To manage events effectively you need an eye for detail, creative flair and a level head! Marketing and the media relations of events requires specific event marketing skills, accurate timing and a dogged determination to hit the front page and screens of the entertainment and general news sections of the media.
Convergence's Auckland principal, Suzanne McNamara has marketed a number of events including Splore 06 and Splore 08, a biennial music and arts festival in Auckland – www.splore.net. This included managing the traditional media buying as well as communicating to the potential audience through new media, such as viral campaigns, youtube, myspace and facebook. Convergence also developed the sponsorship portfolio for Splore 06 and 08 and successfully managed the sale process so that sufficient sponsorship was secured for the festival to proceed.
Convergence Auckland works for promoters assisting them with marketing and media relations to achieve sell out events. Recent successes included the sell-out tour of dance troupe ‘One Night in Buenos Aires’ and the Salsa Congress held in Wellington during Easter 07. Significant television and print news coverage was secured.
In Christchurch, Erin Jamieson is the company’s local events specialist. Her successes include HarbourFest, Lyttelton Port of Christchurch’s annual open day, which was an opportunity for the general public to see what happens behind the scenes of a busy port. It was a complex event requiring the co-ordination of a variety of stakeholders, from the port itself to community organisations and businesses, entertainers, food providers, health and safety officials, and security.
Erin developed and directed the event for eight years, growing it to the point where it was attracting over 8,000 people and providing the port and local community with excellent promotion.
Convergence was also responsible for organising the marketing and sponsorship of the inaugural John Britten Memorial Superbike meeting in 2004. The three-day event was attended by more than 100 riders and crowds of over 4000 from around New Zealand. Convergence secured excellent sponsors and the event was well reported across national, regional and local media – TV, radio, magazine and print. A highlight of the media coverage was attracting four stories on national television in one week, estimated to reach over 1.5 million viewers.
The event received praise from Motorcycle New Zealand as being one of the best run and well attended events on the national circuit.