Fundamentals of Event Management

SESSION ONE : Events & role in IMC - An event from start - finish SESSION TWO : Event Management agencies, education, issues, entrepreneurship SESSION THREE : Case Studies

Topics to be covered
Agency Credentials Check The Client Brief De-briefing process and documentation

Brainstorming: Process of team ideation How not to shoot down an idea!

The comeback presentation: The Agency Pitch (highlights of important elements) The downside of losing a pitch

Topics to be covered
Pre-Production Elements Show Day Elements: Different events: different checklists Post-Production: Follow Up and Closure

How successful agencies create a brand experience: From customer engagement to customer delight: Case studies

an event
From pitch to post production

Step one Agency Credentials Check

Aspects of the check

Divisions : collective strengths Locations : national, international Bandwidth : # of people , turnover Experience: collective HR experience and agency experience for the specific requirement

Relationship with competition Client NDAs

Core Values & Ownership

EMC Divisions: collective strengths

Broad EMC categories

EMCs with partner divisions
EMCs with multiple specializations Niche EMCs

EMCs with Partner Divisions

Creative division Web design Wedding divisions

Set Design partners

Artiste management division Travel & tourism partners Marketing departments Data/ audience generation divisions

EMCs with Multiple Specializations

Conferences Entertainment/ Live Events Launches Theme Nights Brand Promotions et al

Niche EMCs
Companies that cater only to the MICE agenda Companies that look into Promotions only Wedding planners etc.

Bandwidth, experience & core philosophy

What clients look for

People : values, reporting to , number and collective experience # of offices Associates / Vendor Network Credit period Agency turnover human and monetary Process checks ISO certification, ERP, internal formats/procedures

All leading to a process of vendor empanelment Sample Vendor Empanelment form

Class Exer 1: Create a credentials presentation for your team

Events - broad Categories

How do you categorize Events ?

Objective : TA:
Awareness/ re-positioning/ customer centric/charity

Internal / External/ Youth/ Mass/ Niche

Location : Time :

National/ International/ Indoor / outdoor

Seasonal/ Annual/ specific date

Media Involvement :

Televised/ PR centric/ virtual

Broad Categories
Corporate Events : Launches / conferences / award shows/ offsite Sports Events Celeb Centric Events / Theme Parties Live Events : Concerts / musicals / fashion shows / theatre Brand Promotions : Mall promos, roadshows

Exhibitions
Class Exer. 2 : List Production elements of the above

Broad EMC Associates / Vendors

Sound & Light Vendors Venue construct vendors Decorators Caterers Merchandise manufacturers Printers Audience Generation Agencies Security agencies Ticketing agencies Travel agencies

Many more depending on specific event needs

Client brief

The brief
3 ways to operate :

EMC to Conceptualize : explain the idea and how objectives are achieved through execution
EMC given most event elements Client has a plan agency only comes up with a cost EMC comes up with a concept / a property which is annual or a regular feature the client contributes as a sponsor if he is convinced of the brand-event fit Examples + Class Exer 3 : Create a client brief

Everything in life is a choice- including a pitch Agencies can also decide whether they want to join the race

The Pitch/ The big idea

Elements of a pitch
No. of agencies Clients with agency backgrounds Cannot be a platform for thrusting your own big Idea

The client is king

No agency pitch fee as yet however, you can protect your concepts with a NDA

Sample NDAs

Elements of a pitch
Understanding the brand The Idea : Thinking out of the box Coming up with an idea is not a big deal thinking practical execution is key You stand a chance if you value add Value adding comes within a budget

The relationship to event objectives

The X factor

The downside of losing a pitch

Morale it hurtsthe Bacardi doesnt help

EMC focus + corporate idea + event fit

Loss of man hours - I had put in so much work ! Who doesnt??!! What have you learnt ? Error elimination & Postmortems Client understanding better luck next time! Vendor negotiations if it is a cost issue, tell the vendor exactly how it feels Dont badmouth anyone if you lose a pitch!!

And if you win the pitch

First celebrate Then Allocate!
Stages of the event:

Pre event Prod Production Post event Prod

Most often One CS + One Prod to head the team

Class Exer 4 : Break down an event into 3 stages

QUESTIONS answers?

Who are the people who make an event possible?

Broad departments in an EMC

Client Service Production Promotions ( A dept. by itself in some organizations) Marketing Business Development Creative

Broad departments in an EMC

Support Departments : Finance HR / Corp. Affairs/ Admin Permissions

Broad functions

Client Service
The face of the event Presentations for pitches The Mediator Between client & diff depts

The sandwich department

The Planner research, plan event flow, understand event objectives & deliverables, set timelines

The Negotiator Negotiate budgets & timelines

Sample brief & de-brief docs

Sample Client Brief & internal de-brief

Production
An EMC is as strong as its Production dept. The fall back guys Plan the event venue, timelines, vendors, locations, layouts and budgets Negotiate vendors, submit lead times Support CS with all backend info. required by client Example sample budgets + sample layouts

Creative
Understand the brand & event objective Guidelines
Choice of color Logos & subsidiary logos Placement

Lead Times Understand Printing technology/ material Understand set design Creative Design/ Copy/ Concepts

Business Development
The highly networked team with all the connections Different markets need different skill sets Interdept. Coordination Professionals might be from Marketing/ Retail/ Operations background

Marketing
EMCs might have their own properties which are sold by their marketing divisions Marketing gets in sponsorships/ tie-ups for large scale events like concerts etc. which might not be an EMCs exclusive property

Marketing teams have their pulse on big pockets hence creating new events that can tap into those funds
They also provide insights into audience generation since they understand both sponsors & audiences that will attend such events

People who entrust us with their brands

Brand / Product Managers Retail Heads Division Heads ( HR, Facilities etc.) Artistes & Artiste Managers Government Officials And not to forget Fathers of brides & Moms of 3 year olds too!!

Creating the Brand Experience

Using media to make the proposition come alive

RADIO TV PRINT OUTDOORS MOBILES

INTERNET

OFF PREMISE

ON PREMISE

The event experience

Discussion
Autodesk Media & Entertainment

PwC Advisory University

INXS Helios

T!on from Tata Tea

Summarization / Topics covered

Agency Creds Types of EMCs Types of Events EMC associates Departments & functions Checklists Pre Post production Creating the Brand Experience event stages Use of various media What employers look for Entrepreneurship in events Events in the current economic scenario