Branding your corporate event

Corporate events are big business now, and the competition between brands to make their event bigger and better than the last guy's is heating up by the day. As a result of this, standards are getting higher, with most guests now expecting an experience rather than a mere party when they are invited to a corporate event.

State-of-the-art lighting, staging and music are all standard, but it can be very easy for corporate managers to farm out these ideas without linking them thoughtfully to the branding ambitions of the event, and that can cost them in terms of publicity, potential customers and brand value.

That is why, for corporate customers, it is very important to sit down with the event management team well in advance and make sure that the event is going to reflect the values and ideals of the brand, and generally stay 'on message' for the company. Virtually all corporate events have a public relations element, and are to some extent acting as a signal or ambassador for the corporate brand.

The branding aspect of such events, therefore, goes far beyond the generous application of a logo or set of corporate colors. The style of music, theme, decor, food and drink all send clear messages about the host, and this is just as true of a corporate event as it is of any high society Atlanta party.

None of this means that corporations have to keep their events predictable and tame. There is a lot of good PR to be had from surprising people - if it is done thoughtfully. It simply means that the event management folks and the company have to be clear from the outset about the values of the brand and the outcomes they want from the event. After that - given the capabilities of modern event design - the sky is the limit. You can find more inspiration on our Pinterest page.