LAS VEGAS — Hologram technology is shaping up to be another frontier for events.
At Experiential Marketing Summit (EMS) 2025, held April 14-16 at the MGM Grand Las Vegas, Smash Booth Interactive Photo Studios unveiled HoloGlam, a hologram-style photo booth that is billed as the first of its kind in the events industry.
According to Jason Whaley, Smash Booth’s Creative Director, this technology was inspired by a client who wanted a “futuristic theme” for their event.
“That sparked an idea: what if we could create a hologram-style video booth that felt like it belonged in a sci-fi movie, but was actually affordable and scalable for events? I pulled from an old illusion called Pepper’s Ghost and spent a few days obsessively building a proof of concept,” Whaley said. “My wife was the first to tell me I had something way bigger than just a one-off event. From there, we scaled it into what is now HoloGlam.”
How To HoloGlam
At a HoloGlam booth, attendees can create personalized holograms through this easy process:
- An attendee steps in front of the booth and records a short clip.
- The recording is instantly formatted into a four-sided video — which means it is viewable as a hologram illusion — and sent to the attendee.
- The attendee uses a small plastic prism (called a holo-prism) to see a personal hologram on their device without any apps or downloads.
The videos, holo-prism and entire experience can be branded.
Smash Booth also has a stripped-down virtual concept: attendees get a holo-prism before or during an event and a QR code that leads to a digital booth where they can create a hologram with their smart phone.
“It stops people in their tracks and has them seeking you out,” Whaley explained. “That’s the first win. But it also creates genuine engagement. Instead of handing out a stress ball or a pen, you’re giving attendees a high-tech branded experience they’ll actually keep and share. Plus, the video content can be customized. You can collect data, share marketing messages or drive social sharing. It’s lead gen meets wow factor.”
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Responses
The Smash Booth team held demos in the EMS Inspiration Hall and Whaley shared that participants reacted with genuine, jaw-dropping surprise.
“There’s nothing like it,” Whaley explained. “Most booths are still focused on flat screens and static swag. We’re handing out personalized holograms. It’s interactive, novel and tangible. People crowd around to see what it is, then walk away with your brand literally floating in their hand. It’s not just eye-catching — it’s memory-sticking.
“Just a couple hours into our EMS launch, most booth visitors were seeking us out, [saying] ‘Everyone was sharing their holograms at lunch, can I get one?!’, ‘Hey, is this where the holograms are?’ [and] ‘Alright, everyone keeps telling me to come check this out.’ This is the exact type of buzz companies seek at a trade show.”
For show organizers who are interested in HoloGlam, Whaley had this advice: “Make it part of your activation strategy, not just a booth gimmick. Think about where foot traffic is, what message you want to deliver and how to incorporate interactivity. HoloGlam works best when it’s used intentionally as a bridge between entertainment and marketing.”
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