For DWP 2025, one of the largest annual music festivals in the region, our team was appointed by IQOS to design and deploy a point-based engagement system, where visitors participate in multiple interactive activations, collect points, and redeem them for exclusive merchandise.

The Real Challenge: Scale + Unstable Connectivity

The event took place at GWK Bali, a venue known for its scale, terrain, and most importantly inconsistent internet connectivity.

From the very beginning, we defined several non-negotiable constraints:

  • 📶 Internet connectivity could not be relied upon
  • 👥 Tens of thousands of users over a short time window
  • 📱 100 tablets running simultaneously
  • 🗿 10 engagement zones, each with its own NFC reader
  • ⚡ Zero tolerance for delays, double points, or system downtime

This immediately ruled out a “cloud-first” architecture.

We needed a system that could operate independently, locally, and reliablyeven if the internet went completely offline.

The Technology Decision: RFID vs NFC

During the research phase, we evaluated two commonly used technologies for event interactions: RFID and NFC.

Why RFID Looked Good on Paper

RFID is widely used for access control, inventory tracking, and large-scale identification systems. It’s familiar, proven, and often treated as the default choice for big events.

On paper, it made sense until connectivity became part of the equation.

In practice, most RFID implementations depend on online validation and continuous synchronization. In a massive, high-density festival environment where internet stability can’t be guaranteed, this dependency quickly turned from an advantage into a risk. And that’s where its limitations became impossible to ignore.

Why NFC Was the Right Answer

NFC may look simple but in a high-pressure, large-scale event environment, simple is what survives.

The moment we committed to an offline-first system, the decision became obvious. NFC doesn’t wait for servers. It doesn’t depend on connectivity. Validation happens instantly, on the device, exactly where the interaction takes place.

No signal?
No problem.

Behind the experience, NFC enabled the architecture we actually needed: a distributed system built for reality. Each tablet runs independently. Each engagement zone controls its own logic.

Choosing NFC wasn’t about choosing the safer option.
It was about choosing the system that was built to last.

What This Means for Brands and Event Organizers

This approach delivered tangible benefits on-site:

  • ✅ Smooth engagement flow throughout the event
  • ✅ No queues caused by system lag
  • ✅ Zero data loss
  • ✅ Accurate point tracking and redemption
  • ✅ Minimal technical intervention during the event

From a brand perspective, the outcome was simple but powerful:

Visitors enjoyed the experience.
The system stayed invisible.
The data stayed intact.

Want to learn more? Contact our team at ANTIGRVTY to discuss your unique challenges.