With such a unique waterfront space and a lively crowd, there are so many details to share about the SPARK Conference at Pier 27 in San Francisco, Calif. As large corporate event planners, a client who wants to blend creativity with real business is a dream come true. We’ve previously shared a few of the elements that made this event such a success. Now we’re going to dive a little deeper into what made the SPARK Conference such a smashing success with the 700+ attendees who joined us for two days on the Bay.

As event planners, our client’s success is our success. Partnering with Adobe for a multi-show and multi-format program spread globally across several time zones gave this small team the opportunity to provide significant impact, supporting our client each step of the way. In this case study, we’re sharing the challenges of reaching a global audience and how we overcame them to reach Adobe’s vision of success.

Kennedy Events Creative Director and Senior Producer Marianne Jackson recently sat down with three of our favorite venue managers to dig into these dynamic partnerships and discuss the top venue trends they foresee for 2021 and beyond.

Have you been wondering how to keep audiences engaged through a screen? KE Creative Director and Senior Producer Marianne Jackson recently sat down with mentalist and illusionist Wayne Hoffman to chat about the adaptation of his live show format to entertaining virtual event attendees. Wayne has more than a few tricks up his sleeve. Watch this video to see the magic unfold.

Looking to ignite a creative spark for your next corporate event? The KE team has the kindling and the match to ignite flair and finesse into your conference. When we were approached to inject some creativity into a software procurement conference, we knew the keys to success would be having a clear vision and providing compelling content. The beautifully branded, two-day SPARK Conference was so successful attendees didn’t want it to end.

As the world transitioned from live, in-person to virtual events almost overnight, an indispensable figure emerged on the KE events team. KE Partner Paige Buck recently sat down with our production partner and Technical Director Steve Ratcliff to discuss the technical elements of virtual event planning and production expectations after the pandemic period. Though restrictions are lifting, we foresee his role becoming no less valuable in the future of event planning.

In this video, Kennedy Events Senior Producer and Creative Director Marianne Jackson and Foxtail Catering’s Business Development Manager Patrick Hamilton chat about our Virtual Picnic Party Packages. Learn how we can help you build an immersive party experience while keeping your team members safe and socializing across multiple time zones.

In this video, Kennedy Events’ Senior Producer and Creative Director Marianne Jackson chats with Joel Costa, Director of Sales and Marketing at The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco, to talk about his experience working at the iconic Half Moon Bay property during the lock-down and get some insight into their re-opening plans.

In this video, Kennedy Events’ Partner Paige Buck chats with K’Dee Miller of Patina Productions to discuss one of the biggest challenges of virtual events: making sure all of your speakers are not only prepared but that they have the equipment they need to give a successful presentation.

In this video, Kennedy Events’ Partner Paige Buck chats with Senior Producer Shelly Kim to discuss the opportunities—and challenges—involved with shipped items. Watch and learn how to make your pre-event deliverable a hit with attendees.

In this video, Kennedy Events’ Partner Maggie Kennedy speaks with Communications and Performance Coach Kelsey Crouch to find out her secrets for guiding presenters to success in the world of virtual events.

Kennedy Events’ Partner Paige recently shared a lively conversation with Avital Unger, the founder of the culinary experience company Avital Tours, all about how to elevate your virtual gathering with a mixology experience.

In this video, Kennedy Events’ Partner Paige Buck breaks down three of the biggest misconceptions about hosting a virtual event and shares a few ideas that will help lead you to success.

Kennedy Event’s roots are in producing events for the nonprofit sector and we love it when we have a client with a cause that we can wholeheartedly get behind. So, when BRIDGE Housing, who we had previously worked with on their 700-person gala, contacted us in July to help them with a virtual event we jumped at the opportunity to partner with them for their annual Stein & Colwell Scholarships Fundraiser.

Imagine an evening where your team members receive a package full of festive goodies including a cocktail kit and snack-box shipped directly to their home; add in some live entertainment, games, fun, and laughter! In this video, KE Partners Paige Buck and Maggie Kennedy talk about our Bash Toasting Together package. We really can thrive even when it’s not live!

If you’re feeling like keeping your team connected and engaged has never been more important—or more challenging, you’re definitely not alone. Our remote team is based in locations from coast-to-coast so we were luckier than most when working from home became the norm for 2020. That doesn’t mean this past year has been easy.

In this video, Kennedy Events Partner Paige Buck and Senior Producer and Creative Director Marianne Jackson had a lot of fun talking about the why and how of what works for meaningful social engagement during virtual events. Yes, it’s possible to thrive even when it’s not live!

After 20 years of business, we have an enviable Rolodex full of incredible vendors as well as a plethora of ideas for live events. When we shifted into virtual events, we had to take a beat and reassess what would translate well for a digital experience. One thing we knew right away: this was definitely not an apples-to-apples situation.

We have been witness to the landscape of live events becoming dormant and giving way to the emergence of virtual events. The event industry is made up of tenacious solution seekers and many of our vendor friends have been finding creative ways to not only survive but to thrive in our changing climate. Marianne Jackson, Creative Director of Kennedy Events, recently sat down with Tom Durante, trusted partner and owner of The Lux Productions, to talk about how he reinvented his 20-year-old AV production company as a go-to resource for virtual event fundraisers.

At Kennedy Events, we’ve always had a lot of fun imagining innovative ways to incorporate the branding of event sponsor(s) into multiple aspects of our events. It’s natural for us to apply that knowledge to the realm of virtual events. Here are just a few creative ways to incorporate your sponsors into your virtual event—before, during, and after!