The Queen s Funeral: A Day Decades in the Making
If there was any doubt in any minds that the British monarchy is still alive and well, despite Megxit and icky Prince Andrew, these doubts should have been laid to rest yesterday, along with Her Majesty the Queen.
Queen Elizabeth the Second passed away on September 8th, at the age of 96, at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. As Britain s longest reigning monarch, and a rather beloved one at that, there was no question that her passing and her subsequent funeral would garner international attention on the highest of scales.
The Queen is Dead. Long Live the King.
As the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth, Charles became the new monarch upon the passing of his mom.
On the day of her death, known as D-Day, a notice of death was posted on the gates outside of Buckingham Palace, and remained there for 24 hours, visible to people queuing along Constitution Hill. Across the country, flags were flown at half-staff at royal residences, government buildings, and military establishments.
On September 9th King Charles had his first audience as king with the Prime Minister of Britain, Liz Truss. He later addressed the nation at 6:00 pm, stating, “we owe her the most heartfelt debt any family can owe to their mother; for her love, affection, guidance, understanding and example.” The next day he was formally proclaimed as the new sovereign at St. James Palace during a meeting of the Accession Council.
London Bridge (aka, the code name for the The Queen s passing) triggered a ten day national mourning period.
On September 11th, the Queen left Balmoral for the last time as her coffin was driven to Edinburgh.
The following day, the coffin was taken on a procession with the king and royal family members following on foot.
An Affair to Remember
The Earl Marshal is tasked with overseeing state funerals and coronations, and this role is currently held by Edward Fitzalan-Howard, the 18th Duke of Norfolk. The Earl Marshal is a hereditary position that has been held by the Marshal family since 1672. And Edward has been planning for this event for decades, and meeting with key stakeholders on an annual basis for years now to review and fine-tune the London Bridge plans.
The Queen s coffin was transported from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey in a carriage drawn by 142 sailors. Yes, sailors, not horses. Resulting from a long-standing tradition of using sailors rather than horses to draw the carriage during monarch funerals ever since horses were spooked while transporting Queen Victoria s coffin in 1901 and nearly tipping it over.
The funeral was held in the same location where the Queen had been married as well as where her coronation was held the first royal funeral to be held at Westminster Abbey since the 18th century.
The Queen s coffin itself was covered with several symbolic items of note, including:
- The Imperial State crown and it s 2,862 (!!) diamonds;
- The Sovereign Scepter (which represents the monarch s power in the secular realm);
- The Sovereign Orb (which represents the monarch s power in the Christian world);
- The Royal Standard flag;
- A wreath selected by her son Charles containing foliage of rosemary, English oak, and myrtle cut from the gardens of royal residences; and
- A handwritten note from her son Charles which read in loving and devoted memory .
These items were later removed during the committal service at St. George s Chapel, signaling the official end of the Queen s reign. Following the removal of these items, Lord Chamberlain Baron Parker broke his wand of office, and placed it on top to signify the end of the guards service to the Queen.
1,650 military personnel and over 10,000 police officers were on hand to oversee the hugely complex policing operation which was the largest in the London force s history, surpassing the 2012 London Olympics. And with good reason. The funeral was a regular who s who of global leaders and celebrities. Some of the big names that occupied the 2,000 seats at Westminster Abbey included Sandra Oh, Bear Grylls, over 100 presidents and heads of government, and more members of royalty than royal watchers can shake a stick at.
Of course, it wouldn t be a royal affair without some discussion of who was wearing what. The Guardian said it best: for the grandest, most gorgeous of occasions the dress code was resplendent solemnity, in pearls and pillbox hats, high heels, and sharp tailoring. Of particular interest was the fact that Prince Harry wasn t able to wear his military uniform for the funeral (neither was Prince Andrew), and instead wore a morning suit.
Towards the end of the service, the Queen s piper played Sleep, Dearie, Sleep . This was especially symbolic as the Queen started most days with the sound of bagpipes as her piper would play at 9:00 am for 15 minutes each day as a pseudo alarm clock to start her morning.
Finally, Queen Elizabeth was transported to King George VI Memorial Chapel in a custom-designed Jaguar and then was buried, alongside her late husband Prince Philip, in a small private family ceremony.
The Stuff of Nightmares Event Disasters Extraordinaire
Event planners like to trade war stories. Like about the time a guest arrived at the event wearing the same outfit as the hostess (and rocking it better to boot). Or the time the keynote speaker fell asleep during their presentation. Or the time someone accidentally set off the fire alarm and everyone had to vacate the property, and don t get me started on presenters forgetting dongles. Ya, not the stuff of event planning dreams. But also not quite the stuff of event disasters, as these examples demonstrate.
Fyre Festival
Five years later, Fyre Festival remains synonymous with event planning disaster . It had it all. A beautiful Bahamian backdrop. Glamorous models in bikinis. The promise of an immersive music festival two transformative weekends on the boundaries of impossible. Authentic island cuisine served by celebrity chefs. A line up of 33 artists including Blink-182, Tyga, and Disclosure.
And then in the spirit of if it sounds too good to be true it probably is, an abandoned resort development full of disaster relief tents backdrop. Angry and soaking wet festival-goers who had spent thousands of dollars on their tickets. Cheese sandwiches in foam containers. A group of local unknown musicians. And finally, eight lawsuits and several class action suits.
Fyre Festival was such an astronomical failure that it inspired, not one but two, documentaries Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened courtesy of Netflix and Hulu s Fyre Fraud.
Woodstock 1999
Woodstock is the grandaddy of music festivals. It originally hit the New York music scene in 1969, during a time when the country was divided over the Vietnam War and Woodstock provided the perfect backdrop for bringing these like-minded opponents together in a celebration of anti-establishment, sex, drugs, and rock and roll. While the original Woodstock in 1969 was not without its own drama (like the two deaths that occurred that weekend, one drug overdose and one tragic tractor accident involving a festival goer who was sleeping in a neighbouring field), it s Woodstock s 30-year-old counterpart (Woodstock 1999) that stands out as the bigger event disaster.
Famously referred to as the day the nineties died , the list of issues included:
- The venue being unprepared for the sheer number of people who showed up, leading to massive overcrowding, which created unsafe conditions and made it difficult for people to move around or even find their friends;
- A water shortage, coupled with hot tarmacs and high temperatures contributed to over 700 attendees being treated for heat exhaustion and dehydration;
- Lack of available hotel space due to the weekend coinciding with the Baseball Hall of Fame ceremony;
- Rampant allegations of sexual assaults; and
- Just some general lighting flags on fire douchiness.
DashCon 2014
DashCon 2014 was originally known as Tumbl-Con USA, a convention dedicated to Tumblr users of the popular blogging service Tumblr and was billed as “the largest gathering of Tumblr users to date”. The DashCon organizers raised funds through crowdsourcing and grassroots campaigns and created hype by promising all sorts of important guests, from established creators and actors to various Tumblr social media “celebrities”. In addition to cosplay, DashCon events included games, singers, signings, fan art, and panel sales.
Things started to go south for DashCon on its first night when the organizer s financial struggles started to come to light. Special guests were notified by the hotel upon check-in that they were responsible to pay for their own rooms, despite having been told they would be comped by the hotel organizers which resulted in many of these guests bailing on the convention. The venue then demanded payment in advance, while organizers claimed there had been a verbal agreement to pay venue costs periodically throughout the weekend.
One major takeaway from the event? An impromptu ball pit is not an acceptable alternative to a refund for canceled celebrity appearances. When the Welcome to Night Vale cast canceled on their appearance, rather than refunding ticket holders, the organizers attempted to mollify them with an extra hour in the ball pit a kiddie pool full of balls that was quickly set up in an empty concession hall. This single act quickly became a meme among attendees who felt that it nicely summed up the DashCon experience in full.
New York City Pizza Festival 2017
Dubbed the Fyre Festival of NYC Food Events , there were some mighty hungry and disappointed New Yorkers at the New York City Pizza Festival in September 2017. Attendees were promised a day long celebration of dough, cheese, tasty sauces, and delicious toppings , for $75 some serious dough for pizza. And what were attendees treated to for this serious dough? Tiny pizza portion sizes. Cold pies. A distinct lack of pizza varieties. Empty tents. In a place responsible for introducing Brooklyn-style pizza to the world, this did not go over well.
Oscars 2017
Given the prestige of the Oscars, and the tremendous global viewership of the event, it should surprise no one to know that great care and attention goes into ensuring that the correct winners are announced. The process is overseen by an accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) who then designates two balloting leaders for the Oscars two individuals who are tasked with memorizing all the winners in each category and handing the correct envelope to the presenter before they go on stage. Despite this ironclad process, things went awkwardly sideways in 2017 when La La Land was announced by presenters Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty as winning the Best Picture, when in fact Moonlight had won the honors. Beatty has been inadvertently given the envelope for Best Actress (which did in fact go to Emma Stone for La La Land). The La La Land cast was well into their acceptance speech when the slip-up was publicly announced. Awkwardness ensued.
There are event disasters, and then there are event disasters that are no laughing matter. Anytime you have a large amount of guests you need to plan appropriately and ensure that the former doesn t become the latter. We all love to trade stories of planning challenges, but it also bears taking a look at the true tragedies, like these examples below, so we can better prepare, consider what is possible, and avoid any kind of repeat situation.
Astroworld Festival 2021
While Fyre Festival resulted in wealthy attendees being majorly inconvenienced, by comparison the Astroworld Festival on November 5, 2021 resulted in true tragedy ten deaths including one nine-year-old boy. Festival Founder Travis Scott was on the stage performing at the time of the mass trampling that led to the deaths. Scott was widely condemned for his actions in encouraging the crowd to rush the stage, and was subsequently named in dozens of civil lawsuits filed by attendees, along with Live Nation and security contractors. Scott had previously pled guilty to inciting crowds at Lollapalozza 2015, as well as a 2017 Arkansas music festival.
1985 European Cup Final
European soccer fans have a reputation for being rowdy, as this most unfortunate crowd disaster helped to reinforce. An hour before the 1985 European Cup was set to kick off at Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium, a wall at the stadium that was separating heavily drinking Liverpool fans from Juventus fans collapsed, killing 39 fans and injuring 600 in the process. It turns out that the stadium had not been properly maintained in its 55 years, and parts of the facility were crumbling. Ultimately, fourteen Liverpool fans were found guilty of manslaughter, and all English football clubs were banned from Union of European Football Associations events until the 1990 1991 season.
2003 Great White Concert
Another live music concert tragedy, this one as the result of a fire caused by pyrotechnics. Of the 462 attendees at the concert at The Station in Rhode Island, almost one fifth of them died as a result of the fire, and another 230 were injured. The concert casualties included the Great White s lead guitarist, Ty Longley. The Great White s tour manager pled guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter and served less than two years in prison.
Leaving it to the Experts
Whether it is ensuring that the event marketing is accurate and on brand, whether it is ensuring that all proper safety precautions and protocols are in place, or whether it is ensuring that contractual obligations are fulfilled as promised, having a team of event production experts can save you from the stuff of event nightmares. Decibel Events can give you the confidence and the peace of mind that comes with working with the event experts.
Get Your Guests Networking Like Pros at Your Next Event
There is an old saying that states, it s not what you know, it s who you know . As far as old sayings go, this oldie rings quite true. While knowledge, education, and experience are all great assets that can set you apart from the competition, whether you are seeking a job, or a sale, there is something about knowing someone on the inside track that gives a tremendous advantage. This inside track can come in many forms – a personal recommendation from a trusted source, a pre-existing relationship, mutual shared connections, or, I don t know, say someone you used to babysit when you were a teenager and who is now a wildly successful start-up founder making more in a month than you have made in the last decade. Sigh. Sorry, anyhoo, where was I? Right we were talking about how since it s not what you know, but who you know, this is why networking is such a critical piece of business, albeit one that can be anxiety-causing for the less extroverted folks.
Event planners know that networking is a necessary element of any corporate event. They also know that for every networking pro who sashays into the room looking flawless and completely at ease in a room full of friends-they-haven t-met-yet, there are ten others who absolutely dread networking. You ll find them hanging in the dark corners of the room madly scrolling on their phone. So, the challenge lies in providing networking opportunities in an accessible and creative manner that will appeal to the less seasoned networkers on your invite list. Here we share eight creative networking ideas for your next event.
Social Curiosities. Or Instagrammable Experiences
We almost went with alcohol as our number one networking party starter, but moved it down the list. Curate a social experience or curiosity for your guests off the bat. Give them a reason to get together and mingle. Have scenic or backdrop elements that are no-brainers for guests to get their cameras clicking, or better yet, have a photographer pulling groups together for entrance shots and initial mixed mingle groups. What else works? This is one that we LOVE here at Decibel. Close up magic. This is one of the best ways to get disparate groups together- all watching in awe of some slight of hand. And it gives guests a talking point from then on, or showing playing cards with signatures, etc. This is something you only need to seed at the start of a function- for the first hour or two and will pay dividends.
Alcohol. Serve Alcohol. And booze-free spirits.
In the words of M. Night Shyamalan, what a twist! Okay, perhaps this is not an entirely revolutionary new concept, but definitely a must-do. This is the lowest of the low hanging fruit. For those who shudder at the thought of networking amongst a roomful of strangers, a bit of the ol giggle juice may be just what is needed to relax them and infuse some bravery. It s called liquid courage for a reason, after all.
With that being said, more and more guests are choosing to go booze-free at these functions and we encourage that as well. But don’t leave those guests to just club soda. Curate a booze-free cocktail menu. This will be talked about and shared by guests, and non-drinkers will have fun and different glasses and drinks to walk around with as well. We are seeing these more and more with the advent of Seedlip and other non alcoholic spirits. The sky is the limit.
While serving alcohol at corporate events is a fairly popular decision, it s not without risk so make sure to plan accordingly. This means:
- Potentially limiting the number of drinks available per person through drink tickets or ensuring the catering staff is responsible for cutting off guests;
- Consider foregoing hard liquor in favor of beer, coolers, and wine;
- Having food on hand to help slow the roll of some guests, and so they are not drinking on an empty stomach; and
- Make easy or even free arrangements for alternative transportation (like taxi or Uber vouchers) for anyone that has had any amount of alcohol.
Incorporate Gamification
Gamification has exploded in the live and virtual event space alike in recent years. When it comes to the world of events, gamification basically means that participants are somehow incentivized to play and compete against others while learning and socializing. Some examples of event gamification in action includes:
- Encouraging attendees to upload photos from the event and rewarding attendees for the most impressions or engagement in their posts;
- Awarding points to attendees for attending sessions, visiting specific booths at the show, participating in networking activities, and just for generally being active in the event community;
- Using gamification to encourage participants to ask questions; and
- Offering valuable rewards such as special speaker access for winners, product offers, and/or discount codes for ongoing attendee participation.
Intelligent Match-Making
Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to break ground in the medical field. And in autonomous driving. And in speech recognition and generation. And, believe it or not, in matching up kindred spirit attendees at events.
Pheedloop is one such company that is using AI to play matchmaker with their event attendees. Their attendee matchmaking feature is available for hybrid and virtual events and involves having attendees complete a customizable matchmaking survey. Then voila, thanks to Pheedloop s algorithm madness, attendees are then given a list of their top 50 matches. All without one single stilted and awkward conversation about the weather.
Have Them Say Cheese
Between LinkedIn, Google Meets, and that dreaded my camera is off because I am working on something else that is more important while you drone on telltale photo on Teams, a nice and professional headshot has never been more necessary. So why not bring the head shot to your guests by setting up a photo station with a professional photographer, and providing them a complimentary head shot. Play some fun music and hire a photographer with attitude to up the authentic photo shoot feel. Maybe channeling their inner Heidi Klum will help break your guests out of their shell.
Speed Networking
Speed networking, based off the concept of speed dating, came to the corporate world in the early aughts. Whereas with speed dating, participants are looking to connect with a suitable prospective mate, during speed networking the goal is to encourage participants to create as many relevant connections as possible. This dynamic style of networking offers members the opportunity to quickly establish whether there is a mutual interest without the need for unnecessarily lengthy conversations. Rapid networking eliminates awkward exits due to time constraints, meaning no need to look for a way to gracefully exit a conversation, thus increasing the number of potential new encounters. This fast-networking model is often used at alumni group events, chambers of commerce groups, professional association gatherings, and university or corporate events to promote relationships among participants.
Get Your Guests Playing With Their Food
Sure, food stations might be right up there with the what a twist! ingenuity of alcohol, but it can t be understated: people love to eat. And even more, people love fun and off the wall food stations. So, skip the standard cheese and cracker platter and veggie dip fare in favor of a crepe station, or a donut wall, or a dim sum station, or a food art dessert bar, and really give your guests something to talk about.
Introduce an Ice-Breaking Game
There is no shortage of creative ice-breaking games that could be easily incorporated into an event. Here are a few suggestions:
- Name tag confusion: at registration, each attendee gets someone else s name badge, and they must then embark on a quest to find the person to return it to (and to also find their actual name badge)
- Tabletop quizzes: these work especially well for events where attendees are seated at round tables have the quiz align to the theme of the event and set a timer for the table to work together to come up with the best answers
- Human bingo: hand out bingo sheets with human characteristics (for example, find someone who has traveled to Asia, find someone who has met a celebrity, find someone who has two brothers), and the first person to get a blackout bingo card wins a prize
- Map yourself: post a large map in a central location with markers and ask guests to identify on the map where they were born, where their parents were born, and one place that they would love to travel
- Paper airplanes: have guests write an intro about themselves on a piece of paper (or you can make it even easier by having them answer a list of questions, have them fold the paper into a paper airplane and let it soar then everyone picks a plane and introduces the person who made and threw it
Networking is an invaluable and inexpensive way for event attendees to expand their connections, discover new business opportunities, meet potential partners and new clients, and access reputable resources or suppliers that can help their business. So, the onus is on event planners to deliver. If you are looking for ways to up the networking factor at your next corporate event. Decibel Events has you covered.
Events to Check out This Quarter (Q2 2022)
As we wrap up the first quarter of 2022, and head into the second quarter, one can t help but reflect on what a quarter it has been. On February 24th Russia invaded Ukraine and the world has watched in horror as this tragic and tumultuous humanitarian crisis has unfolded, while also marveling at the strength and resolve of the Ukrainian people.
On the COVID front, after a major Omnicron variant-induced spike in cases in January, case counts have dropped, vaccinations have been widely adopted, and we are (dare I say it?) slowly starting to return to a world in which traveling, family gatherings, and even large-scale events are back on the table.
Let s check out a smattering of some of the events that are back on the proverbial table in Q2 2022.
Coachella (April 15 17 and April 22 24)
Pack your fringe jacket, bandanas, neon accessories, and big ol wide brimmed hat, because it s Coachella time! The Coachella Valley in Indio, California is the backdrop for this monster festival which features the who s who of the musical world. After being cancelled in 2020 and 2021, for reasons – do I really need to say what those reasons were, c mon, you know Coachella is making up for lost time with a banging line up. Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, Ye, Swedish House Mafia, Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Big Sean are just a handful of the artists who will be hitting the main stage.
Fun fact: On April 14, 2012, the coldest temperature in the festival s history was hit at 43 Fahrenheit. One week later, on April 21, 2012, the hottest temperature in the festival s history was reached at 106 Fahrenheit. Oy, how do you even begin to pack for that?
Full details available at www.coachella.com/
New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (April 29 May 8)
First Coachella and then the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Seeing a trend here? Live music is back big-time baby!! New Orleans is a city that is known for having a good time, and this festival is no exception. An annual staple of New Orleans for over fifty years now, the festival has hosted the cream of the jazz and soul crop over the years including Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Patti LaBelle and so, so many more. The 2022 iteration is featuring heavy hitters like Stevie Nicks, Foo Fighters, Norah Jones, and The Black Crowes.
Fun fact: The festival has an official no carnival food policy, and has over seventy food booths with diverse offerings ranging from crawfish beignets to fried plantains to alligator sausage po boys to oyster patties. Bottom line: don t eat before you go.
Full details available at www.nojazzfest.com/
AdWorld (May 2 3)
Calling all marketers intent on getting people to buy stuff, the world s largest advertising event is taking place this quarter. While all the other events included on this list are in-person, AdWorld is bucking the return to in-person gatherings trend and remaining digital this year. And why not, when you consider that they have tracks focused on the metaverse and web 3.0, conversation optimization, and email marketing and automation, I suppose it makes sense to be virtual. A bit of practicing what you digitally preach, if you will.
Fun fact: Had a hard time tracking down a fun fact about AdWorld (if you have one to share, hit me up), so instead I ll share this fun fact about AdWorld keynote speaker Arianna Huffington. Huffington ran as an independent in the 2003 California governor recall election against Arnold Schwarzenegger. She was not successful.
Full details available at https://adworldconference.com/#/
Cinco de Mayo (May 5)
This annual celebration commemorates Mexico s victory in the 1862 Battle of Pueblo. While the day is celebrated worldwide, typically with nachos and tequila in tow, the largest Cinco de Mayo festival is Los Angeles s Fiesta Broadway. Ironically, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated more broadly in the United States than it is in Mexico.
Fun fact: Almost half of all drinks ordered during Cinco de Mayo are margaritas, and tequila sales typically double in the week leading up to Cinco de Mayo. Cheers!
Full details available at www.facebook.com/Fiesta-Broadway-Los-Angeles-672116842888825/
Kentucky Derby (May 7)
Ever since popular Polish actress Helena Modjeska made an appearance at the Kentucky Derby in 1877, celebrities (and their carefully curated hats) have been a fixture at this annual horse race. Also referred to as the fastest two minutes in sports , the Kentucky Derby typically draws approximately 150,000 attendees and betting galore (including the biggest racing bet ever which was placed last year to the tune of $2.3 million).
Fun fact: Only three fillies have ever won the Derby, the rest of the winners in the race s nearly 150 history have been male horses. Regret won in 1915, Genuine Risk won in 1980, and Winning Colors won in 1988. You go girls!!
Full details available at www.kentuckyderby.com/
Cannes Film Festival (May 17 – 28)
Another quarter, another film festival. This time it s the Festival de Cannes, widely considered to be the most prestigious and glamorous global film festival. 2022 marks the 75th edition of the Cannes Festival. Artists from all over the globe are invited to take part, and 170 countries were represented at the 2019 Cannes. The festival organizers are committed to increasing their environmental actions around the festival. aAs far as 2022 goes, some of the new green initiatives being rolled out includes solely using hybrid and electric vehicles for transportation, slashing it s printed materials, and eliminating single use plastics.
Fun fact: Cannes is home to the red carpet that puts all other red carpets to shame. It is two kilometers long and is changed three times a day. To shame, I say, to shame.
Full details available at www.festival-cannes.com/en/
Haro Wine Festival (June 28 – 30)
If anyone has ever accused you of being a Spilly McSpillerson while imbibing, this is the place for you! This is an event where spilling wine is permitted, nay, encouraged. Spilly McSpillersons of the world unite in Haro, Spain every year for what can only be described as wine warfare, where everyone throws wine at each other using whatever implement they happen to have at their disposal, whether that is a jug, a bucket, or a water gun. Fun!!
Fun fact: The roots of the festival actually date back to the 13th century and some town line disputes between Haro and a neighbouring village. I suppose raucous wine flinging is one way to settle a real estate boundary dispute!
Full details available at www.harowinefight.com/
Wimbledon (June 27 July 10)
Hey, remember that hilarious Seinfeld episode where Kramer was a ball boy at a tennis match? Ya, that was comedic gold, I think of it every time I hear about tennis. Which is a nice segue into our final Q2 (and encroaching into Q3) event, Wimbledon, the world s oldest tennis tournament, held in London, England every year.
Fun fact: Speaking of ball boys, the process to become a ball boy or ball girl at Wimbledon is, well, a tad more involved than Kramer would have you believe. 250 ball boys/girls are selected every year from approximately 1000 applicants, and their average age is 15. Their shift is typically one hour on, one hour off, and they train for 2 hours per week for the five months leading up to Wimbledon.
Full details available at www.wimbledon.com/
Enjoy the event distractions this quarter, and here s hoping for a peaceful and diplomatic turn of events for Ukraine. You are in our thoughts.
So, why don t we check out a smattering of some of the events that are back on the proverbial table in Q2 2022? Coachella, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (live music is back, baby!), Cannes, and more!
The Latest and Greatest in Event Sponsorships
Fun fact: the earliest event sponsorships date back to 5th century BC in Ancient Greece. Gladiatorial combat, to be exact. Before the Coca Cola s and Nike s and Ford Motor Company s of the world began pouring millions into sponsorship agreements on an annual basis, wealthy families and citizens would finance the costs of the major events and festivities and it was considered an honor to do so.
Fast forward, uh carry the seven ugh, math, forget this. Fast forward a whole lot of years and corporate sponsorships are a staple of any major event. And thank goodness for that; corporate sponsorship is a true win-win proposition. It puts more money into the event organizational kitty, enabling event organizers to plan a superior event, which ultimately benefits attendees, participants, and sponsors alike. It gives corporations unique and personalized opportunities to connect with their existing and target markets. It delivers critical audience insights and data to inform future decision-making.
Like with all things event-related, event sponsorship has evolved tremendously. Not just from the gladiator days, but even just in the last few years (thanks a lot, COVID). In these on-demand and tech-driven times, attendees and sponsors alike are looking for more than just a logo plastered on some signage. Fortunately, the event planning community has stepped up to meet the challenge, as these sponsorship trends demonstrate.
Virtual Events are Here to Stay
With vaccinations firmly in place and in-person gathering restrictions easing up globally, many are chomping at the bit to shelf (or maybe even burn?) their pandemic pajama bottoms and get back to the face-to-face. Having said that, after nearly two years of virtual gatherings, it s safe to say that virtual and hybrid events will continue to have a meaningful place in the event space. The cost-savings, reach capabilities, and supreme convenience that come along with virtual events are three very compelling reasons for organizers to continue delivering them and for attendees to continue demanding them. Plus, let s not forget that the virtual event software industry deserves a giant shout-out in all of this, for rising to the global pandemic occasion and developing a bevy of tools and platforms that make virtual events way less painful and way more interactive than the days of yore.
All of this to say, that if hybrid and virtual events are elements of your future planning, so must be virtual event sponsorship options. And while virtual event sponsorships look a bit different than those of the in-person variety, they come ripe with ROI maximization, engagement, and data collection opportunities. Live-streamed demos, sponsored posts, gamification, digital marketplaces these are just a handful of the types of virtual event sponsorship opportunities worth considering.
At Decibel, we have helped a number of sponsors activate in a digital world. This has been as simple as brand recognition with logo placement and digital art, all the way to custom interactive initiatives that were built to support each specific event and target audience. The former can be as quick as loading a banner ad, the latter takes additional time and consulting to ensure that the activity matches both the event type and the action/outcome desired by the sponsor.
The Pursuit of Symbiotic and Long-Lasting Partnerships
The days of gold/silver/bronze type sponsorship packages and logo soup signage and t-shirts are past and the days of highly customized and mutually beneficial sponsorship offerings are here. It s a wonderful time to be a sponsor and reap the rewards of a long-lasting sponsorship relationship that delivers more.
In action: TED and Rolex have been a match made in heaven since 2007. Starting off with your standard sponsorship fare of recognition on the TED website and video advertising with select TEDTalks, this partnership continued to evolve and has since culminated in the development of Surprise Me, a popular iOS app featuring custom TEDTalks playlists. As their case study states, we created Surprise Me to meet the needs of people who have a set amount of free time but might not know what to watch. They just know their lunch break lasts 20 minutes and they want to be wowed. We take it from there.
Set amount of free time. Rolex is one of the world s leading watch manufacturers, aka time-keepers. We see what you did there. And we like it.
ESG is Top of Mind
Sustainability in event management is a best practice being widely adopted industry-wide, and this also extends to sponsorship planning. More and more, organizations are taking a strong stance on societal and ethical issues that influence the environments and economies in which they operate. And this stance influences all of their decision-making, from new product offerings to hiring practices to advertising spending. Which means that these ESG (environmental, social, governance) conscious organizations, many of whom have very deep pockets, are looking for opportunities to spend their marketing budgets in an ethically and environmentally sound manner. Is your event towing the sustainability line and does your event provide these types of sponsorship opportunities?
In action: Last year, VivoPower became the first Official Battery Technology Sponsor for the Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. In the lead-up to the first-of-its-kind sponsorship deal, Tottenham Hotspur had been ranked first by the Premier League Sustainability Table for its operational efficiencies and its climate change advocacy actions, making it an ideal partner with VivoPower, a sustainable energy solutions provider. Not an event sponsorship per se, but still an excellent example of sustainability and symbiotic partnership in action.
Category Exclusivity
You know how a bride doesn t really want to share her spotlight on her wedding day (well, maybe a bit with her new husband, but even that is done begrudgingly)? Category exclusivity is a bit like that, albeit with less bridezilla moments. Sponsors love not having to share their category spotlight. Whether they are the sole sponsor for coffee breaks, the official transportation sponsor, or the keynote speaker sponsor, not having to share the spotlight with another sponsor or seventeen, makes for a higher profile and more impactful experience.
In action: L Oreal has been the official beauty sponsor of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) for over ten years. Elements of this exclusive sponsorship have included makeup and hair services for press conferences and galas, a two-floor beauty boutique at the event so that non-celebrities can get in on the glam fun, a beauty correspondent scouting contest, the launch of a limited edition TIFF nail polish color, the roll-out of an app (ModiFace), and more.
How do your event sponsorship opportunities measure up? Are they in line with what today s sponsors are looking for or are you still catering to the sponsorship demands of bygone days? Do the sponsorship offerings actually enhance your event or merely help to finance it? The team at Decibel Events are specialists in crafting and executing on innovative and original sponsorship opportunities, and we d love to give yours a review.
Reach out today!
The Slap Heard Around the World: When Events go Off-Kilter
Typically, the headlines emerging on media the day post-Oscars are all about who won Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Actress. Not so with last night s 94th Oscars, as these headlines demonstrate:
Will Smith Smacks Chris Rock on Oscar Stage After Jada Pinkett Smith Joke Variety
Violence Instead of Words : Will Smith Condemned for Hitting Chris Rock at the Oscars The Guardian
CODA Triumphs at the Oscars but Onstage Slap Takes Center Stage New York Times
Just to recap the series of events for anyone who is, like, whoa, what did I miss? (perhaps due to a brief weekend coma or, I don t know, a 14-day Peruvian ayahuasca-fueled silent retreat ya, that one was for those of you who read Will Smith s recent memoir):
Comedian Chris Rock was onstage at the Oscars to present the Oscar for best documentary feature.
Rock first took a prod at Javier Bardem and his wife Penelope Cruz, who were both nominated for top acting Oscars, stating now, if she loses, he can t win.
This was followed up by a dig at Smith s wife Jada Pinkett-Smith, saying Jada, I love ya, G.I. Jane 2, I can t wait to see it.
The camera pans to Pinkett-Smith, who rolls her eyes, visibly annoyed.
12 seconds later, Rock is moving on with his announcements and then says uh oh as Smith approaches him.
Smith smacks him, and then turns around and returns to his seat.
Rock says to the audience, Wow. Will Smith just smacked the shit out of me , as the audience laughs.
Smith yells at Rock from his seat, keep my wife s name out of your fucking mouth , audience laughter starts to die down.
Wow dude, it was a G.I. Jane joke, Rock shoots back.
Keep. My Wife s. Name. Out. Of. Your. Fucking. Mouth, Smith reiterates even louder.
Flustered, Rock says, I m going to, before then saying, this is the greatest night in the history of television.
End scene.
For those of us watching the Oscars as it live streamed, it was widely originally assumed to be a part of the act (and judging by the audience s laughter, they thought so too). Until it became apparent that it wasn t. Watch the uncensored video here.
Less than a half hour later, Smith went on to accept his first-ever Oscar for Best Actor for his role in King Richard . During his acceptance speech he apologized, through tears, to the Academy and to his fellow nominees, and alluded to art imitating life, drawing parallels between his King Richard characters crazy father tendencies and his still-hot-to-the-touch outburst, stating love will make you do crazy things.
Pinkett-Smith has been quite outspoken about her battle with alopecia and has opted to embrace her hair loss by shaving her head, hence the sensitivity around the bald joke.
We are betting that the smack heard around the world brought flashbacks to any event planner who has ever had their live event proceed not quite according to plan. When the show must go on, when minutes matter, when your audience (or in the case of the Oscars, millions of spectators around the world) is watching, how can you roll with the punches (ha, see what we did there)?
Breathe
Yep, this is a biggie. Stay calm. People are watching and looking to the event organizers as an indication of how to react. Staying cool and collected will help to boost morale around you and will help you to think more clearly and rationally about your next steps. Strategies for staying calm during an event crisis include taking deep breaths, focusing on the present, and even temporarily removing yourself from the situation if needed.
Turn to Your Event Safety and Disaster Plan
Disaster planning is a must-do for large scale events. Disasters come in all shapes and sizes, not just of the smacking and swearing variety. Elements of your disaster plan should include:
- Venue layout with exits and muster points clearly identified.
- Strategies for potential health and safety concerns and event escalation processes.
- Evacuation and shelter-in-place plans.
- Clear direction on how to deal with unacceptable behavior from event stakeholders.
- Contact information for key personnel.
Keep the Lines of Communication Open
In the absence of communication, people will jump to assumptions. Which is why it is so important to have a crisis communications plan as part of your disaster planning, one that identifies all relevant stakeholders, how they can be communicated with in the event of an incident, and who is responsible for delivering this communication.
but Also be Clear About Who is Authorized to Speak
There is a reason why we didn t see Carl from accounting speaking to the media about the Smith-Rock altercation after the fact. Because Carl from accounting has no damn business speaking on behalf of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on public relations manners.
Choosing the right spokesperson is critical. This individual will serve as the public image of your organization and should be able to present the organization in a positive light. Spokespeople need to feel comfortable in their role and be able to speak confidently in a variety of contexts on a variety of topics, whether in one-on-one meetings with journalists, on the phone, in a public meeting, or at a press conference. Having a designated spokesperson will add credibility to your event and ensure your message is consistent.
Learn From the Experience
All event planners should conduct some manner of post-mortem after every event. The idea behind the post-mortem meeting is to review the various elements of the completed work, track the entire life cycle of the project, and illustrate aspects that need to be discussed. Depending on the size and scope of the event, this could be a brief recap of lessons learned, or it could be a deeper exploration involving multiple parties.
To get an idea of what feedback your team members have before the meeting, you can submit a post-mortem questionnaire. Having a pre-meeting questionnaire gives all members of your team the opportunity to share their thoughts and opinions and ensures that no random detail goes unnoticed. Anonymizing a survey often results in more honest feedback, and an anonymous survey itself can save you time in the meeting by allowing you to jump straight into discussing next improvements and steps.
Event planning done right is a continuous cycle of planning, organizing, executing, evaluating, and improving.
As any event planner can attest to, the reality is that troubleshooting and live events go hand in hand. Ideally that troubleshooting is more minor audio issues and less smacking and cussing, but without a crystal ball there really is no way to tell what fun surprises your event will have in store for you. Which is why event planning is best left to the experts a team that you know will stay calm and steer your event through the storm. Like the team at Decibel Events.
What Else Happened at the Oscar s?
While the Smith-Rock incident dominated headlines, there was also an award show that happened on Sunday, a big and high profile one where several meaningful honors were bestowed. Here are some of the non-violent highlights from last night s event:
- The Oscars had three hosts this year – Regina Hall, Amy Schumer, and Wanda Sykes. As Schumer quipped, the Academy hired three women to host because it s cheaper than hiring one man. Zing!
- CODA , a coming-of-age story of a girl with deaf parents, was the big winner of the night, taking home Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Troy Kotsur. Kotsur, the first deaf man to win an Oscar, delivered his acceptance speech in American Sign Language (ASL), and instead of the typical clapping from the audience, the Oscar s audience raised their hands in a gesture of silent applause.
- Another first was Ariana DeBose, the first openly queer woman of color, winning Best Supporting Actress for her role in West Side Story .
- Dune took home six awards, including Best Cinematography.
- There was some long-awaited cast reuniting moments, including cast members from Juno , The Godfather , Pulp Fiction , and White Men Can t Jump . Also, there was a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion of sorts, as Chris Rock had appeared in the sixth season of Will Smith s 90s sitcom. Sorry, we couldn t resist.
- Fashion-wise, the red carpet did not disappoint. Timothee Chalamet, Kirsten Dunst, Jessica Chastain, Elimia Jones, Simu Liu, Venus Williams, David Oyelowo, Lily James, and Zendaya were especially fashion-forward.
Event Trends for 2022
COVID-19 has been hella disruptive for a number of industries, including the event management sector. Concerts, conferences, expos, weddings, sports tournaments, award galas, bar mitzvahs all were put on hold while the world socially distanced itself in an attempt to curb the spread. And while the COVID battle is not yet over, with a good percentage of the population now vaccinated we are starting to see a slow return to the concerts and the conferences and the bar mitzvahs. Here we take a look at some of the key trends that event industry experts are forecasting for 2022 and beyond.
Virtual Will Continue to Have a Place in the Events Realm
Event goers have had a big ol taste of webinars, online trade shows, and virtual conferences this past 20 months. And while many are chomping at the bit to get back to the face-to-face gathering of yore, there are just as many who have become accustomed to the online experience, the flexibility it offers, the vehicle-less commute to their home office, the dress shirt on top, pajamas on bottom work-from-home wardrobe coziness. And for these folks, hybrid events will reign supreme.
Pajamas on bottom coziness aside, there are several compelling reasons to consider incorporating hybrid events into your programming calendar:
- Distance and travel are no longer barriers to attendance attendees can join from anywhere in the world which gives opportunities for tremendous reach.
- Unique opportunities for wannabe sponsors 80{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} of corporate sponsors have expressed interest in virtual and hybrid event sponsorship.
- All the data who doesn t love data? Virtual and hybrid events give insights galore into your attendee preferences and engagement, insights that can then be used to inform future decision-making.
- Increased return on investment some serious money can be saved through virtual vs live events and with increased reach and scalability, this can translate into attractive margins.
There May be More Variants to Come
First there was COVID-19. Then there was the Alpha variant, which made its first appearance in Great Britain in November 2020. And then Delta became the predominant variant. And then a year later, Omicron swept the globe. Will Omicron be the final mutation, the one that brings the global community from pandemic to endemic? Please, oh for the love of Pete, let the answer by a resounding yes . However, it s just too early to say. For the time being, event planners need to assume that the virus will continue to be with us as the ultimate unwanted houseguest for some time, and plan accordingly. This means contingency planning in the case of a surge. This means considering how to accept proof of vaccination, and whether subsequent boosters will factor into your attendee requirements. This means finding ways to prioritize health and safety for your event attendees while still providing a fun and compelling experience.
Sustainability Will be the Norm
Eventbrite had identified sustainability as the number one event trend in 2020, and this is still a leading trend two years later. After years fraught with rising sea levels, wildfires, and deadly weather events, climate change action is on the minds of many global citizens, and all organizations have a role to play in adopting greener policies and processes. Reducing paper waste, sourcing eco-friendly swag, encouraging recycling at events, and using biodegradable items are just a handful of the ways in which event planners can be environmentally conscious.
Technology Solutions Will Continue to Evolve
The pandemic fast-tracked a whole new world of event technology solutions as event managers scrambled to transition to fully virtual events. And the tech world did not disappoint in their mad rush to accommodate this sudden and universal need. Whether your event is in-person, virtual, or hybrid, there are several new technological developments designed to improve the event experience all around.
Artificial Intelligence: While we re not quite in Blade Runner territory, artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming used more and more in the event management space. Chatbots are increasingly employed to inform and connect with event attendees. AI is used to remove language barriers at international events by instantly translating attendee communications. AI can even be used to provide an enhanced networking experience to attendees by strategically matching those with similar event goals.
Facial Recognition: Facial recognition is a neat-o technology that allows one s face to serve as their form of identification. While there are obvious security benefits to this technology, the potential convenience applications are also rather tremendous. Imagine if you will, a long line-up full of travel-wearied and tired event attendees who neglected to print out their event confirmation specifics. That is a recipe for disaster. Now imagine this same group simply looking into a camera before having their identity and registration confirmed allowing them to seamlessly move through to the event floor. That is a recipe for happy attendee stew.
Mat Technology: Yep, this is a thing. Mat technology involves clever flooring that comes equipped with data tracking capabilities to measure and report on event analytics like what booths get the most foot traffic, what times of day were busiest, where were the low traffic spots. For those who love data as much as we do, it doesn t get much better than this!
Diverse Representation Among Your Event Stakeholders
It s 2022. Still think that diversity and inclusion don t matter? Just ask the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), that group of international journalists who are responsible for the Golden Globes. Once considered to be a primary staple of the Hollywood awards season, a February 2021 Los Angeles Times piece exposed some controversial realities about this group, including the following tidbits:
- Former HFPA President Meher Tatna shared that there hadn t been a Black member in the 90 person group for over twenty years.
- 30 HFPA members were flown to the Emily in Paris set in France in 2019, a show that subsequently received two nominations despite being much less critically acclaimed than other shows featuring actors of color such as I May Destroy You and Insecure.
- HFPA members would allegedly sell their tickets to the Golden Globes for upwards of $40,000.
Given these revelations and the ensuing outcry from the broader entertainment community, NBC opted to pull the plug on the 2022 Golden Globes, stating we continue to believe that the HFPA is committed to meaningful reform. However, change of this magnitude takes time and work, and we feel strongly that the HFPA needs time to do it right.
Diversity and inclusion matter and should be kept top of mind when hiring speakers, sourcing panelists, securing committee volunteers, and in determining programming content. Your attendees should see themselves reflected in the planning and delivery of your event.
Putting These Trends to Work for Your Next Event
What corporate events is your organization looking to pull off in 2022? Whatever it is, Decibel Events can help you to pull it off flawlessly. As a leading event production and management firm with experience in organizing everything from presidential events to massive trade shows to high-end corporate events, Decibel Event is right on top of all event management trends and knows how to best incorporate them into your next event. Let us help you to bring your event to life.
Third Year in the Running: Decibel Event Management Has Been Selected As One of the Busiest Meeting and Event Planners in Greater D.C.
We strive to put our best foot forward for every event, from start to finish. So, when we’re recognized not one, not two, but three years in a row by the Washington Business Journal, we’re grateful to know our efforts have paid off. Being selected as one of the “Busiest Meeting and Event Planners in Greater D.C.” indicates trust from our clients and a job, or many jobs, well done.
This could not have been possible without our tireless team of designers, producers, creators, heavy lifters, tech whizzes, and peers, all of whom put in the hours, the effort, and the creativity needed to consistently exceed expectations with every event they handle.
Decibel has managed virtual, hybrid and in-person events throughout the year. We have strived to do our part to keep the events industry alive during these difficult times by taking all the necessary health precautions in addition to launching an upcycling program. We have also brought our experience with hybrid and fully virtual events to our clients, helping them adapt to new technologies and new ways of community building.
Of course, competition is necessary to push the creative boundaries of these events and raise the bar higher each year. We want to extend our congratulations to some of our fellow nominees this year, including Linder Global Events, Hargrove LLC, RJ Whyte Event Production, and J Street Group LLC, all of whom are innovators in the field.
2021 has been a year of learning and developing new strategies to meet a changing industry and a changing world. As we look down the rapidly unfolding path of digital and virtual technologies, we hope only to increase the standard of our own work and inspire others in the field to do the same. We are so grateful for this opportunity and look forward to staying busy for years to come!
For more information about how we stay so busy, visit www.decibelmanagement.com.
Miniature Facade Mapping
EVERYTHING ELSE, FACADE MAPPING
Over the past few months we have posted a few times about Facade Mapping and how clients can use it bring a whole new visual element to an event. We stumbled upon this mini version of facade mapping last week and we watched in awe at the details and talent that was put into this futuristic children s book. This is the first ever projection mapped pop-up book, at least that we have found!
While this may not translate to the event industry, the creativity is astonishing and opens up a whole new world for art and technology to come together. The background is a fixed paper pop-up book that without light is plain, empty, and just cut-out white paper. With the projection, the scenery comes to life and tells a story.
Are you as impressed as we were? Take a look for yourself.
https://vimeo.com/davyandkristinmcguire/icebook
Flash Mob
EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS, TIPS & TRICKS
I love to highlight events that just work. A simple, yet focused idea that is met with seamless execution can have great results. These don t have to be expensive, or overly planned. I also like to give recognition to my hometown when I can.
The Winston-Salem Symphony pulled off a great promotional event a few days ago by performing a piece in the Belk s Department store. While this was not your traditional flash mob, it still holds as a great example. I am sure they worked with the mall and Belk s prior to the flash-mobbing as it would be quite hard to sneak in a piano AND a timpani. Even though they tipped their hand to the location, it was on message for their group (to promote their upcoming performance of Handel s Messiah) and brought attention into the store itself. This is a great example of using a flash-mob event to reinforce your brands message.
