When it comes to creating stand out event experiences, few people know the ins and outs of brand activations quite like Natalie Farah.
Since joining Honeycomb in 2019, Nat has been at the forefront of our live personalisation activations, helping brands transform simple merchandise into powerful engagement tools. From engraving and embossing to our latest heat transfer activations, she’s been a driving force behind bringing creativity, energy, and seamless data capture to every event.
We sat down with Nat for a one-on-one chat about her journey, what excites her most about activations, and her expert advice for brands planning their next big event.
Q: Nat, how did you first get into the world of brand activations?
Nat: I started working with Jane back in 2019. At the time we were planning lots of events, but then the events industry came to a pause. To do something different, we started doing in-house personalisation for merchandise. We wanted people to still enjoy that special touch, even without the face-to-face connection.
When events returned, we took personalisation on-site and built the lead capture around it. From there, it’s grown into what it is today.
Q: You’ve really been the driving force behind our activation offering. What is it about live brand activations that lights you up?
Nat: For me it is about talking to people. I’m very much someone who loves to chat on site and having the opportunity to talk to attendees at the event or conference when they receive their personalised item is what makes it worth it.
At the end of the day, it’s really just human interaction. They create an inviting atmosphere where people feel comfortable walking up, having a conversation, and building genuine relationships. That’s what makes them so powerful.
Q: For someone who’s never seen a brand activation in action, how would you describe the experience?
Nat: Honestly, it makes you feel special. You come up to a stand, and fill in one short form. Within 10 to 15 minutes you get a text that your item is ready with your chosen name, nickname or even a smiley face.
It literally is the most personable thing you can get from an event. Instead of a generic giveaway, visitors have something with their name on it. Their eyes light up when they realise they can customise a drink bottle for their kids to take to school. It’s that personal.
Q: What’s one activation moment that’s stuck with you – something that made you stop and think, ‘This is why I love what I do’?
Nat: Definitely JD Sports’ Melbourne store opening on Bourke Street. We engraved Stanley Cups for five days straight – it was super popular.
I remember a group of little girls who got their names and charms engraved on their bottles. They were so, so happy.
Q: Activations have come a long way. How have you seen them evolve since you first started at Honeycomb?
Nat: We started with embossing and thought that was scary, and then we introduced laser engraving which was even more scary. We then came up with heat transfer. Now I feel like we’re in a place where no matter where we think about evolving to, we can do it.
It’s also about strategy – choosing the right activation to fit a client’s goals and ensuring the lead capture supports them. We’ve refined how we gather information so brands don’t just create a buzz on-site, they walk away with meaningful leads.
Q: What’s one mistake you see brands make when planning an activation and what would you do differently?
Nat: Leaving it to the last minute. Some people think they can just add an activity onto the stand without planning the logistics, like merch, data capture or collection flow.
Without a system, attendees might get an item but miss out on the full experience. With us, everything is thought through: they can personalise their item, get a text when it’s ready, and collect it without waiting around. It creates a smooth, memorable experience.
Q: What trends in activations are you most excited about right now?
Nat: Our heat transfer activation! It’s only been around for a year now and we’re constantly learning new things. Clients will come back to us with an idea and I’m like, “Oh, we have no idea how to do that.” But we end up being able to figure it out pretty quickly and then it excels on site.
Whether that’s doing patches on bags or products we didn’t think we could do like umbrellas or something really niche. Heat transfer just has opened a massive door and it’s just going to continue to develop and the trends are just going to come off it.
Q: Is there an activation you haven’t done yet that you’d love to try?
Nat: The dream is to be able to say yes to every single event request. So whether that’s creating designs live on site and being able to develop them on any product. That’s the ultimate goal.
Whether that means introducing a new activation over the next few years, which might happen, we’ll definitely be able to get there. And that’s probably the biggest goal for us at the moment.
Q: Finally, when a client says, ‘Our activation was the highlight of the event’, what does that mean to you?
Nat: It’s the best feedback we could ask for. We know we’ve delivered something memorable and valuable – not just for attendees, but for the client’s marketing goals too.
It makes all the hard work worth it. It just makes us super grateful to have clients that appreciate what we’ve put forward for them.
Want to see Nat and the team in action? Explore our brand activations and discover how we can make your next event unforgettable.
FAQs
1. What makes a Honeycomb Brand Activation unique?
A Honeycomb Brand Activation is experiential marketing at its best. We bring your merchandise to life with on-site personalisation - whether that’s embossing, engraving, or heat transfer. Attendees complete a quick form, we personalise their item, and they receive a text when it’s ready to collect. It’s simple, seamless, and unforgettable.
2. Which merchandise items can be personalised?
Our range is extensive. Popular options include drink bottles, journals, luggage tags, bags, socks, and caps - but that’s just the beginning. If you’ve got an idea, chances are we can make it happen. We love turning creative concepts into stand-out merchandise.
3. How does a brand activation add value at trade shows?
Exhibiting is a big investment - stand space, build, staffing. A brand activation ensures your stand doesn’t just look good, it works hard. You’ll attract more visitors, create meaningful engagement, and capture qualified leads. It’s the smartest way to put real ROI behind your event spend.