest campaigns earn their value in the follow-through. When an international consumer brand invited its Canadian contest winners for a behind-the-scenes tour of Rogers Place and a private meet and greet with a fan-favourite Edmonton Oiler, the experience itself was already exceptional. The challenge was ensuring every guest left with something tangible to match it.

The itinerary was carefully designed to move guests through areas of the arena not typically accessible to the public, including the visiting team's locker room, the media room, and the Oilers bench. At each stop, the brand was reinforcing its connection to the sport and to the people who follow it most closely. The meet and greet was the centrepiece, the moment contest winners would talk about long after leaving the building.

What the activation needed was a portrait experience that could hold its own in that environment, one that felt polished, organised, and worth keeping. A phone photo would not carry the same weight. The brand required a professional, fully managed solution that would produce branded prints worthy of the moment and give guests immediate digital access to their images.

THE SOLUTION

Flash Co. designed and managed a mobile studio photographer booth built specifically for the scale and setting of this activation. The scope covered the full lifecycle of the guest experience, from pre-event setup to post-event reporting.

Pre-event work included the design of a branded microsite through which guests could securely access and download their digital portraits, as well as the production of custom-branded envelopes to present each printed photo as a keepsake. On-site, Flash Co. operated a professional portrait studio, capturing high-quality images of each contest winner with the Oilers player in a dedicated space within the arena.

Guests received their printed photo inside the branded envelope before leaving, creating a physical souvenir that extended the moment beyond the arena. The microsite gave each attendee a direct, immediate path to their digital image, available for download at the station or on their own device.

Flash Co. managed all on-site execution independently, including setup, guest flow, printing logistics, and digital delivery. A structured post-event report was provided to the agency following the activation.

THE EXECUTION

Activations within professional sports facilities carry specific logistical requirements. Access windows are tight, setup must be unobtrusive, and the tone of every guest interaction has to match the environment. Flash Co. arrived briefed on the event programme and operated within the venue's requirements without friction.

The studio booth was positioned to receive guests following their meet and greet with the Oilers player, capturing the energy of that moment while the experience was still fresh. With approximately 100 guests moving through across the event window, the activation was designed for efficient throughput without feeling rushed. Guests moved from portrait capture to print collection and digital access in a single, fluid sequence.

The branded envelopes added a deliberate finishing detail. Receiving a printed photo inside a branded keepsake envelope is a different experience than collecting a printout. It signals care, and it signals that the brand thought through the full guest journey, not just the headline moment.

The Oilers player's presence, combined with the signed jersey gifted to contest winners earlier in the tour, meant guests arrived at the portrait station already emotionally invested in the experience. The activation delivered the professional quality that the moment deserved.

THE RESULTS

Attendees: 100

Photos captured: 140

Branded Microsite Views: 310

Digital Downloads: 139

Prints: 171

A download rate of 99 percent is a strong signal that the activation was well-received. Guests did not wait to engage with their images. The branded microsite recorded 310 views against an attendee count of approximately 100, indicating that guests returned to the microsite after the event, likely to share or revisit their photos.

With 171 prints distributed across approximately 100 attendees, the activation delivered more than one branded print per pair on average. For a surprise and delight experience, that level of output reflects both guest enthusiasm and smooth on-site execution.

"Flash Co. and team were a great partner to work with, we appreciated all the work in the lead-up to the event."
- RB, Client

PLANNING A BRAND ACTIVATION WHERE PRESENCE AND RESULTS BOTH MATTER?

Flash Co. designs on-site photo and video experiences for audiences that expect more. Every deployment is built around defined objectives, seamless execution, and reporting that gives you something to bring back to your client.