A Primetime Showcase for Your Product or Service in Portland
The keyboard crumbs, sleepless nights, and recycling bins full of crumpled plans have finally paid off. Launch time is approaching. And all of your hard work warrants a festive debut. Whether you’ve created a consumer product or a B2B endeavor, product launch parties put your accomplishment on display for the most important eyes to see. During our three decades of service to some of Portland’s most innovative brands, we’ve supported the unique accomplishments of the area’s makers the best way we know how: full service launch event production.
Telling Your Story through Entertainment
Everyone loves a story. The most effective ads and commercials are those that weave a narrative around a product rather than merely showcasing the item itself. An event is full of opportunities to communicate the story of your product, in addition to displaying or demonstrating it. Consider music. Play songs that elicit the emotions, thought processes, and capabilities of your product and service. Next, consider your food. Themed menus for meals and cocktails translate your message into cuisine. And finally, color. Colors communicate to our subconscious in ways that messaging and form can’t. Combined, the little details will add up to a compelling narrative that communicates the value of your product or service without saying a word.
Pitching over Great Food & Drink
It has been said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. If our experience is any indicator, the saying is spot on. Food is at the heart of any celebration, especially in Portland. From birthdays to holidays and even weddings, a good time and good food are a match made in heaven. The bottom line here: don’t skimp on the catering. For some, your marketing event is essentially a commercial they’re willing to watch. Thank them for their attention with great catering from Portland’s best chefs. Our event planners are regularly in touch with Portland’s best bistros, most celebrated chefs, and caterers of our city’s finest finger food. Give our event planner a call, and they’ll give your guests a menu they’ll swoon over.
Making a PR Splash
Think print is dead? Think again. Making a PR splash relies as much on press coverage as ever. The most viral posts on social media require content at their core. And more often than not, that content comes from an “old school” media source. Consider this: until Walt Mossberg’s recent retirement, the silver-haired tech columnist for the Wall Street Journal was largely viewed as the definitive perspective on whether a product would be successful or not. Do we have you convinced? Make a list of the most influential columnists, local news personalities, and journalists across Portland, then reach out and invite them to your launch party. Once a few have accepted, tell the others that their colleagues will be in attendance. Everyone loves to be included on the guest lists that matter most.
Creating a Viral Buzz
The press is as vital to the success of your product as ever. But no longer is it all-sufficient. Social media has made a critic, connector, or endorser out of us all. In this era when ink is sold by the digital barrel, identifying relevant influencers on social platforms is just as important as inviting the city’s print journalists. Here are a few pointers for identifying social influencers. First, make sure they’re within driving distance to Portland. Next, look for people who are interested in the lifestyle your project projects. And finally, talk to your teens. Yes, no amount of quantitative data will hold a candle to the unique insights regarding who’s hot and who’s not like an eighth grader. Then, send out invitations and offer free products for attendance, if possible. Who among us doesn’t love a freebie? Then, give your socially connected guests a reason to tweet. Or snap. Or post. Whether a gorgeous photo op or a run-in with a local celeb, your product will look best when shared out of a place of authentic excitement.
Guest Lists, Security, Parking, and More
A successful launch event is all about the details. Factors like who is on your guest list can be a make or break in your entire launch process. After all, a single key journalist could be the difference between a PR splash and a PR fizzle. And event security is more important than you may think, especially if you have valuable items making their way through the crowd, or if news of the event is public. Moreover, parking should be a priority, not an afterthought. If parking is unavailable or inconvenient, that guest who had been on the fence about attending is likely to change their plans. Worse still, a columnist could arrive at your demonstration with a chip on their shoulder, forever seeing your product through that tainted lens. Feeling stressed about all of the details? Don’t. Crossing concerns off of your list is what we do for a living. Enlisting the help of our professional event planners means you can rest easy.
