Broadway Cares, Equity Fights AIDS Flea Market

This weekend I volunteered at the Broadway Cares, Equity Fights AIDS Flea Market on Sunday. It was the second year that I had helped out a business associate/friend of mine at the table that he and his company run. Now that I'm taking this course, I completely viewed the event differently this year!

First, I couldn't help but think about all the planning and staffing that went into the event. 44th St was shut down between Times Sq and 8th Avenue, which of course takes some big planning by itself! I noticed how tables were set up and broken down by staff members, who also aided each table with water, cash drop services, credit card services, etc. At the end of the day, I even noticed the Times Sq alliance people cleaning up the streets (something I never would have noticed about an event before this class!) Despite how well this ran, I still feel like some people stumbling across this event in a very popular place would not have known exactly what they were coming across, or it's charitable nature. There wasn't enough signage in generally to really make sure that message got across (which is important for a charitable event such as this one!)

The event was a HUGE tourism boost for the city. I had a customer at our table who told me how he comes to the city every year from Michigan for this event. Others told us how they were only in town for a few days but had stumbled happily across the event by chance. One British woman said she'd wished she'd heard about it earlier in the day because she would have arrived earlier and spent a lot more money! While all procedes went to charity, it still promoted theater in New York and got those customers who came specifically for the event to use various services in the surrounding economy.

Most importantly, I really enjoyed the happy sense of community that they event had. Everyone there, including myself, was interested not only in the buying and selling, but also in talking about theatre, in meeting theatre celebrities who were present, and in meeting each other. In this way, the event operated as more than just an economic, charitable, or tourism tool. It really provided communal and social value.

And even after just working at one table for 5 hours, I was exhausted. I can only imagine how the event organizers must feel!

First Posting

So my initial reaction to this course is "wow, there are way too many things to keep track of when planning and executing an event". It seems really overwhelming. Just listing the things in class, combined with even more things that have come up in reading the text, has been scary. It seems to me that planning events takes an amazing amount of organization (lists) and forethought.

I'm not entirely new to the event planning field, as I've run front of house for theatre premieres before, planning and organizing an opening night reception and working with the director to create the overall experience of arrival/admissions. I've also planned activities and events at work for my international students, ranging from luncheons and halloween parties. Reading all of this material makes me reflect back on my motivations and goals in planning and executing those events, and the numerous things that I never even thought of!

As I wrote about on blackboard in a posting, I'm most intrigued this week by the idea of experiential events and the use of touchpoints with clients. I'm reminded of the free Charmin public restroom in Times Sq that the company used as a marketing event last holiday season. My friend dragged me there because it was such a cool experience, and there was plenty to see/do while waiting in line for the restroom. Charmin was presented through video, dancing staff members, photo ops, and a person in cuddly bear costume, as a fun and comfortable brand. The entire event left me with such a great impression of the company that made me want to buy their product just to thank them for the use of the restroom, and the experience!

But I also wonder if experiential events may be a big turn off for some people who are more shy or who view it as "too much". I can think of certain experiential events I have visited with my mother that she has really enjoyed, but I also know that some experiences would intimidate her or turn her off from a product. I think knowing the client, specifically their demographic should be kept in mind. I also think that in creating the experience, a difference between "wowing" the customer and intimidating or confusion the customer needs to be remembered. Touchpoints are great, but if they become too touchy, you may alienate some people.