PR Smiths: Decibel Management Picks Up PRSA Silver Anvil
COMPANY NEWS, EVENT INDUSTRY
For the part it played in the production and tour events for the DoubleTree by Hilton Little Things Project, Decibel Management was awarded with its second Silver Anvil by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).
The Little Things Project saw DoubleTree by Hilton ask its customers about the little things that made big differences to their stay in the hotel. The project gathered more than 5,000 responses that spoke of the importance of local bargains, ability to recharge electronics, free Wi-fi and DoubleTree by Hilton s famed chocolate chip cookies. Following this research, the hotel went on the road for a 50-city tour to share these little things with people across the nation.
The campaign met with rave success wherever it went, which was shown in the PRSA Silver Anvil in the Marketing Consumer Services- Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality category for the DoubleTree by Hilton s Little Things Project Brightens Travel Experiences Nationwide tour. This was truly a team effort from all sides including DoubleTree by Hilton with Ketchum, Gensler, Digital Royalty, OMD, Decibel Management and Laird.
DoubleTree by Hilton, Ketchum and the Little Things Project also won 2 Bronze Anvils in the Media Relations Consumer Services, Travel and Tourism/Hospitality and Social Media, Consumer Services categories. The campaign also won an Award of Commendation in the Creative Tactics, Consumer Services category.
Decibel Management is proud to be awarded the PR industry s highest honor for the second year in a row. A big thanks to the entire team, and certainly looking forward to working with this group again!
That s a Wrap: Decibel s 2012 Campaign Trail
COMPANY NEWS, LIVE EVENTS
With the 2012 presidential election season over, we ve finally returned from another great year of campaign events. While on the road, we worked with some great agencies, toured the country and delivered some really amazing experiences for our clients.
Republican or Democrat, these political events present their own set of unique challenges and requirements. For corporate and planned stage venues, we need time to plan, draft, make revisions, and use a variety of rendering and mapping software, from Meeting Matrix to Vectorworks, to help ensure everyone on the team is executing from the same drawing. Many campaigns simply don t allow that luxury, and often we re forced to retreat back to pen and paper, whiteboards, or as shown in the photograph, even chalk on concrete walls.
Fishersville, VA
A perfect example of this was our campaign stop in Fishersville, Virginia on October 5th. We helped to organize and coordinate a venue for more than 15,000 supporters, together with a lineup of speakers, fireworks and musicians that included legendary country star Trace Adkins.
Finishing a separate event in Iowa, we had less than 24 hours from when we received the outlined sketch until we were supposed to be onsite in Fisherville. The staff lead from the campaign had a very specific idea for how he wanted the show to look. The idea was revised, edited, and set into motion.
We had an entire site to build out, as there was absolutely no infrastructure at the venue. We designed and printed side scrims, ordered the related services including power and tenting, additional av, fencing, bike racks, etc. and within 72 hours we were ready for the show.
Needless to say, it was a huge win.
It was the first political event of this scale for the campaign, and it set the bar for those to come. This event saw some iconic images captured, with over capacity attendance, an above the fold article and photographs on the local front page, and mentions in CNN, C-Span and several other national media sources.
Ames, IA
Another great event we produced was the rally at Kinzler Construction in Ames, Iowa on October 26th, though it too had a unique set of challenges. Because of busy schedules at the venue location, we weren t able to get started with onsite construction until 4pm. With the event beginning at noon the following day, we knew we d have to hustle to get everything in place.
This set the stage for an overnight build in freezing temperatures. We were ready for this, but wanted to have a working plan to maximize our efficiency, get done that evening, and get out of the cold.
Gathering around our whiteboard in the one building with heat (a natural gathering point), we came up with what we thought was a great plan that is, until we got a last-minute call from HQ changing our event from an informal rally to a more stately speech. Starting from scratch, we built a brand new event on the same site (using white boards one and two).
By the next day, the sun came out, it warmed up for the several hundred people in attendance, and the event was billed as a pivotal moment for our campaign.
Fredericksburg, VA
The next event production was one of the most challenging for our team.
In Fredericksburg, we began setting up the first site at 6am. Seven hours later when we broke for lunch, everything seemed to be in great shape. That s when a weather call was made and the event moved indoors, a half mile down the street.
While part of our crew began packing up the event site we had just set up, we took our initial walkthrough of the new site. Luckily, it had a fantastic load-in potential, including loading docks, flat concrete (something that we REALLY take for granted sometimes), and blank canvas with rig points. The audio was tough, but we made it work. What we really wanted to nail down was the setup. Our gear was at the other site, so we used what was available to sketch out the plan. It was from this rough sketch on concrete that we built the entire show.
We used a number of decor assets to make this work, including one of our larger US flags as a backdrop for the campaign bus. It takes two to rig something this size, but only one to pose for photos. It made for a long night, but the event was a success.
Despite these challenges, we had a great time out on the road. To respond to the dynamic and unique set of requirements we faced, we were forced to be resourceful, responsive and diligent. In the end it paid off. We met new friends, worked with some great agencies, and most importantly, produced and delivered some great events for our clients.
National Book Festival Power and Rigging Day
COMPANY NEWS, EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS, TIPS & TRICKS
Today we started both signage rigging and power for the 2011 National Book Festival. The day started with rain that moved through, but luckily didn t slow the crews down too much.
As you can see from the photos, this is where we start to see the signage and branding come to life. We will continue the power and AC basics as well as the signage throughout the week.
Million Dollar Idea
EVERYTHING ELSE
After reading a few posts from our friend @blah2voila about million dollar ideas, I wanted to share this amazing project from the designers at MNML. Scott Wilson and team designed two watches that integrate the iPod Nano, the TikTok and LunaTik.
While the designs are great, the most impressive part is the response they got for initial funding. Instead of VC or angels, they went direct to the consumer through KickStarter.com.
[On a side note, Kickstarter is a great concept in its own right, and I find the most fun finding local projects that are getting off the ground. Try it if you haven t already!]
Their original funding level needed to begin production was $15,000. This is no small amount for the average on KickStarter. As it ended last night, they received a total of over $940,000. I thought this would be a great example of a million dollar idea!
TEDx Amsterdam and Mobile Event Apps of the Future
EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS, TIPS & TRICKS
Although first appearing on the scene only recently, event apps are quickly becoming a staple of large event management today. Given how cavernous some conference centers can seem, or the immense scale that industry events can take on, having a helping hand on a smartphone can help attendees integrate with the event and interact with each other in a more meaningful (and creative!) way.
Recent and super awesome example of this? The TEDx Amsterdam application designed by Frog Digital (kudos!). If you re planning on having an application developed for your event, we ve got a few ideas for you:
Keep it Simple!
All good apps are clean easy-to-use and don t overdo the features. Figure out the five most useful features your attendees may need, then hone that list down to three and build that.
Choose the Right Developer
You ve got an event to plan, and not a lot of extra time to devote to app production oversight and debugging. Getting an experienced application developer will set you on the right track from the get-go. (No idea where to start? Check out theymakeapps.com or call us.)
Provide Instructions
If you re going to make a mobile event application available, be sure to provide instructions on how it s intended to be used. You might do this via seminar or info packet.
Ideas: Personal Touches
Especially at larger events, the goals and agendas of each attendee will be vastly different. You might consider adding a scheduling function to your event app design to allow customized itineraries.
GPS Function
If your event is multi-locational or big, consider make your app GPS compatible as an alternative to you are here paper mapping. People will get lost in a closet, if you let them. So don t let them. GPS will only work in a big space, though as of today s technology, it s accurate to about 500 feet, so if you re working within a small space it won t do you much good. In that case, a get directions function could substitute.
Daily Alerts
Dedicated apps may be a nice alternative to SMS updates for attendees. Personally, we think SMS can get a bit annoying, as it s hard for the receiver to filter incoming messages by relevance. Business and political executives are already bombarded by texts and emails, they don t need an additional communications backlog. But if you build a messaging system into your app, event data can be accessed and processed in context, turning an annoying interruption into a relevant reminder.
Behind the Scenes Look at the Romney NASCAR Event
COMPANY NEWS, LIVE EVENTS
Just a few photos and a quick video of setup for the NASCAR Technical Institute event. It was awesome to get the opportunity to have the vehicles up on stage!
NASCAR from Decibel Management on Vimeo.
National Book Festival Load In
COMPANY NEWS, EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS, TIPS & TRICKS
Load in for the 2011 National Book Festival began today. Thankfully the weather held out and we were able to get a great start on the week. Some photos of the build are below
As mentioned above, here are some photos of our Monday progress. Got a number of tents up and began the decor install. Great work by Select Events, Legacy Scenic and Productions and EventEQ, and a big thanks to Fleishman-Hillard and the Library of Congress for the event. We are hoping to post more photos throughout the week as the event shapes up. Check back to check out our progress.
National Mall: Keep off the grass
EVENT INDUSTRY
This piece from Liz Farmer at the The Examiner came out yesterday and details some of the changes that we will be faced with in working on the National Mall.
While the NPS is planning on re-sodding and adding irrigation, they also plan to fence off the entire area to visitors and tourists between events. They are also reducing the size and number of total events on the grounds.
While this was a unanimous vote from the committee, I am very interested to see if it will warrant public outcry from visitors, locals and taxpayers. There is a big debate in the iconic National Parks about use and rights (snow machines in Yellowstone, etc), but this is first time I can remember a park being restricted from walkers, runners, sunbathers, and picnickers. It will be fascinating to watch this unfold.
By Liz Farmer
It may be America s front yard, but that s not stopping the National Park Service from fencing it off.
The Park Service wants to enclose the National Mall s grass squares that run down the center of the Mall between the Washington Monument and the Capitol to protect the annual beating the turf takes.
The enclosure is part of a new plan for the Mall that is designed to limit wear and tear on the high-traffic grounds as well as provide more public amenities for the more than 25 million people who visit every year.
NPS spokesman Bill Line said Thursday the fence would be taken down for protests and special events but otherwise would remain up year-round to allow the ground to recover.
That means residents and tourists must take their sunbathing, picnics and pickup games elsewhere. Line said there are other open spaces on the Mall like by the Washington Monument where people can do those activities. Also, the NPS supports softball fields, volleyball courts and a rugby pitch near the Mall.
There s a balance there, he said. That would be an area that would be fenced off, except for First Amendment events, so as to purposefully keep the area green as best as we can.
The plan for the Mall was approved unanimously by the National Capital Planning Commission on Thursday and also includes a plan to limit the space protest organizers and event planners will have to work with. To protect the row of elm trees standing between the pedestrian pathways and the museums, tents and other event equipment will be limited to the center grass area.
That means events like the July Smithsonian Folklife Festival, much of which is set up in the shaded section of the Mall near the Smithsonian Metro station entrance, will be moved to the unshaded center.
The plan also calls for pedestrian pathways to be paved and an irrigation system to be installed below the entire surface of the Mall. The center grass panels would be dug up and replaced with new soil and sod.
The majority of the Mall is so densely compacted with foot traffic it is more highly compacted than concrete, Line said. So hence, not a big surprise that it s difficult to grow grass.
The plan also calls for improved amenities for visitors such as more bathrooms and concessions stands. The Washington Monument also would be reopened in the evenings throughout the year.
Linking the Mall to different forms of transportation like the D.C. Circulator bus and the new Capital Bikeshare program are also in the plan.
*Photo by flickr user Yotut
Some of the Event Industry s Most Unique Bookable Artists
EVENT INDUSTRY
You remember when you were in high school, and people used to ask you what you wanted to do for living, and you could only really think in terms of the major job groups you d heard of? Lawyer, doctor, astronaut. And then you graduated, and suddenly you meet people with jobs like user experience researcher and grant writer and you wonder how those people even knew those job titles existed. Event artists are kinda like that. Auctioneer? Really? That s a thing I can hire?
Vanessa Thanos, Auctioneer
Yes, that is a thing you can hire. Man, some of these guys get into auctioneering as a side gig, something to fill the holes between bit parts on network TV. Not Vanessa, though. Vanessa is auction-specific. She is full-on, 100{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} auction-dedicated. Starting out her career on her parent s Christmas tree farm, this lady has intered at Christie s in Beverly Hills and Sotheby s, and is a graduate of the Missouri Auction School (that s a thing, too), and a member of the National Auctioneers Association. She will get your fundraising benefit stuff sold, by jove.
Mystery Productions, Acrobats
No mucking around here: this is one of the top event performance troupes in the United States. You need someone to do aerial rope dancing? Check. How about someone to hang upside down from the chandeliers and wiggle around in a leotard? Done. Belly dancers? Fire eaters? Insane Venetian costumes? Yup, yup and yup.
Dan Meyer, Sword Swallower
Dan Meyer thinks swords are super delicious. And he s not picky: this guy ll nosh down on daggers, light sabers, rapiers, broadswords, multiple swords at the same he ll do it in front of anyone, anytime, anywhere. On top of fairs and festival bookings, Dan has also done some motivational TEDx talks, underlining just how possible the impossible can be.
Dan Clairmont, Square Dance Caller & Instructor
No, silly, you can t have any old jerk up there yelling do-si-do your partner round over and over. You need a guy with line dancing experience. A guy in a real cowboy hat who can give the whole thing some authenticity, get the first timers pointed in the right direction, and make the shy ladies at the back join in.
Travis Allen, Elvis Impersonator
Sometimes, there s nothing for it: you just need The King. And when you need The King, you call Travis. Travel Allen is one of the most booked Elvis acts on Gigmasters, specializing in Young Elvis, and has some heavy entertainment credentials. Based in Las Vegas (naturally), Travis is also available for travel.
Everyone s the Speaker: Two New Ways to Share the Floor at Your Event
EVENT PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY
Is the traditional I-talk-you-listen lecture dying? Probably not we ve been silently listening to speeches for a few thousand years or so but these days, technology is filling up our toolkit with interesting ways to pass the mic. Maybe this is the result of shortening attention spans and an inability to shut out mouths for an entire hour, maybe its our natural and frenetic desire to innovate, maybe this is just the way we start cresting out of the me-me-me cultural narcissism that social networks facilitate. Who knows? But more fluid audience participation methods during conferences and talks are definitely becoming a trend. Here s a look at two of the new tools available for getting listeners involved.
Catchbox
Created by a team of young Finns, Catchbox is the world s first throwable microphone , a highly engineered mic built into a padded cube that doesn t mind being tossed around the lecture hall. Psychologically, I think this plays well across a couple of dynamics: for one, as the video notes, it s a good icebreaker, but I also like it for its techy take on the Talking Stick whoever s got the Catchbox has the floor. Feels egalitarian somehow. Neat bit: the creators of Catchbox built in some software that edits out the sounds that would typically be generated by the mic as it sails through the air and lands hard in someone s grip.
Price-wise, the thing ain t particularly cheap, with boxes starting at 495 Euros (or $591 USD), but good A/V gear is worth the shell out.
Crowdmics
Crowd Mics turns audience smartphones into wireless microphones, no internet connection required. A detailed inside look via SquadUp blog (and check out their post for the back story behind the creation of Crowd Mics):
Everyone downloads the free Crowd Mics app and connects to the same wireless router, which can be via a venue s Wi-Fi or a stand-alone wireless router device. Crowd Mics doesn t require an Internet connection because it only uses the router to push data back and forth. The presenter on stage plugs an iOS or Android device into the room s sound system and creates a name and access code for the event in the Crowd Mics app. Audience members download the app and enter the code to join the event. When they want to ask a question or make a comment, they tap a Request to Talk button on their devices, and the presenter will see a list of people who want to talk in the order they requested. The presenter can enable an individual microphone, mute a microphone, or put the system in open mic mode so anyone can comment. Audience members can also submit text comments to the presenter through the Crowd Mics app. The presenter can also use the basic polling functions.
Crowd Mics is free for events with under twenty participants over that, it s $50 for 50 participants or under, up to $198 for 200 participants or under. If you need Crowd Mics to support more than 200 participants, you ll need to contact them for custom pricing.