At Civic Edge, we’re always thinking about new and interesting ways to help our clients connect with the public. Here are a few high-tech options that we think are worth the effort.

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Augmented Reality (AR)

AR creates an interactive experience in the real-world environment. Unlike Virtual Reality, AR adds to the reality you would normally see. We love AR because it:

• Makes learning more engaging and fun, which often translates to higher levels of engagement
• Doesn’t require any expensive hardware for users (unlike VR). All a user needs is a smartphone, tablet, or computer
• Universally accessible regardless of education or training – anytime, anywhere
  

Examples we love:

• Pokemon Go (we know it’s a year old now, but we still can’t get over the craze)
• Sea Level Rise
• Play the City
• Check out more examples
  

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Interactive Data Visualizations

Data can be hard to digest, but it doesn’t have to be. Visualizations make complex data sets intuitive and understandable. We love data visualizations because:

• People love pretty things – data’s no exception
• You can make any topic interest by making the data personal and drawing the viewer in
• Plus, they’re fun to share on social media!

Examples we love:

• Heat map - ConnectSF
• The Journey of Plastic Around the Globe
• How Far Can you Travel in One Hour by Car
  

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Event-based Applications‍

Event apps are super practical. They eliminate the need to hand out bulky folders filled with schedules and speaker bios – and you know your attendees won’t leave their phone in their hotel room! But there are other pluses you may not have considered. Let’s go:

• An event is only as successful as its branding – an app sets the tone and builds the brand of the event. Use your app to reinforce your organization’s messaging and unique value proposition
• Apps allow attendees to maximize the cost of their ticket by networking on the app before, during, and after the event
• There’s only so much sponsorship real estate at a conference. Give sponsors unique opportunities to interact with participants and boost their visibility
  

Examples we love:

• GoMentum Redefining Mobility Summit via EventMobi
• Coachella, Outside Lands, or really any music festival
• Dreamforce