November/December 2015
OnSite
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Contact: 877.MGM.EVNT (646.3868) Or send your RFP to: sales@det.mgmgrand.com
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In this issue What’s New At MPI-NJ? Page 4
PRESIDENT’S CORNER
MPI-NJ Sept Education Lunch Page 5
Setting Yourself Up for Success Page 67
MPI-NJ Members Attend IMEX Page 89
WEC 2016 - An Interview With Jim Wood Page 1011
Radisson Teams Up with MPINJ to Train Staff Page 12
Visiting Portugal. Ireland and Italy, All in 2 Hours Page 13
Creating Experiential Networking Events Page 14
My MPI Miss America Experience Page 15
Capturing the Attendee Experience Page 1618
A Conversation with Anna Link Page 2021
Volunteering Giving Back as a Meeting Professional Page 22
To view our Board, New Members, and Sponsors please go to www.mpinewjersey.org
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he theme of this month’s message is Thankfulness. For many people in our industry, September and October are the busiest months of the year and every year it seems that time goes faster and faster. I encourage each and every one of you to try to slow down and appreciate the smallest things in life as you prepare for the holiday season. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. To me it is the BEST meal of the whole year!! It is the crisp, cool air, football on TV, the beautiful leaves on the ground, the smell of pumpkin and apple pie and seeing all my loved ones. We always take the time to talk about holidays past and reminisce about Grandmom and Grandpop, favorite family stories and talk about upcoming vacations and of course – what to eat at Christmas, Prime Rib or Tenderloin… We vote for this on Thanksgiving so it is a big deal!! I would love to hear your family stories, your favorite recipes, your funny anecdotes, share with me at PamelaAWynne@gmail.com
Editor: Carol Malinky, CMP editor@mpinewjersey.org
2015-16 MPI-NJ Events
As we enter the holiday season, enjoy this time with family and friends. Here are some things I plan on doing: 1) Making gift buying more personal and heart-felt. PRESENCE instead of presents! I plan on giving loved ones my homemade treats and words of kindness. Writing personal notes in each of my Christmas cards. 2) Writing a few letters to our servicemen: For more information and the address, visit http://amillionthanks.org/send_a _letter.php 3) Donating food at my local food pantry 4) Donating winter coats, hats, gloves to the shelters 5) Participating in Toys for Tots. To locate your nearest donation point: http://www.toysfortots.org/default.aspx 6) Going to a holiday concert or sing along 7) Sending cards/emails to my vendors thanking them for their partnership 8) Sending cards to my clients thanking them for their business Think about what you are going to do and by all means – WRITE IT DOWN. We are so much more apt to complete (Continued on page 18)
OTHER INDUSTRY EVENTS
Thur., November 19, 2015
Fri., January 22, 2016
MPINJ MEET UP 5:30 – 7:30 PM Short Hills, NJ Click Here To Register
Educational Program Basking Ridge, NJ Registration Coming Soon!
MPI WEC 2016 June 11 14, 2016 Atlantic City, NJ Click Here For Details
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What’s New At MPI-NJ?
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Have a great Turkey Day and, as always, let us know E WANT TO PARTNER WITH YOU! I am excited to announce that MPI-NJ is ready to how we are doing! roll out our new partnership opportunities and 2016 marketing kit. Best Regards, There are many innovative ways to support the chapter and have the opportunity to get your company name in front of over 1,700 hospitality professionals in the tri-state area. In addition, our OnSite Digital Publication goes out bi-monthly to several hundred thousand industry professionals via social media. We’ve provided different levels to accommodate every budget. We are delighted to discuss your marketing objectives and customize the perfect partnership package to help achieve your goals and provide your company with maximum exposure.
Don’t hesitate to get your company name and logo in front of your target audience as soon as possible. If you are interested in participating as a partner of MPINJ, please contact Ruth Marion at rmarion@mpinewjersey.org to receive more information or call us at 201-875-2476 to discuss the best opportunities for your company. Are you a Member of another MPI Chapter? Did you know that you can be an affiliate member of MPI-NJ and receive all the benefits of a MPI-NJ member for only $99.00 a year? Just contact rmarion@mpinewjersey.org and we will sign you up! It’s that easy! If you are not yet a member of MPI-NJ, please go to www.mpiweb.org/join for membership information. We look forward to welcoming you to our MPI-NJ family!
Congratulations to Russell Swenson, CMP Emeritus and MPI-NJ Past President, and his wife, Jeanne who celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary!
Rut h Marion, CMP MPI-NJ Chapter Administrator 201-875-2476 rmarion@mpinewjersey.org
Attend WEC 2016 with a FREE Registration! The MPI-NJ Scholarship Committee is offering FREE registrations to attend the 2016 WEC being held June 11-14 in Atlantic City, NJ • Three (3) Planner Registration Fee Scholarships • Three (3) Supplier Registration Fee Scholarships • One (1) Student Registration Fee Scholarship To learn more, contact rmarion@mpinewjersey.org for the Scholarship application! Don’t miss this opportunity to attend the MPI’s World Education Congress in our home-state!
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MPI-NJ SEPTEMBER EDUCATION LUNCHEON
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he MPI-NJ education luncheon meeting was held on September 30th at the Hilton Hasbrouck Heights with speaker, Michael Dominguez. Mike was selected to be on Successful Meetings’ impact players’ annual list of “The 25 Most Influential People In The Meetings Industry for 2015”. The topic was “Continuing the Conversation 2.0 State of the Industry and Top Trends” and Michael’s presentation engaged everyone in the room. Mike brought us all up-to-date on what is happening in the industry including the economic environment, the future of meeting room design and the influences behind the trends, understanding pricing demands for today’s meetings market, and much more. Our sincere thanks to Mike for sharing his expertise with the MPI-NJ chapter. We would also like to thank Madeline Vricella, Senior Catering Sales Manager and their team for sponsoring the luncheon meeting.
Michael Dominguez Senior Vice President of Global Hotel Sales for MGM Resorts International and MPI’s Immediate-Past Chairman of the International Board of Directors, MPI Executive Committee, US Travel Association Co-Chair, Meetings Mean Business Coalition Co-Chair, and Co-Chair, APEX Taskforce on Piracy
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SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
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o you remember how you set your goals when you were little?
“When I grow up, I’m going to be a nurse!” “A veterinarian!” “An astronaut!” “A dinosaur!” Then you grew up and became event industry professionals (not that there’s anything wrong with that). We tend to set our goals the same way we set our hopes and dreams. We plan big —LOSE 50 POUNDS! But then someone brings cupcakes to the office and we give up. The reason is because traditional goal-setting doesn’t work! We strive so hard to reach for perfection, the smallest setbacks can cause us to stop trying altogether. But it’s not too late if you just “Dare To Be Different!” Whether personal or professional, reaching your goals can be even easier than resisting those afternoon M&M’s. Step 1. Discover your direction. Consult your inner GPS and identify your core values. Write down what you value most in life, your “non-negotiables” or how you will be remembered. Then tie those values to your goals. Your personal core values will drive your professional accomplishments. In other words, don’t give up your afternoon M&M’s if you love them. Step 2. Seize the start. So you decide to LOSE 50 POUNDS, but where do you begin? Your first thought might be to stop eating your M&M’s. Don’t. Remember your core values! Instead, think back to a time when you lost weight and didn’t hate it. Did you go for walks around the office building? Did you take mixed martial arts classes? Did you dress up like a velociraptor and chase your toddler
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S WITH GOAL-SETTING LIFE HACKS around the house for an hour? Whatever worked in the past will work again. The important thing to remember is to get up and do something. Anything. Take action. Once you put on that sports bra, there’s no going back! Step 3. Embrace the experience. You ran three miles three times this week, but then you got a cold and then you had a business trip and then you had to go to your sister’s birthday party. It’s okay. I forgive you. Forgive yourself. As long as you put that sports bra or that velociraptor costume back on, you can still reach your goal. How much time did you spend beating yourself up over NOT exercising? And how much time did you spend celebrating that fact that you ran NINE WHOLE MILES last week? If you reward yourself for your successes, no matter how small, you’ll crave that reward moving forward. My husband and I had a goal to become debt free several years ago. No, we didn’t sell all our prized possessions and stop drinking margaritas. We tied our goal to our core value—financial stewardship. We bought a business with the intent to build it and sell it within five years. We faced setbacks and challenges, stress and long hours, and we made sacrifices. But we remembered our core values and never gave up. And
we sold the business in only four years and became debt free. MPI-NJ Chapter would like to thank Jan Horton Spence for a great program on October 29, 2015 and the Olde Mill Inn in Basking Ridge for hosting this fabulous educational program.
Article contributed by: Jan Horton Spence About Jan: Jan Horton Spence is an international consultant, professional speaker, trainer and one-onone business coach. With contagious charisma and a zest for life which make her an excellent motivator and leader, the Georgia native has used her vast knowledge in sales, marketing, and business operations to help numerous clients including Pillsbury, Walmart, and Frito-Lay. Find out more about Jan at www.janspence.com.
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MPI-NJ MEMBERS ATTEND IMEX Thursday, October 15, Patrick Henry – Becoming Remember-able. As a former Nashville songwriter and SiriusXM satellite radio personality, Henry discussed real world stories, Patrick was fantastic and his message was delivered differently from the speaker norm. He brought home the idea of small town where everyone knows each other. Remember watching the show “Cheers” and what happened when Norm entered the bar? How about if we entered a room and everyone yelled your name. What a feeling, right? We should all strive to be remember-able, otherwise our businesses will not grow. The hardest part of IMEX America was choosing which reception or dinner to attend as they all offered wonderful networking opportunities and a lot of fun. Plus, the Las Vegas restaurants provided fabulous culinary delicacies.
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any MPI-NJ members had the opportunity to attend IMEX AMERICA with their company or as a Hosted Buyer. Everyone was excited to learn about the latest technologies and ideas for events, have the opportunity to attend fun networking events, interact with exhibitors, and attend educational sessions. Here is what some members had to say about their experience attending IMEX… Julia Ramos, CMP Wednesday, October 14, Josh Tickell – Managing and Marketing to the Future of Generation Y. Josh delivered a message popular with the 18-35 year old demographic. My takeaway from Josh was Generation Y is stereotyped as being extremely impatient, are the most tattooed generation, addicted to multitasking, dress and speak casually. Yet, they have a spending power of $1.2 trillion/year and are highly technological driven. Marketing to General Y has to be personalized, accessible, simple, fun, cheap and immediate.
Mike Brill MPI's HMCC certification program was superbly taught by Jacqueline Beaulieu, Executive Director, Healthcare Education & Events for Blue hive Strategic Environments. The class was wellattended and very interactive. Nancy Sutta Berns Smart Monday featured a series of back-of-thehouse tours of The Palazzo, with a variety of different staff members. I take advantage of these tours as often as possible, as it provides planners with a better understanding of hotel operations, albeit in a nutshell. The takeaway? Interesting facts from the chef (all sauces and dressings are now made gluten free), viewing "Luggage World," which answers the question "Where does my bag go?" and from housekeeping operations, the stats on recycling water, toiletries (Clean The World) and trash management in general. Pamela Wynne, HMCC, CMM, CMP Pam felt the education on Smart Monday was well thought out and relevant to so many of the challenges we face today in our Industry including how we can live more mindfully in our jobs. Lee
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AMERICA - OCTOBER 12-15, 2015 Papa provided us insight on how to live more mindfully and how we can become more productive and lead more fulfilling lives. I appreciated her attention to detail and showing us simple breathing and relaxation techniques which I can immediately use in my life. To learn more and see Lee’s advice, visit her webpage at www.leepapa.com and to see the presentation visit http://www.imexamerica.com/events/education/ keynotes/catch-up-mpi-keynotes-2015/ At IMEX there really was something for everyone. The hosted buyer appointments for me are a time to meet new vendors, learn about new technologies, properties, and to catch up with the brands and their latest news. I appreciated the on-the-floor education at the MPI booth this year and I always appreciate the geographic presentations on new areas. It is a great opportunity for the various organizations who host buyers to spend quality time getting to know their customers, sharing their property and brand news in a more intimate setting. It is challenging to try to attend the multiple evening events while at the same time trying to catch up with industry colleagues. They keep us running from the minute we arrive until we board the plane. I managed to rack up 90,000 steps on my tracker in 4 days – over 40 miles!!
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WEC 2016 – AN INTERVIEW W
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ith WEC 2016 coming to Atlantic City in June, we will focus on Atlantic City in the next few issues of OnSite. I had the pleasure of taking a drive down the Parkway to Atlantic City the end of September and interview some members of the MEET AC Team. My first interview was with Jim Wood, President & CEO of Meet AC… JS: Hi Jim, congratulations on hosting MPI’s WEC 2016 in Atlantic City. What a great way to start your legacy! There are a lot of concerns and questions surrounding the perception of Atlantic City. What is Atlantic City doing to change its negative perception? JW: We are really trying to put Atlantic City’s best foot forward. Yes, we’ve had a couple of casinos close. They’re being repurposed, and they’re going to be reopened. Revel & Showboat were sold. So that’s good news! The Atlantic Club has got an offer pending on it. And so that’s really what started the bad news was the closure of four casinos. So what we’re doing, we’re just putting out the good news about Atlantic City, about all of the positive things that are happening here, about the development that’s happening in Atlantic City, the growth in the meetings market. The addition of the Harrah’s Waterfront Conference Center, the addition of Resorts International meeting space. Those new additions means that Atlantic City is still doing well. When you say repurpose, what exactly is happening with some of those properties?
JW: We know that the Atlantic Club will reopen as more a family hotel destination and add a 200,000 square foot waterpark and some additional family-friendly activities, which is really exciting. Showboat was just purchased by Bart Blattstein, who built Playground, who is a Philadelphia developer. Revel hotel was purchased a few months ago and we’re still waiting to hear what the final plans are for both of them. Hosting WEC is like the super bowl of the meetings industry. All of the planners and suppliers in New Jersey are very excited about this year's WEC. Tell us about the bid process. JW: I got here June of 2014. Actually the bid process already took place, the conversation happened at a MPI board meeting. There were some issues with Philadelphia hosting WEC in 2016. And on a board level, which we were not privy to those conversations. There was representation from Caesars Entertainment on that board, as well as other fine organizations and destinations. And Caesars Entertainment stepped up and said we’d like to host it possibly here in Atlantic City. They then contacted me, we worked collaboratively to put the bid together, and once the bid was put in place, MPI came out and did site inspections, reviewed the destination, did all of their recon work, their research, their background check on us, and on everybody. And ultimately that led to the favorable decision to move it from Philadelphia to Atlantic City, which we’re thrilled to be able to take advantage of that. What do you think it means to the State of New Jersey to be able to host this? JW: I think it’s a huge opportunity for any destination, let alone just New Jersey alone to host
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WITH JIM WOOD OF MEET AC it. You’ve got cities who I heard from once it was announced that MPI WEC was going to Atlantic City, saying ‘Boy, we’ve been trying for twenty years.’ How is Atlantic City preparing for WEC 2016? JW: We’re following the playbook that MPI has given us to establish multiple committees. We’re working feverishly through those right now, with our committees and with MPI staff coming in. A couple of big pieces that we’re really working on right now is getting the transportation piece done. Once we get the transportation piece locked in, we’re also working on the entertainment piece. Locking in the venues – the outside venues. All of those things are happening concurrently right now. So really, our objective is that by Halloween, at the latest Thanksgiving, we’ll have a good portion of everything we need to be in place, so then we can build and add more enhancements. We want everybody to be involved, to be engaged and to offer input, because everybody’s got something to offer, everyone’s got great ideas. And though we won’t be able to implement all the great ideas, we’re going to implement the best of the best ideas. Regarding transportation: The Philadelphia International Airport is about 60 miles away. What's the plan to bring attendees to Atlantic City? JW: We’re going to have shuttle service provided for everybody flying in, into the Philly airport. We’re working on that right now; it will be a comprehensive transportation plan. For those chapters, and those planners who are from big cities like Atlanta, Tampa and Orlando, Spirit Airlines flies out of the Atlantic City airport. We’re going to make sure that we target those chapters, so they know that they can fly right into Atlantic City. And for those chapters where they can drive in, we’re within a day’s drive of a third of the nation’s population. We think there’s going to be a huge drive-in factor from DC, Virginia, all the way up to New England,
Tell us about The Waterfront Conference Center. JW: It’s a gorgeous facility. A pair of 50,000 square foot ballrooms. You’ve got also public space around it. It’s got a beautiful observation deck, kind of a smokers’ deck - 2000 square feet, all of it overlooking the whole marina area. We were there with a group of planners last week during Caesar’s Entertainment Experiential series that they host. And the planners raved about the location, or raved about the space. And the way they built the space. So it’s kind of off away from everything else. So if you’re in the area at a conference, you’re there at a conference, so you’re doing your thing, so they did a great job of isolating it. And then as soon as you walk out of it, boom, there’s the pool, and you walk down, there’s the restaurants, the casino, and everything else. It really is well laid out, well thought out, and I think it’s going to do terrific business for Atlantic City. We know you all are going to pull out the red carpet for WEC! Do you all have anything exciting planned that you can share with us at this time? JW: Well, we’re going to have a terrific opening night party on the beach, and we also hear that Janet Jackson will also be performing in town that night at Boardwalk Hall. So there might be some people that could take advantage of that as well. We’re working on other things, but once we get the venues locked in, we’ll start filling in those pieces. And for some planners, you know we’re going to have the Viking cooking school available at Harrah’s. We want WEC 2016 to be a great experience for everyone. To learn more about WEC 2016, click here http://www.mpiweb.org/Events/wec2016?source=pulse Interview by: Jennifer Sena President SENA Sales & Marketing
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RADISSON TEAMS UP WITH MPI TO TRAIN STAFF Jersey and has been on its board for eight years. She says that MPI has been an integral part of helping build her business career and believes the new certification program will further enhance Radisson’s role as a key meeting hotel brand. The certification program is the next phase of improvements throughout Radisson properties. Last year, Radisson wrapped up five years of $600 million in upgrades at its hotels and now looks to improve service through training.
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he fact that Kaaren Hamilton, vice president of global group sales for Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, is a longtime member of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) has a lot to do with the new partnership between one of the brands she represents and the international meeting planning organization. During opening day of IMEX in Las Vegas at Sands Expo and Convention Center, Hamilton announced that Radisson has entered into a new educational partnership with MPI to create a certificate program for hotel staff members. Radisson’s new Meetings Success program consists of six training sessions to help hotel team members learn more about strategic meetings management, business evaluation, hosting environmentally-friendly meetings and negotiations. By the end of 2015, all general managers and directors of sales at the 150 Radisson hotels are expected to be certified. Radisson is the only hotel brand to have this type of partnership with MPI. “It’s a significant endorsement,” Hamilton said. “We’re positioned for the business traveler. This is also a great way for MPI to expand its reach.” Hamilton is former chapter president for MPI New
Among the properties that set the standards for Radisson’s status as a player in the meetings industry is Radisson Plaza Hotel at Kalamazoo Center, which frequently hosts medical and pharmaceutical meetings. Radisson Phoenix Airport is a key destination due to its convenient location five minutes from the airport. Radisson Hotel Admiral Toronto-Harbourfront serves business and leisure travelers. This article is a reprint with permission from Holly Woolard of Smart Meetings. Holly Woolard is content chief at Smart Meetings, an integrated media company for the meetings, business travel and hospitality industry. Smart Meetings’ resources include an award-winning enewsletters, a monthly print and digital magazine, educational webinars, venue and destination directories, networking events and site selection tools.
Thank you to #BizBashNYC for providing a booth for MPI-NJ Chapter at their fabulous show on October 27, 2015!
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VISITING PORTUGAL, IRELAND, AND ITALY ALL IN 2 HOURS!
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ave you attended a Denise Hunter luncheon?
When you want to learn about unique, beautiful and fabulous event destinations, Destinations Link Hospitality provides the opportunity to network with other Event Planners, learn about some potential venues for your events, and enjoy a delicious lunch all in 2 hours. I had the opportunity to learn more about the fascinating venues of Portugal, Ireland and Italy during a fabulous luncheon with other Event Professionals at the Pluckemin Inn in Bedminster, NJ. Denise Hunter, President of Destinations Link Hospitality provides this complimentary opportunity to Event Planners from various areas including New Jersey, New York City and Boston. The luncheon is held at the Tao Midtown in New York, in New Jersey at the Pluckemin Inn, and in Boston at the Towne Stove & Spirits. We traveled via presentations from award winning Ovation representatives (www.ovationdmc.com) where we learned all about the different regions, venues, exciting activities available for attendees, beautiful landscapes, and of course the culinary experiences. There were a lot of ooh’s and ah’s in the room as Marie Lawlor, Business Unit Director took us to Ireland, Rudolf Rannegger, CMP, Sales Director showed us Portugal, and Michael Libotte, Managing Director traveled with us to Italy. Three
lucky winners at the luncheon won a trip to each of these fascinating locations. When I asked Denise how many years has she been doing these luncheons and why she does them, she said, “DLH has been conducting these luncheons in New York & New Jersey for 9 years, and launched our Boston luncheon series in 2015. Our luncheons are a fabulous way to connect all of our top clients with the hottest new properties & finest DMC’s in the most exclusive destinations. Not only are these luncheons a lively educational experience, they also provide an incredible forum for networking within the industry. Simply put – DLH’s Educational Luncheon Forum is definitely a one-of-a-kind event that you’ll not want to miss!” Thank you to Denise, her team, Ovation and the Pluckemin Inn for a fun, educational, and delicious luncheon! Denise L. Hunter President Destinations Link Hospitality Phone: 212 875 9833 Email: dhunter@destinationslinkhospitality.com www.destinationslinkhospitality.com Written by: Carol Malinky, CMP Editor, OnSite MPI-NJ
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CREATING EXPERIENTIAL NETWORKING EVENTS Moraine Lake. Our instructor directed us section by section on how to recreate the trees, clouds, lake, and canoes to have our painting look like the original in front of the room. Some attendees listened intently and did exactly what the instructor said, while others decided to put a little of their own creativity into the painting, yet others dipped their paint brushes into their margarita glasses instead of their water (yes, you know who you are!) Painting was relaxing, fun, and provided another opportunity to network with other industry professionals sitting around us. We encouraged one another and provided some painting tips to help each other obtain a painting that looked like (or close to) the original.
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xperiential networking events are a great way to guarantee a high attendance and have a captive audience for an evening of fun.
Networking events are becoming more innovative which is exactly what Travel Alberta was thinking when they hosted a memorable networking and educational event at Rosa Mexicano in Hackensack, NJ themed “Paint-N-Sip with Travel Alberta”. The evening started with appetizers, margaritas, and networking, followed by a brief video about Alberta. Then, the painting began!
We learned about Alberta, exchanged business cards, drank, ate, and brought home our own original painting as a terrific memorable experience hosted by Travel Alberta. Contributed by: Carol Malinky, CMP Editor@mpinewjersey.org
An instructor, canvases, paint and brushes awaited us in another room. We put on our smocks and got ready to paint the beautiful landscape of Alberta’s
A big thank you to Heather Kresge and Kalahari Resorts in Pocono Mountains, PA for graciously hosting our Board retreat in October! After a full day of working with our fabulous facilitator, Doug Bolger from Learn2, we enjoyed a delicious dinner, cosmic bowling, and a dessert reception too!
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MY MPI MISS AMERICA EXPERIENCE
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he MPI Experiential Series delivered everything and MORE during the recent Miss America weekend. For the 20 or so of us who participated in the program, we not only had a once in a lifetime experience but a true understanding of WHAT it takes to put on an event of this magnitude!! We were so fortunate to have the support of the Miss America Organization, MPI, MEET AC and our hotel hosts, Caesars Entertainment. We got to meet the Executive Chairman and CEO and the President of the Miss America Organization to hear what they are doing on a national level for promotion, sponsorship and support of the organization. We learned about the history of the pageant, the partnership with Dick Clark Organization and the phenomenal work they are doing with so many charities and the USO. Did you know that the Miss America crown has four points and they stand for the four pillars of the organization: Style, Service, Scholarship, and Success? For those of you not familiar with the new MPI Experiential Series, it will be a behind the scenes look into some events in the Sporting, Entertainment, Culinary, and Mega-Events category. These are truly once in a lifetime experiences to see how the events are planned and produced from the challenges of working with the celebrities, security, and huge crowds. Think Nascar, Food and Wine, Consumer Electronics, etc. There is no better way for us as meeting professionals to learn from our peers than to immerse ourselves in these events and see and meet first-hand the planners, producers, food and beverage, security, and city personnel responsible for the execution. Look for upcoming programs at www.mpiweb.org What made the experience so special for me was meeting Liz Brown, the tour Manager and Meeting Planner extraordinaire of the event. She travels with Miss America for the better part of the year,
overseeing their activities, and the needs of all of those vying for their time and attention. Being able to meet with her and ask her what keeps her up at night and what advice she has for fellow planners on how to do their jobs better and the preparation that goes into her job was the most valuable component. We walked behind the stage to see the production, rigging, staging, lighting, and talked directly to those doing the work. This is the stuff you CANNOT learn from a book or by taking a class!! Some truly highlight moments for me: The Shoe Parade and seeing the individuality of the contestants, the HUGE number of family support groups for the contestants and their unique signs and cat calls, the after party where we could see the contestants relax and have some real fun after months of preparation, the charitable work they did in Atlantic City while they were here and of course seeing the live show and feeling the energy of the audience! My proudest moment was when Liz said how much she loved Meeting Planners because we knew just what to do in the most organized and efficient manner as we were lining up for our photos and our runway walk! - This we owe to OUR mentors and those before us who showed us how it was done!! I encourage my fellow members to consider joining a future program to not only have a fabulous experience but to really feel the grit and see the sweat that goes into what many of us do on a day to day basis. I am thankful to MPI for bringing us this series and as the MPINJ President see the opportunity at the Chapter level to bring the idea of shadowing, mentorship and experiences for our local planners to go behind the scenes at our member’s events to have a similar experience and “See It Done”. Look for more information and opportunity at MPINJ in the near future for some out of the box educational opportunities.
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CAPTURING THE ATTENDEE EXPERIENCE: WEARABLE TE After the event, attendees could log-on to their Digital Memory Bank to relive their "To-Go" version of NYCWFF. We worked closely with John Trumble’s team at the NYCWFF to collect content from each participating chef and restaurant, including:
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surance was seeking a new-to-market tech activation at the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival (NYCWFF) that truly enhanced the attendee experience on a fundamental level. ClearHart, now Event Farm, created the SavorBand. The SavorBand was born from a truth: that the only “bad” part of the NYCWFF, or any food festival for that matter, is that you can’t take it with you. There are so many amazing dishes and drinks from the nation’s top chefs and New York’s greatest restaurants—it’s hard enough to try everything, let alone remember it. And, with the culinary industry’s top foodies and minds at work there, NYCWFF is where food trends are set for the rest of the year. Our mission was to build a tech solution that, for the first time ever, made the NYCWFF available...to-go: The SavorBand. The SavorBand is wearable technology that lets attendees track and save their unique NYCWFF experience, all with the tap of the wrist. By equipping each chef’s station with specially marked Kiosks, attendees could experience NYCWFF’s 5 marquee events as they normally would, sampling all the incredible food and drinks. When an attendee found something they liked, they’d simply tap their SavorBand on that morsel’s corresponding Kiosk to save all that chef’s station’s relevant content to their “Digital Memory Bank”-creating a personalized, mobile optimized microsite full of tips, recipes, and goodies unique to that attendee’s NYCWFF experience.
• Recipes for the dishes and drinks served • Cooking tips from the chefs themselves • Complimentary glasses of wine, appetizers, and desserts at the participating restaurants • Web and social links to follow the chefs and their restaurants • The ability to make reservations at those restaurants on OpenTable We even compiled a playlist of the chef’s favorite songs to cook to. At the renowned Blue Moon Burger Bash, hosted by Rachel Ray, attendees could even use their SavorBands to cast their votes for best burger, cutting tallying time down by 45 minutes. And the best part--attendees could even rate what they had just tried right on the kiosks, so they could sort their Digital Memory Bank by their highest rated--making their Digital Memory Bank a personalized foodie rolodex. We chose a wearable device (an NFC-enabled silicon wristbands) to make the whole experience handsfree. After all, at a food festival, if your hands aren't full of food, drinks, or both, you're doing it wrong. Our kiosks were custom fitted into stands built around metal trusses throughout the event space to truly fit in with the atmosphere and ensure that the overall tone of the SavorBand was intuitive, not obtrusive. The SavorBand did not require attendees to register their bands immediately. Generally, that is the most challenging part of any NFC/RFID activation--a clunky, bottleneck-causing registration process that requires an immense amount of onsite hardware and staff to link up every attendee’s identities to their bands.
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ECH AND THE NYC WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL To avoid that, the SavorBands were "Grab-N-Go". Each SavorBand had the URL for the Digital Memory Bank and a unique, 2-word code printed right on it. Attendees were handed Savorbands as they entered the event space and could immediately start using them to tap chefs' stations and record their experience--without ever having to register. After the event, attendees could register themselves (and thus Esurance would have its data capture opportunity) to access their Digital Memory Bank by simply logging on to the URL printed on the SavorBand, and inputting their email address and their SavorBand's unique 2-word code (all the words were food related, of course). This approach to NFC/RFID wristband distribution, removing a cumbersome, mandatory onsite registration process, galvanized onsite engagement tremendously because there was no barrier to participation. It also allowed us to accommodate the large crowd in a fiscally responsible way (no need to mail SavorBands ahead of time or provide excessive onsite staff for registration). Additionally, this represents a more ethical approach to data collection. Our ethos surrounding data is to obey the "Rule of Reciprocity", meaning that if we are expecting to extract data from an attendee, a real, tangible benefit should be given to the attendee in return. In the case of the SavorBand, that benefit was the ability to walk away with a digital copy of their unique festival experience. This technology helped all key event stakeholders: • Festival organizer - it extended the reach of the event well beyond the festival. • Esurance - it aligned them with a true, positive enhancement for their target consumer, and delivered data. • Participating chefs - it provided a quantifiable layer of measurement for their stations. • Attendees - it delivered a significant enhancement to their experience, allowing them to take their experience (for which they spent significant amounts of money) to-go.
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(CONT. ON PAGE 18)
With this technology, we were able to create the Internet of Things for Experiences. Beyond giving digital identities to offline objects, NFC allowed us to create digital identities to offline experiences. With an intuitive, unobtrusive tap of a wrist, an attendee is able to create a digital identity to the John Trumble first time sinking their teeth Managing Director into a Little Owl lamb slider. New York City Wine & Food Festival And once that moment is Twitter: @johnetrumble digital--it's limitless--no longer bound by space/time and accessible from anywhere. So the next time that attendee has to choose a restaurant for date night, or a recipe for that potluck, all they have to do is pull up their SavorBand Digital Memory Bank, and see all their favorites, filterable by protein, highest rated, even map view. Ultimately, people want to capture their special experiences. The SavorBand allowed them to do so without interrupting that experience.
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CAPTURING THE ATTENDEE EXPERIENCE
(CONT. FROM PAGE 17)
Participating events: Ronzoni’s La Sagra Slices, Hosted by Bongiovi Brand Pasta Sauces and Adam Richman, presented by Time Out New York Blue Moon Burger Bash, Presented by Pat LaFrieda Meats, hosted by Rachael Ray Jets+Chefs: The Ultimate Tailgate, Hosted by Joe Namath and Mario Batali CASAMIGOS Tequila presents Tacos & Tequila: A Late Night Fiesta, Hosted by Bobby Flay Meatopia X: The Carnivore’s Ball, Presented by Creekstone Farms, hosted by Michael Symon
Key Stats: 12,000 Attendees 4 Days, 5 Events 1 People's Choice Award 29 Taps per minute 5514 Taps per event (5 total) 20,653 Onsite ratings 27,571 Total onsite engagements Over 42% of attendees participated in the program
President’s Message (Continued from Page 3) tasks when we can write them down and check them off! Most importantly savor every moment, take lots of pictures, and savor in the moment watching children open their gifts or watching their favorite holiday movies. We at MPINJ are busy preparing a great 2016. We have some fantastic education and networking coming up in November, December and our 30th Anniversary kicks off in January. WEC is coming to NJ in June so please visit the calendar at www.mpinewjersey.org frequently and if you are not already getting our On-site or Bi-Monthly Newsletter let us know by contacting RMarion@mpinewjersey.org and get on our list. Like us on Facebook at MPI New Jersey and join us on Twitter @MPINewJersey On behalf of the entire Board, I wish each of you a Happy Thanksgiving and a Joyous Christmas, Chanukah, and
Written by: Clara de Soto SVP, Business & Product Development Event Farm Clara.de.Soto@eventfarm.com 646.801.8084 www.eventfarm.com Kwanzaa. We are thankful for your support and membership and look forward to spending 2016 with you!
Pam
PamWynne, HMCC, CMM, CMP MPI NJ Chapter President - 2015-2016
Congratulations to Janet Pickover, CMP Emeritus and MPI-NJ Past President for receiving a welldeserved lifetime membership with Meeting Professionals International!
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20 november/december 2015
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THROUGH THE EYES OF THE SUPPLIER
I
've been thinking about the ways relationships between buyers and suppliers is changing. We all keep hearing about a total paradigm shift in the way suppliers “sell” and with constantly emerging technologies, shifting styles of doing business with millennials, and our fast-paced industry in general, I wanted to speak to one of our engaged chapter suppliers to get their take on it. Anna Link, HMCC, CMP of Carlson Rezidor hotel group gave me some insight into her experience and how she has had to do things a little differently in engaging her buyers and building relationships. What do you do differently today than you did a few years ago in engaging with planners? - A few years ago I did a lot of individual appointments with clients meeting with them one on one. Today everyone has much busier schedules with heavier workloads and less time to meet one on one. As an alternative, if a one on one meeting is not possible, I try to connect with clients at educational events, tradeshows, networking events and of course at MPI NJ events. We also organize yearly sales missions where we bring a group of our key hotels to meet with our key clients as a group. It is a great opportunity for the clients to learn about the hotels and meet with my colleagues on property. We also organize educational events throughout the year where we invite our key clients to participate in an interactive session. Finally, we bring several hosted buyers groups to the larger
tradeshows coupling with FAM trips to our key destinations each year. What do you find to be the most successful way to build relationships with planners? - Transparency! I want all of my clients to know and feel that they can reach out to me and ask me anything they want about our hotels and feel confident that they will get an honest answer. Also, it takes time to build really good relationships so patience is key. Our client’s business is constantly changing so it’s important to always keep the door open, you never know when they are going to have an event where one of our hotels is the best fit. What is the number one thing planners are looking for today in planning successful meetings? - A venue and destination that will help fulfill the objectives of the meeting or event, and that of course fits within the stakeholder’s budget. Are you seeing any trends in planning that you would like us to be aware of? - As more and more clients are implementing SMMP’s they are looking for long term partners, that’s great news for both suppliers and buyers in our business. How are you using your membership in MPI or MPINJ to your advantage? - MPI NJ is a great way to engage with the industry. I attend as many educational events as my schedule allows, often using these events to host a client, who appreciates that I’ve thought carefully about their time. It allows me to have high quality time with my client while providing education and interaction with their peers and colleagues as well.
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november/december 2015 21
R!! – A CONVERSATION WITH ANNA LINK - I also participate in the golf outing where Carlson Rezidor sponsor a hole. It is a great event, always well attended and organized. We were honored to sponsor the event video that was filmed during the golf outing, and to be aligned with one of our industry’s most respected annual events. As a supplier, what it the best piece of advice you can give to newer suppliers just learning the ropes? - Know as much as you can about what you are selling: under promise and over deliver! In addition, continuing education is key. Learn to speak the language of your clients and what is important to them when planning events. There are several certification courses, CMP, CMM, HMCC to name a few. They more you know the better, continuing education is key! I am so encouraged by her answers and think she is really on to something using both trade shows and MPI events to increase opportunities to build the relationship and the focus on planner education to
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get the most value. According to Dr. George Fenich who wrote the 2012 study, “What the Millennial Generation Prefers in Their Meetings, Conventions & Events”, Millennials preferred the face to face meeting as their preference to communicate. Mike Dominguez, the co-chair of the Meetings Mean Business Coalition, adds that “Millennials want the same things every other generation coming through our industry has wanted—they want to network, they want to grow professionally, and they want to develop their careers”. We have not only an obligation to support each generation as they move through our industry but as an association an opportunity to harness their energy, expand or reach, and show the larger business community as a whole what the meetings industry already knows – It is all about the relationship!! Please let me know your input, feedback, or comments at pamelaawynne@gmail.com
22 november/december 2015
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VOLUNTEERING – GIVING BACK AS MEETING PROFESSIONALS
I
t is always very rewarding to be a volunteer, whether it is to help your MPI Chapter or industry association, provide assistance to your family and friends, raise money for a charity, or to help for a cause you believe in. With the holidays only a few weeks away, many of us are planning our family menus. Having the opportunity to buy food is not an option for everyone.
Fortunately, the Food Network & Cooking Channel New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by FOOD & WINE (nycwff.org) is an event that benefits the hunger-relief organizations Food Bank For New York City (www.foodbanknyc.org) and No Kid Hungry® (nokidhungry.org). This wonderful event brings together “foodies” from all over to enjoy four days of cooking demos from famous chefs, delicious food and wine, generous sponsors, and volunteers. I was very proud to be part of this wonderful event. I worked the North Stage at the Grand Tasting presented by ShopRite featuring Samsung® Culinary Demonstrations presented by MasterCard and was thrilled to see Alex Guarnaschelli, Carla Hall, John Besh and Aarón Sánchez.
I encourage everyone to volunteer to help others at least once a year! Contributed by: Carol Malinky, CMP Event Director C.A. Malinky Communications & Events Tmalinky@aol.com 201-232-0110 MPI-NJ Editor, OnSite Digital Publication