Clorox Twitter Fountain
COMPANY NEWS
Event Marketer recently featured Clorox s launch of the Twitter-powered water fountain at SXSW Eco which highlighted the #safewaterproject.
Check out the article here!
Behind the Scenes with Decibel Management: How an Experiential Event Comes Together
BACKSTAGE, COMPANY NEWS, EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS, TRADE SHOW
If you have ever wondered what goes into a technical and experiential event build, take a look behind the scenes with Decibel Management and our amazing production team for the building of the H&R Block- Get Your Billion Back experience.
The development, programming and construction was challenging, complex, and delivered on a lightning fast timetable. We were truly only able to succeed because of the great team we assembled. This included our partners: M1 Interactive, CGS Premier, Greenroom Communications, and EventPro Strategies as well as great clients in Ketchum Public Relations as well as H&R Block.
H&R Block Get Your Billion Back America Campaign
COMPANY NEWS, EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS
In early 2014, H&R Block launched an experiential marketing program that builds off their Get Your Billion Back America ad campaign. The tour puts the brand in the hands of consumers and rewards them with cash.
Developed in partnership with Ketchum, Decibel Management designed and created a custom, interactive kiosk composed of four computers, multiple touchscreens, cameras and ATM components.
The 20-foot-by-20-foot kiosk is set up in high-traffic locations where participants take a two-minute quiz which includes imagining what they would do with a billion dollars. As a reward, the kiosk dispenses up to $100 per participant.
This kiosk is definitely a first of its kind. It is part ATM, part photo/video booth and was built from scratch for the Get Your Billion Back events hosted by H&R Block. And it was built in 6 weeks, from concept to completion.
H&R Block Rewards Consumers With Cash
Marketing Daily
By Tanya Irwin
March 26, 2014
http://www.mediapost.com/
H&R Block has launched an experiential marketing program that puts the brand in the hands of consumers and rewards them with cash.
To build off the Get Your Billion Back America ad campaign, Ketchum, Decibel Management, M1 Interactive and CGS Premier created a custom, interactive kiosk composed of four computers, multiple touchscreens, cameras and ATM components.
The 20-foot-by-20-foot kiosk is set up in high-traffic locations where participants take a two-minute quiz which includes imagining what they would do with a billion dollars. As a reward, the kiosk dispenses up to $100 per participant.
The kiosk is definitely a first of its kind for us or for anyone, says Christina Lively, H&R Block director of brand strategy and integration. It s part ATM, part photo/video booth and was built from scratch for our Get Your Billion Back events.
The activation concept is based on a study H&R Block conducted last year that revealed that when taxpayers prepare their own tax returns, about one in five is leaving money on the table by not claiming all available tax credits and deductions, Lively says. These inaccuracies contribute to more than $1 billion in unclaimed money.
The kiosk program is available in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Kansas City and New York. The campaign includes four spots running on broadcast, digital and social media.
The reaction has been incredible, Lively tells Marketing Daily. We set out to surprise and delight consumers, and this activation did just that. Consumers can t believe that H&R Block is giving away real money and long lines formed very quickly in all of the markets.
About 600 consumers have gone through the experience, and thousands of others have been exposed to the brand onsite and through event videos, she says.
Lively said it has not been determined whether the kiosk will be expanded to more cities next year.
We ve had a lot of fun with this throughout the season and would love to continue surprising and delighting people the way we have with our Get Your Billion Back events, she says.
White House Business Council
COMPANY NEWS, POLITICAL
Decibel Management was invited to attend the White House Business Council meetings and briefing in early March. We had the opportunity to meet with administration officials to discuss strengthening the economic competitiveness of America s small businesses. This half-day meeting was held in the Indian Treaty Room at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. It was a great event to attend, and we loved getting to know and openly discuss issues that small businesses face and how the administration can become more involved.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, March 17, 2014
Local Business Leaders Discuss Priorities with White House Officials
Senior Obama Administration Officials Heard From Business Leaders on a Variety of Issues
Washington, D.C. Small business leaders from across the country gathered at the White House yesterday to brief Senior Administration officials on their priorities, including creating a business environment conducive to job creation.
Administration officials gave an update on the economy and job creation. They also outlined several programs that encourage hiring and improve access to capital for small businesses. These programs include Small Business Administration loans and assistance from the International Trade Administration in helping small businesses sell their goods and services to new foreign customers.
Business leaders spoke about recent successes they ve experienced, but also highlighted the need for immigration reform, increased workforce development programs, and more awareness of programs that provide support for small businesses.
Business leaders bring a results-oriented approach to Washington that stands out, Jim Doyle, Business Forward president said. They don t agree with each other or the Administration on every point, but they expect solutions that create jobs and grow the economy.
Senior White House officials who participated in the briefing included:
Dr. Mark Doms, Undersecretary of Economic Affairs, U.S. Department of Commerce
Ann Marie Mehlum, Associate Administrator for Capital Access, U.S. Small Business Administration
Fred Baldassaro, Assistant Administrator for Communications, U.S. Small Business Administration
Peter Davidson, Executive Director of the Loan Program Office, U.S. Department of Energy
Michael Masserman, Executive Director for Export Policy, Promotion, & Strategy, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce
Americo Mack Tadeu, Deputy Director, Advocacy Center, International Trade Association, U.S. Department of Commerce
Diana Doukas, White House Liaison, U.S. Small Business Administration
Sam Brown, Director, White House Business Council
Business leaders had the following to say about the briefing:
Roz Lewis, President & CEO of the Greater Women s Business Council, located in Atlanta, Georgia said, The women businesses in my organization are interested in access to capital and procurement opportunities. It was great to hear of all of the financial products that the Small Business Administration has to offer our constituency at the Greater Women s Business Council. More importantly, the briefing was proof of the White House Business Council s commitment to the growth and sustainability of small businesses.
Sean Cochrane, President of Super Green Solutions, located in West Palm Beach, Florida said, I was extremely impressed by all the speakers at the White House Business Council meeting. I found the meeting enlightening particularly in the focus on job creation, export dollars, and the efforts to bring energy efficiency to other countries. I was particularly impressed with the discussion of promoting USA Export trade with Sub Saharan Africa. We have seen a keen interest in this region for SuperGreen Solutions franchises as energy stability, rising energy costs, demand side management, load shedding, and carbon emissions are affecting the lives of people in Sub Saharan Africa.
Joe Mechlinski, President & CEO of entreQuest, located in Baltimore, Maryland said, It was an honor to participate in the White House Business Council s meeting focused on helping small businesses to grow and strengthen the economy. We wrote the #1 best selling book in the world on how to Grow Regardless and the discussion was perfectly aligned with our mission and purpose as a company. The meeting affirmed that there are tremendous bright spots with job growth, but there is still much more to do to support small business growth in our country.
My recommendations were basic: change the paradigm for small business from risk, regulation to risk, and reward and instead find opportunities to incentivize, not penalize, companies to hire people in all ways. I look forward to my continued participation with the Business Council and this conversation.
Mike Sawyers, President & CEO of 7Delta, located in Columbia, Maryland said, As a small business primarily doing federal contracting, the gridlock in Congress has been very frustrating and has made planning for growth extremely challenging.
I attended the White House business meeting to hear about what this Administration is doing to support small businesses with and without the help of Congress. I was impressed with the number of programs available through the SBA, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of Energy to financially assist small businesses to start and grow as well as efforts to expand small business exports. I also enjoyed the opportunity to network and share experiences with fellow business owners.
Dr. Sherri Henderson, President & Senior Consultant, Global Business Development Firm, located in Lansing, Michigan said, To achieve economic development for small businesses, entrepreneurs must remain competitive and utilize local, national and international resources to build their brand, strategically plan and be prepared to present their products and services to a global market.
Susan Jones, Founder & Publisher of Impact Detroit Magazine, located in Detroit, Michigan said, As a female business owner, the knowledge I gained through my participation in the White House Business Council briefing is an added value and very relevant, too. It s not business as usual here in Detroit, so I ll be paying it forward, sharing the wealth of knowledge I gained with my colleagues and readers of Impact Detroit Magazine.
Charles L. Moore, CPA, President of C. L. Moore & Associates, located in Lansing, Michigan said, There was a strong delegation of small business owners from around the country that listened to President Obama s senior level cabinet members discuss programs tailored to strengthening the economy for small businesses. They gave us an opportunity to give feedback on their programs. This feedback was received well and the lines of communication were opened for more dialogue in the future.
I gave recommendations on how to get small businesses more capital and what I see as current pitfalls in the lending program. The prospective was from me, a former Bank Regulator and current CPA that works with small businesses. The Small Business Administration officials were happy to get the feedback and wanted to continue to discuss possible changes to the SBA lending policies to get more loans to those small business owners that need them. It felt good to be heard!
Ada Nicole Smith, Principal Consultant at JAS Events, located in Detroit, Michigan said, The early start up costs and lack of strategic planning skills can be discouraging to anyone looking to own a small business. As a young entrepreneur, it was encouraging to hear that the SBA offers mentoring, coaching and classes to entrepreneurs to help close the gaps. Additionally, I am excited about the new approach to partner with local colleges and universities to give young people an earlier start on their entrepreneurial aspirations.
Mary Castro, Executive Board Member of the Warrensburg Chamber of Commerce located in Warrensburg, Missouri said, Attending the White House Business Council briefing was an amazing opportunity for me. I was impressed with the expert panel of speakers and the eloquence and passion of the attendees. I learned there are resources in place to assist the small business owners, which are accessible and sincere. The White House reached out to us, that is something to take note of and appreciate.
Tammy Long, President of the Warrensburg Chamber of Commerce, located in Warrensburg, Missouri said, I am so honored to have had the opportunity to attend the White House Business Council forum and to learn of new programs which will assist in the expansion of small business in Warrensburg and Johnson County, Missouri. The speakers were factual, informative and sincere in their updates on programs. The Veterans and Community Advantage are two programs in particular which could have a positive impact on our local economy. Business Forward should be commended for their leadership in the promotion of business expansion!
Pamela Cager, Owner of For All Occasions Catering & Vice President of the Winston-Salem Black Chamber of Commerce, both located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina said, As the owner of a small business, and the Vice President of the Winston-Salem Black Chamber of Commerce, it was a great opportunity to be able to address issues that affect all small businesses and to be given the platform for our issues to be heard by the administration. It was encouraging to see the administration soliciting ideas on small business creation and sustainability. The briefing was very informative and full of useful information.
Greg Gentner, COO of rFactr, located in Charlotte, North Carolina said, The rFactr Executive Team was honored to be invited to participate in the conversation with Senior Administration officials at the White House. As a global Social Sales Software company, we feel it is very important to establish an economic environment in the United States that helps entrepreneurial technology companies grow efficiently, empower advantages in technology, and create innovative solutions that provide value. It was great to be a part of the discussion about the challenges we continue to face as we grow our businesses.
Sandra Miller Jones, Founder & CEO of Segmented Marketing Services, Inc., located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina said, We were extremely pleased to participate in the White House Business Council s briefing yesterday. Our primary reason for attending was to help find ways to reach and secure health insurance for as many people as possible in these final days of Affordable Care Act enrollment. But we also learned a great deal about the outstanding work that the Obama administration is doing to assist small businesses across the nation. This was a worthwhile, action-oriented effort.
Carl Terrell, Founder & CEO of EcoCitement, located in Charlotte, North Carolina said, I was surprised and pleased by the amount of grassroots input the Obama Administration sought from the small business community at large. As a service provider of solid waste management solutions, I was particularly pleased to learn about service exporting opportunities and the support and advocacy of the U.S. Government for U.S. business interests. In addition to receiving information, I shared my thoughts on the need to preserve net neutrality, which if replaced by a premium tiered service model, will increase small business operating expenses and decrease our ability to compete with large companies on the Internet.
Kellam Warren, Managing Member of Mainsail Lawyers, located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina said, I m tired of gridlock in Washington. Mainsail Lawyers was started with a Small Business Administration loan and it was nice to talk directly with Senior White House Advisors, so that I could offer a few specific suggestions for improving the SBA loan program and for accelerating the number of jobs small businesses add to the economy. I came to Washington with the benefit of perspective gained from my own start up experience, and from my representation of entrepreneurs and businesses of all kinds in North Carolina s Research Triangle.
While politicians in Washington continue fighting about how to improve the economy, I thought it important that the President s Senior Advisors hear from someone who has actually created jobs in this economy, and used a SBA loan to start a business. I was pleasantly surprised, to find a receptive audience too.
Ad Lawal, President & Owner of Express Employment Professionals of Philadelphia, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania said, I found the White House Business Council briefing extremely valuable. Since my company provides temporary and permanent staffing services, finding jobs for people is essentially our business. Our business volume is an indication of the direction of the economy and we have noticed an upward trend as the government s initiatives to create jobs have paid off. At the briefing, I learned about a number of resources available through the SBA that could further our success as a company and help put more people to work in Philadelphia.
Wadria Taylor, Founder, Style & Steel located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania said, The White House Business Council Meeting reinforced that small businesses are the mitochondria of the U.S economy. Small businesses can do more and employ more people with access to capital. For many small business owners who fall short of meeting lending criteria for loans, their growth is stifled. My recommendation is for the SBA and the government to adjust the lending criteria and/or implement programs to help small business owners gain access to capital. As a business owner who is also a woman of color, having a seat at the table where I could exercise my voice and recommend solutions is priceless.
Tony Goodesmith, Founder & President of Standard Medical Services located in Arlington, Virginia said, We are very appreciative of the opportunity to brief the White House Business Council on some of the challenges we face on a daily basis while operating Standard Medical Systems. We are a serviced-disabled, veteran-owned small business seeking to compete on a level playing field when it comes to providing medical devices, equipment, and supplies. Often times we find ourselves competing against our own distribution partners for the same services solicited by VA medical centers. Additionally, we re concerned that the medical device tax will negatively impact small independent firms like ours as we work to compete with some of the largest medical device companies in the world.
Dave Sonntag, President of Decibel Management, located in Alexandria, Virginia said, With Decibel Management, I have planned events all over the country including the White House. I m honored I was invited for the first time as a guest to provide the Administration with feedback from small businesses. The discussion with the Small Business Administration was paramount for us, including the information on capital access and lending to grow our business. Additionally, gaining knowledge about the Department of Commerce s Advocacy Center and offering services overseas will help us expand into new markets.
About Business Forward
With the help of more than 50 of the world s most respected companies, Business Forward is making it easier for tens of thousands of business leaders from across America to advise Washington on how to create jobs and accelerate our economic recovery. Together, we have organized hundreds of local briefings with more than 450 senior Administration officials, Members of Congress, mayors and governors.
To date, we have also brought more than 3,000 business leaders to the White House to brief the President s economic advisors. Business leaders who have participated in our briefings have seen their suggestions implemented in the Affordable Care Act, the Jobs Act, three trade agreements and every one of the President s budgets. Many have also shared their recommendations with their representatives in Congress and through op-eds and interviews with local media. Ninety-eight out of 100 business leaders who have participated in a Business Forward briefing would be interested in participating in another one.
For more information please visit www.businessfwd.org or contact kayish@businessfwd.org.
It s the most wonderful time of the year . at Decibel!
BACKSTAGE, COMPANY NEWS, EVENT INDUSTRY, EVERYTHING ELSE, LIVE EVENTS, PERMITS
Decibel Management has been very busy since September and we are happy to finish out 2013 with an exciting amount of events we were fortunate to be a part of during the fall months!
National Book Festival, SHIRE Mobile Tour, National ATI Day, Glass Packaging Institute s Annual Meeting, Clorox Caroling with Busy Phillips, NextGen Climate Action Summit, Raleigh Christmas Parade, London Financial Forum, just to name a few.
We have already told you all about the National Book Festival in our last post, but we have lots more to share with you.
We worked with SHIRE to produce a mobile tour that went to two different cities to promote awareness about ADHD. Both the client and the participants had great feedback and we are looking forward to travelling again in 2014!
National ATI Day took place at the Newseum in October. We worked with our longtime client FleishmanHillard to produce the event that focused on the Made by Me National Challenge which brought a student made video idea to life with a professional video producer to create the new Above the Influence commercial.
Of course we loved working the 2013 Glass Packaging Institute s Annual Meeting- especially because it was held in Sonoma, California. Attendees participated in an Annual Golf Tournament, association meetings over three days and of course, a Wine Tasting Reception. Really, when in Rome!
Earlier this month Clorox launched their new campaign Bleach it Away for the Holidays. Clorox selected Busy Phillips to endorse their campaign. She joined the Clorox Carolers at two locations in New York City to sing about holiday s bleachable moments to people passing by.
NextGen Climate Action gathered at Georgetown University to host a summit discussing the Keystone Pipeline. Decibel assisted with registration, production, and logistics behind the summit to ensure a successful event for the client.
WRAL TV in Raleigh, NC gave us a call about a week before the Annual Christmas Parade with a potential rainy weather situation. Since we couldn t change the weather they asked if we could provide a tent for their on-air talent to be covered in case of rain during their broadcast. We provided a custom tent that fit perfectly on top of their scaffold and everyone remained dry throughout the parade.
Decibel also went international this year! Dave Sonntag was tapped by Linder and Associates as the producer for the Financial Inclusion 2020 Global Forum in London. We worked with a great team to produce a great event.
Phew. We have a few weeks to enjoy the holiday season and then we are gearing up to launch a tour in January! Stay tuned for Blog posts, Facebook Updates and Tweets about everything happening at Decibel.
National Book Festival 2013
COMPANY NEWS, LIVE EVENTS
For the third year running, Decibel was selected to manage the logistics and event operations for Washington DC s annual National Book Festival. Check out this behind the scenes video showcasing our work.
National Book Festival 2013- Behind the Scenes with Decibel Management from Decibel Management on YouTube.
Held every year on the National Mall and attended by tens of thousands of guests, the Library of Congress annual National Book Festival is one of Decibel s flagship events. The 2013 festival marked Decibel founder Dave Sonntag s 9th year on the NBF organization team, and Decibel Management s 3rd year handling NBF logistics.
More than 100 authors held events in the genre-specific pavilions, including Joyce Carol Oats, Margaret Atwood, Justin Cronin, and Christopher Buckley.
Decibel handled every aspect of the event, including collateral design management, site permitting, setup, breakdown, audio, and other logistics.
Sesame Street at the White House: How Decibel Got Involved
COMPANY NEWS, LIVE EVENTS
In mid-June, the creators of Sesame Street began a new campaign Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration seeking to help young children whose parents are in prison. The campaign aims to reach out to the 2.7 million American kids who have one or both parents in jail, especially those under the age of 8. Sesame Street is teaming up with the White House s Office of Public Engagement to help children better understand this separation and aid parents in talking about incarceration with their young ones.
The makers of the hit children s show are launching a new range of Muppet videos and exercises dealing specifically with this difficult issue. On June 12, the jolly figures of Cookie Monster and Abby Cadabby, as well as Alex and Murray were at the EEOB and White House to help roll out the campaign alongside administration officials.
Decibel Management was deeply honored to be a part of this event with Sesame Street and the White House. It was great to know that all the children who will benefit from the program will see Sesame Street characters and White House officials in the best possible light and from their most flattering angle. Although with such good-looking stars, doing so was child s play. Decibel handled the monitor mix and the video for the puppeteers, as well as general event management for the lead up to the event.
Event Wrap-Up: The Archdiocese Gala
COMPANY NEWS, UNCATEGORIZED
Catholics the biggest party animals on the planet, amirite? We kid, we kid we kid because we love! In any case, as it so happens, the Archdiocese of Baltimore throws a pretty excellent shindig every fall a black tie gala to raise money for their schools and this year we were proud to be among the organizers.
Held on October 3, this year s gala was staged at Towson University s SECU Arena, which was transformed into an elegant dining hall decked in blues and purples, with gauzy white curtains and exquisite flower arrangements. In addition to a delicious dinner, guests were treated to an evening of student performances and alumni talks. As in past years, this month s event drew around 800 attendees, whose generous donations go to supporting Archdiocesan schools and raising funds for need-based scholarships.
All in all the evening went off without a hitch, and succeeded in raising funds for a good cause. It was our pleasure and pride to be involved in such a fantastic event. Thanks to The Classic Catering People, EventEQ and Select Event Group for their amazing work!
Check out pics from the event below:
We re Hiring: Social Media Specialist
COMPANY NEWS
Hey there, job seeker.
We re a DC-area event management and production agency looking for a part-time social media specialist to handle our social content, accounts and strategy, as well as keep up with SEO, paid ads and general updates to our website. You should also have knowledge of video and photo editing and metric analysis experience. Initial focus will be developing our overall marketing and social communication strategy, and then actually being able to execute it. It ll be up to you to develop the strategy across all social platforms, discover, choose and write up the best posts, seek out event-related content and manage ads in any given week and across a range of categories, plus curate and edit a selection of blog content.
Who we re looking for
You like variety, but you re not a flake. The thought of doing the same thing every day makes you shudder a little. Except like, showing up for work. You do that with astonishing regularity. You re snarky, yet personable. We re not looking to make yet another event management post about COVID. We want our content to have a little bite to it, but that bite should be tempered with a strong streak of positivity. Overall, our ideal candidate will be obsessively organized, adaptable, naturally curious, extremely creative, responsive, and plugged in someone who never leaves home without a power bank because OMG panic.
You re reasonably social
We like a misanthropic shut-in as much as the next company, but this role will require you to be the voice of dB and talk to a bunch of people and stay connected to the large event scene, so it s probably best if you enjoy that sort of thing.
You get shit done on your own steam
Yes, you ll have a boss, but on a day-to-day basis, you ll be reporting primarily to yourself, so you gotta be self-motivated. Look, you know if you re a self-motivated person. You know, because no one s ever made wistful comments about your potential. You know because everyone seems to walk slower than you do.
You re bothered by unnecessary complexity
You have plenty of empathy for busy people and know how to present information clearly and succinctly in grab-and-go format.
You ve made your stamp on the social interwebs
We re not looking for an influencer. But you should have a curated personal social space, and demonstrated knowledge of social, paid and SEO.
Oh yeah, and you write
You write well and you write fast, you know how to write for varied audiences across varied platforms, and you write in a tone that s both conversational and approachable. Not just sometimes-I m-funny-when-I-tweet write. Not I ve-been-working-on-a-novel-for-a-decade write. You re compelled to write, a lot, by some power beyond yourself.
What we offer
Lots of freedom and flexibility, reasonable pay, and a boss that s on your team.
What we need from you
Please send two examples of corporate or brand social sites that have been curated by you. Also shoot over your curated personal accounts as well as any writing samples, by-lined published writing, articles, blogs or the like that fit the bill above. Will also review video and photo edit samples. Selected individuals may be asked to complete a mock or freelance-based assignment as part of the interview process. The results will factor into the final decision. Successful candidates will provide the hours and days you can work (during regular business times) and WHY a part-time role is a fit.
In? Talk to us.
David Sonntag
david@decibelmanagement.com
Fine Print
Location: DC, LA, NYC, RDU, or Virtual
Compensation: Based on 1-3 years of experience
Hours/Duration: Must be available during regular business hours targeting 20 hours a week.
What: Own the social media program. Represent the voice of dB in social content. Build social media strategies. Work with our in-house design to produce standout creative social assets. Lead the paid effort. Report on and improve qualitative and quantitative results.
How to be a top candidate for this job: Minimum one-year hands-on experience in Social Media Management. 2-4 years of experience in a social media role, with an agency or in-house experience (event or agency brand experience preferred). A passion for social media, branding, and building online communities. Writing and grammar skills; ability to develop interesting social media posts and campaigns for a boutique event management company. Video and photo editing experience. Understanding of social metric analysis. Exceptional attention to details. Degree in marketing, journalism, PR, advertising or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
2021 Emmy Awards Reviewed- Hits and Misses
BACKSTAGE, COMPANY NEWS, EVENT DESIGN, EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS, NEWS, TIPS & TRICKS, UNCATEGORIZED
Did you catch the 2021 Emmy awards ceremony this Sunday? We have fairly strong opinions here at Decibel about the production, and curious your own thoughts about the broadcast. Tl;dr tight shot was rubbish but we are encouraged to see live events happen safely.
The Emmy s saw attendees back in person (and in a fancy tent) this year. If you have ever designed and built out a production in a tent, you know what goes into the process. It is not easy, and a LOT goes into how these types of productions are designed. As you can see below, the event was built outside of the Staples Center. We have some great behind the scenes productions shots so you can see *behind* the facade into what it looks like backstage.
So what worked? I loved what I will call the attendee experience. The in-room experience looked great and I believe that the event guests had a great view and experience in the space. The long runs of LED down the length of the tent were solid as were all the graphics that made it to screen. I also loved the second stage backdrop and look. I am also thrilled to see the event pass COVID-19 protocols to get this many people in one place, all vaxxed and tested for the event. This should be a good model for other large scale events.
What fell short? The tight shot was absolute trash. I am actually really surprised this was able to make a national broadcast. It may have worked for those in the room, but any good producer learns early that you produce for your primary audience. This would be the television viewers and what did we get? A large solid color cyc that was wrinkled in the corners and a giant Emmy statue. In the tight shot, we only really got to see the mid section of the statue and the presenter. I would LOVE to know how in the world that made it through approvals.
In addition, there seemed to be a bit more gack in the different shots. In some instances, this was in the form of staff walking through the live shot, or just undressed hardware. I was also surprised about the audio quality for the broadcast.
All in all, I was glad to see a live event again and looking forward to the opportunity for more clients to take the leap safely and get back to these in-person events.
