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Note: the silent disco party in Cape Town event is one of 600 trends pulled from the Springleap trend, insight and influence platform. For further information on subscribing to the platform, go to www.trends.springleap.com.

The silent disco party in Cape Town was a much-anticipated event on the 26th June 2015, hosted by the Octopus’ Garden Restaurant & Wine Bar. The restaurant/bar lies in the bohemian seaside suburb of Muizenberg; a refreshingly different location from the usual hotspots in the CBD.

Equipped with a rental pair of high-tech headphones, party goers danced the night away - in silence! The experience was completely in the hands of the patrons. Different music channels could be selected and therefore catered to individual tastes.

The event drew in your typical Capetonian nightlife crowd - students and young working professionals looking for something new to rave about. Youthful, energetic, working hard and playing hard, the market’s cry for something new had been answered. Giving the usual Friday night out a ‘niche’ appeal gives consumers something new to engage with. More importantly, it sparks conversation which brands can tap into.

Below is a video showing the vibe at a silent disco party in Cape Town. Be sure to use your headphones for the best audio experience…

Silent Disco Party in Cape Town - Why did it trend?

The whimsical wine bar hosted it’s debut silent disco party on the New Year’s Eve of 2014. Since then, the Octopus’ Garden has hosted a series of similar installments, some running with interesting themes. Sometimes, it takes a few trial runs before events can be classified as ‘trendy’. There is no measurable time limit and it takes the right crowds to enlighten the masses. This particular party was spoken about a lot, revealing that word of mouth drove organic hype.

Speciality events like these trend for several reasons. The essence of what made this event one to remember can be captured on social media. The Facebook event page stated, “Whilst you’re jamming to some reggae, your mate could be stomping to some tantalizing trance, all under the starlight and all on the same wavelength.”

To break it down, here’s what the event offered patrons:

• The very idea of a “silent disco party” is something that can differentiate this event from many others in Cape Town.
• The consumer’s ability to personalise their party experience by listening to the music of their choice; and being the only one who can hear it!
• The event caused people to talk about it and raise awareness via word of mouth, which is traditionally the most powerful form of advertising.

Silent Disco Party in Cape Town - Why it Matters to Brands

Silent disco rental company White Noise SA sponsored these events, providing the revolutionary audio equipment to the party. The brand has monopolised their market, as they seem to be the only one who is outsourced by silent disco event organisers.

There is room for partnerships here. A great initiative would be to invest in the next generation of innovative audio engineers. Cape Audio College is a well known institution of sound technology, and a popular pick for students who wish to become qualified. Both brands could build awareness by facilitating these events together. White Noise SA would be graced with fresh, budding talent. In return, Cape Audio College would get an engaging platform to network students.

Other brands like SONY and Samsung South Africa could would benefit with future silent disco parties. Being suppliers of hardware and electronic equipment, they could engage with their audience by sponsoring or co-branding events; an additional avenue for marketing.

Silent Disco Party in Cape Town - Why it Matters to Agencies

With these potential brand relationships, agencies can help to cement these partnerships with effective and creative brand communications.

The idea of a “silent campaign” to push the value of a brand/business is something that is rarely implemented. It would be an industry feat if local agencies could portray the sound of “having fun in silence”. This can be done by expressing elements from the parties, such as glasses clanking to feet scuffling, and other ambiences. Click here for an example of how radio spots have experimented with this idea.

Tapping into the niché bodes well for brands and agencies. As events like these become more popular, we can expect to see some innovation on both fronts.

PHOTO CREDITS

hermesmarana

oriolsalvador