2011 was another exciting year at Bright Ideas Event Coordinators, filled with great events, satisfied clients, and recognition from our peers. We hope the past twelve months were a positive, successful time for you too. Here’s some of the reasons we’re celebrating the year gone by and looking forward to the year ahead. If you find inspiration for your 2012 event in our highlights of 2011, why not arrange a free consultation? Bright Ideas would love to help you make boost your image in 2012 with an amazing event. REQUEST A QUOTE
Wishing you the very best of the holiday season
and a happy, prosperous New Year!
Sharon Bonner and the staff of Bright Ideas Event Coordinators
Winter 2011 Highlights
Oktoberfest came early for one Bright Ideas’ client, with this theme event at the start of the year proving to be a big hit with our client and their guests. Costumed staff, traditional Oktoberfest activities such as log chopping competitions, and authentic theme décor recreated the festive atmosphere of a traditional Munich FestHalle and made for a truly memorable event! (event summary and pictures)
Spring 2011 Highlights
Two major events marked our second quarter. Our Simulcast of Synergy, featuring live events in two cities in British Columbia, not only made for a very satisfied client, it proved to be an award winner for Bright Ideas, taking home the Best Team Building Event award at the 2011 BC Event Awards (event summary and pictures).
We also brought a taste of Miami Beach night-life to the Vancouver waterfront, with our Purple Spring Celebration. Commemorating a high-society engagement in fine style, Bright Ideas transformed the gymnasium of the Creekside Community Centre into a stylish, upscale venue, with stunning floral arrangements, elegant décor and exciting entertainment (event summary and pictures).
Summer 2011 Highlights
Summer is a great time to spend out in the garden. We took that idea one step further with our Garden Green Celebration – bringing the garden to the guests for this event. Everyone had a chance to show off their green thumbs at this client appreciation event held at Brock House in Vancouver. After selecting their own personal basket and decorating it with their creative flair, guests “shopped” for plants to add to their basket. Adorable gardening sets were awarded to the top 3 baskets. What a great way to celebrate being Green! (event summary and pictures)
Fall 2011 Highlights
It’s a new trend with holiday season parties. Just because it feels like Christmas, doesn’t mean you have to have a ‘Christmas’ party. This year we coordinated Survivor, Mardi Gras and Speakeasy themed holiday parties for clients and held another of our always-popular Party Hats events in Whistler. As these pictures show, you don’t need candy canes and eggnog to get in a festive mood! (event summary and pictures)
Enter To Win! Event Planning Consultation
Planning to hold a corporate event in 2012? Want some expert advice before you start? Simply visit the request a quote section of our website and send us a message with the phrase ‘event consulting’ in the comment box. We’ll enter your name to win a free event planning and consultation session ($600 value). Whether you need help figuring out what to include in an event production RFP, or want to try to coordinate an event in-house, this session can help ensure your event is a success.
Staff Event Pick of the Month: Dennis Turnbull
My favorite event of the dozens of events I have been involved with was the Cirque du Hastings. The grand re-opening of Hasting Park was an event fit for the sport of Kings. Cirque du Soleil-style entertainers dazzled the crowd and sumptuous décor transported guests into a world of glamour and magic. I got to bartend behind the magnificent 40 foot roller-coaster ice bar which was an experience I will remember forever. A slot machine carved out of ice dispensed a jackpot of tiger prawns while décor highlights showcased the expanded gaming facilities and a slice of local history in neighboring Playland’s world-famous wooden coaster. It was indeed a magical evening for all! (event summary and pictures)
Ask An Event Planner
What are you excited about for 2012?
We have some great events coming up in the New Year. We’ll be helping a major local association celebrate their hundredth anniversary with a Speakeasy theme. We are also excited to announce that Bright Ideas is offering a new service in the new year. We recognize that not every organization can afford a full service event production package. But, event production requires industry knowledge, a clear understanding of timelines and deadlines, and the ability to see the big picture without missing any of the important details. That’s why we’ll be unveiling a new event consulting service, so companies can have access to our event production expertise, even if they don’t want the complete range of our services. Now, even in-house events can benefit from our years of experience. If you’d like to find out more about this new offering, please be sure to get in touch.
Top Three Event Trends for 2012
One important trends we are noticing is the return of the big event. Companies are realizing the ROI (return on investment) when they host a professionally-coordinated large-scale event makes it a great way to build their brand as a successful ‘winner’ despite a tough economic climate. While we don’t recommend you break the bank to put on an event, it’s important to remember that success breeds success. Ensuring your clients and employees see your company as an organization with a bright future is a great way to build confidence and long-term business relationships. A cost-effective corporate event is a great way to achieve that goal. Here’s some of the latest ways to deliver that result.
Customer Appreciation and Product Launch combo event
Say thanks to existing clients, let them know about your latest offerings, and give prospects a chance to learn more about your company. You can achieve all these goals when you combine a client appreciation event with a new product launch. We all like to feel we are ‘in the loop’. When you give your customers a chance to stay ahead of their competition, by keeping them up-to-date on your latest products, you’re positioning your organization as one that cares about its clients, building loyalty and strengthening the business relationship.
Education as Entertainment
We talked about this in our last newsletter and it’s definitely becoming a must-have for corporate events. There are countless ways you can include learning opportunities in your next event, whether it’s inviting a wine expert to answer questions in an informal setting, or featuring an after-dinner speaker noted for their own success, making an enjoyable educational experience part of the event delivers a value-added component that keeps your brand top of mind long after the event is over.
Custom Events
The days of the cookie-cutter theme event are over. Clients don’t want their events to look old and stale and expect new twists on old favourites, or better yet, never-been-done-before ideas that make them stand out. Bright Ideas’ experience is our greatest asset in this regard. Our vast background in the event business means we’ve not only know what’s new and hot, we also come up with ways to give even the newest ideas a fresh twist. Please check out the website for more ideas and advice (FAQ) about creating your own compelling special event (newsletter archive).
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