Event Recap: A Call for Change

Recently we were lucky enough to be a part of a small, but mighty event for a very important non-profit client and if there is one thing, we learned -- big impact can come in small packages, it’s all about the wrapping.

This organization works to ensure underrepresented communities have the information, rights, and power to influence their lives. As you can imagine a cocktail reception for these clients needed to make an impression - and even more importantly the right impression.

The right impression starts with the right venue - and we found it in the refurbished church turned artistic institution: Culture House. What attracted us so much to the space was not only that Culture House is located in a neighborhood represented by the non-profit, but that it is so much more than your standard event venue - it also operates as an art gallery. This helped ground the centerpiece of the whole event, which was a bespoke art installation featuring photographs taken by activist partners that were taken all around the world. Twelve, four-foot-tall black and white prints hung throughout the space in a maze, which allowed guests to interact with the pieces- and therefore to interact with the impact, mission and message.

“We love the challenge of wrapping an event in a very specific organizational identity, and this event gave us an opportunity to really shine in our ability to do just that.” - Rachael Glaws, RGI Principal

 As soon as guests arrived they were greeted with the key phrases that stand at the heart of the organization. Phrases like: “Democracy”, “Freedom of Press”, “Dissent”, “Equality” and “Trustworthy Information” were projected on the front of the building above the entrance, setting the tone even before guests walked through the door. 

 It was essential to that we found ways to celebrate D.C.’s culture, art and music scenes throughout the event.  A panel of activists was brought in to discuss the importance and efficacy of protest and freedom of speech as the focus of the program while local storyteller and musician Yusha Assad performed his latest songs to wrap up the evening.

We worked to ensure the swag the audience received was, like the rest of the event, creative, dynamic and on-brand. Custom tote bags printed with the same words projected on the building as guests walked in were personalized with the help of two artists who live-painted during the reception. Attendees got to choose designs like “Love is Love”, the D.C. skyline or a megaphone.

All in all this reception had a lot of familiar elements you could expect to find in an RGI event - incredible food, a fun bar and engaging entertainment, but the added focus of the mission elevated the evening. After all “Materializing the Message” is what we always strive to do.

Thank You for an Incredible Year!

A NOTE FROM COMMANDER IN CHIC, RACHAEL GLAWS:

I've always been a sucker for nostalgia and reflection. It's hard to imagine a time of year when those two emotions bubble up from the surface more vividly and take center stage, allowing for rumination and musing more than this.

As the year rapidly draws to a close, I feel incredibly lucky to look back at the AMAZING year we have had here at RGI. In light of the pandemic's devastation across our industry, I'm even more humbled and grateful ruminating on these thrilling last 12 months.

We were once again recognized as one of the best in the biz by our industry peers as well as the press.

We saw the return of our largest in-person programs - serving as principal production for the 80,000 attendees Army Ten miler for the sixth year and a key piece of the production team for the national Fourth of July celebration and national Cherry Blossom Festival, to name a few.

We expanded our hospitality verticals with new investments and service offerings in food and beverage and event spaces.

While we have been a national company for nearly a decade, in 2022 for the first time ever, New York, ranked first in production and volume, followed by California – allowing for the further growth and expansion of our national presence and footprint.

We stretched ourselves creatively, achieving new heights of success for our clients as we passionately pursued the advancement of their agendas. Our clients were more diverse than ever, from nonprofits to educational institutions, policy organizations, burgeoning brands, retail giants and some of the world's most well-known and well-respected corporations.

To me - most impressively - we achieved an 89% client retention percentage in 2022/2023. Of all our many achievements, it is this last one I am most proud of – because it demonstrates RGI's commitment to our clients' success and OUR success because of that commitment.

It is for you and because of you.

Thank you for continuing to trust us with your missions and objectives – we can't wait to continue reaching new heights together in 2023.

Cheers,

RG

Event Recap: KIMCO's “Miracle on Market Street”

To mark the start of the holiday season, real estate client, KIMCO Realty, held its first-ever holiday kick-off celebration called “Miracle on Market Street” – a multi-faceted affair for the whole family at Kentlands Market Square in Gaithersburg, Maryland. RGI worked with local Kentlands businesses to engage the local community on the biggest shopping day of the year, Black Friday!

 For one day only the Kentlands shopping center was transformed into a Winter Wonderland complete with a North Pole-themed petting zoo and a visit from Santa Claus! Shoppers were treated to freshly made donuts and delicious warm cookies from local food trucks. To wash down delicious treats, an artisan tap truck served up festive drinks – a cranberry ginger ale and an iced apple cider! Crowds were serenaded by the sounds of the season as carolers roamed Market Street and a DJ played all the holiday tunes!

Located in The Mews, the ‘kidz corner’ is where you could find children painting holiday ornaments and dreidels, Santa posing for photos, and the KIMCO tent where over a hundred stockings filled with a Miracle on Market Street scavenger hunt detail cards were passed out. The first 50 customers to pick up their stockings also received a custom KIMCO s’mores kit.

The holiday kick-off was the start of a month-long scavenger hunt shop-a-thon, where shoppers have the chance to be rewarded for their purchases with prizes courtesy of KIMCO. The event was an extraordinary opportunity to engage businesses from across the shopping center.

This was truly a joyful start to what we know will be an incredible shopping season for our partners at KIMCO in Kentlands Market Square!

Event Essentials: Entertaining Entertainment

Have you ever been to an event that was just a total snooze fest? You found yourself checking the time to see how much longer you have to stay? The worst. One of the things that we put so much focus on when planning an event for our clients is the entertainment to avoid just that.

 Whether it’s a large event with a quarter million dollar budget for entertainment or a small event that is just looking for a killer DJ – who you choose is essential.

 When it comes to booking a live band there are a few important things you will want to keep in mind to ensure everyone – including the performers – are happy at the end of the night. First and foremost, what kind of band are you looking for? Are you in need of a band that will be the main entertainment of the night? A name headliner? Someone people recognize? A party band that really gets your guest-hyped? Or are you looking for some background entertainment? Once you know the answer to that question, you are ready to get your search started!

 When dealing with live entertainment, the bigger the name the bigger the expense. We cannot stress how important it is to make sure you completely read through the contract and the rider. Many times bands will include requirements that you will be responsible for covering/providing like travel, lodging, meals, snacks, specific dressing room requirements, supplies, equipment, etc in their contract/rider. Bands can be very particular so you’ll want to make sure you know what you are agreeing to when signing the dotted line.

We all love a live performer, but they oftentimes are much more expensive than a DJ, so if your budget does not allow for one, DJs are another great option for a great time!  Like a band – or really any vendor – you want to make sure you read through their requirements and/or needs. More often than not DJs are pretty self-contained, meaning they come with everything they need to get the party started. However, sometimes that is not the case. Some DJs won’t have their own equipment which may mean you are responsible for sourcing or footing the bill. It’s also a great idea to ask for a sample reel of their work. Being a DJ is much more than hitting play on a list of songs, they are performers themselves so you want to make sure they are the right fit for your event.

 While bands and DJs are arguably the most popular, entertainment does not have to stop with music.

 We recently had a client whose mission is to provide grants to underserved communities so when we thought about the entertainment for their event – we really wanted to pull from the communities our client represented. From music to spoken word performers it made the event that much more impactful that guests were hearing directly from those that can speak to the mission.

 No matter what direction you go, reading through contracts and really doing your research will ensure your event is a killer time!

2022 - YIR

After nearly 20 years in the industry, we are so thankful to be doing what we do. We truly have the best clients. From up and down the East Coast and out to the West, 2022 was one for the books!

Event Recap: On your mark, get set…Army Ten-Miler

If you live in Washington, DC, are a runner, or even know a runner, you have probably heard of the Army Ten-Miler. With over 35,000 runners from all around the world, the Army Ten-Miler is the largest race in the Washington, DC area and the second-largest ten-mile race in the country, and we have been lucky enough to produce this race since 2017. 

Like many things, the Army Ten-Miler was halted in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic just a few months before takeoff. When 2021 rolled around and it seemed like the pandemic was on its way out, we were hopeful the race would resume. As we all know now, the pandemic continued and just ten days before runners were set to take their mark, the plug was pulled. For the second year, months and months of planning went out the window. So, as you can imagine, when it was time to start planning for the 2022 race, we were ready to hit the ground running, this time with back-up plan after back-up plan (we are planners, after all)! Lucky for us, the race was on! 

The RGI team set to work, working tirelessly to build the race day imprint. What does that look like? Thousands of feet of bike rack, hundreds of tents, dozens of generators, and even a handful of stages, created something like a makeshift city in a parking lot over the course of two days. The team overnight to set up the intricate maze of medical tents, food service tents, and information which were tents scattered all across the two-mile stretch of parking lots and roads that surrounded the Pentagon. But nothing compared to the 100 tent village right at the center of the action, otherwise known as the HOOAH tent zone, where we built rows and rows of tents for race day sponsors like Navy-Federal Union, ROTC, KRP, Comcast, Boeing, and more. Our job did not stop just with tents. While those went up, we worked on stages for awards and the DJ and perhaps the most important job establishing the start and finish lines -- both of which had to be exact for the race even to count -- talk about pressure!

Remarkably, despite the fact that the Army Ten-Miler doesn’t look like the other events we produce, the planning feels very similar. This event, which is months in the planning, is on a grander scale. After all, keeping track of the timeline, coordinator crews, and managing budgets matter no matter how small - or massive the event is. That groundwork enabled us to keep the moving parts in check while team RGI and our crews were onsite, bringing the months of planning to life. 

 A job like this isn’t always easy, but it is exhilarating to be part of something not only so large in scale but also so important to so many people within our community. After all, in the Army’s own words, the Army Ten-Miler “exemplifies…the spirit of the Nation.” – and what an honor it is to be the team that can help make this race a reality. 

All in the (Location) Details

Location, location, location! One of the most important elements to throwing a great event is the where!

So how does one go about choosing the perfect place?

 Before we go any further -- no matter what type of venue you choose, we highly recommend working with an event producer for a lot of reasons. Event producers are professionals in the event industry and possess extensive knowledge of all things events, especially venue space. Because of our experience, we often know the venue you are considering like the back of our hands, which gives us a leg up when negotiating contracts. Venue contracts can be tricky and can often leave you with unexpected expenses if you don't know what you are doing – like cleaning, security, wifi fees etc. Event producers also do large volume business, which allows us to pull from our resources to help get you the best deals. We know how to best support you to make your vision come to life.

 When shopping around, there are two principal distinctions of venues you can choose from – a full-service venue or a four-wall venue. Both are excellent options, and both come with pros and cons.

Let's talk full service. This is a great option for someone not working with an event producer. Full-service venues are basically a one-stop shop with resources built into the event contract. Most resources and vendors you need will likely be contained within the venue itself. This means your vendors know the space inside and out, which makes for a much more seamless planning process. Additionally, because your vendors know the venue so well, it makes day-of troubleshooting a breeze. Full-service venues are a great option for easy planning, however, there are some cons to going with this option. Often with a full-service venue, your budget becomes far less flexible. Because you are forced to use the venue's approved vendors, this leaves you with little to no room to shop around for the best price. There are usually a handful of restrictions regarding suppliers and what you can do with décor making it harder to transform the space into your dream event – so be sure to do your research before signing the dotted line!

Four-wall spaces are pretty much just that – four walls and an empty room. These venues allow a lot more flexibility and creativity. Because you are not confined to the supplier limitations of a full-service venue, you are able to book the vendors you want that will best support the purpose of your event – just be sure to watch your budget! Like they say, with great freedom comes great responsibility and trust us when we say putting on an entire event from scratch is A LOT of hard work and responsibility! These types of venues are generally easier to work in, however, unless you are working with an event producer – bringing in an entire vendor team (down to a cleaning crew for after the festivities) -- and sourcing all your décor can get very expensive and overwhelming.

 When deciding where to host your event – above all else, functionality trumps all. At the end of the day, it won’t matter how beautiful the space looks or how great the food was if the space itself wasn’t functional for the purpose of the event. Be sure to keep in mind things like capacity, the flow of the room, if it’s in an urban area how will guest get there and whether it is easy for Ubers to access, if you are doing an event that will need heavy technology usage is the wifi strong enough to support the need, if you are live-streaming your event (as so many people now do) does the venue have a hardline for seamless streaming, if it is winter is there a coat/bag check for guest, etc. It’s important to really anticipate the needs of your event and your guests before securing the right venue!

While the above is not an extensive list, a good working knowledge of these types of questions to ask will get you off to a great start! Better yet, let us think through the logistics and do it for you!

Event Recap: got2b - Uniquely You!

When hair care client got2b came to RGI for support in debuting a new line of metallic hair colors, we couldn't help but immediately gravitate towards such a unique product.

Wait – that's it! As we looked for ways to create an event experience worthy of this one-of-a-kind product line, we realized the key was to lean into that individuality and focus on supporting the consumer to be uniquely them!

The venue was the iconic lips in Midtown Manhattan. A legendary stage for some of the country's most recognizable and unique drag performers! Through advanced product gifting, we worked closely to endear the product with some discerning talents ready to display and endorse the line to an equally discerning audience of beauty industry editors and press.

Upon entry, attendees posed in front of a one-of-a-kind step and repeat featuring saturated ribbons of each metallic shade. A further photo op featured Pantone color block pedestals topped with metallic gold mannequin forms and custom-dyed wigs.

At another activation, the brand's magic mirror technology allowed attendees to "try on "different metallic shades and experiment with the look without the commitment. For those a little more daring and ready to take the plunge, we created a custom vanity station where hair and make-up artists were available to curate a look for each guest taking inspiration from one of the signature shades.

The experience extended to the bar where, with the help of an expert mixologist, we created a four-step custom cocktail experience, ensuring each attendee could choose craft techniques and show-stopping effects to create a concoction just as unique as themselves!

After a stellar performance by some of Manhattan's top drag artists heralding the hues as only a headliner can, guests were gifted a product array via custom-fabricated displays made to mirror the retail endcap one might find at a department store register.

Custom tote in hand, guests exited into the crisp autumn air of the Big Apple laden with goodies, ready to put their unique stamp on the city.

Event Recap: The Gift of OPI

The holiday season is here and It's time to deck the hall and add a little seasonal sparkle -- from tips to toes!

Beauty mega-brand OPI needed to set an extra special scene, ensuring a solid debut of their 2022 holiday colors collection in front of a power-packed audience - so naturally, when they rang us up, we jumped in with both feet!

The client's goals were to debut the collection in a way that felt classic yet totally unique to a crowd of editors and influencers in the beauty space. When I tell you this audience has seen it all – they have - which makes our task particularly difficult as we inject a fresh point of view, surprise and delight to enchant and engage this influential audience.

For this NYC-based client, our thought was that it doesn't get much more festive than the iconic oak room in a hotel that truly needs no introduction, the Plaza Hotel! Needless to say, the client agreed. So we got to work creating a holiday-themed dinner experience we knew guests would not soon forget!

Attendees started in the adjacent bar for cocktail hour, complete with artisan-inspired signature concoctions curated to coordinate with shade categories highlighted in the holiday ad campaign. It was important to us to weave the brand through the event wherever possible. This included cocktail napkins with holiday hashtags and collection references, as well as edible floating logos adorning the libations.

Guests took turns being buffed and polished in holiday hues at manicure stations tucked into the iconic banquette cubbies surrounding the room - and product displays and installations offered the opportunity to absorb the inspiration behind the collection.

After cocktail hour, came the big reveal! Guest processed into dinner, held at long king tables overflowing with holiday adornment. The room lends itself particularly well to candlelight, and it's one of the handful of venues that comfortably allows open flame. We lined the tables with dozens of 3-foot candelabras adding much-needed height to a room with soaring ceilings and an amber glow - the warmth and magic could not be beat.

Down the center sat single stem arrangements in deep reds echoing the collection's signature color, highlighted by gold foil stamped menus and glittering wrapped gift boxes at each seat, serving not only as the place card but gifting the complete collection to each attendee

A statement photo wall adorned with gift boxes wrapped in paper coordinated to collection shades was a must-stop spot all night. As the collection was toasted long into the evening and holiday music filled the hall, we couldn't help but marvel at the special scene set for the most magical time of the year.

Connecting with Clients Coast to Coast

A NOTE FROM COMMANDER IN CHIC, RACHAEL GLAWS:

New York City, NY

During the high season, I frequently find myself in any given week crisscrossing the country for face time with our valued clients in the markets we serve all over the nation. Since that's the life I've been living for most of the last two months, I wanted to take this installment of my 'Note from the CEO' and talk a little bit about how we get it done for our clients that span the country and the world.

Technology has undoubtedly made it easier. We now connect seamlessly through a few clicks, no matter where our clients are. This also makes it super simple to ensure I give maximum availability to our client commitments even when I'm on the go. While my amazing team holds down the day-to-day, it's essential I touch every piece of the process of our clients projects. All the technology, however, does not completely fill the deep need for connection and collaborative workshopping for our clients. We are in the business of bringing people together, after all! This is why I prioritize being present with our clients -- wherever they might be.

Grand Rapids, MI

We prioritize accessibility and responsiveness. No matter what time zone our client is in. The ambiguous nature of event production has always driven me to build a culture that profoundly commits to ensuring our clients feel like we are just at the next desk – not across town, across the country or an ocean. This certainly isn't always the easiest, but it's an essential piece to our role in keeping our clients comfortable with their projects' progress and ensuring their voices are heard at all times. It's a responsibility we take extremely seriously at RGI.

Palm Springs, CA

Pasadena, CA

Scottsdale, AZ

Washington, D.C.

Juggling clients worldwide takes an immense amount of organization -- something I learned from my mom. As a working mother of seven, she always overstressed the importance of achievement through organization. I've never met a more organized person in my entire life. Everything she did -- and still does -- always looks effortless because it's rooted in careful planning and thorough organization. That means always having a plan, having a backup for your backup strategy, meticulously thinking through every scenario and over-preparing for the unexpected - just like the steps we take to ensure our client productions flow flawlessly from coast to coast.

Washington, D.C.

Dallas, TX

Miami, FL

Washington, D.C.

Chicago, IL

Miami, FL

Austin, TX

Pasadena, CA

New York City

Thinking back on when I started RGI, producing events for anyone that would pay me, it’s amazing to see how very far we have come. As I reflect on where we are now and the amazing clients we have all over the world, I can say with conviction that it’s true when you love what you do, you don’t work a day in your life.

Cheers,

RG

Event Essentials: You're Invited! What Makes a Memorable Invitation

Invitations are one of the most important elements of throwing a great party! They set the stage for your event, declaring the theme, the attire, the color, the style and so much more!

 But a good invitation is more than just a decorative piece of paper with a little information on them. Opening the invite should be an event in itself for your guests and should leave no questions unanswered.

 When you are ready to send out invitations, it’s important to PIC the right one – one that is great in Presentation, contains all the important Information, and is Creative – PIC!

Presentation – Presentation matters. When it comes to the presentation there are a lot of things to consider with the invitation itself but also with, believe it or not, the envelopes. I mean think about it, it’s the first thing your invitee sees.

Let’s talk envelopes. There are actually a lot more things to consider when choosing the envelope than you might think – like what color, what size, are you going to handwrite the addresses or will they be printed, what postage to use, will it be lined with another paper inside, are you using a wax seal, ect. All of these details may seem small, but have the ability to make a big impact on your guest before they even see the invite.

 When it comes to the invitation itself, it goes without saying the presentation is major. We love a beautifully printed invite that drives home your message.  

 I love an old-school invitation. There is something extremely elegant about receiving an invite through the mail, but beauty is only half the story at RGI. Reinforcement of the brand is equally important. - Rachael Glaws, Principal

Information – Making sure all the important information is included may sound obvious, but you would be surprised at how many times invites are sent out without RSVP information, attire, the address (not just the name of the venue!), etc. Before you finalize your print be sure to check it twice! You don’t want your guests confused or wondering about anything. Other than the date and time, make sure to include what that celebration is, who it’s for, the attire, what will be served (we are not talking about a full menu here, just what your guest can expect in terms of the scale. Will it be drinks and hors d'oeuvre, or dinner and dancing?) and any other detail you think your guest will wonder!

 Creative – The more creative your invitations are the better! People love to see something that is out of the box. When looking for the right invite, get creative and do something different, but keep in mind your invitations should tie back into the overall theme of the event. Don’t be afraid to add unique elements to a beautifully printed invitation. 

Now, get those show-stopping invitations in the mail and get ready to have a killer event!

It’s All In The (Welcoming) Details

It’s all about first impressions when it comes to putting on a great event from start to finish. At RGI, we fully believe the event actually starts long before your guest even arrives at the venue. As far as we are concerned, for out-of-towners, the party starts when they check into their hotel. This is why we are big fans of a welcome box, bag, or basket to help your attendees kick off the festivities!

My love for special events is rooted deeply in the experience of watching how my mother and grandmothers entertained -- hospitality. What shows more hospitality than a carefully curated gift. - Rachael Glaws, RGI Principal

 A lot like what we said in our Sensible, but Swanky Swag blog a few weeks ago, a welcome box should be well thought out and should consist of items that will be useful and make a strong, memorable first impression on your attendees. This easy detail sets the tone for what your guest can expect when they arrive at the actual event.

 So what do you put in these boxes or bags? Don’t overthink it, but make sure there is purpose behind each piece. Things that make your guest really feel like you thought about them and thought through everything they could possibly need or want while on this trip.

Read on for our top 5 items we add in a welcome gift:

 1. Handwritten note – This is probably one of the easiest and least expensive personal touches to include – but also the most impactful! Nothing makes your guest feel more special than knowing you took the time to welcome and thank them personally!

2. Snacks – Obviously! But not just any snack -- we recommend either getting hyper-local with your options and including munchies that are special to the location or venue OR tie back to your brand/event!

3. Alcohol – Whether it’s a business trip or a pleasure trip, who doesn’t love a good cocktail at the end of a long day? We love adding in little bottles of booze, especially if we can find a local distillery or winery!

4. Local Trinket – Including a keepsake that your guest can take home with them and remember the event by is always a nice touch! We love to find something local that helps to drive home the meaning of the event and your guest trip to your event!

5. Something that ties back into the event – This is where we like to include something your guest might need or what while attending your soiree! We highly recommend anything brand!

Now you know our tips and tricks to create the perfect, well-curated, thoughtful welcome box for your guest at your next event! Don’t forget to use a beautifully branded box and ribbon to add the final touch!

Kimco Realty: Bringing a Community Back Together

Through 2022 we have been so fortunate to work with nationwide retail real estate developer Kimco Realty activating nearly a dozen of their community retail centers in the D.C. and Baltimore areas. From marquee events to weekly engagement programming, increasing local activity to make each center a true destination has been one of our favorite projects this year.

Kimco is a client whose focus is on the communities their tenants, customers and staff call home.

In early 2022 we began building a calendar for multiple shopping centers to create opportunities to bring the community together for the entirety of the year. We set about doing a deep study on the demographics around the centers we were set to activate. We took stock of census data and the makeup of each community along with in-depth interviews with tenant businesses. Through this research, we were able to design a community-specific engagement calendar for each of the different centers to best achieve the client's goals. Once we strategically identified the best way to engage with communities and deepen their relationship with each center, we scheduled a robust calendar of nearly 60 total events to take place over the course of the year. By the spring it was off to the races!

Throughout the summer and into the fall, we have been busy planning various community activations for seven of the retail giant's shopping centers. Through the lazy haze of summer heat, the cheerful sound of music at a Kimco-sponsored summer concert can be heard from across the parking lot on Saturday afternoon at one of their many shopping centers. Children dancing with melting ice cream cones in their hands, their parents watching from the shade. After two years of COVID, the realty group finally brought back the long-awaited summer concert series. Each Saturday, up to four concerts would be live at a Kimco shopping center, bringing back popular bands from years past and introducing new talent into the mix. It is fair to say this year's concert series came back with a bang!

We didn't stop there, this year we were excited to also introduce movie nights. These pop-up family movie nights were produced in these shopping centers every Friday night throughout the summer, giving families the perfect outing to create memories together.

For the client, it was imperative that the whole community could be a part of these events being held in their own backyards. Stores in the centers got involved in our weekly raffles, and their incredible prizes kept the competition lively while local food trucks were brought to each center to feed the concert crowds.

The summer wrapped up with the Kentland Art Walk – an art festival in which local artists were invited to show off their crafts to their community! About a dozen local artists set up booths displaying their work, from paintings to glass blowing and even artisanal soaps. Chalk was available for the littlest of the artists to showcase their talents on the sidewalks of the shopping center.

These events were simple in concept but complex in execution with a big impact. Luckily for us, and for these Kimco communities, we aren't done yet -- 2022 still has more events to come!

The upcoming Kentlands Market Square Fall Festival is a day out for the whole family - with live music, food trucks with hot freshly made donuts, a hot chocolate truck, pumpkin painting and even a pet costume contest! Multiple activations running simultaneously across this shopping center means you don't have to go too far to find the fun. Pumpkins, haybales and cornstalks subtly bring the whole affair a seasonal feel!

The Holiday Kick-Off is the start of the Kimco Holiday Season, taking place on Black Friday. The crowds can take a break from shopping by visiting with Santa, listening to our carolers or at the crafts stations for the kids. As always, no event is complete without the perfect menu - hot festive beverages and holiday treats coming right up! We are also taking the natural audience that Black Friday will give us to launch the Kimco "Miracle on Market Street," a month-long shopping scavenger hunt in partnership with local businesses.

We hope to see you out of one of Kimco's centers very soon!

Atelier Unplugged: A Peek Behind the Curtain

A NOTE FROM COMMANDER IN CHIC, RACHAEL GLAWS:

I’m so very thrilled this week to be reintroducing you all to an old favorite of ours here at RGI. If you’ve been around for a bit, you’ll be familiar with this peek behind the curtain we proudly drop to give a unique and unobstructed insight into our work - and I’m excited to say it’s back and it’s better than ever.

RGI events proudly presents the return of Atelier Unplugged.

Nearly 15 years ago when I founded RGI events, this business was a creative channel for me to bring to life aspects of my own personality. An outlet to express my passions and give them a purpose through strategy for the organizations we serve.

And though now all these successful years later, that team of one has grown and grown to a company of bold, fearless and creative professionals, servicing the very most recognized brands, service organizations and titans of industry all over the world, it’s true we remain driven by sensibilities uniquely me -- the RG in RGI.

These episodes show the how and the why to what we do.

So please enjoy! Tell us what you think when a new episode drops - and I hope you find some inspiration of your own.

Cheers,

RG

Event Essentials: Sensible, but Swanky Swag

Remember getting invited to a birthday party as a little kid and looking forward to the gift bag you left the party with?! You know, the ones that came in a plastic bag that matched the party theme, filled with candy, trinkets like stickers, toys and bubbles? We bet you still remember who gave out the best goodies! A good event swag bag is just the adult version of those classic birthday party goodie bags and we are here for it!

To give or not to give…that is the question…we get a lot, actually! When we get to the part of the project where we are talking about giveaways, our clients frequently look to us for strategy or advice. The main question we get is whether swag or giveaways are a good use of the client's budget. In simple terms, yes, but with a few caveats. In a landscape of over-saturation when it comes to freebies, what do you do to make sure yours does not end up in the garbage but instead creates a deeper emotional connection where attendees are truly taking an unforgettable part of your event with them? The best way we find to ensure this is to choose swag that falls into at least one of three categories -- ultra-useful, ultra-premium or ultra-impactful. Above all, always remember to #MaterlizeTheMessage.

"Approach gifting attendees the way you would approach gifting a good friend – and make it count!" – Rachael Glaws, RGI Principal

So what do these categories mean? To be ultra-useful, you need to find a niche that is not easily filled, not just give away another pen. Recently we had a nonprofit client whose focus was on healthcare disaster assistance. What did they give out? Branded, portable first aid kits! This is a perfect example of something that was minimal cost but made a huge impact AND was extremely useful! Hello, perfect to keep in the car or in your suitcase! Other solid swag classics we see often are reusable tote bags, t-shirts, or branded tech accessories!

Some of our clients go the more premium route and have given out extreme luxury gifts. Recently a corporate client whose annual sales meeting was all about "powering up" their sales team gifted an Apple Watch with pre-loaded apps to track personal performance metrics. It can't get more memorable than that, and it still closely coincides with the purpose of the meeting! The watches served as a good call back and a consistent reminder of the purpose of the meeting and the inspiration the attendees gained to do their personal best.

As for ultra-impactful, this could be anything that truly stands out from the bunch. Whether it is impactful because it closely dovetails with messaging or mission or impactful in its aesthetic, cementing that memory is always worth the money. For example, a long-term luxury brand client of ours gifted engraved Tiffany & Co. necklaces to a select collection of their highest-valued clients at a chic dinner event. The look on their faces when they opened the iconic tiffany blue box certainly illustrated impact!

We are not advocating that your attendee swag has to cost big bucks or that every event needs a giveaway, but if you decide to spend your budget on attendee swag, following the guidelines above is a way to ensure that spend is worth it. And if you'd rather just skip it, we recommend putting your money into the bar. That is never a bad choice!

It’s All in the (Signature) Details – Five Tips on Creating the Perfect Signature Cocktail for Your Next Event

A party is only as good as its most detailed detail, right?! We think so! One of the most fun – and frankly easiest – details to add to any event are signature cocktails! These fancy cocktails first really made a *splash* in the wedding world but have quickly become the new “it” thing at almost any event!

“Expressing an event’s identity may STOP at decor – but we highly recommend it STARTs at the bar” - Rachael Glaws, RGI Principal

Read on for our top five tips on making the perfect signature cocktail for your next soiree! 

1. Creativity Is Key – Whether it’s a twist on a classic or your own concoction altogether, this is the perfect chance to let your inner bartender shine! And if mixing up a new drink isn’t your speed, pick your go-to cocktail and add a fun twist, like a flavor!

2. Call It As You See It – Perhaps one of the most important parts of a signature cocktail (besides what you put in it!) is what you call it! Whether it’s a play on the hosts’ name(s) or a clever way to tie in the theme, guests love to order a drink with a fun name! This is also a great way to #MaterializeTheMessage of any event!

3. Opposites Attract – When choosing your signature drink, we recommend having at least two options and two that are entirely different. You will have guests who prefer dark liqueur and others who prefer clear. It’s always best to have something for everyone! So instead of offering a take on a margarita and vodka-based drink, opted for something that gives your whiskey lovers something to sip on too!

4. Sippin’ Pretty – Just as important as the drink itself is what glassware it’s served in! This is another way to let your creativity *sparkle and shine*! While normal barware works just fine, finding a way to #MaterlizeTheMessage through your serving mechanism is ideal. One of our favorite things we’ve seen was at a beauty brand launch where they used beakers as drinking glasses – tying in the science behind the product! As always, we love anything that puts a twist on tradition!

5. Tied Up With A Bow (Or Fancy Garnish!) – Adding a beautifully curated garnish to a well-thought-out signature cocktail is just like adding a big bow to a perfectly wrapped present – an absolute must! From edible flowers, sprigs of rosemary or mint to glitter on the rim or customized stir sticks, don’t forget the final touch that ties the theme into the drink!

Signature cocktails are great for any event, any size – weddings, product launches, small dinner parties, backyard barbeque or any holiday gathering! Don’t forget, all these tips work great for mocktails and kid-friendly drinks! Bottoms up!

Event Recap: From Industrial Construction Zone to Black-Tie Chic

At RGI we are proud of every production we bring to life for all of our diverse clients, but the work we do for our nonprofit partners certainly hold a special significance. Mission-driven events for nonprofit organizations comprise over 40% of our overall business. We are proud to say that over the last 20 years, we have supported raising the staggering sum of over $1 billion for nonprofit initiatives all over the country. We often say at RGI that we may not be the ones to change the world, but we will build a stage for the ones who will -- literally and figuratively! It gives us immense gratitude to meaningfully contribute to initiatives driving change and improving the world around us in both big and small ways.

Early in the 2022 gala season, we had the honor of working with a small nonprofit based in New York whose mission includes legal support services for underserved communities in the city. They had recently moved into a stunning office space in Lower Manhattan with a jaw-dropping view.

They were obviously eager to show the space as the host venue for their annual gala – and rightfully so! The trick? The space was not finished yet. So RGI, on top of the meticulous work of planning an annual gala event, was also tasked with ensuring an unfinished industrial space became an inviting home for some high-powered guests. And that doesn’t just mean decor - though I think we did a pretty good job there too! You have to start from the ground up when working in unfinished spaces. In this case, it meant bringing in water, power, cooling systems and lighting to make the occupation of the space for a dinner possible. Not to mention complex production technology for the stage show and simultaneous webcast featuring a virtual donation platform and an anything but a straightforward permitting process with the city.

RGI tackled it with aplomb - and the event, which featured a Keynote by lauded author Preet Bharara, went off without a hitch – and we can’t wait for the next one!

Full Speed into Fall

If you follow us on social media – and if you don't, what are you waiting for? – you will no doubt have caught on by now that here at the RGI atelier, the first real sign of the season changing is a very defined uptick in activity. It happens every year without fail about ten days after Labor Day. Suddenly out of seemingly nowhere, we are running on all cylinders. I would never categorize any season in this industry as slow, but we are lucky enough to enjoy a somewhat more reasonable pace to a hectic job in the summer months. We enjoy it while we can because before we know it, which means now, blink and four months have passed. That's how much of a whirlwind fall event season really is.

However, the last few summers have not been like this at all. I don't need to tell you why. As the entire world emerges from the confines of the pandemic and begins to live under a new normalcy, we find ourselves at very long last in the throes of the first event season in many seasons where it has truly felt like we are back. We were very lucky that through our adaptability, flexibility, deep knowledge and unwavering trust of our clients we stayed busy during the pandemic – helping them meet the new challenges brought on by the restrictions around gathering together. But as once was famously crooned – ain't nothing like the real thing.

We are thrilled to be working on fall community activations for our programming clients, fundraisers and strategy launches for our nonprofit clients, conferences and meetings for our policy clients, and decadent product debuts and experiential efforts for our corporate clients. Additionally, we are so excited to welcome back the largest attendee volume event we produce each year after a long two-year absence, the Army 10 Miler! While we will not be welcoming the record crowds of 80,000 that we did in 2019, we are thrilled to be preparing to once again meet the thunderous cannons at the starting line in just a few weeks!

2019 Army 10 Miler, photo credit AUSA

2019 Army 10 Miler, photo credit AUSA

2019 Army 10 Miler, photo credit AUSA

If this sounds overwhelming and intimidating, well, it is! But then, event producers thrive under highly pressurized scenarios. It's just part of the job and likely a big part of your personality if this is what you do for a living. We take this on so our clients don't have to, and we smooth the edges by creating order in the chaos through our expert knowledge and experienced processes to these logistical and design challenges. For us, there's no place we'd rather be.

It's full speed ahead into fall in the RGI atelier and it's never felt so good. And while I am sure I will never forget the lessons learned over the past 2+ years, I think I, along with the rest of the event industry, have dwelled on the sadness of that time enough. Frankly, it's time to party. I hope I see you at one soon!

Cheers,

RG

Event Essentials: Post-Worthy Moments

Social media seems to be running the world these days, doesn't it? From Instagramable details to "wow" moments you can't help but take a photo of, creating opportunities that encourage attendees to share with the world what they are experiencing in the room is no longer a nice element to have in event design, it's essential.

This is now more important than ever. It's a different way attendees engage with event experiences. It's also important to our clients to amplify exposure digitally in addition to in real life. – Rachael Glaws, RGI Principal

These content creation moments have become a cornerstone of our event installation strategies for our clients. One of our more recent engagement-driven exhibits was for our beauty brand client KISS and the launch of a website for one of their popular products, Falscara (false eyelashes). With the popularity growth of the product largely driven by platforms like TikTok and the guest list heavy with New York beauty influencers, it only made sense to create an entire section dedicated to content creation – we call it the TikTok Lounge.

TikTok, the wildly popular social media app, allows creatives to post short-formed videos often synced to popular songs or other famous audio clips. So…while the KISS event was essentially a lunch party for the Falscara website, it was also a celebration of a collaboration with singer/songwriter Maranda Rae who wrote a song specifically for the website launch with the idea of TikTok in mind. A listening station complete with rose gold Beats headphones synced with iPads allowed guests to listen to the song all night long and be inspired to create their next TikTok reel during the event. The listening station and TikTok Lounge were strategically placed next to the lash bar, where attendees could experience Falscara themselves and then hop into the TikTok Lounge to create their next piece of killer content.

As social media continues to dominate society, we find huge success by creating post-worthy moments in helping our clients feel as though their event goes beyond the venue. So, next time you are planning an event, be sure to think about those details and moments that are sure to get your guests sharing with their online community!

It's All in the (Customized) Details

By this point, you have probably heard us say “materialize the message” about a thousand times. That’s because we firmly believe that every aspect of an event should have a purpose – after all, it’s all in the details, right? One recent favorite detail was at a 20th-anniversary bash we threw for a lobbying firm here in Washington, D.C.

Throughout its two decades in business, Cornerstone Government Affairs expanded its operation and opened fifteen offices across the country. While we strategized on how to represent this journey in the curated details throughout the event with food and a larger-than-life-sized road map, the detail we were most excited about not only highlighted CGA’s growth but also incorporated the event theme, which was larger informed by the event’s venue, iconic live music venue The Anthem. “Cornerstone Live!” came to life, taking attendees on the CGA nationwide tour through customized concert posters! After all, they would be found flashing all throughout the iconic concert venue, so it was imperative they fit the aesthetic and theme.

RGI’s focus is always finding edgy and unexpected ways to amplify client massaging. These posters presented a perfect opportunity to materialize the message. — Rachael Glaws, RGI Principal

Fifteen posters were designed to announce when each office opened its doors and went “live”! – a play on vintage city-specific tour posters. These posters were a playful, but very important detail to our clients. Each city's unique culture was displayed through carefully chosen landmarks and symbols from each city.

Fan favorites included: Denver, CO (The Rocky Mountains), Oklahoma City, OK (The Wild West Cowboy) Annapolis, MD (crabs), and of course Washington, DC (The National Mall).

The works of art were not just simple background pieces, they were an event staple, succinctly bringing together the who, what, where and when of the whole evening. And these posters were everywhere, hanging along the halls, flashing behind headlining band Go-Go Gadget during the concert, and even providing the 360-photobooth backdrop.

Guests from each of Cornerstone’s locations loved when they saw their office represented on the flashing posters – bringing home the feeling of a company-wide celebration!