Intro to Events

1. Event Concept
Hevent
M.Aldana

2. Developing the Concept
• There are numerous elements which need
to be considered in developing an event
concept: purpose/objective, theme, venue,
audience, available resources, timing of
the event and the skills of the team.
• The most important is the purpose,
although it is strongly linked to both the
theme and the venue.

3. Purpose of the event
• The purpose of the event
should drive all the
planning.
• While for many events
the main purpose is
making a profit, for many
it is not.

4. Theme of the event
• The theme of the event should be linked to
the purpose.
• It should be completely compatible with
guest needs and consistent in all aspects.

5. Theme of the event
• When coming up with ideas for a theme, it
is most important to consider the range of
suitable venues available, keeping in mind
the budget and other considerations.

6. Theme of the event
AME 1UP event
(concept: gaming)

7. Venue of the event
• The event manager needs to carefully
consider the planning implications of
choosing an unusual venue in preference
to a standard venue requiring decoration
only match the theme.
• Lighting, sound and catering also provide
challenges

8. Factors to consider (venue)
• Potential to fulfil the purpose of the event
• Ambience
• Location
• Access to public transport
• Parking
• Seating capacity
• Built features (stages)
• Cost of decoration
• Cost of labour
• Logistics of setting up
• Food and beverage facilities
• Safety

9. Event audience
• When organizing an event, the needs of all
participants must be considered before
finalizing the concept.

10. Financial considerations
• Finances is an important consideration at
this early stage of event concept and
design.

11. Timing of the event
• The timing of the event is often linked to
the season or weather.
• The evaluation of an event concept must
take into account the following:
– Season
– Day of the week
– Time of day
– duration

12. Timing of the event
• Another thing to consider is lead time – the
time available for planning and
implementation.
• The duration of the event is another thing
to consider.

13. Event team, contractors and
other stakeholders
• The skills of the event team, just as
importantly, the contractors, such as
lighting technicians and catering staff, are
important considerations in terms of
concept development.

14. ANALYSING THE CONCEPT

15. Competition
• Prior to involvement in any event, it is
essential to conduct an analysis of your
competition.
• People have limited disposable income
and festivals and events tend to be non
essential items in most family and tourist
budgets.

16. Regulations
• A wide range of laws and regulations have
an impact on the staging of events and
these can severely limit creativity.

17. Marketing
• How to sell an event is a very important
part of the initial planning, the timing of
your marketing is very crucial.

18. Community Impact
• The impact of an event on the local or
wider community and others is a major
consideration of the planning stage.

19. Risk
• For most events, weather is the greatest
risk to attendance, enjoyment and
success.
• Other risks associated with events:
cancelation of speaker or performer, non-
arrival of equipment, technical failure,
transportation crisis, accidents, etc.

20. Revenue and expenditure
• Losing money is the fastest way to get out
of the event business.
• For this reason, the event concept needs
very careful analysis.
• In most cases, contractors for catering,
security and other services.

21. DESIGNING THE CONCEPT

22. Designing the concept
• The following are the main creative elements
that must be considered:
– Theme
– Layout
– Decor
– Suppliers
– Technical requirements
– Staging
– Entertainment
– Talent
– Catering

23. Theme
• The theme should ideally appeal to all
senses: tactile, smell, taste, visual and
auditory.

24. Layout
• Discomfort in events is generally the result
of too much open space, too much light or
the limited opportunity to mix.
• The audience needs to be comfortably fill
the venue to create a positive ambience.

25. Decor
• Fabrics, decorative items, stage props,
drapes and table settings can all be hired
for the event and it can reduce the cost

26. Suppliers
• Good relationships with suppliers of all
commodities will ensure that only quality
products will be received.

27. Technical Requirements
• Technical glitches like speaker’s notes on
the laptop and the screen starts changing
slides rapidly, screensavers pop-up when
the speakers take too long, microphone
not working, etc are some of the things we
encounter during events.
• Technical glitches as such are
unacceptable – thorough rehearsals and a
back-up system is essential.

28. Staging
• Consider renting stages rather than
making them if the event venue is without
one.

29. Entertainment
• For some events,
entertainment is central, for
others, it is peripheral.
• The most important thing is
that the entertainment
should suit the purpose of
the event, not detract from it.

30. Talent
• Talent may come in any
form of musical performers,
dancers, athletes, golfers,
conference speakers, etc.
• When the talent is the focal
point for an event,
management of the talent is
exceptionally important.

31. Catering
• Nothing makes participants more
frustrated than delays in service and poor
quality food.

32. Logistics of the Concept
• The following logistical elements must be
taken into account:
• Access to the site
• Physical limitations
• Dimensions of the site
• Refrigerated storage
• Physical space
• Toilet facilities

33. Logistics of the Concept
• The following logistical elements must be
taken into account:
• Cleaning
• Catering
• Safety
• Potential damage to the site
• Provision of basic services