Creating a successful corporate event requires a unique combination of strategic thinking, technical expertise, creative energy and logistical acumen. Bringing those pieces together successfully is what results in an event that achieves its business goals; one that not only creates a memorable experience, but also goes on to drive action on the part of your guests; customers; sales people; donors; or other intended audiences.
The goal is to get through to people on an emotional level, while at the same time imparting knowledge and information that they will use to pursue the action you desire, whether that be selling a newly launched product, donating to a worthy cause, etc.
Strategic Creative is the process we use at Talking Tree Creative to achieve these goals with our clients, and we do that by planning carefully through what we call the Layers of the Experience. Those layers are:
Layer One: Audience
It is worth noting that be begin, not with you or your plans, but with your audience and their characteristics. Who are they? What are their demographics and behaviors? We will identify the personality and cultural touch-points of your audience, which is critical to the effectiveness of the event and its communication.
Layer Two: Message & Theme
We call this “the cargo and the vehicle”. The message is the cargo, and the theme is the vehicle. What is it that you want to communicate, and why? What should your audience believe, understand, accept, think about or act upon as a result of receiving that message? The theme serves as the packaging, or context, for the message and gives everyone a ‘space’ to occupy.
Layer Three: Story
If you’ve ever heard the old journalist’s expression, “What’s the story, morning glory?”, you will know what we’re talking about. An assemblage of facts and exhortations does not a memorable or even coherent experience make. The story is what moves the message, like a set of wheels. It gives the message and theme life, and makes it personal to the audience participants.
Layer Four: Framework
Now, we focus on the structural framework for the event. This is the layer in which everyone on the team (the client and the production company) aligns, and the experience of working together on a project is the most important experience we create. When the people feel comfortable and confident (in the process as well as their partners), the ideas flow, creative concepts are brought to life, and the true personalities shine through.
Layer Five: Environment
We refer to this as engineering an environment that communicates, and when we think of designing the environment, we look at it as a whole. The space that the event will be held in is not the same as the environment the event will be experienced in. The space is a canvas, and the environmental design is what creates art.
In addition to design, there is also engineering, from the correct AV equipment to the best lightning, to the right acoustical experience and how it is all branded. Bringing this effectively together involves both creative and technical challenges.
Layer Six: Content
Many people become so focused on the creative and technical aspects of an event that they often forget about content. And yet, content – delivered through audio, video, imagery, scripted remarks, professional entertainment and personal interactions – is at the core of the event’s ability to achieve lasting impact. Crafting the content strategy and then producing the actual content deliverables is all essential to this layer.
Layer Seven: Execution
For a corporate event, the day-of execution is led by a strategic Technical Director, who knows each layer fully and knows how to direct the entire crew – including his or her team; you and your team; and any venue or third-party staff. This person is the ‘conductor’ and must coordinate between five and twenty people in real-time to execute the cues in a coordinated sequence that truly delivers the experience. Beyond that, there are deliveries, activities, signage, registration, and many other endeavors that must be executed with little room for error.
Strategic Creative: Key to Corporate Event Success
As a corporate executive or marketing leader, the best way to achieve a successful event is to understand and appreciate each of these layers. Doing so will empower you to become a more effective planner, leader and partner to your event production company. At Talking Tree Creative, we use the Strategic Creative model for each client project. Contact us to learn more today.
Learn more about corporate event production in Washington DC and Baltimore MD by contacting TalkingTree Creative today. Call us at 240.252.1200 or email Craig Weisbaum, President & CEO at craig@talkingtreecreative.com.
About TalkingTree Creative
Talking Tree Creative is an event production company that creates memorable experiences and lasting impressions on screen, on stage, and online. Headquartered in Washington D.C., TalkingTree Creative serves clients in the corporate, non-profit, association and government sectors as a leader in the event production field, infusing its work with elements of creativity, entertainment and engagement.
For more information, please visit talkingtreecreative.com. Follow TalkingTree Creative on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn to stay up to date with our latest projects. Get a dose of visual inspiration by checking us out on YouTube and Pinterest as well.
