Lessons from top brand experience summits

CMO activated by invitation only during IMEX, demonstrating the power of live events

How do you surprise and delight a senior marketing executive who has been through it all? A partnership between the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau, InVision Communications, Allegiant Stadium Private Events and IMEX Group works together to wow the leaders tasked with impacting people every day, and the result is a show that leaves a lasting impression An impressive masterclass performance. We spoke to the forces behind First Experience at the Brand Experience Summit on Monday at IMEX and learned three lessons.

1. Focus on your target audience’s perspective

Meeting professionals know that some of the best ideas come between meetings. Angie Smith, CEO of InVision Communications, explained that the idea for the Brand Experience Summit began at the Event Marketing Summit in May, when a hallway conversation involving event planners boss boss boss as part of a conversation about expanding the role of live events ways to attract attention. to the top of the marketing funnel.

The guest list for this high-touch, personalized experience includes 36 chief marketing officers and senior vice presidents (primarily brand heads), as well as executives who lead large experiential event portfolios—people who, by definition, have experience in activation Over everything.

Debby Jacobs Felker, founder and president of It’s Buzzworthy, describes being contacted by Ashley Hinsen, vice president of sales and private events at Allegiant Stadium After a phone call, she discovered how she sought out a collaborative experience that appealed to unique Las Vegas elements that would wow those in charge. “Ashley and I stood in the middle of the court imagining all the elements, the surprise of coming back for dinner, the energy of the music and the dancers coming out of the suite with real horns, when they weren’t expecting it, all the senses It’s all enhanced,” she explains.

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“What Vegas does so well is delivering a unique experience with all the talent in town that instills emotion, and I can tell by the looks on their faces and the way they’re filming on their phones that we’ve succeeded,” she explain.

But getting to this point requires following in the footsteps of attendees and asking some basic questions. “What will a person remember? When do we evoke what senses? Where’s the crescendo, where’s the next one?” Hinson suggests that it’s the nuts and bolts that leave an impression, regardless of budget.

Attendees viewed a demonstration of how live events can create a community of brand advocates in a venue designed to excite rabid Las Vegas fans. Johnny Earle is best defined by Johnny Earle, founder and CEO of Johnny Cupcakes. Johnny Cupcakes is a clothing brand and T-shirt bakery that has grown into a movement around the creative environment he created at his flagship store in Boston.

A Dell executive pointed out the nuances of working with McLaren Automotive and Formula 1, highlighting Dell’s role in building racing and broadcast technology that makes the company innovative and relevant beyond logos and advertising. information that can be conveyed.

Both examples make guests feel like they are part of something special.

“Sometimes we forget to talk about the true power of events in creating brand loyalty because we focus on logistics or points,” Smith said. “You have to step back and let other people talk about all the important things that live events accomplish for companies.”

2. Treat them as VIP from start to finish

To synchronize their busy schedules, attendees traveled to the field at Allegiant Stadium in private SUVs. “This is essentially a 35-man stadium buyout,” Hinsen said.

After champagne toasts and opening speeches, each part of the afternoon moved to a different part of the stadium until guests danced around the completely transformed venue, presenting an intimate dinner in the center of the 60,000-capacity space . Game day people.

As guests depart, a kitchen is built into the grounds and tables are placed on the 50-yard line. Every moment is filled with intensity until the ultimate finale. There, Silver & Black Hospitality waited with local celebrity chef James Trees of Esther’s Kitchen to explain the cooking techniques they were about to enjoy. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience that pays homage to the past in a modern way and celebrates the “New Vegas” that even the most jaded executives will want to share.

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“We thought ‘outside the stadium’ and provided the opportunity for every experience inside the venue to be truly amazing. Dinner on the 50-yard line is a ‘chef’s kiss’ that makes every day full of surprises and Joy,” Hinsen said. She said the collaborative approach the team took to create a one-of-a-kind event is how the stadium will create a future that people will want to experience again.

“It’s a real treat to be able to show audiences that a place like the Allegiant Stadium can host intimate, private events and A Pink concert or a football game,” Smith said. “We’re about them, what they do, and how they can open your eyes to what’s possible and advance your career. That’s why they are willing to take time out of their schedules to trust us to deliver results,” she added.

3. Collaboration creates value

When creating something brand new from scratch, Rebecca DeLuca, vice president of destination sales for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau, recommends assembling the best team possible. In addition to Allegiant and InVision, IMEX Group is an important part of the alliance, connecting the purpose of live events with the goals of brand owners. “IMEX America is our Super Bowl and we need to elevate our competitors,” she said. That’s why it had to be held on Smart Monday so marketing leaders can experience the energy in person at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center while they’re in town.

The shorter timeframe requires the team to revisit every detail in regular meetings and texts. “Even after the game, we still texted regularly,” DeLuca said.

From here, DeLuca is eager to explore what kind of intimate experiences he can plan for next year to continue the conversation. “When you bring these brilliant minds together, you see sparks fly,” she said.

The group is trying to ignite a fire that has more people in attendance than even Las Vegas. “This is about elevating this incredible industry and career that we have all chosen,” Smith said.