How Fotoboyz Brought Live Laser Engraving to the Brooklyn Nets & GetYourGuide Activation at IPW 2026
What does it look like when a branded giveaway turns into an experience guests can't stop talking about? At IPW 2026 in Fort Lauderdale, one of the travel industry's most influential annual events, the Fotoboyz team helped answer that question with a live laser engraving activation for two recognizable brands: Brooklyn Nets and GetYourGuide.
Fotoboyz team setting up the laser tag activation at The Shorely in Fort Lauderdale.
The result was more than swag. It was a personalized, real-time moment that guests watched happen in front of them, then took home as a keepsake.
What was the brand activation Fotoboyz created at IPW 2026 in Fort Lauderdale?
Fotoboyz assisted Reflekt Experiences in creating a live laser engraving activation for Brooklyn Nets and GetYourGuide during IPW 2026 at The Shorely in Fort Lauderdale. Guests received custom luggage tags engraved with their initials alongside both brands' logos, completed in approximately 40 seconds while they watched. The activation ran during the event's evening waterfront experience.
Fotoboyz was brought in by Reflekt Experiences, an experiential marketing agency, and Vlad Kalman to help create a standout brand moment for Brooklyn Nets and GetYourGuide, hosted aboard The Shorely, a waterfront venue that set the stage for the evening. The brief was clear: move beyond the generic branded giveaway and create something guests would actually engage with, talk about, and carry home with pride.
Why does a 40-second engraving activation keep guests engaged all evening?
A 40-second turnaround eliminates the frustration of waiting while preserving the anticipation of watching. Guests see their item transform in real time as initials and brand logos appear on a premium luggage tag while they stand at the station. That combination of speed and personalization is what separates a live engraving experience from a standard branded giveaway.
Fotoboyz team demostrating the 40 seconds process using the XTool Laser Engraving machine.
The concept itself was simple. Guests received premium luggage tags, custom laser-engraved live in front of them, with their initials alongside the Brooklyn Nets and GetYourGuide logos, each piece completed in approximately 40 seconds using XTool laser engraving technology. Guests didn't only pick up a branded item. They watched it become theirs in real time, and that shift from passive recipient to active participant is what separates a strong brand activation from a forgettable one. The tags themselves were produced using Fotoboyz's in-house custom branding and printing capabilities, so logo placement and engraving stayed under one roof.
How many guests did the Brooklyn Nets and GetYourGuide activation reach at IPW 2026?
The live laser engraving station at IPW 2026 produced more than 400 custom-engraved luggage tags over the course of the evening activation aboard The Shorely. Each tag was engraved in real time with a guest's initials and the Brooklyn Nets and GetYourGuide logos, completed in about 40 seconds per piece.
Reactions were immediate and enthusiastic throughout the evening. The combination of premium merchandise, real-time personalization, and recognizable brand identities turned a giveaway moment into one of the standout experiences of the night. For a laser engraving trade show activation, producing 400+ tags in a single evening is a strong signal that the format holds attention in a crowded exhibit hall.
400+ tags custom-engraved over the evening
~40 seconds average engraving time per piece
2 co-branded logos engraved on every tag, Brooklyn Nets and GetYourGuide
What types of corporate events and brand activations work best with live laser engraving?
Live laser engraving performs strongest at events where attendees have time to engage and take something home: trade shows, brand activations, sports partnerships, corporate conferences, and VIP gifting experiences. The format works particularly well when a brand wants an activation that photographs easily and gives every guest a personalized takeaway rather than a generic branded handout.
Live personalization creates something traditional branded merchandise can't: a moment of real anticipation. Guests watch their item being made. They see their name, their initials, their identity merged with the brand they're engaging with. For corporate event entertainment at trade shows and brand activations specifically, the format delivers on several fronts at once:
Interactive entertainment that draws foot traffic to the activation space
Shareable moments guests post to their own channels without being asked
Branded merchandise with a high perceived value per piece
A fast, scalable format: about 40 seconds per item, with no backlog at the station
Flexible on item type, past activations have used luggage tags, tumblers, leather goods, and acrylic awards
The same format pairs naturally with VIP experience rentals for brands that want an elevated presence beyond a standard trade show booth.
Client testimonial
Had an amazing time with Fotoboyz and Reflekt Experiences! John was absolutely incredible, funny, and made the whole experience even better. The laser engraving machines were a huge hit and everybody loved them. You can tell they really care about making the event memorable and fun. Everything was smooth, professional, and beyond expectations. 10/10 recommendation, definitely book them for your future events!
— Nathaly Marte, Google review
Key takeaways from this activation
Every brand activation teaches something. Here's what this one reinforced for the team:
Speed matters as much as quality. The 40-second turnaround meant no lines and no frustration, just momentum. Guests stayed engaged instead of drifting away.
Personalization changes what guests keep. A Brooklyn Nets tag is a giveaway. A tag engraved with a guest's own initials is a keepsake.
The right venue amplifies the activation. The waterfront setting of The Shorely gave the experience a premium feel that matched the brands involved. Environment and activation have to work together.
Strategic partnerships elevate the experience. The right combination of brands, creative agencies, and providers turns a simple event into a high-impact industry activation.
The Fotoboyz team thanks Reflekt Experiences, Vlad Kalman, Brooklyn Nets, and GetYourGuide for the opportunity to help bring this activation to life.
Planning a brand activation like this?
Live laser engraving is one of many ways Fotoboyz builds experiential moments for corporate events, trade shows, sports activations, and brand launches, from a 360 photo booth to a custom game rental to a fully branded activation station. The team handles the tech so the brand can hold the spotlight.
Fotoboyz works with event organizers, brand activation agencies, and corporate planners across South Florida, Orlando, Las Vegas, New York, and California.
