event innovator's series . redefining awards ceremonies

Over the past year, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know corporate event producer, Ryan Hanson of BeEvents. Ryan is in 2 words an Event Provocateur. Convention irks him…instead, I do believe he spends his sleeping and waking hours trying to determine how to redefine events and our roles within them.

Last week I attended one of Ryan’s events in Las Vegas. He produced the Spotlight/CATIE Awards…and he lived up to his reputation. Gone was the stage – instead, the entertainers wove their way throughout the crowd and, as a result, we were intertwined in the entertainment. Gone were the table rounds – and the feelings of stodginess went with them. Gone was the traditional ‘In Memoriam‘ – it was replaced with all of the themes, trends and concepts that have died a horrible death over the years (i.e. client budgets).

I have a lot of respect for people who are not afraid to take calculated risks and are willing to wag their finger in the face of convention. This is why I asked Ryan Hanson if he’d be interested in a short interview…

Lara: Tell me how you wanted to make the Awards different from others?

Ryan: When we set out to create the 2010 Spotlight/CATIE awards, we set several specific goals in order to define the design. One of those objectives was to present something different with this show.  Now that can be terribly ambiguous: what event doesn’t try to be “different” from past projects. Everyone says it.  But we had to be specific:

1. We wanted to be true to the new normal of events.  There is much change happening in the world and we thought it important to recognize this change and the dialogue about events happening.  We wanted to present ideas attendees could take home and give a try.  We wanted to not be afraid to try.  There was nothing to prove to anyone, so we stuck a stake in the ground and said I would take risks some of which would work and some which wouldn’t, but it was important took that risk.  I said I was OK with breaking all the rules of an awards show.
2. From the start, it was important to try for an event with no stage. Authenticity is in, and I wanted an awards show which was about what it was suppose to be about: the work of the finalists.  That objective defined our direction with the video content and the scope of the show.  We wanted to create a platform which was about the audience gathered.  By striping out the stage, we attempted to strip out ego and make this a celebration of the collective group.  It was from the group that the presenters enters, the award recipients came to the stage and back to the audience did all return.
3. We wanted the night to be about the attendees.  Social media offered a great place for engagement – from driving buzz through four social media reporters to setting up crowdsourcing campaigns to allow the audience to vote on elements of décor, dessert and drinks – we gave the audience a voice in the event.

Lara: Were you successful?

Ryan: Yes we were.  We broke rules.  We had some fun.  We created a show that went on too long, but which did what it was suppose to do: celebrate the work of the finalists, the success of our industry in an intimate environment for that audience.  We gave the attendees a say and told them that we offered that vote.  we presented a beautiful environment which had no stage, which used entertainment effectively and uniquely.  We gave people their due on stage – which made the show go on too long – but remained respectful of the recipients. We presented ideas: table-side presentations, Social Media campaigns, new products. I think at the end of the day the design was very coherent and we were mostly successful in branding the experience more
cohesively than in the past.

Lara: What can other event planners learn from your successes (or failures)?

Ryan: This was predominantly a sponsored event – and especially this year you must be absolutely grateful for everything sponsors give you. (I wish it could be made public how much was spent on this event in comparison to what was donated).  But also, for a predominantly sponsored event, you have to learn to be happy with what you can live with.  There are several things in the show I would have done differently, but sponsors have the right to show what they want to show and to do what they want to do.  You have to be able to give overall guidance and live in the gentle chaos of many voices trying to make a project happen.  And at the end of the day, it is only you who know what you would have done – and that which is created in incredible and the guests are able to enjoy!

• You can not be afraid to take a risk and try things.  That is how you have ideas/share ideas/generate ideas.
• Cover your bases well (we mostly did this).  Ensuring the logistics, food, drink and flow of the event are strong gives you the opportunity to take risks.
• Don’t over promise – allowing surprises to be built into the show is valuable.  Also, if you do not oversell your experience, you allow room for people to leave the experience generally happy.
• You are only as good as your team.  I wish I would have had more time to engage a bigger team on the project – but I am so grateful to the team I had who made magic happen.  It is incredible to see how even at the 11th hour, people step up and make things just happen.  And to witness the sheer professionalism of folks is tremendous.
• You always need more time than you schedule and more volunteers than sign up.

Lara: Are there any technologies, ideas or concepts that have sparked you? How will you incorporate them into your future events?

Ryan: I have been impressed with the work of several of the vendors involved with the event – their ability to design and work with their teams have been an inspiration as I continue to define how I work with teams and develop my on-sight team.

I loved being able to work with the entertainers to craft some customized songs which we found relevant to the event.  Scripting and choreographing their performances with them was a blast – there is so much you can get working with professional local talent.

I want to continue to develop the Social Media engagement of an audience through an event – it is critical that you have someone focused and attentive on such a project.  We were good on the outset, but I think not as strong finishing up.  You have to be committed, strategic, and follow-through to keep the community building going and growing.

Thanks, Ryan!