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INTRODUCTION
Our event “Adulting 101: Don’t let adulthood fool you!” will be a three day, two
night conference held at the Crowne Plaza Times Square. The event is hosted by
FindSpark and will take place from Friday, April 1st, 2016 to Sunday, April 3rd, 2016.
The objective of the conference is to provide attendees with the tools, resources, and
inspiration for transitioning into adulthood. Some of the goals for the conference are:
Ensuring that attendees leave the conference feeling more confident in their ability to be
an adult by focusing on financial, real estate, career and wellness; educating attendees
about the different resources and task they will face as they enter to adulthood; making
our partners and sponsors feel they have contributed to the development of the future
workforce; providing attendees with basic knowledge of day-to-day financial concepts
such as: Credit Score, Taxes, and Investing; and providing attendees with tools that will
help them achieve a work-life balance.
As event planning professionals, our client, FindSpark reached out to us with
their conference idea so that we could help them make it a reality. FindSpark is a
“community dedicated to setting up every young professional for career success”, as
part of their mission, they strive to provide young professionals with the tools and
resources to excel in the professional world. They chose us to take their idea and make
it a reality because our team is composed by young professionals who understand not
only the business of event planning, but also the target market they strive to attract as
conference attendees.
Our pre-conference research shows that the conference’s target market will be
college students and recent alumni within the Greater New York City Area, their ages
ranging from 18 to 25 years old, targeting an even number of males and females. The
target market falls within the generation of Millennials, which range in age between 18-
33 years old, and our research shows that this group is the most racially diverse in
America. They are also adventurous, tech-savvy, multitaskers and want recognition and
feedback for their work. In addition, the team browsed social media networks such as
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest, and found out that Millennials, even though
they have reach “adulthood”, don’t feel entirely confident in their abilities to do so. Even
though no generation has been fully ready to become an adult - and no other generation
needed a conference on this-, given the characteristics of Millennials, the group and
FindSpark believe there is a market for such event to take place. The team expects to
have an attendance of between 300-350 people.
After conducting market and venue research, and having analyzed the budgetary
and operational needs of the event, the team is confident that “Adulting 101: Don’t let
Adulthood fool you!” is a feasible event. The conference will be broken into three days,
each focusing on a different aspect of “Adulting”: Day one will cover the financial and
real estate aspects, day two will be focused on career development, and day three on
wellness and work-life balance.
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The conference will be designed around the slogan “Don’t let Adulthood fool
you!”, since the event will start on April’s fools day. During the design phase, the team
will conduct various brainstorming sessions in order to come up with a coherent and
creative concept, creating a pinterest board where possible ideas and inspirations will
be stored for reference. For the planning stage of the conference, the team will create
and follow a timeline for communicating with stakeholders, as well as for keeping track
of important deadlines leading to the day of the event. As for the coordination of the
event, the team will create a production schedule, where each staff member will be
assigned tasks, such document will allow the event producers and everyone working
the event to ensure a smooth, successful conference.
Once the event has passed, the conference will be evaluated by both
stakeholders and attendees -measuring how well were the objective and goals
accomplished-, and assessing if the conference could be implemented in other regions
of the Nation, bringing other young Millennials the opportunity to benefit from the event.
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PART I: ADMINISTRATION
The W’s:
In order to produce a successful event, it is necessary to conduct a needs assessment,
after meeting with our client, FindSpark, the team has determined the following event
basics:
What: Conference “Adulting 101 - Don’t let adulthood fool you”
Where: Crowne Plaza Times Square, 1605 Broadway (Between 48th & 49th Streets)
New York, NY 100136
When: From Friday, April 1 to Sunday, April 3 2016
Why: The objective of this event is to provide attendees with the tools, resources, and
inspiration for transitioning into adulthood.
Who: College enrolled Millennials and alumni. Expected group size: 300-350
OBJECTIVE:
The objective of “Adulting 101: Don’t let Adulthood fool you” is, as stated under the
“why”, to provide attendees with the tools, resources, and inspiration for transitioning
into adulthood. The idea behind this conference is to ensure young-Millennials leave the
event feeling more confident in their ability to be an adult. this will be achieved by
creating content focused on financial, real estate, career and wellness. Through our 3-
day event, the team will strive to provide such resources through workshops, keynote
speakers, networking sessions, and dynamic activities to the attendees in order to
ensure they feel they have gained insight into “adulting”.
GOALS:
With regards of the event goals, we have broken them up into four different categories:
Planner, client, sponsor & partners, and attendee goals. The team has made an effort
into making all goals specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound. And,
after carefully brainstorming with all stakeholders we have chosen the following as the
main event goals.
Planner goals:
● To break even. The success of this goal will be achieved by conducting a
thorough financial analysis and making sure budgetary constraints are not
exceeded at any time.
● To deliver the client a high-quality product that meets their needs and
expectations. This goal will be achieved by having constant communication with
our client throughout all phases of event planning and production.
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Client Goals:
● To Increase FindSpark membership by 20%. Success of the goal will be
measured by comparing membership numbers before and after the event.
● To increase FindSpark partnership opportunities by bringing at least 3 new
partners and sponsors to the conference. Success of the goal will be assessed
by following up with client 4 weeks after the event.
Attendee Goals:
● To increase conference attendees’ knowledge about the different resources and
task they will face as they enter adulthood by at least 25% at the end of event.
● To increase attendee’s confidence in understanding and dealing with financial &
real estate concepts such as: renting, taxes and credit scores by at least 20%.
● To aid attendees in finding career opportunities by providing Networking and
meet up space.
All of these goals will be measured by comparing the responses recorded on our
pre-event and post-event surveys.
Sponsor & Partner Goals:
● To make our partners and sponsors feel they have made a contribution to society
by investing their time and resources into the conference. Success of the goal
will be measured by surveying partners and sponsors’ speakers and
representatives after their workshops.
● To provide our partners and sponsors with connections to potential clients by
providing networking and meet up space. Success of this goal will be assessed
by measuring how many attendees expressed interest in the services offered.
● To provide our partners and sponsor with potential future employees connections
by providing networking and meet up opportunities. Success of this goal will be
measured by measuring how many attendees expressed interest in the services
offered.
VENUE:
The following SWOT analysis shows a list of all the aspects considered prior
settling on a venue, after careful analysis, the team has chosen to host the conference
the Crowne Plaza Times Square, and IHG brand. The venue’s location is close to
multiple subway lines and attractions. Moreover, the hotel has 20,000 square feet of
newly renovated event space and the ideal group size is between 300 and 350
attendees, although they can accommodate up to 700. The venue has catering in house
and provides audio visual through PSAV, a known event production company with
offices on site. The conference will be held entirely on the Crowne Plaza’s fourth floor,
allowing us to retain our attendees efficiently and effectively through the duration of the
conference. The team will use the Broadway Ballroom for our opening sessions,
lunches, receptions and dinners; rooms 401 through 406 will be used for our workshops
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and meet ups, having three double rooms; room 407 will be used as the conference’s
headquarters.
THEME:
Our event theme will revolve around April fool’s day, since the conference will
start on Friday, April 1st. Our team brainstormed possible names and slogans for the
conference, and evaluated possible names like “How to adult?”, “Being a grown up”,
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and so on, but “Adulting 101: Don’t Let Adulthood Fool You!” provided an opportunity to
link the theme and date together.
In addition, our conference will have a difference core focus for each day. The
focus for day one (Friday) will be financial and real-estate based, covering issues like
renting, credit score, taxes, investments, etc. Day two (Saturday) will be focused on
career and networking, covering subjects like internships, cover letters, resumes, and
fashion for the workplace, as well as salary negotiation and 401K. Lastly, day three
(Sunday) will focus on wellness, featuring workshops on healthy eating, community
service, self defense, meditation and exercise.
BUDGET:
For our budget, the team created an excel spreadsheet and decided to break
down revenues and expenses by account number.
Adulting 101 Estimated Budget
Breakeven Event
Expenses
Account
Code Category Amount
100 Accounting
200 Administration $694,193.72
201 Research $600.00
202 Décor $400.00
203 Insurance $1,800.00
204 Entertainment $3,000.00
205 Legal Counsel $2,000.00
206 Licenses $5,000.00
207 Local, state, provincial, and federal taxes $146,493.72
208 Materials shipping/freight fees $200.00
209 Permits $2,000.00
210 Photocopying $100.00
211 Registration materials $1,000.00
212 Report preparation and publishing $600.00
213 Risk management corrections $1,000.00
214 Site rental (10 rooms, 3.5 days) $525,000.00
215 Technology $5,000.00
300 Advertising $4,674.00
301 Signage and other printing $2,074.00
302 Photography $600.00
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722 4/3 - Staff Breakfast $825.00
723 4/3 - Breakfast $16,500.00
724 4/3 - Beverage Break $7,500.00
725 4/3 - Staff Snacks $375.00
726 4/3 - Snack Break $12,600.00
727 4/3 - Staff Lunch $1,440.00
728 4/3 - Lunch $29,700.00
729 4/3 - Staff Snacks $375.00
730 4/3 - Staff Dinner $1,805.00
731 Service Charge $62,975.00
800 Miscellaneous $400.00
Total $1,076,786.72
Revenues
Account
Code Category Amount
216 Registration Fees $19,600.00
217 University wholesale ($60 each) $18,000.00
General Sale ($80 each) $1,600.00
305 Advertising revenues $0.00
502 Sponsorship fees $440,000.00
503 First Tier Sponsorship $180,000.00
504 Second Tier Sponsorship $240,000.00
505 Third Tier Sponsorship $20,000.00
900 Donations/philanthropy $600,000.00
901 Venture capital and venture philanthropic investment $600,000.00
1000 FindSpark Investment $20,000.00
Total $1,079,600.00
Net Income $2,813.28
PARTNERS & FUNDING:
For this event, we have chosen to break the sponsorship in four levels, three of
them where our partners will donate a certain amount of money in exchange for
benefits, and a fourth one where the company would donate either their time or services
for the benefit of the conference (a barter deal). The way the sponsorship will be broken
down will be described in further detail in the section IV.
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Some examples of partnering companies for our event are: Apple, Discover,
Expedia,Fitbit, Forbes, Google, MeetUp, Planet Fitness, Twitter, Wells Fargo, Whole
Foods, Yoga to the people,Young Travel Professionals, and Your Local Cousin.
In addition to the revenue derived from sponsorships, the event team reached
out to other nonprofits with the hopes of partnering with them in exchange of funding,
we have been successful in partnering with the following nonprofits: The Opportunity
Network, the Harlem Educational Activities Fund, and the Woodhull Institute For Young
Women in Leadership. All of these organizations believe our conference could benefit a
share of their target market, making them willing to contribute financially.
Lastly, FindSpark itself will support part of the conference’s expenses, and
registration fees will also be a main source of income.
STAFFING:
The staffing resources we will utilize at our conference include paid staff,
volunteers, and freelancers. In our regular staff category will be individuals such as the
team with our client, FindSpark, listed below:
● Emily Miethner - Founder & CEO
● Christina Madsen - Editorial & Community Coordinator
● Andrea Velazquez - Creative Producer & Business Development Coordinator
● An Vu - Sales and Marketing Intern
● Bianca Pasternack - Marketing & Events
● Edwin Raagas - program Coordinator
● Stephanie Mauro - Photo Manager.
In addition to our clients, we will also have the event planners (us) and the hotel
staff consisting of the catering staff as well as the event coordinators on property that
are assigned to our event. Furthermore, we plan to utilize volunteers - those from local
universities and colleges who are studying event management, hospitality, or similar
areas of study. Of course, there will be separate shifts so they won’t have to work 3
days straight, as well as the offering of being able to attend certain features of the
event, gaining experience, and receiving a goodie bag from our sponsors, a t-shirt, and
a gift card to show our appreciation. They will be able to register online via a volunteer
signup form on the event website that will ask questions such as time commitments,
preferences in certain workshops, skills, and so on. Finally, we will be utilizing those in
the freelancing business such as graphic designers, photographers and videographers,
deejays and music staff, and so on.
In relation to training the staff and volunteers, we will be preparing handbooks as
well as having a training session the day prior in order to familiarize everyone with any
necessary information, guidelines, and rules. For example, topics of discussion will
include, but are not limited to, specific instructions regarding assignment times and
tasks, meal times and the consumption of alcohol, the dress code, mobile app training,
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customer service tips, the timeline of the event and the detailed production schedule,
and the description and purpose of this event. We will also provide the handbooks to the
staffing personnel in advanced, mailed out a week or so prior, so that the volunteers can
look over it and come prepared to ask any questions needed to improve their
performance.
COMMUNICATION:
In order to communicate efficiently and effectively, the steering team has been
divided in different committees (Sponsorship, Risk assessment, Content, and Planning)
and has come up with a communication timeline to ensure deadlines are being met.
November 2015:
Our Client, FindSpark, reached out to us for assistance in planning the
conference. The Objectives and goals were discussed and established, brainstormed
the theme and purpose of the event, as well as what company resources, if any, we as
planners would have access to. Later that month, the team had an in person meeting
with FindSpark, delivered our proposal and discussed any concerns. Client accepted
our offer and the planning began. Started the site visits and inspected costs and
amenities, conducted SWOT analysis. Started the process of website design.
December 2015:
Had another in person meeting with FindSpark. Revised and confirmed budget,
selected conference venue, started the save the date and invitation designs, sent out
save the dates. Later in the month, a virtual meeting was held where decoration,
transportation, music and entertainment were approved.
January 2016:
Held another team meeting online to check on the progress of acquiring
sponsors and funding in general. Invitations to the public were sent out and registration
was opened, at the end of the month the first reminder was sent as well.
February 2016:
Online meeting with all members of the steering team to finalize approval on
vendor list. Sent another reminder to the general public and started recruiting
volunteers.
March 2016:
In person meeting of steering committee to assess progress. Sent another
reminder and confirmed volunteers for event.
April 2016:
Had a pre conference meeting with hotel staff and vendors, trained volunteer and
staff days before event. During the event, the goal is to maintain effective
communication amongst event staff,volunteers, venue, vendors and other stakeholders
to ensure a smooth event.
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Post-event communication will be held to report the event feedback to the client
and sponsors. A survey will be sent out to attendees to collect satisfaction data, along
with demographic and psychographic information. In addition, thank you notes will be
sent to all staff, volunteers, attendees, sponsors, venue, and other stakeholders. A
budget reconciliation will be performed and a final meeting with the client will be held in
order to obtain their feedback as well.
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PART II: THEME AND CREATIVE DESIGN
DESIGN PLAN:
For the design, the team decided to create a Pinterest board where different
elements that we associated with the conference were stored. The board included items
from color palettes, pop culture memes, workshop content topics, program design,
badges, etc. After deciding on our theme, the group determined that working around the
colors already existing in the conference floor would be ideal to enhance the attendee’s
experience without incurring on further costs.
With regards of the color palette for the event, the team found inspiration on
Pinterest, and decided to combine the two color palettes shown below, taking from the
“hint of hibiscus” palette the colors blue, and orange, and from the “pool side” palette we
have taken the aqua.
For all of the event’s graphics we have decided to use a free online software
called Canva, which allows us to create quick, yet appealing designs, for a variety of
social media platforms and print. Our event’s graphics and content will be largely
influenced by internet memes and social media lingo.
Our design specifications are:
Fonts: Anton, Arimo, and Permanent marker
Colors: Burnt Orange, HEX code FE6C37; Dark Cerulean, HEX code 143D84; and
Caribbean Green, HEX code 01D09F.
Logo:
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COLLATERAL:
For the event collateral, the only printed material will be the event signage and the
badges, since the save the date and invitations will be distributed online, and the
conference program will be within our conference app in an attempt to go green, and
since our target market is more inclined to use their smartphones. We will present
examples of most collateral below.
Save the Date:
Invitations:
Badges:
For attendees, the lower part of the badge will be burnt orange; for staff,
caribbean green; and for sponsors, dark cerulean. at the back of each bag we
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will put an at-a-glance agenda for quick reference, and also as a backup in case
technology fails.
Signage:
Our event signage will be printed on 22”x28” gloss laminated, foam core material.
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PART III: COORDINATION AND PRODUCING
EVENT SWOT ANALYSIS:
The event will be hosted by FindSpark, as mentioned above, they are a non-
profit community that strives to provide tools to young professional in order to help them
reach professional success. The conference will be held at the Crowne Plaza Times
Square and our main objective, as mentioned above is to to provide attendees with the
tools, resources, and inspiration for transitioning into adulthood. A detailed description
of the goals and objectives can be found under the “Administration” section.
CATERING:
For the event’s food and beverage, the team will use the in-house catering from
the venue. The team has worked with the options provided by the group sales manager
and has agreed in the following menus for staff and attendees:
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TECHNICAL & AUDIO VISUAL:
Technology and Audiovisual services are necessary to ensure success at our
event. The venue we are using has a partnership with PSAV therefore we will be
utilizing their services. The packages we will be purchasing include AV Cable Lot, LCD
Projector, Projection Stand, Tripod Screed, Gooseneck Microphone, Mixers, Power-Mid,
Conference Speaker Phone, and Wireless Mics, as well as the labor for setup/strike and
event operation.
We are using AV equipment because it will allow our speakers and presenters to
provide any relevant and helpful information, in addition to their verbal communications.
Additionally, we believe these technologies will be beneficial for the attendees in
understanding what the presenters are saying. The microphones will allow all attendees
to hear what is being said as well.
MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT:
In order to maximize the experience for our attendees, we will implement both
music and entertainment components into our event. In regards to music, we will be
playing Top 40 songs at various parts throughout the day, made possible by our music
license. We will also seek to incorporate some smoother, more classical music into
dinner or networking events, to encourage professionalism and relaxation.
In regards to entertainment, we will be providing such at the dinner on Saturday,
April 2. In order to appeal to our young attendees, we will seek to implement a flash
mob component using local student dancers or those enrolled in performing arts
programs who want experience and exposure.
SPECIAL NEEDS OR EFFECTS:
This event does not require any special needs or effects due to its objectives,
goals, and overall theme.
TIMELINE:
Conference: Adulting 101 - Don’t Let Adulthood Fool You
Dates: April 1-3, 2016
Days: Fri-Sun (3/2)
Friday April 1 - Real Estate & Finances
09:00AM Breakfast - 4th Floor Atrium
10:00AM General Session (Opening remarks) - Broadway Ballroom
10:00AM Beverage Break (Ongoing) - 4th Floor Atrium
11:00AM Workshop Block I
● Budgeting 101: Strategies and tips for a healthy budget and how to stick to it -
Room 401/402
● Credit Score for Dummies - What is it? What do I need it for? How to get it right?
- Room 403/404
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● Broke No More: Baby steps to get you saving! - Room 405/406
12:00PM Workshop Block II
● I don’t need you, but I want you: how to differentiate between wants and needs -
Room 401/402
● Taxes: Ain’t nobody got time for that - Room 403/404
● Investing: Get the basics and start doing it now - Room 403/404
01:00PM Lunch (Keynote speaker TBA)
03:00PM Workshop Block III
● After school apartment hunting: All you need to know - Room 401/402
● Big Apple Renting: How renting in NYC is different - Room 403/404
● Real estate lingo: Know your lease - Room 405-406
04:00PM Expo - Rooms 401-406
05:00PM Hor d’oeuvres/ Networking - Broadway Ballroom
07:00PM End of day events.
Saturday April 2 - Career
09:00 AM Breakfast - 4th Floor Atrium
10:00AM General session (speaker) - Broadway Ballroom
10:00AM Beverage Break (Ongoing) - 4th Floor Atrium
11:00AM Workshop Block IV
● One page sellers: Resumes & Cover letters - Room 401/402
● Society needs you: CSR - Room 403/404
● When I retire: 401k, a crash course - Room 405/406
12:00PM Workshop Block V
● Plugged In: Linkedin & Social media - Room 401/402
● Building experience: the Internship search - Room 403/404
● Diversity in the workplace: Good practices and initiatives - Room 405/406
01:00PM Lunch (Keynote speaker)
03PM Workshop Block VI
● Salary negotiation: Do’s, Don’ts and other helpful tips - Room 401/402
● Dress up time: Fashion @ the Workplace - Room 403/404
● UnPlug! How to network live! - Room 405/406
04:30PM Expo 2 - Networking suites - Rooms 401-406
06:00PM Dinner + Entertainment - Broadway ballroom
09:00PM End of day events.
Sunday April 3 - Wellness
09:00AM Boxed breakfast - 4th Floor Atrium
10:00AM Wellness session (Yoga/Meditation) - Broadway Ballroom
10:00AM Beverage Break (Ongoing) - 4th Floor Atrium
11:30AM Workshop Block VII
● Health & Wellness: Why it’s good for you - Room 401/402
● You are what you eat: Eating Healthy on a Budget - Room 403/404
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● Get involved: Community service - Room 405/406
12:30PM Workshop Block VIII
● Ain’t nobody got time for that: How to create an short & effective exercise routine - Room
401/402
● Balance your life out - Living in a work-fun balance: how to keep yourself sane - Room
403/404
● Travel on a budget and budgeting your fun - Room 405/406
01:30 PM Lunch (Closing remark) - Broadway Ballroom
02:30PM Expo - Room 401-406
03:30PM Fitness Pow Wow
● Dance it out! Zumba - Room 401/402
● Punch it out! Kickboxing - Room 403/404
● Watch out! Self defense class - Room 405/406
04:30PM End of Event
EVENT PRODUCTION SCHEDULE:
To see the event production schedule, refer to Appendix A.
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PART IV: INTEGRATED MARKETING & SPONSORSHIP
AUDIENCE:
The audience we are targeting to attend our event are college enrolled
Millennials from the ages of 17-25 and recently graduated individuals in the Greater
New York area. Additionally, we are aiming for students who haven’t had an “official”
exposure on to how to deal with adulthood. The attendees, for the most part, are a bit
confused in regards to topics such as taxes, budgeting, and so on.
HOW TO REACH THEM:
In order to reach our target market of college-enrolled Millennials, we will utilize
various methods. The first method will be the online and social media platform. Not only
will we have a website that will provide information concerning the benefits and
components of our conference, but we will also seek to maximize social media to find
individuals best suited for our event. We will also reach out and connect with career
centers on campuses in the Greater New York area as well as campus ambassadors in
order to have a more personal touch on recruiting. Furthermore, we will be sending out
save-the-dates and invitations directly to provide even more touch points in order to
encourage attendance.
SPONSORSHIP:
We are looking for sponsors who not only can provide financial means for us to
put on this event, but also who can provide additional resources for our attendees such
as networking opportunities, financial education, internship/job possibilities, and so on.
We have also divided our sponsors into different tier levels with various benefits for
each, as listed below:
First Tier→$30,000:
● Step & Repeat
● Advance and final copy of attendee list
● Advance copy of press list two weeks prior to conference
● Choice of sponsoring General session/lunch
● Company name, website link, and profile featured on Conference website,
app, and agendas
● Two speaking or moderating opportunities
● Complimentary exhibit table at the Expos
Second Tier→$20,000:
● Expo Presence
● Advance and final copy of attendee list
● Choice of sponsoring workshops
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● Company name, website link, and profile featured on Conference website,
app, and agendas
● Complimentary exhibit table at the Expos
● Speaking or moderating opportunities
Third Tier→$10,000:
● Expo Presence
● Advance and final copy of attendee list
● Sponsor registration/breaks
● Company name, website link, and profile featured on Conference website,
app, and agendas
● Complimentary exhibit table at the Expos
Community Sponsors → those who donate resources or services and media coverage:
● Advance and final copy of attendee list
● Company name, website link, and profile featured on Conference website
● Media content displayed on conference monitors
● Sponsor charging stations
Provided below is a table containing each of our sponsors and potential offerings they
can contribute to our event:
Company Description
Designated
Tier
Finance/Banking
Discover ▪ Cash rewards credit card; banking; payments
▪ Customer service
▪ Offer videos about financial education
▪ Donations to charities; volunteer recognition programs
First Tier
Forbes ▪ Leading Internet media company
▪ Most trusted resource for the world's business and
investment leaders
▪ Tools for succeeding, profiting from investments, and
having fun with the rewards of winning
▪ Business, technology, investing and lifestyle, stock and
mutual funds, etc.
▪ HQ in Jersey City, NJ
Second Tier
Goldman Sachs ▪ People and culture; development of employees
▪ Environmental, social, and governance awards
▪ Investment banking firm
▪ Serving within communities
▪ Diversity initiatives
Second Tier
JP Morgan Chase ▪ Consumer and commercial banking business; holding
company
First Tier
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▪ Diversity; people as an asset
▪ Corporate responsibility
PricewaterhouseCoo
pers
▪ Audit, consulting, taxes
▪ CSR: students and teachers, employee engagement,
carbon reduction
▪ PwC Open University – business learning, free
Second Tier
Wells Fargo ▪ Vision and values, CSR
▪ Financial services company – banking, insurance,
investments, mortgage, etc.
▪ Industry leader
▪ Investing in community
▪ Financial education; youth
Second Tier
Hospitality/Travel
Airbnb ▪ Sharing accommodations
▪ Teamwork; brainstorming
▪ Changing the travel industry; culture of learning
Third Tier
Expedia ▪ Leading online travel brand
▪ Competitive, technology and innovation, passion,
enterprising
▪ Expedia Cares
▪ Community grants, employee volunteerism, matching
program
Second Tier
Hilton ▪ Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
▪ Career pathways for youth in the hospitality sector
Second Tier
Hyatt ▪ Diversity and inclusion
▪ Combating human trafficking; human rights
▪ Environmental
Second Tier
Marriott ▪ Responsible business; ethics; sustainability
▪ Serving communities, donations
▪ Diversity and inclusion
▪ Stakeholders and investors
Second Tier
Union Square
Hospitality Group
▪ Community; giving back; No Kid Hungry
▪ People as most valuable asset
Third Tier
Young Travel
Professionals
▪ Connection travel professionals
▪ HQ = NYC, NY
▪ Designing the future
Community
Sponsor
Your Local Cousin ▪ Providing advice and recommendations to travelers
▪ Connects travelers
Community
Sponsor
Technology/Social Media
Apple ▪ Innovation, idealists, inventors
▪ Internship opportunities
▪ Inclusion and diversity
▪ Accessibility
First Tier
Facebook ▪ Internships, Facebook University Second Tier
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▪ Impact, fast-paced, social value
Google ▪ Focus on users
▪ Google Ventures – investing in most disruptive and
interesting startups
▪ Culture and diversity, employees as an asset
First Tier
Microsoft ▪ Empowerment, productivity
▪ Diversity
▪ Ethics and compliance
First Tier
Twitter ▪ Empowering people to share ideas/info immediately
▪ Internships
Second Tier
Fitness
Equinox Fitness ▪ Luxury fitness company
▪ Based in New York
Second Tier
Fitbit ▪ Dedication to health and fitness
▪ Empower/inspire people to live healthier and become
more active
First Tier
Lyft Energy ▪ “Clean Caffeine” – natural
▪ Vitamins
Community
Sponsor
Meetup ▪ Network of groups
▪ Mission is to revitalize local community
▪ Tech-based
Community
Sponsor
Planet Fitness ▪ Appealing to pathos
▪ Health club fitness
▪ Providing a comfortable environment
Second Tier
Whole Foods Market ▪ Healthy grocery store
▪ Community, local involvement
▪ Corporate governance
Community
Sponsor
Yoga to the People ▪ Yoga studio
▪ Emphasize yoga for everyone
Community
Sponsor
EVENT PROGRAMS:
Our event’s program will be incorporated into our mobile app.
ADVERTISEMENT:
As previously mentioned, we will utilize online and social media, campus
resources, and invitations in order advertise and market our event to the desired
attendee demographics. The importance of using the online component of advertising is
key, especially because we are targeting the younger end of the millennial generation.
Having a website will enable users to research the offerings of the event and determine
if they will derive benefit from attending. They will be able to see what types of
workshops will be available, the different companies they will be able to network with, as
well as any other pertinent information they may so desire.
43. | Herrick, & Marquez 43
In regards to the social media component of the event, this is how we will inform
social media users of the event. While the website component can still advertise for us,
the social media platform will allow us to achieve a further reach. Social media
strategies can be used to attract people to the website for more information.
In relation to utilizing our on-campus resources, we will seek to also advertise
through campus career and development centers and campus ambassadors as well as
reaching out to various clubs and organizations and perhaps even specifically asking
professors to attend class to discuss the event and its components.
TECHNOLOGY:
In the case of our event, we will be utilizing the online/digital channels, as well as
print advertising and buzz marketing on campus as a part of our integrated marketing
campaign. Concerning the online and digital channels, we will be using social media
and emailing. Social media will help us because the generation we are targeting uses
social media at least once a day and there is the thought that it is an integral part of
Millennials’ lives. We will be using emailing as well because many students check their
emails daily in college and this will provide an additional few touch points. Offline, we
will be pursuing word of mouth advertising, campus resources, and buzz marketing by
campus ambassadors to promote our event. We hope to integrate our online platform
into this as well by being able to post on campus career websites and have social media
campaigns that are interactive to engage the students. For example, at NYU, we could
have representatives standing outside of the library, Bobst, offering an interactive game
on their smartphones to win a small prize. By doing this, we can collect their contact
information, engage them, and further promote our event.
In the pre-event phase is when we will use the most of our social media and
emailing techniques in order to get the word out about the benefits of our event and
encouraging people to attend. Additionally, before all this, we will create a website that
can provide any information needed, as well as having a registration component. We
will also be in the midst of creating a mobile app that participants can use at the
conference to load the schedule, speakers, and so on.
In the on-site phase, we will be utilizing technology in many forms. We will be
using presentations and AV equipment to assist the speakers and presenters in their
efforts, we will use iPads and other forms of technology to check attendees into the
event. And, as previously stated, there will be a mobile app component that can assist
those who attend in becoming oriented, as well as containing any relevant materials
such as the program and schedule to allow attendees to have access to pertinent
information while also minimizing our paper consumption. Lastly, we will encourage
participants to share their experiences on social media in order to increase our base for
any future, similar events.
In the post-event stage, we will be utilizing the contact information we gathered in
the pre-event stage, and perhaps on-site stage, to send out feedback surveys in order
44. | Herrick, & Marquez 44
for us to improve the event in the future. This information is imperative for any future
success. We also want to reach out and thank our attendees for coming and provide
them with any resources necessary to help them get situated with “adulthood” and
accomplish our goals.
45. | Herrick, & Marquez 45
PART V: LEGAL AND RISK MANAGEMENT
CONTRACTS:
In order to produce the event, the following contracts will be required.
● Contract between the event management company (us) and client (FindSpark)
● Venue contract, to include rental of conference space, staff rooms, and catering,
plus hotel labor.
● Contract with PSAV, the audiovisual company.
● Contract with the sponsors and speakers.
● Contract with the DJ and other entertainment talent.
● Contract with security company.
● Contract with freelance designers for website and printed material.
● Contract with registration company (Boomset).
● Etc.
As an example, we provide a contract for a multi-day conference at the end of the
appendix. The hotel name, client name and prices have been erased to protect confidentiality.
LICENSES & PERMITS:
According to the official New York City website on permits and contracts, for our
event, we would need to obtain a Temporary Place of Assembly permit from the
Department of Buildings because we have more than 75 people attending in an indoor
space. We will also need to obtain a music license since we may be playing copyrighted
musical works.
Here is an example of the Place of Assembly permit we will need to obtain:
Source: Aguitektura, LLC. "New York City Department of Buildings Filing Rep Course_105." Slideshare.
N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Dec. 2015.
46. | Herrick, & Marquez 46
In regards to the music license we will need to obtain, here is an example of that
as well:
Source: "Music License Agreement Basics." RocketLawyer. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2015.
RISK POTENTIAL:
As with all events, there are many risks, but we will be implementing various
strategies and techniques to ensure a safe and secure environment at and around our
47. | Herrick, & Marquez 47
event. One of the first things we will do is to meet with technicians, catering managers,
engineers, electricians, the hotel security staff and director, the fire department, the
police liaison, sound specialists, and any other necessary and applicable individuals
that play a role in our event in order to make sure we are all clear on the objectives and
purpose of the event as well as understanding the risk potential and how to react and/or
prevent such things. While still in the pre-event stage, we will also obtain all necessary
documentation, licenses, permits, and insurance needed to protect the event.
Furthermore, we will meet with our staff and train them on the various safety
requirements and procedures necessary in case an emergency occurs, as well as
passing along any relevant information to all stakeholders. Right before the event, we
will be conducting a full inspection ensuring that everything is safe and secure. During
the event, safety and security personnel will be present at all times. One of the reasons
for this is the fact that the event is being held in Times Square, an area that is popular in
regards to threats so we want to make sure we have the necessary resources present
in case something does happen. Furthermore, the event is at a hotel with a heavy traffic
so our security staff will ensure that no unwanted or uninvited individual is at the event.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT:
The venue space complies with all ADA requirements set forth and has ramps,
elevators, wide doors, and handrails necessary. Additionally, we will seek to make all of
our attendees as comfortable as possible by exercising reasonable care and asking
ahead of time if there are any special needs that should be addressed. We will provide
an audio enhancement services, captioning, and audio description necessary, as well
as any other services that can or need to be provided.
SECURITY:
In regards to security, as previously mentioned, Times Square is one of the
largest tourist attractions in the world thus making it a prime target for any acts of
terrorism or harm. We will utilize security in order to keep our attendees safe if
something does happen as well as ensuring they feel safe throughout the entirety of the
event, even if nothing happens. Furthermore, security will be necessary for our event
because it is at a hotel which contains various event spaces. Incorporating a security
component will ensure that our conference is only attended by those who registered.
48. | Herrick, & Marquez 48
PART VI: CONCLUSION
The original objective of our event was to bring any relevant tools, resources, and
inspiration to the table in order to allow our attendees to develop and feel as though
they have been prepared for the transition into adulthood. Our goals included providing
attendees with information that will help them with their finances, real estate, career,
and mental health balance and ensuring our sponsors felt as though they have
contributed to the future workforce. Additionally, we wanted to break-even and deliver a
high-quality product that met our client’s needs and expectations. Furthermore, we
sought to increase confidence our guests’ knowledge and resource base to help
achieve our original objective.
The use of digital media and technology in our event allowed us to achieve a
higher success rate for various reasons. One, we were able to have participants register
online and were able to create a website that provided various information concerning
the conference. Two, the use of visual presentations assisted the attendees in learning
about the topics of the workshops and speakers. Three, the app component of our
event included our schedules, program, contact information, and other relevant
materials, while also allowing us to reduce our event’s carbon footprint by not printing
out materials.
We successfully met our goals and objective of the event through careful and in-
depth planning. We were able to provide our attendees with financial resources, career
tips, real estate information through the participation of many of our sponsors which
were leaders in their respective fields. Furthermore, due to the nature of our client and
their already established involvement with assisting young professionals in developing
for career success, we were able to provide a quality event that left the participants
feeling more confident and knowledgeable in their endeavors. We are sure of this
because following the event, we sent of feedback and evaluation surveys that allowed
us to gauge if they felt more prepared for adulthood, their takeaways, and the like. We
believe that Return on Objective will evaluate our event more appropriately than the
other two types of evaluation because we created objectives that were easily
quantifiable and believe that ROO has allowed us to evaluate the success of our various
aspects of the event.
49. | Herrick, & Marquez 49
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<http://www.slideshare.net/madisonrosa33/filing-rep-course105-1>.
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<http://www.nashvilleeventdesign.com/EventLiabilityInsurance.htm>.
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