Pictures are an integral part of any event experience. Participants take their own pictures; event organizers hire professional photographers to capture and share the best moments. But how often do we think about the broader impact of taking, viewing, and sharing pictures? These questions have been explored by scientists.
Even though photography is a newer thing historically, it is considered a universal human behavior, much like everyone has their own unique way of using language or listening to music. This means that regardless of the type of experience, understanding how it affects people's minds and behaviors will help you utilize the right tools to enhance the impact and strengthen your event brand.
So, what's the science behind the picture-perfect moments and how are Kampfire’s essential features supported by scientific evidence?
Deepening Bonds
We all know how powerful a photograph can be. ‘A picture’s worth a thousand words’ sounds cliché, but what does it mean from a scientific perspective and why is it significant in the context of events?
Humans are designed to process visual information in the blink of an eye (pun intended!). According to MIT and Pennsylvania State University's researchers, complex images can be recognized and comprehended in as fast as 13 milliseconds. Moreover, processing images, including photos, activates other brain areas, such as the amygdala, which is responsible for emotions.
Researchers say, “When we look at photos of actions or feelings, our brains react as if we're feeling or doing those things ourselves. For example, seeing a photo might make us feel as if we're experiencing what's happening in the picture. Our brain areas responsible for sensing touch, movements, and emotions become active, letting us imagine those sensations as if they were our own.”
Unlike any other images, event photos are unique in that they capture a variety of emotions, and most of the time, they depict people's faces. Besides drawing more attention due to the human tendency to notice faces first, studies indicate that stronger facial expressions evoke stronger emotions in the viewer, even when they are seen for just 500 milliseconds! This quick, powerful connection turns event photos into an irresistible draw, creating a lasting emotional bond with the audience.
When these photos are viewed after the event, they do more than just remind us of the experience; they deepen our emotional connection to it. This post-event engagement through photographs ensures the event's impact lingers, making these images much more than just visual records – they're vital tools for maintaining and enhancing audience engagement.
Additionally, humans' deep social nature impacts our interaction with photos significantly. We often adjust our behavior when cameras are around, presenting ourselves in socially acceptable ways, known as "photo faces". Knowing that we are being observed, even through a photo, prompts us to behave in a more agreeable way.
This tendency to modify our behavior when photographed serves a purpose beyond the image itself. It encourages cooperative behavior in our communities. Our awareness of how we appear in photos contributes to a sense of togetherness and collaboration within complex societies. The simple act of modifying our behavior in photos contributes to adapting to social norms, thereby promoting social harmony and cooperation.
Kampfire platform fundamentally embraces these scientifically proven benefits of emotional and social connection through event pictures. Rather than just utilizing event photos for basic initiatives, it seeks to foster deeper, meaningful interactions through a variety of features. Essentially, Kampfire elevates the overall experience, underlining the power of photography to connect and engage people in a profound way.
Solidifying Memories
There's a well-established fact that people remember images better than words. This phenomenon is called the Picture Superiority Effect and explains why images of an event - whether personal or professional - can instantly transport us back to that time. Some studies suggest that when people view a photograph of something, the image formed at the back of the eye is almost akin to the image that would be created if they were looking at the actual object in real life.
Furthermore, as previously mentioned, photos evoke stronger emotional reactions, and since the brain regions responsible for memory and emotions are closely interconnected, it results in an enhanced boost for memory retention.
This powerful recall is not just limited to personal memories. In the context of events, it extends significantly to event brand recall and partner recognition. Each photograph, featuring elements of branding or sponsorship, acts as a visual cue, reinforcing the viewer's association with those brands. This continuous engagement with the brand through photographs means that every time an event photo is viewed, it strengthens the connection to the event partners involved, leaving a lasting impression that goes beyond the event itself.
Such a mechanism is invaluable for businesses, as it creates a subtle yet impactful form of brand reinforcement and loyalty. The use of Kampfire's branded templates allows organisers to leverage the natural process of solidifying your event memories and strengthening the connection between the event experience and the event partners.
Infusing Personal Touch
Personalization is at the core of marketing efforts across all industries, and it's more important than ever for event marketing. According to the McKinsey Personalization Report, 71% of consumers expect companies to deliver personalized interactions and 76% get frustrated if they don't. Content that is personalized scores 84% more engagement and attention, and it drives performance.
From a scientific perspective, it's not surprising: personalization has a deep psychological basis rooted in well-established principles of influence.
This is evident in phenomena such as the ‘Cocktail Party effect’: in the same way we can hear our own names in a crowded room, when there’s a personalized interaction or communication, it captures people's instant and sustained attention. But the appeal of personalization goes beyond just attention.
✓ Tailor-made experiences and products are inherently appealing because they tap into our unique preferences and subconscious desires, thus evoking stronger emotional reactions. Additionally, personalization drives a sense of exclusivity and significance, which are powerful emotions. These feelings not only enhance our satisfaction but also foster loyalty.
✓ Moreover, personalization can potentially reduce information overload, as indicated by this research. By filtering and focusing on what is specifically relevant to us, it helps in managing the excess of information we encounter daily and reduce the decision fatigue.
✓ Lastly, personalization taps into the intrinsic human needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness by providing a sense of control, enhancing skill and mastery, and fostering connections.
All of these factors make personalization an effective strategy that should be integrated whenever there’s a chance. Event pictures, capturing unique moments and individual experiences, offer an excellent opportunity for implementing this strategy. They allow for the creation of tailored memories that resonate personally with attendees, enhancing their connection to the event and its significance in their lives.
One of Kampfire’s core features is a powerful example of how personalization can be utilized to the fullest extent. Uploading a selfie allows attendees to receive a personalized photo album instantly, avoiding irrelevant images or time-consuming searches.
Making It Easy
Speaking of saving time (and sanity!): given the hundreds of to-dos an event planner is responsible for, anything that can lighten the load is a significant benefit, isn’t it?
Finding effective ways to utilize event photos post-event is no easy task, so having a tool that can handle it and, more than that, provide engagement statistics is already a huge plus. However, this goes beyond the streamlined process for creating, customizing, and sharing the Kampaigns. It has to do with the fact that humans are cognitive misers.
It is in our brains' wiring to save mental energy and avoid mental efforts at all costs. This means that people are less likely to act if there is too much thinking involved. This is one of the key behavioral science mantras for business: if you want people to take action, it must become easy and simple.
Now imagine hiring an event photographer, ensuring that great photos of the event moments are captured, and putting it all together in a hope that your attendees will relive those moments and share them far and wide – only to find little to no interest from your audience. If you're wondering why, the reason is simple: sorting through piles of photos is too much of a cognitive effort.
Thus, yet again, one of the key features of Kampfire comes in handy. By facilitating easy sharing and harnessing the power of AI, it aims to sidestep this cognitive effort trap, increasing the likelihood that all your hard work will translate into improved engagement and a more resonant, positive response from your audience.
In conclusion
In essence, event photos are not just visual mementos; they are catalysts for deeper engagement, stronger brand associations, heightened emotional involvement, personalized experiences, and the seamless creation of lasting memories. These elements collectively amplify the legacy and impact of your event, forging enduring connections with your audience and partners. Each of these aspects has been designed into the core of Kampfire, and being grounded in human psychology, it becomes an invaluable tool for every event planner.
The Psychology Behind Picture-Perfect Moments Written by Victoria Matey
