The secret behind a standout corporate event usually isn’t flashy technology or branded giveaways. And it’s not just the exciting location or keynote speaker. It’s something much quieter and more creative: Genuine hospitality.

Successful communications initiatives, including corporate event planning, should start with taking care of people — making them feel welcome and connected. That won’t make any “Top 10 Trends in Events” lists, but it’s the heartbeat that Brian — as a person and as an agency — brings to everything we do. And that sense of welcome creates the perfect backdrop for creative concepts and a memorable brand experience for guests.

Here’s what that can look like:

Make it personal with local connections.

• Last year, we had the honor of helping our client Team IMPACT — which matches children facing serious illness and disability with college sports teams — host three distinct fundraising events in Chicago, LA and Philly. The organization is national, but the visuals and speakers were customized in each city to reflect the region’s sports teams, creating a personal and local connection with the guests. In Chicago, the décor, imagery and program featured athletes from nearby Northwestern and University of Chicago; in LA, UCLA and other west coast schools were represented.

Embrace the spirit of the city.

• In honor of the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement — the peace accord that ended decades of conflict in Northern Ireland — we worked with our clients to craft a two-day, international conference on the human cost of global conflict hosted by the acclaimed peace institutes at Queen’s University Belfast and the University of Chicago.
  
  Since the event drew a global audience, we welcomed guests to Belfast with a VIP reception at the Titanic Museum, an interactive and unique venue that honored the history and culture of the city. Upon hotel check-in, they received welcome baskets with locally curated goods, including custom chocolates and small wooden cranes representing the iconic Samson and Goliath cranes that mark the city skyline.
• What really helps attendees enjoy a city? Alleviating pain points with transportation and logistics when you can. In addition to ensuring a smooth run-of-show and providing creative, welcoming touches, we made sure that guests knew when and where to go and helped facilitate their transportation.
• For Team IMPACT’s fundraising event at Wrigley Field, we leaned into the unique venue with a themed tailgate event instead of a traditional semi-formal atmosphere. Guests were invited to the VIP lounge, served hot dogs and other classic ballpark foods, and given a chance to experience Chicago’s iconic stadium in a unique and unexpected way — and from the comfort of jeans and sneakers instead of typical gala attire.

Try a giveback instead of a giveaway.

• This strategy has been beautifully deployed by our friends at Project H.O.M.E., a nonprofit dedicated to breaking the cycle of homelessness and poverty in Philadelphia and beyond. At a recent fundraiser gala, they used “Welcome Home” gift baskets as centerpieces, featuring kitchen utensils and common household goods. After the event, the baskets were gifted to individuals moving into housing — a beautiful and memorable way to invest some of the organization’s event spend back into its mission.
• If you’re going to spend money on something, how can you use it to make someone else’s day better or more informed? We took inspiration from this as we were planning the HealthKey Summit, a premier conference co-created by Brian Communications that highlights innovation and collaboration in healthcare. In lieu of additional giveaway items, we opted to give back by making a donation on behalf of HealthKey participants to Rock Ministries of Philadelphia, a local organization serving at-risk, inner city youth through sports, arts, mentoring and more. As we developed an event where attendees would feel energized and inspired, we also wanted them to feel that they positively impacted those in need.

It’s harder than ever for brand events to earn a spot on the calendar of consumers and clients.

Each of these elements invites creativity that’s inspired by care and connected to your broader corporate communications strategy. Anyone can plan an event, but a strategic approach ties the event into something bigger — the culture of the city, or relevant happenings around the world — and pairs it with little, thoughtful details that create an experience of welcome and delight.