Event Profile: Elevating a Multi-Day Corporate Sales Meeting
the final night event: elevate the message!
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The hallmark of all great event planning comes down to dealing with what we can’t change, like the weather. And when two of the three events you are producing for a corporate sales event will be held outside, you plan for everything.
So it was that our team flew into Orlando after a freak hurricane, causing us to lose two days of a three-day installation. However, before we even took off from Los Angles for Florida, we already had rescheduled many of the elements. And as we taxied on the tarmac, vendors were getting back to us with new contracts, approvals and … Thankful for today’s technology.
While we worked behind-the-scenes to get every detail on track, the 1,000 attendees arrived with no idea that anything had happened (the other hallmark of a great planner). They were there for a multiple-day sales incentive event which kicked off 2023. The client, an international IT company, had not met in person for four years. It was time to celebrate camaraderie, the team and growth.
The tagline was “We are Ciena. This was displayed on a living wall installed in the foyer entry to the hotel that was activated for arrivals. This was not only the first thing that they saw when they arrived, and then every time they passed by throughout the conference, it was the main gathering point of the conference. The living wall helped to fulfill the corporate directive to sustainability. But the most important aspect of it was that it was the perfect representation of the event theme – fresh ideas, growth and being part of something bigger than us.
WELCOME EVENT
The welcome event set the tone for the week. It took place in the shared space between the J.W. Marriott and the Ritz Carlton and was designed as a large, exclusive lounge at which teams from across the globe could re connect.
The music was kept low key, although it was central to the event. A jazz trio performed on an elevated stage surrounded by big comfy seating where people could relax with a cocktail, an impressive menu of fine cuisine, and chat.
branding, seating, networking was key for the opening event
As a site, Florida was important. This was a favorite venue for the group, and it had been four years since they had been back. To represent the location, we branded the event with citrus colors and elements which tied back into the growth, family and nature theme started in the living wall.
We worked with the hotel to elevate the food experience, literally. Hanging buffets of all types made for unique food stations. Buffets were fashioned from reclaimed wood swings, customer ladders, and acrylic.
The farmer’s market look was complete with a photo opportunity of a swing hung in front of a white-washed wood wall which was framed in boxwoods adorned with “oranges.” Nearby crated were overflowing with oranges. A tequila tasting mirrored the white-washed design and added to the casual vibe we wanted to create. Tables were adorned with flowers in glass vases fill with sliced citrus, while the hit of the night was a ceviche ice bar in which oranges were frozen creating a unique design.
AWARDS EVENT
The awards event, held in the JW Marriott main ballroom, was all about celebrating each other’s successes from 2022. Our team was tasked with the design and décor of the space, as well as F&B consultation, while a local colleague handled the actual stage and show production.
the awards show
For the evening, our main challenge turned out to be – once again -- time. The room was set that morning with stadium-style seating for the General Session. We needed to turn it around quickly for the seated dinner.
Our schematics for the room began with a perimeter of acrylic rectangular tables and clear acrylic chairs to make the room sparkle. In the middle we placed round tables set with linens in the brand colors. A design decision we made due to the time constraint was to avoid a complicated light plan which would require forklifts for focusing. Instead, we used new technology of LED pin spots that could be remotely controlled. We chose all white centerpieces in various heights – the perfect canvas for a color show of light during the evening that could elevate and change the mood in keeping with the event elements.
The after-party took place in front of the living wall with a DJ stage.
FINAL NIGHT
A global theme brought the entire event theme back to the main brand experience we were creating – a focus on inclusion and diversity. An event designed in the round was a brilliant way to do that.
the space was vast … we elevated the message
However, the event space, the driving range of the Ritz Carlton golf course, was vast and the event would take place mostly in the dark. It was imperative that we create ways for the guests to see all that was available to them. Our answer was to elevate the message, quite literally!
Even before they arrived, guests could see that this would be an elevated experience. Whether they were walking from the Ritz or The Marriott, two hot air balloons floated above everything. And they weren’t the only things that were “elevated!”
Take for instance the two human “sway poles” who flanked the entrance. Extended high in the air, it was hard to ignore these beautiful amorphous creatures in their multi-colored fabric who at times would juggle, or Hula Hoop. Projections of stars on the ground gave the stars of the evening a welcome into their galactic world. Fittingly, a globe with We are Ciena was the first thing in this entrance to indicate the international theme of the group, and the night.
Buffets, activations, and bars all represented every country within the attendee makeup. Placed around the perimeter of the space, the areas each featured a custom neon sign that towered above the guests making them visible from any point within the party. In the middle of the space, market lights hung on pole overhead to bring an international World’s Fair feeling to the event.
Here, seating areas with a variety of choices from over-stuffed couches and cocktail stools to Adirondack chairs mirrored the vibe of the welcome event. An international DJ flown in just for this night, was placed at the center of the event to play an eclectic list of tunes from around the world.
The guest experience could begin at the first part of the circle which itself was elevated. Large, lighted swings gave guests an overview from which they could see:
A huge soccer activation for the large Latin American contingency with a Cala and Rum food and drink station
An Asian station with cherry blossom trees and a large dragon mural on the buffet
A custom T-shirt making station where guests could get a shirt with their name and one of the company’s brands on it
A large, central bar set apart with chandeliers and the two tethered hot air balloon on either side of it
A cigar-making and smoking section with a large fire pit and Adirondack chairs
A wide range of custom branded corn hole games
An Americana section with Grand Champion barbecue and a red brick wall that a vintage mustang had “crashed” into
A brat and Beer buffet
A Naan house with marigold garlands and a henna artist
And of course, a 360-degree photo booth that captured it all as well as dart boards, and Jenga games.
