Integrated Event Marketing, Part 1: A Recipe for Your Event’s Success
When your company is considering producing its next larger corporate
event, be sure to take an integrated approach and consider all of the elements
that make an event memorable and impactful. Many large companies spend
millions of dollars each year to produce their brand’s corporate events, but
they often don’t take an integrated event marketing approach. In this brief
article, I review a number of elements that your organization should consider
when producing your next corporate event. This is Part 1 of this subject,
where I’ll be focusing on creative and audio-visual elements. Stay tuned for
Part 2 next.
The “Wow” Factor
In a world of “All Content, All the Time”, how do you capture the
attention of your audience, and most importantly tell your story? If
you want their attention, first you need to “Wow” them. Creating a
“Wow” factor is about exceeding the expectations of your audience
and creating an emotional response. Simply put, being “creative” is
often doing the opposite of what people expect to see. So, think
creatively and think of elements that will surprise and delight your
audience.
Be sure to work collaboratively with your internal – and external –
teams to shape your messaging to produce a theme, creative concept
and event production that will “Wow” your audience and make your
event an unforgettable experience. You can keep within your brand
standards and find ways to produce creative messaging that will
drive the results you’re looking to achieve with your event.
Audio Visual Equipment
Equipment is an area where the experience of your event AV vendor
and your needs must dovetail. Choosing the proper type and
quantity of equipment based upon venue selection is critical to your
event’s success. You will want to be sure that you and your event
AV company conducts a site visit early on, to understand the
parameters and any limitations of your event venue with regard to
the AV components. For example, function rooms will have certain
limitations on rigging, ceiling heights, staging, and audience line of
sight which will need to be taken into account.
You will also need to balance between budget and creative. While
you may have some very specific visions in your mind for the
creative and AV for your event, your goals also have to fit within
the realities of your given event budget (or, you’ll need to ask for
more!). Your AV vendor will need to make detailed
recommendations for every equipment element required, and the
technical staffing required for execution, in order to elevate your
event for your attendees without exceeding your budget. Your goal
must be to provide a flawless execution and maximum audience
experience for your event.
Audio and Lighting Systems
At the foundation of the live event experience are two questions that
must always be asked: “Can I Be Seen?” and “Can I Be Heard?”
You will want to answer those questions in the affirmative by
deploying the best audio and lighting equipment for your event. This
is a critical aspect or your event production that will delight your
audience when produced correctly.
The audio and lighting systems required for your event should be
determined in coordination with your event AV vendor and your
company, and is a function of factors such as venue size, venue
configuration and audience size.
Digital Scenic
You may or may not be considering high end digital scenic displays
for your event – and if you haven’t considered it, you may want to.
Digital scenic displays can make your event set and staging
dramatically more interesting, engaging and creative with a virtually
limitless pallet of projected imagery, colors and video.
Wide-screen edge-blending, advanced projection and LED video
techniques combine to create vibrant visual environments of the
highest quality. Image mapping and tracking as well as unique
LED configurations are joined with state-of-the-art media servers,
HD cameras, and video playback systems to create a stunning visual
environment.
Remember that the technical AV elements are only a part of the
equation, as your creative team (or, your event vendor’s team) will
need also create the visual media that will be featured, which will
require additional lead time and financial resources.
Video Production
Video is typically a significant part of your program’s success, and
can be leveraged to engage and motivate your audience. You want
your event videos to each tell a compelling story that will capture
your audience’s attention and drive your message home.
Generally, audiences watching videos have discriminating taste just
like they do when watching television at home or a movie at the
theatres. Viewers expect interesting, broadcast quality video from
businesses today. The challenge is to create videos that will be
creative, compelling and motivating, and fun for your audience to
watch.
In order to do this, two elements are needed: a production company
that:
1. has strong marketing and story-telling skills, and
2. has the ability to produce videos with high production values.
For example, you may want to produce an opening video for your
general session that will jump-start your event with a strong
message, on point with your event’s theme and creative. Your goal
with this video is to set the tone and messaging of your event to
motivate your audience, and to make it a memorable experience for
them. For all of your videos, be sure that your video production
vendor produces highly professional pieces and works with you to
develop and hone additional elements to enhance the look and feel
of the videos to drive results you’re looking to achieve at your
event.
These are a few important integrated event marketing elements you will
want to be sure to consider when producing your next integrated marketing
event. I will be writing more on additional aspects of corporate event
production in the future.
Only by utilizing an experienced corporate event production partner like
Blue Wave Marketing, however, can you ensure that all your bases are
covered. With 20 years of production expertise in all of the aspects vital to a
successful corporate event, we're the perfect partner for your company. For
more information, reach out to us by contacting us here or calling us at 617576-3100.