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Our client “designs and builds some of the most powerful facilities in the world,” which meant the company’s 2022 Internal Conference had to impress. We planned to make full use of the various spaces at Hotel Midtown, formerly the W Atlanta Midtown Hotel and now The Starling, and treat the 180 guests to a variety of high-end experiences during the three-day event.
The client’s theme was “Unite, Ignite, Activate,” and it carried through everything we did. From sessions to receptions, we kept the focus on bringing people together, creating a high-energy atmosphere, and helping them envision the future of the company.
Seamless Logistics and Registration
Guests began arriving from the airport on Monday and were greeted by flawless event management technology, the Whova Mobile App and Desktop platform, that combined registration and overall conference experience.
With our automated digital system, guests were able to check themselves in at one of two dedicated stands, which featured graphic signage and instructions. Each guest printed a custom name badge, picked up a lanyard, and headed on their way. With the varied arrival times, this made registration a seamless process.
To provide conference details in a real-time manner, the app allowed CRB to share information with attendees from check-in through the final event of the conference. Thanks to the consolidated platform, guests could also search for other attendees, make networking plans, participate in polls, and view speakers and demonstrations. We saw a lot of audience interaction in the app throughout the conference with our hybrid-style meeting.
General Session Décor and Production
The Ballroom served as the location for multiple general sessions, and our team handled the full-scale production for all three days of meetings. We set up the speaker stage like a living room with sofas and armchairs, a brick wall backdrop, a giant mod floor lamp, étagères, and plants to mimic a residential setting. A 9-ft. mural with a gold frame and silver foil enhancements that shimmered in the light was centered on the stage. A second stage was set up for the surprise band (the lead singer is an employee at the company), then added barstools for a pared-back look.
The ballroom floor featured 30 round tables for attendees. These were dressed in silver linens and topped with low, colorful, floral centerpieces in branded white vases. All tables also featured charging stations. For guests preferring to step away and get more comfortable without missing the presentations on stage, the room included four plush lounge groupings that paired bright hues with neutral fabrics. They also doubled as small breakout areas for short presentations throughout the meeting.
Hosting Happy Hours & Dining Out
Throughout the conference, we planned numerous dining experiences, including happy hours at hotel spaces Elevate and Altitude, breakfasts and lunches in the foyer and ballroom, and an off-site dinner at multiple chef-driven restaurants in Atlanta.
For the opening night happy hour, we accentuated the sleek style of Elevate with a scattering of highboys featuring centerpieces in bight blues, greens and yellows. To the sumptuous buffet centerpiece, we added a red cardinal in honor of a beloved company inside joke about “Steve” the cardinal that perched outside the CEO’s home office window throughout the pandemic. In fact, we hid more than a dozen red cardinals throughout the hotel, and the guest who had spotted the most by the end of the conference got a prize for their excellent bird-watching skills.
The following night, happy hour moved up to Altitude on the 27th floor. We repurposed some of the florals from the previous evening and added votives to the tables, as well as uplights throughout the room to accent the architectural features and create a warm glow throughout the space.
For the final night together, we planned a dinner outing, which introduced groups of attendees to some of Atlanta’s best restaurants. To transport guests from the hotel to their chosen restaurant, we scheduled six executive mini-coaches. Guests either headed to Atlanta’s historic Inman Park to dine at Beetlecat, Hampton + Hudson or Kevin Rathbun Steak, or they were taken to upscale Buckhead Village for dinner at Gypsy Kitchen or The Southern Gentleman.
Capturing Professional Memories
With so many team members in one place, our client wanted to capture group photos and allow everyone to update their headshots. To fulfill this request, we scheduled an all-team photo during Monday’s happy hour and set up a headshot studio on-site the next day. Although the photo studio served an important purpose, the images will have the dual benefit of keeping the event in participants’ minds for months or years to come.
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