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By Diana Rowe
“Been there, done that” — four words that planners typically don’t want to hear from their attendees when announcing the location for an upcoming meeting or event. But when the powers-that-be insist on returning to the same destination or venue time after time, the onus falls on the meeting professional to find ways to inject new life into the same-old.
In planner Cynthia McPhedran’s case, the challenge is to engage and excite attendees for whom familiarity does not breed contempt. In the interest of driving home her company’s message, McPhedran has to make sure that her attendees’ comfort zone doesn’t turn into the slumber zone or the distracted zone.
“We’ve discovered that our attendees prefer consistency and comfort at meetings,” said McPhedran, CMP, CMM, meeting and event planner for Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, WI. “In the last few years, our busy attendees travel more frequently and actually prefer the soothing familiarity of the same sleeping room. Instead of selecting new venues, we listened and are repeating proven performers.”
McPhedran and her team plan several national events for 3,000 employees and distributors and book years in advance. They approach each destination as a blank canvas, a place to create the Miller brands’ experiences. “We don’t always have clear ideas in mind, but we do require flexibility to build an experience within each space. Our meeting requirements are different than any others, so we have learned how to talk  to venues and sales people, warning them not to compare us to other large groups. I came from a banking background, so I never had to consider extra storage for cases of beer, cooling vehicles, electric hook-ups and more ice than most venues will ever think you need. As a planner, it’s my job to articulate my expectations.”
Recent repeat performers are Las Vegas and New Orleans. “These popular cities also bring another potential problem,” said McPhedran. “With so many walkable distractions, we have to wow our attendees from the beginning, or we risk losing them in the city to enjoy restaurants, entertainment or gaming. If it’s a two-night program, and they feel they’ve done and tasted it all, the second night, they will make their theater or restaurant reservations. We make sure the second night is as engaging and beneficial as the first.”
McPhedran said planners should know their attendees as well as their product. “If you host an event in a city that doesn’t sleep, your attendees won’t call it a night at 10 p.m., so don’t end your agenda then. Take advantage of the limited time and offer late-night activities. During a recent conference in Las Vegas, just when our attendees thought the night was over, we announced a Miller Genuine Draft promotion that meant buses were lined up outside to take them to an Elvis Costello concert.”
The flexibility of the MGM Grand has made it a top choice for Miller Brewing Company, said McPhedran. Within its four 30-story towers, the MGM Grand property offers 5,044 guest rooms including 751 suites and the 380,000-square-foot, smoke-free MGM Grand Conference Center. The $100 million contemporary Conference Center features indoor and outdoor meeting space with two ballrooms and nearly 50,000 square feet of prefunction space with views of the Strip and the Grand Pool Complex.
Floating Bar
“Since our meetings are centered on tasting our products (beer),” said McPhedran, “our objective is to create events that entertain and highlight our products in the best possible light. At our meeting at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, we needed a bar for tastings of our new product Miller Chill. Instead of the traditional bar in a corner of a ballroom, we built what appeared to be a floating bar over the pool. We felt this would shout ‘chill’ and ‘refreshing’ to our attendees, thus emphasizing Chill’s message.”
Their creative concept worked exceptionally well and was quite popular, according to McPhedran, with 200 people at a time “suspended” over the pool. However, since it was an unusual concept, it took some convincing to get past the initial negative response given by the MGM Mirage. “As planners, sometimes we
Traditional Gombey dancers at The Fairmont Southampton, Bermuda, add an element of surprise and delight to an otherwise ordinary dinner or reception.
Photo courtesy of The Fairmont Southampton |
give up too soon. A ‘no’ doesn’t always mean ‘no way.’ Sometimes it simply means you have to convince your vendor that it will work. For this event, we agreed to a post clean-up of the pool space, returning it to the original condition.”
If you do get a no, advised McPhedran, make it a positive. “The MGM didn’t allow signage in the lobby, and we didn’t want our attendees to get lost looking for us. Instead, we had our registration folks wear bright green T-shirts with black lettering A–L, M–R and S–Z positioned in the lobby guiding our attendees in the right direction. It was a fun way to make the most of a potentially negative situation.”
Element Of Surprise
McPhedran acknowledged that their business sessions present many of the same challenges other planners face. In order to inject the “wow” effect, she makes sure that keynote speakers are always a surprise. “The surprise element always keeps the attendees guessing and hypes the excitement of just who is going to entertain them during the sessions. We’ve brought in celebrity speakers like (cyclist) Lance Armstrong, (adventurer) Robert Swan, (Duke University basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski) Coach K and (broadcaster) Tom Brokaw. Their presentations kept our attendees talking, wondering how we’ll top the keynote next year.”
Routine business sessions are best avoided, McPhedran asserted. “We listen to what experts say and replace boring PowerPoint presentations with high-powered video presentations and incorporate themes. In fact, we do a conference theme-reveal for dramatic impact. We change the signage and staff clothing after the reveal.”
According to McPhedran, creating successful meetings requires planners to stay informed. “It’s up to me to know what’s going on in the meeting and hospitality industry. My team and I regularly attend conferences and trade shows, read the trade magazines such as Corporate & Incentive Travel, listen and consider each others’ ideas, and we look at what our competitors are doing. We keep up on all the latest gadgets and bells-and-whistles in the technology and décor industry. We outsource our production and event marketing, and these groups are always informing us of the latest and greatest for us to consider. Our challenge is to take the newest trend, fit it into our brand portfolio and give it our corporate message — Miller-ize it, if you will.
Fresh And Dynamic Ideas
“The same location and/or venue time after time brings its own set of challenges,” acknowledged McPhedran. “If we don’t...rev up the excitement of the unknown at a known property, then our attendees might say, ‘Well, we did that event last year, no need to do it again this year.’ We have to inject fresh and dynamic ideas into the events each time, so our attendees will return.”
Jeff Guberman, president of the New York City-based Fourth Wall Events, a complete event management company, agrees that keeping the same destination fresh is a constant challenge. “While you want to keep  the meeting fresh, you want to maintain the reasons that have you returning to the same location. One of the dangers of using the same venue is that planners fall into habits of doing the same thing each time. However, don’t sacrifice what you know works just for the sake of doing something different.”
Guberman’s client, a major global advanced information technologies company, repeats and rotates the same properties because, he said, “Few can live up to the service expectations and manage the size of our group. In three consecutive weeks, we bring 1,800 attendees for a recognition event of top-tier employees for the same program year after year.
“The reputation of a brand name will draw us the first time,” said Guberman, “A repeat property is based on history, relationship, onsite experience and surveys of attendees.” Guberman said that’s why his technology client returns to Bermuda’s Fairmont Southampton and Hawaii’s Hilton Waikoloa Village.
Standing atop the highest point in Bermuda, the 593-room Fairmont Southampton is a luxury resort boasting views of breathtaking gardens and an 18-hole executive golf course. The resort offers 30,000 square feet of meeting space as well as all the amenities necessary to reward a recognition group such as Guberman’s technology client.
The 1,240-room Hilton Waikoloa Village is located on the southern Kohala Coast on Hawaii’s Big Island, just 18 miles from the Kona International Airport. This property offers an impressive 60,000 square feet of indoor meeting space within its 21 meeting and banquet rooms, and more than 175,000 square feet of scenic outdoor venues including free-form pool decks, large patios, secluded luau grounds, extensive lawn areas and private reception areas throughout. Amenities and activities include tropical gardens, mahogany boats that cruise along tranquil waterways, three freshwater pools, nine restaurants, two championship golf courses and a seaside putting course.
“Begin with different uses of the same spaces,” recommended Guberman. “Previously, we used the ballroom for the dinner, the amphitheater for a concert, and back to the ballroom for a disco. This time, we welcomed attendees in a tent, the second night was on the beach, and the third night was a dine-around. We try to tune the first night low-key since it’s a travel date. The second evening, we use a theme and explore the local culture.
“At The Fairmont Southampton,” Guberman continued, “we created a formal pirate theme with attendees sitting at long tables watching fire performers and fireworks, followed by a great dance band. At the Hilton Waikoloa Village, we used a tiki theme, strategically placing tikis around the beach and hanging from trees. We incorporated lava rock and brought in traditional Hawaiian entertainment: tribal warrior dancers, drummers, etc. Injecting fresh ideas into a destination is really all about creative collaborating.”
Miller Brewing Company introduced its new product Miller Chill to employees and distributors at a meeting at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Miller built an innovative bar for tasting that hosted 200 people at a time “suspended” over the pool.
Photo by Cashman Photo, Las Vegas, NV |
Warm-Weather Respite
Joseph Poliseo is the executive vice president of AllPro Corporation, a Brandon, FL-based buying and marketing organization in support of independent paint and decorating dealers throughout North America and Europe. His company plans two major meetings a year. “We book a variety of locations, and although there’s no set pattern, we usually do an East Coast-West Coast mix. Yet, we like to introduce different areas to our attendees. When we find one that supports our meeting requirements and our northern-based attendees’ desire to enjoy the sunshine, then we will return as often as we can.”
AllPro first selected Desert Springs, A JW Marriott Resort & Spa, because of its brand reputation, and also because the destination offered a warm-weather respite for AllPro’s winter-weary 870 attendees. “I admit sometimes we are reluctant to return to the same place because we don’t want our meetings to become routine. However, when you build a relationship with a hotel and their service levels consistently meet or exceed expectations, there are too many positives in place to not return. They know you, your food and beverage needs, meeting space, etc., and the property can accommodate you on more than just cost factors. It’s a perfect relationship, and we’re happy to return.”
Gondola Rides
Desert Springs, A JW Marriott Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, CA, recently unveiled a $25 million renovation, which included a new 30,000-square-foot lobby. The resort’s popular network of Venetian-inspired waterways remains below the lobby area, and the dock area has tripled in size. Gondolas ferry patrons to  onsite restaurants. The project turned the lobby into an epicenter for socializing, fine dining and relaxing at the 60-foot sushi bar or the new lobby bar, which features a variety of wine and cigar tastings. A comprehensive renovation of the Spa at Desert Springs, to be completed late this summer, will include luxurious spa suites.
Poliseo keeps the core of his meeting constant utilizing the Desert Springs, A JW Marriott Resort & Spa’s spacious 210,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor function space for exhibits and breakouts, because, “If it’s not broke, we don’t fix it. However, we do change up the other larger social pieces of the meeting — the opening reception and closing dinner. We also take advantage of the onsite golf courses, and it’s great not to have to worry about transportation. Everyone simply walks to the course, checks in, and we’re off to enjoy a day on the course. With 240 golfers, we take over both 18-hole courses, and the course is so well run that we finish in just over four hours.
“Quality onsite restaurants such as Tuscany and Mikado add to the meeting’s appeal,” said Poliseo. “A number of our vendors entertain, perhaps inviting 50 attendees. Again, no need for transportation, just board the gondola and meet at the restaurants. Last time, we hosted an opening reception at the onsite restaurant Tuscany that featured sample stations from each restaurant.”
Robin Briscuso is the director of marketing for Sanitas Skincare, a Boulder, CO-based manufacturer of professional skincare products. Briscuso repeats destinations because her company wants to establish a recognizable location for their attendees. “Our meetings are half day to full day,” said Briscuso. “Time is so tight that our attendees don’t want the hassles of trying to find a new location. They prefer the familiarity of the same property, especially since we return every few months.”
Image Is Everything
“It is important for us to portray an image equal to our brand,” said Briscuso. “We select a hotel brand that also portrays an impressive image, such as The Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica Beach, California.” The Fairmont Miramar Hotel Santa Monica sits above the scenic bluff overlooking the city. This century-old landmark offers 302 guest rooms and more than 25,000 square feet of meeting space. The 11 meeting salons range from 351 to 7,400 square feet to fit all sizes of meetings, including Briscuso’s 50 to 100 attendees.
“We are a small, but growing company,” said Briscuso. “It’s important that we find a property that is willing to grow with us, accommodating our needs as if we were as important as a group of 1,000. The Fairmont Miramar Hotel does just that and is very responsive to our needs. One recent visit, our attendance doubled, and The Fairmont staff moved us seamlessly to a larger ballroom, as if it was planned from the beginning.
Professional service like that makes us look good and is what keeps us returning.”
Extraordinary Events, an international event management firm based in Los Angeles, arranged this spectacular function for a pharmaceutical client at San Diego’s U.S.S. Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum. Dramatic lighting, a custom global menu, flight simulators, vintage aircraft, a guided tour and fireworks finale all combined to make this event one to remember.
Photo courtesy of Extraordinary Events |
Going Back In Time
For nearly four decades, McQuay International, a worldwide manufacturer of commercial air conditioning based in Minneapolis, MN, has returned to The Greenbrier. “This resort is unique, rich in character and unlike any other,” said Ben Schlinsog, national account manager. “When we drive through the gates with our customers, it’s like we go back in time without giving up the modern conveniences.”
Following a $50 million renovation, The Greenbrier, a National Historic Landmark, reopened in April with 721 updated guest rooms, enhanced meeting spaces, improved wireless Internet and cell phone access. Situated on 6,500 acres of lush landscape in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia, The Greenbrier has been welcoming guests since 1778. With more than 85,000 square feet of function space, The Greenbrier has some 40 venues where meetings and conferences can take place.
Every year McQuay invites 55 clients to The Greenbrier after a tour at their Virginia facility. “We use this as a treat for our customers, and as a way to get to know them. This trip is so popular that our customers work really hard to be asked to return to The Greenbrier. We like the resort because it feels like we are entertaining in a different world. The moment we drive through the gates, we can leave ‘the other world’ behind and relax together.
“The service is impeccable, old world with a little bit of coat-and-tie formality,” Schlinsog continued, “but combined with this historic backdrop, it only adds to the charm. The staff is the best I have ever encountered and remains one of the constants. I’ve worked with the same reservation person for the past 17 years who will often call me proactively if she foresees a problem.”
Schlinsog appreciates the sense of history and tradition that The Greenbrier brings. “Every United States president has stayed here, and there are tours of the onsite Cold War-era Congressional bunker. There’s just something about staying at a place that has this much history and so many stories to tell.”
With a group that is crazy about golf, Schlinsog noted that The Greenbrier has some of the best golf in the country on its three championship golf courses. “We have also branched out to other onsite diversions, like skeet shooting, hiking, biking, spa and tennis, but that’s another advantage The Greenbrier has over other resorts. This property has over 50 recreational activities to choose from, and so the opportunities are endless.
“We don’t change the program a lot,” admitted Schlinsog, “because over the years, we’ve fallen into a pattern that works for us. Sure, we might use a different room for dinner. However, the beauty of returning to The Greenbrier is that the same program always works and always impresses our clients. That is why we continue to repeat our programs here year after year.”
Returning to proven performers can inspire confidence in a successful outcome when hosting meetings for new clients or attendees. It’s when the same attendees are asked to return to the same place that planners’ skills and creativity are really put to the test — how to keep interest and attendance high by making what is old seem new again. C&IT
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