CASE STUDY

Agosto Google Cloud Next With

Gamified Displays

Conference Exhibit

San Francisco
Brand Activation, Event Technology, Experiential Marketing, Immersive Experiences

Executive Summary

As a sponsor of Google Cloud Next ’18, Agosto had more than a booth space. They had a rare invitation from Google to step outside the standard sponsor exhibit guidelines and create something worth stopping for.

NPARALLEL + Atomic Props developed a bold, open exhibit built around two centerpiece ideas: a 3×5′ Flip-Disc Display that drew consistent lines of attendees throughout the event, and a custom real-time Tetris game with a live leaderboard that turned the branded lounge into one of the most occupied spaces on the floor. Together, they made Agosto’s exhibit one of the most talked-about installations at the conference.

Business Challenge

Google Cloud Next brings together thousands of technology professionals, vendors, and decision-makers. Standard sponsor exhibit formats tend to produce a predictable result.

Agosto had something different in mind. With a brand identity built on bold, confident design, they wanted an exhibit presence that matched it: captivating from a distance, energetic up close, and memorable well after the conference ended. Google’s invitation to break from standard guidelines gave them the opening. The challenge was executing something genuinely different within a competitive conference environment.

Goals & Objectives

Establish a commanding brand presence at Google Cloud Next '18 that stood apart from standard sponsor exhibits
Create a meaningful interaction opportunity that extended dwell time at the booth
Attract conference attendees through visual energy and kinetic appeal
Reinforce Agosto's bold brand identity consistently from ceiling to floor
Build brand awareness and exposure among a highly targeted technology audience

Our Solution

Breaking the Standard Format

We started with a clear question: what stops a conference attendee who has already walked past 50 sponsor booths? The answer shaped everything that followed. Rather than building around structure and signage, we designed an exhibit anchored by movement, color, and interaction. The format most sponsors default to was exactly what this exhibit was not going to be.

The Flip-Disc Display

The centerpiece of the exhibit was a 3×5′ Flip-Disc Display: a kinetic panel of individually actuated discs that flip between two faces to create shifting, mesmerizing patterns. Our team identified, sourced, and integrated the display as the exhibit’s primary draw.

It did three things at once. It pulled attendees from across the show floor. It displayed strategic messaging tied to the Agosto brand. And it functioned as a hands-on interaction point where attendees could engage directly. During the conference, it had consistent lines of people waiting for their turn.

Gamified Lounge Experience

Drawing people in was one goal. Keeping them there was another. Within the exhibit footprint, we designed and built a branded lounge environment centered around a custom real-time Tetris game with a live leaderboard. The format was intentional: relaxed seating, a modern aesthetic, and a game mechanic that naturally extended dwell time and sparked organic conversations around the Agosto brand. Attendees who came for the Flip-Disc stayed for the leaderboard.

Visual Identity and Booth Design

Agosto’s brand palette of red, black, gray, and silver gave us a clear direction. We led with red, using it as the dominant color to attract attention from a distance. A 12-foot square hanging sign above the booth created a significant design element and visual tension in the vertical space, making the exhibit visible well beyond its physical footprint.

A large fabricated cube structure referenced Agosto’s design process, adding dimension and brand meaning to the build. Video, lightboxes, and eye-level graphics reinforced the brand throughout the space. Furniture selections kept the exhibit accessible and welcoming without softening the bold, confident register the brand called for.

Structure and Traffic Flow

The booth structure was intentionally minimal. Open entries on all sides kept traffic moving naturally through the space and allowed for different levels of conversation throughout. The exhibit was designed to pull people in, not funnel them through.

See the Agosto activation IN ACTION

Watch how a custom real-time Tetris game with a live leaderboard and a kinetic Flip-Disc Display came together to create one of the most engaging exhibits at Google Cloud Next. This video captures how gamification and experiential design drove extended dwell time and organic brand conversations at one of the year’s most competitive tech events.

Results

Agosto arrived at Google Cloud Next ’18 as a sponsor. They left as the exhibit people were still asking about. The Flip-Disc Display generated consistent foot traffic throughout the conference, while the gamified lounge kept attendees engaged long after they arrived. Both drew direct inquiries from other attendees and exhibitors about the design concept and execution behind them. In a conference environment built on standardized sponsor formats, the Agosto exhibit looked and felt like something else entirely.

Drew consistent lines of attendees to the Flip-Disc Display throughout the event
Drove extended dwell time through a gamified lounge experience built around a custom real-time Tetris game and live leaderboard
Generated direct inquiries from other conference attendees and exhibitors about the exhibit's design and execution
Delivered a multi-functional installation: visual draw, brand messaging, and attendee interaction across two distinct activations
Reinforced Agosto's brand identity consistently across every element, from a 12-foot hanging sign to floor-level graphics

Ready To Stand Out At Your Next COnference?

Whether you’re a first-time sponsor or looking to break away from what standard conference formats produce, we build exhibits that earn attention in rooms full of competition.