Event Concept

Hevent

M.Aldana

Developing the Concept

• There are numerous elements which need

to be considered in developing an event

concept: purpose/objective, theme, venue,

audience, available resources, timing of

the event and the skills of the team.

• The most important is the purpose,

although it is strongly linked to both the

theme and the venue.

Purpose of the event

• The purpose of the event

should drive all the

planning.

• While for many events

the main purpose is

making a profit, for many

it is not.

Theme of the event

• The theme of the event should be linked to

the purpose.

• It should be completely compatible with

guest needs and consistent in all aspects.

Theme of the event

• When coming up with ideas for a theme, it

is most important to consider the range of

suitable venues available, keeping in mind

the budget and other considerations.

Theme of the event

AME 1UP event

(concept: gaming)

Venue of the event

• The event manager needs to carefully

consider the planning implications of

choosing an unusual venue in preference

to a standard venue requiring decoration

only match the theme.

• Lighting, sound and catering also provide

challenges

Factors to consider (venue)

• Potential to fulfil the purpose of the event

• Ambience

• Location

• Access to public transport

• Parking

• Seating capacity

• Built features (stages)

• Cost of decoration

• Cost of labour

• Logistics of setting up

• Food and beverage facilities

• Safety

Event audience

• When organizing an event, the needs of all

participants must be considered before

finalizing the concept.

Financial considerations

• Finances is an important consideration at

this early stage of event concept and

design.

Timing of the event

• The timing of the event is often linked to

the season or weather.

• The evaluation of an event concept must

take into account the following:

– Season

– Day of the week

– Time of day

– duration

Timing of the event

• Another thing to consider is lead time – the

time available for planning and

implementation.

• The duration of the event is another thing

to consider.

Event team, contractors and

other stakeholders • The skills of the event team, just as

importantly, the contractors, such as

lighting technicians and catering staff, are

important considerations in terms of

concept development.

ANALYSING THE CONCEPT

Competition

• Prior to involvement in any event, it is

essential to conduct an analysis of your

competition.

• People have limited disposable income

and festivals and events tend to be non

essential items in most family and tourist

budgets.

Regulations

• A wide range of laws and regulations have

an impact on the staging of events and

these can severely limit creativity.

Marketing

• How to sell an event is a very important

part of the initial planning, the timing of

your marketing is very crucial.

Community Impact

• The impact of an event on the local or

wider community and others is a major

consideration of the planning stage.

Risk

• For most events, weather is the greatest

risk to attendance, enjoyment and

success.

• Other risks associated with events:

cancelation of speaker or performer, non-

arrival of equipment, technical failure,

transportation crisis, accidents, etc.

Revenue and expenditure

• Losing money is the fastest way to get out

of the event business.

• For this reason, the event concept needs

very careful analysis.

• In most cases, contractors for catering,

security and other services.

DESIGNING THE CONCEPT

Designing the concept

• The following are the main creative elements that must be considered: – Theme

– Layout

– Decor

– Suppliers

– Technical requirements

– Staging

– Entertainment

– Talent

– Catering

Theme

• The theme should ideally appeal to all

senses: tactile, smell, taste, visual and

auditory.

Layout

• Discomfort in events is generally the result

of too much open space, too much light or

the limited opportunity to mix.

• The audience needs to be comfortably fill

the venue to create a positive ambience.

Decor

• Fabrics, decorative items, stage props,

drapes and table settings can all be hired

for the event and it can reduce the cost

Suppliers

• Good relationships with suppliers of all

commodities will ensure that only quality

products will be received.

Technical Requirements

• Technical glitches like speaker’s notes on

the laptop and the screen starts changing

slides rapidly, screensavers pop-up when

the speakers take too long, microphone

not working, etc are some of the things we

encounter during events.

• Technical glitches as such are

unacceptable – thorough rehearsals and a

back-up system is essential.

Staging

• Consider renting stages rather than

making them if the event venue is without

one.

Entertainment

• For some events,

entertainment is central, for

others, it is peripheral.

• The most important thing is

that the entertainment

should suit the purpose of

the event, not detract from it.

Talent

• Talent may come in any

form of musical performers,

dancers, athletes, golfers,

conference speakers, etc.

• When the talent is the focal

point for an event,

management of the talent is

exceptionally important.

Catering

• Nothing makes participants more

frustrated than delays in service and poor

quality food.

Logistics of the Concept

• The following logistical elements must be

taken into account:

• Access to the site

• Physical limitations

• Dimensions of the site

• Refrigerated storage

• Physical space

• Toilet facilities

Logistics of the Concept

• The following logistical elements must be

taken into account:

• Cleaning

• Catering

• Safety

• Potential damage to the site

• Provision of basic services