Issue no.2
August 2012
&
Big Events Stage Shows
HOT TOPIC The Hard Knock Life of a Promo Girl
PLAN WITH US Planning the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony
Complete Coverage Get the most out of your events & connect with the best in the industry.
Jamaica 50 Grand Gala Reggae Sumfest Dream Weekend ATI
Editor’s Note
W
hat a month it has been! The first issue of Modern Event was a tremendous success thanks to our social media fans who really went above and beyond. We had but modest expectations and you blew our minds. Thanks also to the fans who tuned in to Smile Jamaica on TVJ to watch our interview about the magazine with Simone Clarke-Cooper. It was a bit scary putting together the content for this issue wondering if we would be able to win you guys over the second time around. With this issue we are starting our monthly themes, the first of which being ‘Large Events and Stage Shows’ - so packed with information, we’re calling it the ‘Big Issue’. We couldn’t possible cover this theme without giving you some highlights and pictures from Reggae Sumfest and Jamaica 50 Grand Gala, two of the biggest events this past month. Along with that we covered the spot for some of the biggest events in Jamaica, the Montego Bay Convention Centre. Plus we have a big giveaway that will make your business even bigger! A few updates and changes to the design will also provide you with an even greater reading experience. Without further ado, we hand it over to you. Hopefully you enjoy and bring us even more feedback on how we can serve you better.
Stacy-Ann Hayles
Flyer design: Adrian creary
Section 1
Fe at ur e s 12
Section 2
R e s o urce s
Contents Click Any section to navigate
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48
Issue 2
Section 3
Events page
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August 2012 Get involved
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Section 4
Connections page
12 108
Editor stacy-ann hayles
layout & Design Adrian creary
Photography Adrian creary ishango photos randy richards Geoffrey berry pickcha dis
8
When it comes down to it, events are all about people. The ability to connect, understand and build lasting relationships is a skill that every event manager must build and improve upon, no matter how experienced and successful they are. 9
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Hot Topic
Features
The Hard Knock Life of a Promo Girl plan with me
Planning the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony Get it done
Location, location
Click here to return to contents Event Crisis Management
Montego Bay Convention Centre
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Hot top i c
The Hard Knock Life of a
‘Promo Girl’
... Modern Event spoke with two promotional models, called ‘promo girls’, who told us what this job really entails.
Let’s say, as a young adult female, you are offered the opportunity to dress sexily in the latest fashions, go to events and parties, have fun and be admired by men all day or night and get paid for it. Sounds like the perfect job right? Except with these clothes being so skimpy you leave very little to the imagination, having to stand up in heels for long periods in extreme cold or heat, putting up with men who take their admiration a little too far and having to find your way home at 3AM, it’s not the fabulous lifestyle
one imagines.
A
s a promo model, it is often misconstrued that promo girls are willing to do anything and everything when working because
of their gregarious nature when on the job. When you do promo work, you have to be outgoing and overly friendly! You have to sell the client’s product and keep up a good personality so it reflects well onto them. Promo girls work double the
amount a photographic model does – they have their bad days and yet they maintain a shining personality because they can’t let a sulk slip out in case a potential customer spots it. Promo girls wear the worst outfits: unflattering, over the top,
16
Modern Event Magazine • Features • Hot Topic
embarrassing, too short, too tight, etc. and yet we do it because the company thinks this image is what will successfully sell their product.’ [sic] This quote from a blog post entitled ‘Promo
Work? No Thank You’ on The Suki Chronicles. While Natsumi, owner of this blog, isn’t Jamaican, she echoes the sentiments shared by Jamaican promotional representatives.
Nicky*
was a promotional model while in university. While she
did a few day jobs, mostly handing out fliers to unsuspecting strangers on the street, she worked at nights at a few parties as well. She has since moved on to a job where she has to hire and manage her own promotional models, whom she says don’t work as hard as she’d like them to but ensures she doesn’t repeat the treatment she was given.
“I felt pressured to behave in a certain way because all the other girls were going on really wild...”
I
had one experience where I was asked to
“I was asked to wear a skimpy bathing suit, heels, and body paint all night long... It was freezing cold and I couldn’t even put on a top.”
wear a skimpy bathing suit, heels, and body
paint all night long at a party in Stony Hill. It was
Issue No.2 — August 2012
17
freezing cold and I couldn’t even put on a top. Even
The behaviour of men, she thought, were part of the job.
worse, I felt pressured to behave in a certain way because all the other girls were going on really wild and climbing on all sorts of objects. But I decided I wasn’t going to do it.’ This was Nicky’s encounter of her most memorable experience as a promo girl. Her only other complaints were regarding her days jobs, stating that on some days she had to go from as early as 5 AM straight until 9 PM, walking around in the hot sun. The behaviour of men, she thought, were part of the job. While she has never been physically harassed by men while at work, she had witnessed it happening to colleagues who had to walk away without retaliation for fear of losing the job. ‘Guys are going to want you, that’s why they hire you.’
... They don’t even pay you until a month or two 18
“Guys are going to want you, that’s why they hire you.”
Lacey*
on the other hand, has had way too many awful
experiences in her years of being a promotional model. ‘I started from when I was 15, but my employer didn’t know and they nearly murdered
Modern Event Magazine • Features • Hot Topic
me when they found out.’ She was very eager to share her knowledge of the ‘promo rep’ world. ‘So
many problems. It nuh easy at all,’ was her sentiment on the industry at large.
...
“The men treat you like you are some kind of stripper or prostitute.”
‘W
e don’t get paid nearly enough to do this kind of work,’ she stated in reference
to the payment of $3000-$4000 she got per
night of work when she often had to find her own way home when the party finished at 3
AM. ‘Most times they don’t even pay you until a month or two, and when you have to beg drive to go home the men treat you like you are some kind of stripper or prostitute.’
This attitude from men, she said, was the crux of the problem. Along with having to get rides home from strangers, having to wear extremely skimpy outfits and heels and endorsing adult brands made men feel that these girls were easier to obtain than most, causing them to behave in very outlandish, and sometimes criminal, ways.
“... some guys grabbed me and pulled me into a corner insisting that they are not leaving unless I leave with them.” Issue No.2 — August 2012
19
‘I was at this beach party in 2009 when some
Lacey has to also deal with her share of problems from fellow coworkers and bosses.
guys grabbed me and pulled me into a corner insisting that they are not leaving unless I leave with them.’ She explains that they were very violent in their approach as they were severely intoxicated. ‘I had to run up on the stage to draw the attention of the crowd, and even then they didn’t stop until the police got involved.’ Rough, indeed. Apart from dealing with problems from external influences, Lacey has to also deal with her share of problems from fellow coworkers and bosses. She explains that she has been sabotaged by a female employee of an agency that she works for.
‘She will call me at like 6 AM for a job the same day. I will get up, get ready, put on makeup and everything and a few minutes before the ride comes to pick me up, she will call me and tell me
she doesn’t need me again.’ This is a repeat
...
occurrence. The men she has to work with are a whole other story. During auditions, for example, the girls get a whole lot of unwanted and unnecessary attention. ‘Always a bag a man. You keeping a party and you need three girls, why you and your ten best [male] friends have to be there?’
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Modern Event Magazine • Features • Hot Topic
On the extreme side of things, is when the promo girls start sleeping with their bosses. ‘You can always know because they get whole heap a attitude like is them run the show,’ Lacey stated
...
regarding the girls’ behaviour when this starts happening.
O
verall, this experience is not all it’s cut out to be. Many young girls, particularly those in
college, seem to gravitate toward it as it seems like a great way to earn some extra cash while partying and having a good time, but soon find out that it’s not the glitz and glamour they
once thought. Since this seems to be a growing industry with varying brands hiring promotional representatives for every occasion, it may be worthwhile looking into some regulation, but who would spearhead
such a development? Let’s hope we don’t have to wait until something even more drastic happens before we find out. ≠
“ It may be worthwhile looking into some regulation” Share your thoughts here:
Let’s hope we don’t have to wait until something even more drastic happens before we find out.
...
Issue No.2 — August 2012
21
Pl an w i th m e
PLanning The London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony
7 years, 37 million English pounds, 1000+ hours of planning, 500+ pieces of equipment, and over 50 hours of rehersals are just a few of the elements that were brought together to create the spectacular London 2012 Olympic Ceremony viewed by over 4,000,000,000 people worldwide on July 27.
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Modern Event Magazine • Features • Plan Hot Topic with Me
Issue No.2 — August 2012
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Even the most seasoned event planners have a hard time fathoming what it takes to conceptualize, plan and execute such an event so flawlessly. But since we’re not afraid of challenge, we sat down and tried our best to analyze the ceremony and detail just what it takes to pull off one the biggest events worldwide. Here’s what we came up with.
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Modern Event Magazine • Features • Plan Hot Topic with Me
Conceptualization This is where it all began. Once London was selected as the next host country of the Olympics, activities got in gear to figure what the ceremony would entail. At this point, persons like Danny Boyle, the Artistic Director of the Ceremony and Martin Green, Head of Ceremonies for the Olympic Games, would come together. They would outline how much time they had, what elements had to be included in the ceremony and what ideas they brought to the table.
Production Once a basic outline is prepared, they then Danny Boyle Artistic Director
bring in the top people in their respective production fields to take the ideas and make them into something more - much much more. These specialists established the various segments such as Green & Pleasant Land, Pandemonium, Happy & Glorious and 2nd to
Martin Green Head of Ceremonies
the Right, among others and exactly what each would entail.
Issue No.2 — August 2012
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Planning?
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Modern Event Magazine • Features • Plan Hot Topic with Me
Set Design
Equipment
In any event, set design in a very
An incredible 500 speakers and 50
important element. It provides the mood,
tonnes of sound equipment were used in the
evokes emotions, tells the audience what to
million-watt PA system, and that’s just for
feel. In the London 2012 Opening Ceremony
music. Significant consideration had to also
however, the set had to be functional as well
be done with regards to the special effects
as aesthetic. As we witnessed, there was
lighting, the ‘pixels’ attached to each of
constant transformation throughout the
the audience seats (which took 40 days to
4-hour long show that involved performers
install), the Olympic cauldron and the cranes
pulling down the scenery to reveal a new
and wires used for lifting the Olympic rings
set. Designing a set that included a house,
into place as well as performers. Selection
grass mats and mills reminiscent of the
and procurement is a long tedious process
days of the Industrial Revolution - that’s
that involves selecting the best equipment,
no easy feat but we think Mark Fisher did a
purchasing within budget and then testing
great job.
and re-testing to ensure that they would be suitable to effectively entertain both the live audience at the stadium as well as those watching at home.
Issue No.2 — August 2012
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Musical Selection How do you cover five decades of music in one show? Ask Karl Hyde and Rick Smith of the electronic duo Underworld. They were the musical directors for the ceremony. Their selections showcased mostly British music but in such a way that it took into consideration all the external musical influences that helped to make British pop culture what it is. Another point to note in their musical choices was the fact that they chose songs with a particularly fast beat during the athletes’ walk to ensure they ‘kept it moving along’.
Celebrity Performers Not passing up the opportunity to showcase their abundance of talent, the planning team packed in as many of Great Britain’s best performers as they could. From rock legends like Sir Paul McCartney of the Beatles, world-renown comedian Rowan Atkinson of ‘Mr. Bean’ fame, to Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web to more recent artistes such as Dizzee Rascal and Emeli Sande. It should be noted that the majority of these celebrities performed for a fee of £1. This figure was only chosen to make their contracts legally binding, as they all agreed to perform free of cost.
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Modern Event Magazine • Features • Plan Hot Topic with Me
Volunteers There was a 1,427 volunteer cast in the
Prop Selection & Costume Design
dance sequence alone. Excepting a select
While the set is the backdrop, props
few of the performers that night, they all
are the items that the performers have to
dedicated their effort and time free of cost
physically interact with. Some of the props
to participate in the ceremony. Each person
highlighted in the ceremony were the torches
had to spend over 50 hours in rehearsals to
and the ‘petals’ which came together to
get their performances just right for the big
complete the cauldron. Some sponsors also
night. It was important to find persons who
took advantage of the ‘product placement’
were willing to donate their time and who
opportunity to include their products in the
had a knack for acting, considering the
show - Rowan Atkinson was seen taking
numerous close-up shots that were filmed
pictures with a Samsung phone and, at one
during the ceremony.
point, a BMW Mini was spotted pulling into a driveway. Costumes, while not generally considered props, could have been in this case. With the cameras zooming in to pick up every detail, costume designers had to ensure that they all fit specific criteria and left the audience feeling as if they were seeing the real thing.
Issue No.2 — August 2012
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Pre-Recorded Filming There were four main pre-recorded films shown throughout the ceremony, along with the 3D mapping projected onto the Houses of Parliament. As Nicolas Brown of the BBC stated, “Neither of the films is long, but they are largely exterior and each is made up of myriad elements that needed a huge amount of planning and resources, as well as weather, to get right.” The most popular film, that of Daniel Craig (as James Bond) transporting Her Majesty the Queen to the ceremony, took three attempts that were wrought with problems.
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Modern Event Magazine • Features • Plan Hot Topic with Me
Issue No.2 — August 2012
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Filming of the Show Although not an aspect one may think much of, this is a very important aspect of the show. With significantly more persons watching the show on television, as opposed to in the stadium, producers have to ensure that there are sufficient cameras and angles to get the best shots at all times. Also, considering the fact that there were wires and other devices being used for lifting performers at different points, cameramen had to ensure that they were at the right spot to capture these scenes effectively without interfering in the show.
S
o that’s just a glimpse of what it takes to plan the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony. The most important lesson we should take from this is that it takes a very talented and reliable team to execute anything of this nature. And, of course,
that 70 sheep, 12 horses, 10 chickens, Mr. Bean, one hot steamy passionate kiss between teenagers and a parachuting Queen is one overwhelmingly hot combination! ≠
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Modern Event Magazine • Features • Plan Hot Topic with Me
Planning?
Share your thoughts here: Issue No.2 — August 2012
35
Ge t i t don e
Event Crisis M What To Do When Things
! g n o r Go W They say the true measure of a man is not how many times he falls but how many times he gets back up. The same could be said for events. If you’re executing an event that totally unravels at the seams with the sign of a problem, you should probably consider a different career. Or maybe we can help. Here are a couple things you should do at virtually any event when things start to go south.
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Modern Event Magazine • Features • Get Hot It Topic Done
Management Acknowledge the Problem
S
Sounds like a given but most times it’s not. So many event planners are busy running up and down with other things that when something pops up, they barely pay it much attention until it blossoms into something even worse. If a team member comes to you and says something is wrong, take the 30 seconds to hear them out. You may know the solution but they don’t.
Communication
C
Communication with your team is always essential. Make sure that everyone has clear outlines of what they should be doing and how their
Issue No.2 — August 2012
37
roles interact with and affect others’. It’s also important that you have wireless communication devices such as cell phones or walkie talkies in case it’s a large venue and you can’t bring everyone together. If the issue is one that affects the audience, let them know that you have acknowledged that something is wrong and that you are working to fix it as soon as possible. If ‘soon as possible’ turns out longer than expected and your audience starts to get restless or rowdy, give them updates. In most situations, people just want to know what’s going on and what to expect. This tiny move can avoid a potential riot.
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Make Use of Your Toolkit
E
Every event organizer must have a toolkit prepared before this event. This toolkit should have general items such as stationery (pens, paper, scissors, thumbtacks, stapler, etc.), health supplies (band aids, gauze, aspirin, Pepto Bismol, etc.) and other random items based on things that are most likely to go wrong. Along with these, there should be event-specific items such as backup copies of all event-related contacts, the execution timeline, and most importantly, a contingency plan. From this you should have a pretty good idea of what the next step ought to be in crisis recovery.
Modern Event Magazine • Features • Get Hot It Topic Done
I
If the issue that’s happening is so far off that it isn’t contained in your contingency plan, well, say a prayer and do the best thing. The ‘best thing’ should be the move that minimizes the effect on your audience, especially if this is a repeat event. You should always have backup treats to give if things don’t go as planned so they don’t feel slighted, or even worse, regretful.
Overall Event crises tend to seem much bigger than they are in the moment. It’s important to remain calm, think rationally and communicate effectively. Keep those in mind and you should be just fine. ≠
---------------------------- -----Steps to take in
a----C----r--i--s--i--s--
1. Acknowledge the Problem 2. remain calm 3. have a plan 4. think rationally
5. communicate effectively 6. Delegate Tasks 7. Have Back-ups 8. Give Updates 9. compensate patrons 10. learn from it
Issue No.2 — August 2012
39
locati on, location
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Modern Event Magazine • Features • Location, Hot Topic Location
|||||||||||||||||||||||||| The |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Montego Bay
Convention Centre
Montego Bay Convention Centre Video Overview
Issue No.2 — August 2012
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Modern Event Magazine • Features • Location, Hot Topic Location
Montego Bay - Jamaica’s ‘second city’ and one of the most notable vacation destinations in the world; now home to the Montego Bay Convention Centre, the first of its kind in the English speaking Caribbean. Managed by global group SMG, a corporation responsible for over 220 event venues worldwide, this centre is beautifully designed, spacious and equipped for virtually any type of event.
Issue No.2 — August 2012
43
The Journey Thus Far Since officially starting operations in July 2011, the centre has had over 165 events and, according to Dittie Guise, Managing Director of the centre, they have done a great job in working to achieve the mission to ‘bring world-class meetings, conventions and events to Jamaica by being functional, flexible and focused’. We don’t hear much about the events that take place at the centre because they are mostly private functions, and these include meetings, weddings, graduations, among other events. ‘People think because they don’t hear that nothing is happening,’ stated Ms Guise, clarifying that most Jamaicans won’t hear much about the promotional and marketing efforts either because these mainly target regions such as Canada, the USA and Europe.
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Modern Event Magazine • Features • Location, Hot Topic Location
Partnerships
Role of Technology
‘One of the main reasons the centre
Dittie Guise is no stranger to technology.
was built is because the hotels along the
From her latest personal acquisition of an
Elegant Corridor felt as if they were losing
iPhone 4S to the presence of the Convention
out because they didn’t have enough space
Centre on social media, she acknowledges
for larger events.’ As a result of this, the
the fact that modern digital technology plays
Montego Bay Convention Centre partners
a significant role in business operations.
with the surrounding hotels to provide
However, there is one piece of ageless
accommodation for the centre’s clients.
technology she says can never be replaced
Also, if the hotels get a lead on an entity
- walkie talkies. Emails and text messages
seeking space for an event, they will also
are all great ways of communicating, but
refer them to the Convention Centre.
on the event day, she says this is the best
Apart
from
the
hotels,
they
also
encourage persons to visit the various shops,
restaurants
and
other
local
way to keep in contact with her team. ‘You pay more attention when you have a voice coming out of something.’
attractions in the area. ‘Convention Centres were never built to be standalone entities,’ Ms Guise commented, ‘We depend on the hotels and other attractions in the area to give guests the complete experience.’
Issue No.2 — August 2012
45
Internal Operations A strong, competent team is important in any organization. Along with Ms Guise as General Manager, the Montego Bay Convention Centre boasts a team inclusive of award-winning Chef Randie Anderson, Michelle Parkes, the Sales & Marketing Manager with a wealth of experience in the hospitality industry. Ms Guise is no stranger to hospitality herself, having been in the industry for almost 35 years, she has brought her knowledge back to Jamaica, her birthplace. Although the Montego Bay Convention Centre is smaller than the other venues she has managed, she states that the daily operations and issues are similar. When it comes to the services the centre provides for its patrons, she states, ‘ What we can give you, depends on what you want from us.’ This, she explains, means that persons can rent just the space or take advantage of the augmented services offered by the centre. If persons want a service not offered by the centre, they will arrange for those services to be provided upon request as well.
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Modern Event Magazine • Features • Location, Hot Topic Location
Hosting Events The best tip Ms Guise offers to event planners: come prepared. When selecting a venue you should have some idea of how many people you are hosting and what kind of services you want provided - catering, audiovisual, etc. She believes that customer service is a key part of this industry, encouraging her team to keep good relationships with fellow staff and patrons, but indicates that for more difficult clients, ‘you have to handle them with kindness and treat them with kick gloves.’ This means you can’t allow them to get to you and get you flustered as well but you must always remember that they are still a client. If you are interested hosting your event at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in one of the meeting rooms, the ballroom, exhibition space or outdoor spaces, you can contact them on their website mobaycentre.com where they provide more information about their services. ≠
Share your thoughts here: Issue No.2 — August 2012
47
Tech Business
re sources
Do.com - Do it all here Online Edge
Basecamp - The Real Virtual Office Planning 101
The Art of the Launch Tip sheet
Click here to return to contents
The Tip Sheet
10
Thousands of your potential customers will be looking at this very spot.
Tech Do.com business Do it all here Do is simply a free application that allows you and your group to get things done.
With an easyto-use interface that syncs across modern browsers, iOS and Android apps, it works for persons that are stationery and on-the-go. The great thing about Do is the opportunity to add tasks, as well as projects which you can assign to others and have real-time discussions with other members of the group where you can add notes, files and Google Docs.
50
Modern Event Magazine • Resources • Tech Business
L
et’s say you have an event planning business with three team members
- an administrator who stays in house, someone dealing with the venue setup and someone else handling marketing and promotion. The administrator could identify all the duties of the other two members and add them to the app, assigning them to the relevant person. They would get push notifications to their mobile device saying that they have a new task to complete. They tick off these tasks as they get them done and provide short reports through the Notes feature in the app. If there are any queries, they can ask immediately through the real-time (Source: do.com)
chat and update feature.
This is just an example. Let’s look at some of the other features Do has to offer:
Track Contacts - Get work done using all your contacts from all your networks. Close Deals - Track opportunities for contacts, customers, and companies. Reminders - Stay productive by using alerts, and optional email digests. Files - Easily send or attach files to tasks, projects, or contacts. Templates - Create, share, and re-use projects and task lists at any time. Activity Feeds - Receive updates in real-time as projects and tasks progress. Calendar Sync - See your due dates with your favorite calendar. Email to Task - Forward emails to Do and instantly create a task. ≠
Issue No.2 — August 2012
51
Online Basecamp Edge The Real Virtual Office We wouldn’t be exaggerating if we said Basecamp was everything you need in a project management software ever. It’s pretty hard to get mad at Basecamp, except maybe in pricing. But even that’s no so bad considering all it’s features. Let’s take a deeper look and have you decide...
Y
ou’ll like this online application because
it allows you to view
everything about your project on one page. At a glance you will see the latest discussions and comments, to-do lists, uploaded files and text documents for those that need updating or adjusting. It allows you track projects so you can know what happened when without any confusion.
52
Modern Event Magazine • Resources • Online Tech Business Edge
Being able to invite others to
A 45-day free trial will give you
collaborate on individual projects
enough time to evaluate the app to
means you can bring together both
see if it’s for you. If you like it, it could
clients, staff, contractors and suppliers
run you anywhere from US$20-$150
on one platform without them ever
per month, depending on the number of
having to see something they aren’t
projects and storage space you require.
meant to. And without you getting the
All packages come with unlimited
headache of juggling four different
users, SSL data encryption (the same
applications.
as online banks), and daily backups of
One of the best features, however, is email updates. Along
your data to prevent permanent data loss. ≠
with the option of receiving immediate updates when something happens on Basecamp that pertains to you specifically, you can also get a daily update of all the things that happened the previous day - so you never lose track of what’s happening. You can also reply to threads through email so you don’t even have to open up the app.
Issue No.2 — August 2012
53
Planning The Art of the Launch 101 Your brand deserves the spotlight that a launch can bring but how do you maximize it and make sure it goes past ‘one night only’?
Why have a Launch
B
ecause your brand new
This can be tricky. You want the
product/business/event
media to be interested in your event so
should get some well-deserved
you need a bit of a ‘buzz’ pre-event to
attention after all that hard work
get them interested. You need to build
you put into it, that’s why! A launch
a pre-launch team of early adopters
allows you to officially introduce your brand to the world and provide information about the past and the future to get people interested. A press release or website may provide information about your product but those are easily glanced over without thought, having persons gather for the purpose of your new venture ensures that you have their attention.
54
When To Launch
who get to try your product for free or a low cost. Get endorsements from top
persons in the industry and persons who get a lot of media attention. Start planning the details from early on out and book flexible dates if possible. Then strike while the iron is hot. Another important point to note is to ensure that there will be no competing events on
Modern Event Magazine • Resources • Planning Tech Business 101
your chosen day. The time of day is also determined by your product. Make sure
to keep morning launches short and sweet and evening launches filled with entertainment.
Where To Launch It doesn’t have to be some fancy hotel conference room. Think about your product and the type of market it appeals to and work from there. The idea is to create an environment in which your guests feel comfortable.
Any venue you choose, however, should be in a centrally-located and easily accessible area, especially if you are expecting press to attend. They need flexibility to ensure that they can leave whenever they want to and move quickly to another location.
Issue No.2 — August 2012
55
Who To Invite Not everyone! It’s tempting to take any attention you can get at this point and get people pouring in but resist the
essential in giving your product the early validity it needs to be accepted by others. It helps to offer an incentive
for them to attend also.
temptation to do so. You want to get as much related press as you can - related, as in those whose audience would actually care about your product. Don’t
just invite any and every media personnel you can. Along with that, you should invite the most influential persons in your industry. They will be
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Modern Event Magazine • Resources • Planning Tech Business 101
What To Include Don’t stick to a pre-defined script.
How To Prepare The most important focus is your
There are no set rules on what should
guest list and invitation. These get
included in a launch and how it should
people in the door. Don’t be afraid to
be done. The most important element,
make them a little fancy since these are
however, is that persons leave with a
the ones most likely to get attention.
better understanding of your product
Make sure you have a speech prepared
and your story. This is best told by you
- ideally it should be no longer than
since you know it better than anyone.
three minutes and should include what
Otherwise, you want to keep the group
your product/event is, why you create
entertained. At a morning launch, make
it, who it appeals to and how you plan
the programme the centre of attention,
to bring it to them. Definitely include a
followed by a light snack and mingling/
call-to-action that the media can share
networking - this will allow those who
with their audience. Additionally, press
have to leave to do so while giving you
kits are always a good way to have
the opportunity to share more with
people carry your brand home. While
those who stay. An evening launch is
electronic press kits are acceptable
best complemented with drinks and
these days, it’s always good to include
hors d’oeuvres. If your product can
something visually appealing to grab
be viewed or sampled, this is the
attention. Also acceptable - self-hosting
perfect opportunity to get it in the
the press kit on your website and
hands of your market.
sharing a short link to download it. ≠
Issue No.2 — August 2012
57
The Tip MONEY MANAGEMENT Interns & Students Have lots of work to do and can’t afford to hire a professional to do it? Well, if the work you have to be done doesn’t require professional knowledge and expertise, consider hiring a student in the event planning field or a recent graduate as an intern. There are many persons who would be happy to do it since they get job experience. Help them get the most out of it by offering a stipend, if possible, and have them tag along to your important meetings so they can get firsthand experience on things they may not be able to do themselves.
THEME TANK
Casino Night
Why go to Vegas when you can make your own casino right here! Get the best card players you know to be your dealers, stop by the party store to get some dice, cards and a whole lotta chips and you’re in business! Kick it up a notch by printing some of your own personalized money (but don’t let the government hear about it), adding lots of lights and sparkle and a background soundtrack that makes it sound like somebody just rolled in the big bucks!
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Modern Event Magazine • Resources • Tip Tech Sheet Business
p Sheet Best Kept Secret
The 3 Quote Rule
When getting a service provided for your event, such as catering, sound & lighting, etc., get three quotes from different service providers. Ask them to give a line-by-line quote based on your basic requirements and, if applicable, their suggestions. This allows you to compare charges across the board to see who provides a fair price with the best recommendations. You should go for better quality at most affordable price but this is necessarily the cheapest.
It’s Free!
Viber
Viber is a free app for all major smartphone operating systems that allows you to call and message others with the app for free. If your team has smartphones, this may be one of the best ways to keep in contact. As long as you have data service, you’re good to go!
Issue No.2 — August 2012
59
events
Reggae Sumfest 20th Anniversay
Jamaica 50 Grand Gala
ATI
Dream Weekend
Click here to return to contents Upcoming Events
Flyer Design by Adrian creary
Highlights
Reggae Sumfest Photography by: Adrian Creary, Geoffrey Berry & Pickcha Dis
W
e shouldn’t need to tell you
excellent for some. The VIP area obviously wasn’t big
how
wonderful
enough to hold the persons who bought tickets and
the greatest reggae show on
their folding chairs - if you went in and went to the
earth was this year! If you haven’t yet heard it from
far side toward the emergency-exit gate only, you
persons who attended, these pictures will tell you
were stuck unless you were willing to battle chairs,
more than our words ever could.
drinks and elbows for your escape. There was also
absolutely
We saw some superb performances from the
a significant delay in R Kelly’s performance of over
likes of Tarrus Riley and Lady Saw (Dancehall Night),
an hour, which, from our understanding, was out of
Trey Songz and Shabba Ranks (International Night
the control of the event organizers and was totally
1), and R Kelly and Damian Marley (International
forgotten by the patrons once he hit the stage.
Night 2). Venue set up was excellent with a few expected
sure the fans got their money’s worth and a pleasant
glitches. It seemed to be sufficient parking for all,
experience through high quality setup, equipment,
which is almost always a problem at these venues
production and sponsors, who took their booths to
however a few vehicle break-ins in the VIP parking
the next level.
lot made the night (or morning, rather) end not-so-
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Otherwise, everything ran really well and we’re
Happy 20th, Reggae Sumfest!
Set up and Stage construction
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popcaan
Cham
konshens
Tifa
jah vinci
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Romain Virgo
Dancehall
Dancehall night once again had a massive turnout
cehall Night
See Full Album Here:
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Elephant man
Aidonia
Lady Saw
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Tommy Lee
Dancehall
See Full Album Here:
Bounty Killer
cehall Night
Spice
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Trey Songz
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Internation
See Full Album Here:
Tessanne Chin
Shabba Ranks & his son
nal night 1
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Shabba Ranks
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Internation
nal night 1
See Full Album Here:
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Chistopher martin
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Internation
See Full Album Here:
R.Kelly
nal night 2
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R.Kelly
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Internation
Damian Marley
nal night 2
See Full Album Here:
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Damian Marley
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Internation
nal night 2
See Full Album Here:
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Damian & Bob Marley
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Internation
nal night 2
See Full Album Here:
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Bunny Wailer
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Internation
nal night 2
See Full Album Here:
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Highlights
Jamaica 50 Grand Gala Photography by: Adrian Creary
R
egardless of the torrential downpour, their thoughts with the extended social media crowd there was no way to reschedule who couldn’t be there. It came to a huge climax with Emancipation Day and Independence the Jamaica 50 Grand Gala on Independence Day,
Day in Jamaica. We had plans and we stuck to them August 6 when persons who were lucky enough to and executed in the most beautiful and culturally- get one of the limited tickets poured into the Stadium relevant fashion, as only we know how. A ‘Jubilee to watch the performances throughout the night. Village’ in the parking lot of the National Stadium and Those that couldn’t attend watched the screens National Arena brought people out in droves to view, across the nation and in the diaspora or tuned in purchase and partake in the various cultural products with their families on televisions at home. As the and activities on display. Performances from top fireworks started, we all felt like they were the pride Jamaican artistes and ‘Jubilee Conversations’ about bursting in our hearts - the pride of people happy to our current position as a nation had everyone sharing be born of such a great nation.
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thousandsof visitors camein from all over the country
See Full Album Here:
FAITH’S PEN STYLED FOOD COURT
JAMAICAN CRAFT VILLAGE
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‘Town Square’ was set up with a gallery of jamaican cultural achievements
84
There was A huge turnout for the various acts that performed on the main stage
See Full Album Here:
85
The Jablum coffee bar was a big hit
MARIO EVON AT THE PIANO BAR
vision 2030 booth
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CONTINUING CONVERSATION ABOUT JAMAICA’s 50 years of progress
INSIDE THE NATIONAL ARENA WAS TRANSFORMED INTO AN EXPOSITION HALL
PRIME MINISTER PORTIA SIMPSON-MILLER touring the booths
See Full Album Here:
ladies from the jamaica tourist board
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VISITORS WERE IN A FRENZY AS THEY WATCHED USAIN BOLT WIN THE OLYMPIC 100M FINALS
Usain Bolt Crossing the finish line
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Usain Bolt Crossing the finish line
See Full Album Here:
DRUMMERS FROM THE EDNA MANLEY COLLEGE
FREE RED STRIPE beer WAS SERVED after the race
Youth and Culture Minister Lisa Hanna
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A packed stadium for the grand Gala with over 30,000 persons in attendance
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PRIME MINISTER PORTIA SIMPSON-MILLER & MINISTER LISA HANNA
Minister Louis Farrakhan MINISTER LISA HANNA general colin powell the most hon. pj patterson
See Full Album Here:
Both Young & old were in attendance.
jamaica’s governor general Patrick Allen
Jamaica’s Arm forces display
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Scences from the Gra
rand Gala Celebrations
See Full Album Here:
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A formation of Jamaica 50 along with dances from the Grand Gala performers
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See Full Album Here:
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A tribute to Jamaica’s future was done with laser lights and fireworks, concluding the celebrations.
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See Full Album Here:
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Complete Coverage See Full Albums Here:
Dream Live in Concert Beach Rave IGLOO Twisted Spiritz Daydreams White Sands YUSH Xtreme Wet n Wild Smirnoff Xclusive Bere Vibes
Photography By:
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100
101
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Complete Coverage See Full Albums Here:
Colours Full Moon Naked Officially Diagnosed Stages: The Legend Water Party Wild sides
Photography By:
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Upcoming events Latin Fusion Free To Enter
Wet Weekend
Tuesday Nights (weekly event) - 7:30 PM Mahogany Tree Bar, Devon House A weekly event for the latin music lovers, this event is filled with people passionate about dancing. Worried about your two left feet? Don’t, the segment from 7:30 - 8:30 is for the learners to get into the groove, then afterwards its time to get down and dirty...dancing! For more info: fb.com/LatinFusionJa
August 17-19, 2012 Montego Bay, Jamaica 3 nights, 3 parties, all wet...Spill, Summer Splash, and H2O. That’s all they’re giving away on this one. For more info: fb.com/WetWeekendJa
Regular: $3000, VIP: $8500
T20 Jamaica 50 Classic
August 18-19, 2012 Sabina Park, Kingston A combination of cricket, music and an eclectic party vibe to create an unrivalled two day spectacle of entertainment and celebration. This event will feature some of the best talent that has paraded on the world stage. For more info: fb.com/T20Jamaica50Classic
Upcoming events Kingston Kitchen Adult $500 Children under 12 Free
Jamaica Fifty 2 Rahtid Tickets $1500
Fashion’s Night Out Free To Participate
Saturday, August 26, 2012 – 3 pm - 9 PM Hope Gardens, Kingston Eat Jamaican. Eat Good. A food emporium of pop-up kitchens with live entertainment and activities for the kids. Celebrate Jamaica through your taste buds and join us as we celebrate 50 years of Independence. For more info: kingstonkitchenja.com
Friday, August 31, 2012 - 8:30 PM Pantry Playhouse, Dumfries Road Hilarious musical revue that tickles the funny bone in a way only Jamaicans can. Written by Aston Cooke and directed by Dahlia Harris, this play is sure to leave you entertained. Open bar courtesy of Appleton Jamaica Rum (Aug 31 only). For more info: (876) 330-3181
Thursday, September 6, 2012 Islandwide It’s time to go shopping! Details of the night haven’t been released yet but from what we know of Fashion’s Night Out, there will be music, wine and shoppin’ ‘til you drop. All participating stores islandwide stay open late and have deep discounts along special prizes and surprises for their visitors. For more info: fb.com/FNOJA
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connections
Showcase
Let’s Talk
Click here to return to contents Get Involved
Bar Services: • • • • •
Bar Supervisors Bartenders Waiters/Waitresses Variety of Cups & Glasses Bar counter, Igloos, Tables and Chairs
Consignment: • •
Goods Return Vehicle on Site
For details on Pricing, Consignment Terms or Bar services Please contact us.
showcase Adv erto rial
‘Fifty 2 Rahtid’
is outrageously hilarious!
W
hen it comes to satirical
and delivered a solid performance filled
revues,
with much laughter and excitement.
Aston
Cooke
is indeed the leader of
Jamaica Fifty 2 Rahtid is a scintillating
the pack as nothing seems sacred to
musical revue which takes a funny look at
this writer. His outrageously hilarious
Jamaica’s state of affairs. Variety is the
satirical revue Jamaica Fifty 2 Rahtid is
hallmark of this revue. Cooke’s satirical
the funniest comedy on the Jamaican
pen touches even more subjects than
theatre scene today. The show played
there are skits, for he packs many topics
to an appreciative sold-out house at the
into one item.
Pantry Playhouse on Emancipation Day
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Modern Event Magazine • Connections • showcase
Jamaica Fifty 2 Rahtid boasts a cast of top Jamaican actors which includes popular comedy actor Deon Silvera and Dahlia Harris who alternates with Camille Wilson. Akeem Mignott, Marlon Campbell and Ainsley Whyte complete the cast. The show is skillfully directed by the talented Dahlia Harris. ‘The Airport’ featuring recurring characters ‘Ray Ray’ and ‘Tay Tay’ is still the crowd favourite and from the audience’s response, it would appear that many of them had seen the earlier installments of this revue series. In ‘Carpenter’s Apprentice’ and other skits, Cooke uses the double dialogue technique in which two people talking at length completely misunderstand each other, though the audience is aware of the misunderstanding. It’s a gimmick which seldom fails to work. Silvera is outstanding in “Jamaica Homecoming” which showcases her skill as a character actress. But it was ‘The Debate’ which had the audience on the floor with laughter. Camille Wilson played a good Prime Minister while Ainsley Whyte did a sound take off on the Leader of the Opposition. The show is an excellent mix of song dance and dialogue; of solo and group pieces; of national and domestic issues. The multi-talented cast all move well, speak clearly and sing competently. And they had fun on stage. The catchy tunes by Grub Cooper showed us why he copped the Actor Boy awards for Best Song and Best Musical Score in the previous shows of Jamaica 2 RAHTID and PUPALICK. Jamaica Fifty 2 Rahtid continues at the Pantry Playhouse on Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8:30 p.m. with matinee performances on Sundays at 6:00 p.m.
Issue No.2 — August 2012
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Let’s Talk Patrons What’s the one event you have to attend every year and what makes it special to you
?
Answer Here
112
Modern Event Magazine • Connections • Let’s showcase Talk
Get Involved What do you think the events industry can do to continue to captialize on the international attention gained from Jamaica’s 50th Anniversary and our success at the 2012 Olympic Games in London?
Join the conversation
Submit your answer and see the best responses in next month’s issue.
Submit
Here Issue No.2 — August 2012
113
s ta cyan n h ay l e s @gmai l .c o m w ww.s tacyan n h ay l e s .c o m w w w. fb . c o m/ s tacyan n h ay l e s mar ke ti ng
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Modern Event Magazine
Issue No.2 — August 2012
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