Make-A-Wish Creates Magic

Case Study

CrowdComms

Case Studies

Make A Wish

Creating Magic at Scale – How Make-A-Wish Delivered a Memorable Event Experience with CrowdComms

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

Enhanced Attendee Tracking

Personalised Family Experience

Engaging Gamification

100% Net Promoter Score

BACKGROUND

Every year, Make-A-Wish UK delivers life-changing experiences for children with critical illnesses. One of their largest events brings together over 200 families – nearly 1,000 attendees – for a two-night, three-day immersive wish experience filled with joy, activities, and connection.

Managing this scale of emotion-driven programming is no small feat. In 2025, Make-A-Wish partnered with CrowdComms to deliver a digital solution that could meet the logistical and emotional needs of this extraordinary event.

“It’s such an incredible charity to be part of. When you see a wish in action – the magic, the joy – it’s just so incredible.”

— Lauren Johnson, Wish Granting Project Manager, Make-A-Wish

EVENT GOALS

Seamless Navigation: To create an intuitive, family-friendly digital platform that allowed each attendee to easily navigate the event, access their tailored agenda, and stay informed through real-time updates.
Highly Personalised Journeys: To ensure every family felt their experience was unique and relevant, with customised notifications, schedules, and content that supported their specific needs and interests.
Enhanced Engagement: To combine personalisation with playful interactivity (such as gamification) that kept attendees engaged and created a sense of excitement and discovery throughout the day.

PRODUCTS USED

The CrowdComms Mobile Event App puts your entire event in the palm of your hand — customised, secure, and designed to deliver a seamless experience for every attendee. From agendas and networking to live engagement tools, it’s the smartest way to create events that feel personal, intuitive, and unforgettable.

CHALLENGES

Delivering a well-orchestrated experience for hundreds of families across multiple days meant Make-A-Wish needed more than a standard event app. They needed:

A customisable and accessible mobile app
Real-time scheduling and check-in tools
The ability to communicate instantly with attendees
Flexibility for on-the-fly changes
Creative and interactive features to enrich the experience

“This event is our biggest of the year. Families attend multiple shows and activities. It’s immersive. We needed to make sure they felt super comfortable and could easily navigate everything.” – Lauren Johnson

Make-A-Wish needed more than an app. They needed a partner.

“It all started at Event Tech Live. We needed someone who got it – who understood our mission and could deliver a solution that felt like a partner, not just a platform.”

SOLUTION

The Solution: My Wish App by CrowdComms

CrowdComms worked closely with Make-A-Wish to create a tailored version of their event platform, affectionately referred to as the My Wish App by families.

Here’s how it helped:

Accessibility First: Simplified dashboards, large buttons, easy navigation—designed with inclusivity in mind.
Personalised Agendas: Each family had their own unique itinerary, including show times, check-in slots, and surprise moments.
Scheduling & QR Scanning: Every activity—from arrival at the hotel to show entry—was accessed with unique QR codes. Families were guided throughout their day.
Live Attendee Tracking: A major breakthrough—custom-built during the event itself. Enabled the team to track attendance in real-time and reassign families on the fly.
Push Notifications: Sent to individuals or groups to keep everyone updated instantly, from schedule tweaks to special surprises.
Special Access Needs: App functionality ensured that those who needed additional support—such as seating close to the front—were identified and supported discreetly.

“Accessibility was really important. We simplified the dashboard, made things easier to find and read, bigger buttons – it needed to feel really intuitive and kind.” — Lauren Johnson

CONCLUSION

CrowdComms didn’t just deliver an event app – they helped deliver magic. By understanding the heart of the Make-A-Wish mission and responding with empathy, flexibility, and innovation, they empowered a team to give families an unforgettable experience.

The results speak for themselves. While the app played a critical role in delivering a seamless experience across a thousand moments of joy, it was the first time ever that Make-A-Wish hit a 100% Net Promoter Score (NPS) from families attending the wish event.

Feedback from Families included:

“The app and WhatsApp chat were very useful for planning everything. Everything was so beautiful.”

“Today has just been like no other… Everything has been so magical, so unbelievable.”

"“It wasn’t just tech – it was a partnership. CrowdComms held our hand the whole way through. They were incredibly collaborative and understanding. With so much change and complexity, they never made us feel like anything was too much. Thank you from all of us and our families involved.”"

-Lauren Johnson, Wishgranting Project Manager, Make‑A‑Wish UK

CROWDCOMMS IN ACTION

At CrowdComms, we dive headfirst into every project, becoming full-on members of your team to ensure your event’s success. From seamless on-site registration and badging to our feature-rich event app, networking tools and live polling, our commitment to collaboration drives dynamic and memorable experiences.

See us in action below and discover how we make every event extraordinary.

WHY WORK WITH US

CrowdComms specialises in event and conference mobile apps, virtual and hybrid event platforms, and registration and badging solutions.

Whether you’re planning an internal conference, product launch, organizing a trade show, or hosting a webinar, CrowdComms has a solution for you. In person, virtual, or hybrid, all available in one platform. From complete self-managed to full-service solutions, CrowdComms caters to events of all sizes and complexities.

Ready to elevate your next event? Contact the team today to discover how CrowdComms can support your event experience!

97%

Customer Retention

96%

5* Customer Rating

NPS Score

Exceptional

Customer Support

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