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:
- has strong marketing and story-telling skills, and
- 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 617-576-3100.
