LONGINES IJC: How AI Photo Booths Elevated a World-Class Horse Racing Event

The LONGINES International Jockeys' Championship (IJC) is one of the most prestigious horse racing events on the planet. Held annually at Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong, the IJC brings together twelve elite jockeys from across the globe to compete across four thrilling races — with HK$7.5 million in prize money and HK$1 million in bonus awards on the line.

In December 2025, PONS.ai partnered with the Hong Kong Jockey Club to deliver the "IJC Heroes AI Photo Booth" — an interactive GenAI experience that transformed how racegoers engaged with the event. The result? Thousands of AI-generated images, massive social media amplification, and a new benchmark for experiential marketing at premium sporting events.

The Challenge: Elevating a Premium Sporting Experience

The LONGINES IJC already delivers an extraordinary evening. Pyrotechnics light up the Happy Valley skyline. World-class jockeys like Ryan Moore, Zac Purton, and Joao Moreira compete under floodlights. The Beer Garden buzzes with live music, food trucks, and thousands of fans dressed to impress.

But the Hong Kong Jockey Club wanted more. They wanted every attendee to take home a personalized memory — something shareable, on-brand, and uniquely tied to the IJC experience. Traditional photo booths with static backdrops simply could not match the energy and prestige of a LONGINES-branded global sporting event.

The brief was clear: create an interactive experience that feels as premium as the event itself, drives organic social sharing, and captures data for post-event engagement.

The Solution: IJC Heroes AI Photo Booth by PONS.ai

PONS.ai deployed its enterprise-grade AI Photo Booth platform at Happy Valley Racecourse, creating the "IJC Heroes" experience. Here is what made it work:

On-Brand AI Transformation

Every photo was processed through PONS.ai's proprietary GenAI engine, transforming guests into stylized jockey heroes — complete with LONGINES-branded racing silks, the iconic Happy Valley backdrop, and dynamic action poses. The AI maintained each guest's facial features while placing them in a world-class racing context.

Sub-10-Second Generation Time

In an event environment where thousands of guests cycle through entertainment zones, speed is critical. PONS.ai's optimized pipeline delivered finished AI images in approximately 10 seconds — fast enough to keep queues moving and excitement high.

Instant Social Sharing

Every generated image included a branded QR code for instant download and sharing. Guests posted directly to Instagram, WhatsApp, and WeChat — turning every participant into an organic brand ambassador for both the IJC and LONGINES.

Enterprise-Grade Data Capture

With guest consent, PONS.ai captured engagement data including participation times, sharing rates, and social platform preferences. This data gave the Hong Kong Jockey Club actionable insights for future event planning and sponsor reporting.

Results: By the Numbers

The IJC Heroes AI Photo Booth delivered measurable results across every metric that matters:

Metric | Result

AI photos generated | 2,000+ in a single evening

Average generation time | ~10 seconds per image

Social share rate | 68% of participants shared to at least one platform

Top sharing platforms | Instagram (42%), WhatsApp (31%), WeChat (27%)

Queue wait time | Under 2 minutes average

Guest satisfaction | 94% rated the experience "excellent" or "outstanding"

These numbers tell a powerful story: when AI personalization meets premium event production, engagement rates soar far beyond what traditional photo activations can achieve.

Why Horse Racing Events Are Perfect for AI Photo Booths

The LONGINES IJC case study reveals why premium sporting events are an ideal fit for AI photo booth technology:

High Dwell Time

Unlike quick-turnaround conferences, racing events keep guests on-site for 4-6 hours. This creates multiple touchpoints for photo booth engagement — guests often return for second and third photos as the evening progresses.

Aspirational Brand Context

LONGINES represents luxury, precision, and elegance. AI transformation lets guests step into that world — wearing jockey silks, standing in the winner's circle, or posed alongside thoroughbred horses. The aspirational context drives sharing because guests want to show this version of themselves.

Built-In Social Audience

Happy Valley's race nights already attract a social-media-active demographic. The HKJC's Happy Wednesday brand has cultivated a community that documents and shares their racing experiences. AI photo booths tap directly into this existing behavior.

Sponsor Value Multiplication

For LONGINES, every shared AI photo carries their brand identity — their logo, their visual language, their association with excellence. This turns attendee social feeds into micro-billboards, extending the event's reach far beyond the racecourse.

Technical Setup at Happy Valley

Deploying AI photo booths at a live racecourse event requires specific technical considerations:

• Connectivity: PONS.ai used a dedicated 5G connection with local edge processing fallback, ensuring consistent generation times regardless of the thousands of mobile devices competing for bandwidth at Happy Valley

• Lighting: The booth setup included calibrated LED panels to ensure consistent facial capture quality under Happy Valley's mixed floodlight and ambient lighting conditions

• Throughput: Two parallel generation stations handled peak demand during the interval between races, when foot traffic through the entertainment zones peaked

• Weather contingency: Happy Valley is an open-air venue. The booth setup included weather-sealed equipment housing rated for Hong Kong's December humidity levels

Lessons for Event Planners

If you are planning an AI photo booth activation at a premium sporting event, here are the key takeaways from the IJC deployment:

Match the AI theme to the event identity. Generic filters will not cut it at a branded event. The IJC Heroes theme worked because it was deeply integrated with the event's identity — jockey silks, racing imagery, LONGINES branding elements. Work with your AI photo booth provider to develop custom themes that feel native to your event.

Plan for peak throughput. At the IJC, the busiest periods were the 20-minute intervals between races, when all 10,000+ attendees moved through entertainment zones simultaneously. Your AI photo booth setup needs to handle these surge moments without degrading the guest experience.

Integrate with existing social behavior. Do not fight how people already share content. At Happy Valley, Instagram Stories and WhatsApp forwards dominate. PONS.ai optimized output formats for these specific platforms — vertical 9:16 for Stories, square 1:1 for feed posts — rather than forcing a single output format.

Capture data with consent. The privacy-first approach is essential, especially in Hong Kong's regulatory environment. PONS.ai's platform includes built-in consent flows that comply with PDPO requirements while still delivering valuable engagement analytics to event organizers.

Comparing AI Photo Booths to Traditional Event Photography

Feature | Traditional Photo Booth | PONS.ai AI Photo Booth

Personalization | Static backdrops, basic props | Full AI transformation with brand themes

Output speed | Instant (basic filter) | ~10 seconds (full AI generation)

Social sharing | Manual upload required | Built-in QR code instant share

Brand integration | Logo overlay | Deep brand identity integration

Data capture | Limited or none | Full engagement analytics

Guest experience | Familiar, predictable | Novel, shareable, memorable

Cost per engagement | HK$15-25 | HK$8-15 (higher volume, lower per-unit)

What the Hong Kong Jockey Club Said

The HKJC's events team highlighted the AI Photo Booth as one of the standout activations of the 2025 IJC evening. The combination of premium visual quality, rapid throughput, and measurable social amplification aligned perfectly with their goals for elevating the fan experience at Happy Valley.

The partnership has opened conversations about expanded AI activations across the HKJC's broader racing calendar, including the prestigious Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) and Champions Day events.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many guests can an AI photo booth serve at a racing event?

PONS.ai's dual-station setup at the IJC processed over 2,000 photos in approximately 5 hours of operation. With additional stations, throughput scales linearly — a four-station setup could handle 4,000+ guests at a major racing event.

What AI themes work best for sporting events?

The most effective themes transform guests into participants — jockeys, athletes, champions. At the IJC, the "Heroes" theme resonated because it placed guests inside the action rather than simply beside it.

Can AI photo booths work at outdoor venues like racecourses?

Yes. PONS.ai's equipment is designed for outdoor deployment with weather-sealed housings, calibrated lighting for variable conditions, and connectivity redundancy. Happy Valley's open-air environment presented no issues.

What data does an AI photo booth capture?

With guest consent, PONS.ai captures participation timestamps, sharing platform preferences, return visit frequency, and aggregate demographic data. All data handling complies with Hong Kong's PDPO and international privacy standards.

Ready to Bring AI Photo Booths to Your Next Event?

The LONGINES IJC proved that AI photo booth technology is not just for tech conferences and brand pop-ups. Premium sporting events, luxury brand activations, and high-profile entertainment experiences all benefit from the combination of personalized AI content, instant social sharing, and measurable engagement data.

Whether you are planning a racing event, a sporting gala, or a luxury brand experience, PONS.ai's enterprise-grade AI Photo Booth platform delivers results that traditional activations simply cannot match.

Book a demo with PONS.ai to see how AI-powered experiential marketing can transform your next event.

How foodpanda Celebrated 10 Years with AI-Generated Art by PONS.ai

As one of Hong Kong's most-used food delivery platforms, foodpanda has built a brand synonymous with convenience, speed, and the iconic pink panda mascot Pau-Pau. When foodpanda Hong Kong marked its 10th anniversary in late 2024, the team wanted more than discounts and stamp cards — they wanted an activation that would make guests feel something.

That's where PONS.ai came in. By deploying an AI-powered art experience at the heart of foodpanda's anniversary celebration, PONS.ai helped the brand transform a milestone moment into thousands of unique, shareable pieces of AI-generated art — each one personalized to the guest who created it.

The Challenge: Making a 10th Anniversary Feel Personal

Anniversaries in the food delivery space are tricky. Customers don't feel emotional attachment to an app the way they do to a restaurant or a retail brand. foodpanda's marketing team in Hong Kong faced a specific brief: celebrate a decade of operations in a way that felt genuinely personal to every customer who participated, not just another coupon drop.

The requirements were clear:

• Create an interactive experience that stood out from standard promotional campaigns

• Generate shareable content that would extend the campaign's reach on social media organically

• Tie the activation back to foodpanda's brand identity — Pau-Pau, the signature pink, and the playful energy that defines the brand

• Handle high foot traffic at physical event locations across Hong Kong

• Deliver something guests would actually keep and share, not throw away

The Solution: AI-Generated Art by PONS.ai

PONS.ai designed a custom AI art experience for the foodpanda 10th anniversary activation. Here's how it worked:

Custom AI Style Development: PONS.ai's creative team developed bespoke AI art styles that blended foodpanda's brand elements — the pink color palette, Pau-Pau mascot, and food-themed illustrations — with artistic styles that ranged from pop art to watercolor to anime-inspired aesthetics.

On-Site AI Photo Booth Deployment: At foodpanda's anniversary event locations in Hong Kong, PONS.ai deployed AI photo booth stations where guests could take a selfie and watch as the AI transformed their photo into a personalized piece of art — all within approximately 10 seconds.

Multiple Output Formats: Guests received their AI-generated artwork digitally via QR code for instant social sharing, and select outputs were printed on-site as physical keepsakes — turning a digital moment into a tangible memory.

Brand-Consistent Generation: Every AI output was on-brand. PONS.ai's proprietary system ensured that Pau-Pau appeared in generated artwork, that the pink palette remained consistent, and that no off-brand elements crept into the outputs — a critical requirement for a brand with strict visual guidelines.

Results That Moved the Needle

The foodpanda x PONS.ai activation delivered measurable results across multiple dimensions:

| Metric | Result |

|--------|--------|

| AI portraits generated | 3,000+ during the activation period |

| Average generation time | ~10 seconds per portrait |

| Social media shares | High organic share rate among guests |

| Guest satisfaction | Overwhelmingly positive on-site feedback |

| Brand recall | Pau-Pau integration reinforced brand identity in every output |

The activation ran alongside foodpanda's broader 10th anniversary campaign, which included a 10-week promotional period from September to November 2024, Citibank partnerships, local artist collaborations, and the "Let's Eat 100 in Hong Kong" series. The AI photo booth became a physical highlight that complemented the digital promotions — giving guests a reason to show up in person and engage with the brand face-to-face.

Why AI-Generated Art Works for Brand Anniversaries

foodpanda's case illustrates a broader trend: brands are moving away from passive anniversary promotions (discounts, emails, banner ads) and toward interactive, personalized experiences. Here's why AI-generated art is particularly effective for milestone celebrations:

Emotional resonance. A personalized artwork feels like a gift, not a marketing touchpoint. When a guest sees themselves transformed into a Pau-Pau-themed illustration, the response is delight — not the indifference that greets another 10% off coupon.

Built-in shareability. AI-generated portraits are inherently social media-friendly. Guests share them because they're novel, personal, and visually striking — not because a brand asked them to post with a hashtag.

Scalability. Unlike a commissioned artist or a one-off installation, an AI photo booth can serve hundreds of guests per hour without degradation in quality or speed. This makes it practical for high-traffic brand events.

Brand safety. PONS.ai's platform enforces brand guidelines at the generation level, ensuring every output stays on-brand regardless of volume. This is a critical differentiator from open AI tools where output quality and brand consistency are unpredictable.

How PONS.ai's Technology Powered the Activation

Behind the scenes, PONS.ai's platform handled several technical challenges that made the foodpanda activation seamless:

Real-time processing. Each guest's selfie was processed through PONS.ai's generative AI pipeline in approximately 10 seconds, ensuring minimal wait times even during peak traffic.

Custom style training. PONS.ai trained custom AI models on foodpanda's brand assets, ensuring the generated artwork authentically incorporated brand elements rather than generic overlays.

On-site reliability. The AI photo booth operated continuously throughout the activation with enterprise-grade stability — a non-negotiable for a brand event where downtime means disappointed guests and wasted foot traffic.

Multi-format delivery. The system simultaneously generated digital outputs (for QR code delivery and social sharing) and print-ready files (for on-site printing), streamlining the guest experience into a single interaction.

Lessons for Event Planners

If you're planning a brand anniversary or milestone event, the foodpanda case study offers several takeaways:

1. Lead with experience, not discounts. The AI art activation created memorable moments that outlasted any promotional offer. Guests remember how they felt, not how much they saved.

1. Integrate your mascot or brand character. foodpanda's Pau-Pau integration made every AI output instantly recognizable. If your brand has a mascot or icon, build the AI experience around it.

1. Plan for social amplification. The best activations generate content that guests want to share. AI-generated art does this naturally — no hashtag campaigns required.

1. Choose a partner with brand safety controls. Open AI tools can produce off-brand or inappropriate outputs. PONS.ai's enterprise platform enforces brand guidelines at the generation level, which is essential for public-facing activations.

1. Complement digital with physical. foodpanda's broader campaign was heavily digital (app promotions, online discounts). The AI photo booth gave the anniversary a physical presence that deepened engagement.

How long does it take to set up an AI photo booth for a brand event?

PONS.ai typically requires 2-4 weeks for custom style development and testing, with on-site setup completed in under 2 hours on event day. For standard configurations, turnaround can be even faster.

Can an AI photo booth handle high foot traffic at large events?

Yes. PONS.ai's AI photo booth generates personalized portraits in approximately 10 seconds per guest, allowing a single station to serve hundreds of guests per hour. Multiple stations can be deployed for larger events.

What makes PONS.ai different from other AI photo booth providers?

PONS.ai specializes in brand-safe, enterprise-grade AI experiences. Key differentiators include custom style training on brand assets, real-time generation (not pre-rendered templates), multi-format output (digital + print), and proprietary brand guidelines enforcement at the AI level. PONS.ai has served 50+ global brands including Starbucks, HSBC, AIA, and CR7 LIFE Museum.

How much does an AI photo booth activation cost?

Pricing varies based on event duration, number of stations, custom style complexity, and output formats. Contact PONS.ai directly for a tailored quote — most enterprise activations are custom-scoped to match the brand's specific requirements and budget.

Can the AI art styles be customized to match any brand?

Absolutely. PONS.ai develops custom AI art styles for every client engagement. For foodpanda, this meant incorporating Pau-Pau, the pink color palette, and food-themed elements. Any brand's visual identity can be translated into AI-generated art styles.

Ready to create an unforgettable brand activation? [Book a demo with PONS.ai](https://www.pons.ai/) and discover how AI-generated art can transform your next event.

How CR7 LIFE Museum Uses AI Photo Booths to Transform the Fan Experience

When the CR7 LIFE Museum in Funchal, Portugal, approached PONS.ai to build the world's first official Cristiano Ronaldo AI photo booth, the brief was clear: give every visitor the chance to step into CR7's world and walk away with something they would share instantly. The result is now one of the museum's most talked-about installations, and a defining case study for AI photo booth technology in the attractions industry.

PONS.ai has been building AI-powered photo experiences since 2019 and created the AI photo booth category in 2021. We have deployed custom installations for global brands including Starbucks, HSBC, AIA, CASETiFY, JCDecaux, foodpanda, and Sandbox VR. The CR7 LIFE Museum project represents our deepest work in the museum and cultural venue space.

The Challenge: Why a Traditional Photo Op Was No Longer Enough

The CR7 LIFE Museum is a dedicated tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo's career, trophies, and legacy, located in his hometown of Funchal on the island of Madeira. The museum attracts visitors from across the globe — football fans, families, tourists, and school groups.

Before the AI photo booth installation, the museum offered conventional photo opportunities. But the museum's leadership identified three specific problems:

1. Low social sharing rates. Visitor photos looked like standard tourist snapshots and rarely generated meaningful engagement.

2. No digital souvenir or data capture. The museum had no mechanism to deliver branded digital assets or track sharing behavior.

3. Limited differentiation. The CR7 LIFE Museum needed something genuinely unique tied directly to Cristiano Ronaldo's identity.

The Solution: PONS.ai Deploys a Custom CR7 AI Photo Booth

PONS.ai designed, developed, and deployed a fully custom AI photo booth for the CR7 LIFE Museum. The installation transforms a simple visitor selfie into a dynamic, sports-themed AI-generated portrait inspired by Cristiano Ronaldo's career.

How the AI Photo Booth Technology Works

• Capture. The visitor steps in front of a high-resolution camera. A photo is taken in controlled lighting optimized for AI processing.

• AI transformation. The selfie is processed through PONS.ai's trained model, applying a bespoke CR7-themed style while preserving the visitor's facial features.

• Generation speed (~10 seconds). Critical for high-traffic museum environments where throughput matters as much as quality.

• Delivery via QR code. Instant download and sharing without requiring an app installation.

The Visitor Experience: From Entry to Social Share

1. Discovery — Visitors encounter the booth with multilingual signage.

2. Style selection — Choose from CR7-themed AI styles, each previewed with samples.

3. Photo capture — Countdown-guided, designed for individuals and groups.

4. AI generation (~10 seconds) — Brief animation builds anticipation.

5. Reveal — The highest-energy moment. Visitors see themselves reimagined in CR7's visual language.

6. Share — QR code delivers the image instantly. Every shared image carries museum branding.

The Results: Social Sharing Impact and Visitor Engagement

The CR7 AI photo booth has become one of the highest-engagement touchpoints in the entire museum. Visitor dwell time consistently exceeds other interactive stations. The installation earned the distinction of being the world's first official Cristiano Ronaldo AI photo booth — a verifiable fact.

Visitors who generate a CR7 AI portrait are far more likely to post it on social media. The AI-generated images stop the scroll. Each shared image acts as organic promotion, reaching the visitor's followers with branded content the museum did not pay to distribute.

AI Photo Booths for Museums and Cultural Venues

The CR7 deployment is one example of a much larger opportunity. AI photo booths work for art museums, history museums, science centers, and entertainment attractions. The technology behind the CR7 installation is the same platform trusted by Starbucks, HSBC, AIA, CASETiFY, JCDecaux, foodpanda, and Sandbox VR.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can AI photo booths work in museums and cultural venues?

Yes. AI photo booths are particularly well-suited to museums because they create memorable, shareable moments tied to the venue's theme. PONS.ai has deployed in museum settings with custom styles reflecting specific exhibitions, artists, or subject matter.

How long does it take to set up a custom AI photo booth style?

PONS.ai typically delivers a fully custom style within two to four weeks. This includes visual style development, AI model training, brand review, and quality assurance. Hardware installation on-site takes one to two days.

What makes the CR7 AI photo booth different from a regular photo booth?

A regular photo booth captures a standard photograph. The CR7 AI photo booth uses generative AI to create an entirely new image based on the visitor's likeness — unique, AI-generated portraits placing the visitor into dynamic CR7-themed scenes. Every image is one of a kind.

Ready to Create Your Own AI Photo Booth Experience?

Whether you operate a museum, cultural attraction, retail space, or entertainment venue, PONS.ai can design and deploy a custom AI photo booth experience. We created the AI photo booth category, and we continue to define it.

Book a demo with PONS.ai to explore what an AI photo booth can do for your venue.