Chicago

What footprint do you need?

We typically request an 8ft x 8ft - 10ft x 10ft space minimum, though we can almost always condense a layout into a solution that suits your floor plan. Send us the footprint you have available and we will design around it.

How can the experience be branded?

Comprehensively. The output content, touchscreen interface, text message microsite and emails, photo gallery, and the booth hardware and backdrops can all be custom branded to represent your campaign's visual identity.

Will we get access to the photos and statistics?

Yes. Your full gallery and activation reporting are available immediately after the event.

Can you add custom disclaimers and data capture?

Yes. We build custom disclaimers and data capture fields to your specifications, so consent language and lead fields match your legal and marketing requirements.

How many guests can move through per hour?

Most experiences run 30 seconds to 2 minutes per person or group, which works out to roughly 30 to 60 guests or groups per hour per station. For higher volumes, we scale by adding stations.

How and when do guests receive their content?

Instantly, via text message, email, or QR code. Delivery details can be captured at the kiosk or at separate sharing stations positioned to the side, which keeps the main queue moving at high-traffic events.

What power do you need?

One dedicated standard 20amp 110V outlet within five feet of the activation.

What internet do you need?

We recommend a dedicated WiFi network with at least 25–30 Mbps up and down for smooth, real-time content delivery. We bring our own hotspot to every event as a backup, so a spotty venue connection will not slow your activation down. Hardwired ethernet is sometimes warranted for high-density or data-intensive workflows.

Can the activation be set up outdoors?

Yes, provided the footprint has total coverage from rain, sun, and wind. Equipment needs to stay fully protected for the duration of the event.

Is staffing provided?

Yes. A trained technical operator is included with every activation. That operator can train any Brand Ambassadors you assign to the experience, or we can source additional Brand Ambassadors ahead of time to support it.

What should we provide to support the activation?

A few things consistently improve the guest experience:

• Client branded or approved props for photo sessions
• 1–3 Brand Ambassadors for higher volume events to assist our operator
• A 4ft x 3ft or larger table for guest drinks, belongings, and props — a branded table skirt is a nice touch
• Signage identifying and promoting the experience
• Stanchions for line management
• A TV with HDMI connected to a Mac or PC running Chrome, to loop a slideshow of digital content and draw guests in

Do you need a loading dock or freight elevator?

In most cases, no. Our equipment travels in Pelican cases and can be hand-carried through main doors and passenger elevators, provided the venue allows it.

How early do you load in, and how much setup time do you need?

We aim to arrive one to three hours before start, depending on the complexity of the activation. Please flag any specific show-ready or load-in windows and we will build to them. We can also set up and test the day before when warranted, though additional costs may apply.

How far in advance should we book?

Availability varies by experience, date, and market. Booking three or more months ahead is ideal to secure capacity, though many experiences are booked one to two months out. Within a week of the event date, availability becomes quite limited.

Can you run multiple stations or several different experiences at one event?

Yes. Multi-station builds and multi-format activations are both common for us.

How much does a photo booth or AI activation cost in Chicago?

Each creative project is unique and production costs will invariably reflect that. The variables that move the number most are how many hours you need, how many stations you run, which experience you choose, whether there is a printed takeaway and at what volume, and how much custom creative and branding is involved. Send us your date, venue, and expected guest count, and we'll come back with a general estimate on costs straight away.

Are there travel fees?

Typically no. We use our local staff for most activations, and we generally cover travel costs internally when capacity or specific technical expertise requires bringing an additional technician in regionally.

Have you worked shows at McCormick Place?

Yes. McCormick Place is one of the most rules-driven buildings in the country — union jurisdiction over what can be moved, rigged and powered on the floor, and material handling billed separately from your booth space. We plan our footprint, freight and staffing around those requirements in advance rather than discovering them at the dock, and we keep our builds hand-carryable wherever the rules allow it.

How do you handle Chicago load-in and downtown access?

Downtown and River North venues often mean a shared alley dock, a permitted loading zone, or a scheduled window you cannot run past. We confirm the entrance, the window and any certificate of insurance requirements with your venue during pre-production, and we schedule around Loop traffic and event-day street closures rather than fighting them.

Can you activate at Wrigley Field, the United Center or on gameday?

Yes. Stadium and arena work runs on venue credentialing, scheduled access windows and very compressed setup before doors. Gameday adds street closures and crowd routing around Wrigleyville and the Near West Side. Bring us in early and we will build to the schedule your venue contact sets.

How do you handle activations with talent or celebrity guests?

Carefully, and with your publicist or talent team in the loop from pre-production. Likeness approvals, no-photo policies, and controlled capture and delivery are all handled at the workflow level, so content only moves where it is cleared to move. Where a guest's content should stay private, it stays private.

Can you activate outdoors in Chicago, including lakefront and Grant Park?

Yes, and it takes planning. Anything in a Chicago park or public space typically runs through a permit and a certificate of insurance, and the lakefront hands you wind that plenty of structures are not rated for. Outdoor footprints need total coverage from rain, sun and wind — we spec the tent or enclosure alongside your production team rather than hoping for a clear day.