Turning Cancelation into Connection

By Chris Phelan

On March 12, moments before the second round of the 2020 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championship tipped off in Kansas City, Missouri, the players walked off the court. A few minutes earlier, at 10:32 a.m. to be exact, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas had declared a State of Emergency as the city escalated their fight against the spread of COVID-19. Across the country, similar leaders were doing the same for their cities, regions, and states. Within days, the entire country was shut down. There were no events of any kind.

Flash forward four months later and… we’re still there. While professional sports leagues have started to reboot and some small gatherings have taken place, most large crowds and in-person events remain in a holding pattern. The Pasadena Tournament of Roses Rose Parade just canceled for the first time since World War II. In Kansas City, our team at O’Neill Events & Marketing canceled Boulevardia, our beer and music festival, Kansas City Irish Fest, our annual Labor Day Celtic celebration, and the Kansas City Air Show, featuring the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.

No one imagined that four months after those players walked off the court, most of the country would be at a standstill in the fight against COVID-19. Now, more than ever, people are longing for meaningful connections. Our team has been forced to find new ways to serve our communities and bring people together. Utilizing both virtual and physical elements to create unique experiences, our focus has shifted to adding personal connections to auctions, award shows, company meetings, and other events. We know this is an unprecedented time in the events community. We hope these ideas may spark some wonder in your imagination and allow you to pivot from cancelation to connection.

FIRE Foundation Purses with Purpose

The traditional fundraising event includes 200 women gathering at a home for an evening of socializing and bidding on designer bags and packages through a live and silent auction. The event has typically sold out each year due to the limited 200-person venue capacity.

• 2020 Pivot: O’Neill Events assisted in taking the favorite summer soiree virtual, but added a twist, allowing attendees the opportunity to choose to host a private house party or purchase an individual ticket to attend. House party packages varied in size and included the delivery of a charcuterie tray, dessert, wine, guest years past. They also nearly doubled their audience because they were not limited by a venue capacity.

Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City Parade of Homes Award Ceremony

The traditional event included about 350 people in a venue for cocktails and a sit down awards ceremony.

• 2020 Pivot: The HBA hired O’Neill Events to produce a virtual ceremony from their headquarter office. O’Neill set up a studio and produced the virtual event which included local talent and HBA members, as well as video sponsor shout-outs and check-ins with company parties being hosted around the city.

• 2020 Result: Over 300 individual viewers tuned in for the presentation on the HBA’s YouTube channel during the live event with the estimate of total viewers being much higher due to the company viewing parties being hosted with multiple viewers.

NUCA KC - Capital Improvement Project Update

The traditional annual Capital Improvement Projects Update is held in person with around 500 attendees, a happy hour, and live presentation.

• 2020 Pivot: O’Neill worked with NUCA to turn the annual Capital Improvement Projects update into a virtual lunch & learn. O’Neill created the physical booklet that NUCA hands out at the event each year and made it available for pick-up along with lunch to-go at one of four local BBQ restaurants. Attendees chose their pick-up location and retrieved their book and lunch curbside before heading back to watch the virtual presentation at their home or office. O’Neill produced the virtual event from a remote office while all 10+ presenters joined virtually from their individual locations.

• 2020 Result: More than 200 people viewed the presentation on YouTube during the live event and guests that weren’t able to attend could tune in at a later time thanks to streaming the event on YouTube.

While none of these events are what we are used to, we have found a way to remain relevant to new and existing clients. Most importantly it feels good to see smiling faces (even if through a screen) and be a part of raising money for some really wonderful causes! Stay healthy and stay well!

Chris Phelan is the Senior Director at O’Neill Marketing and Event Management in Kansas City, MO. From Boulevardia to Kansas City Irish Fest and two world championship parades, O’Neill Events & Marketing is proud to be the puppeteer behind the curtain of some of Kansas City’s most exciting, influential, and memorable events. If you would like to connect with the team at O’Neill to discuss these events or any ideas you have, reach out to us at keli@ oneillevents.com!

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