How to Disrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Programming

Coach Brad Stevens’ Unexpected Move is Your Power-Move

It’s May 10th at the very end of the 3rd quarter of Celtics Game 5 in Boston when Washington Wizard Kelly Oubre Jr. finds himself at the free throw line – and MISSES.

Even if you’re not an NBA fan, let alone how *enthusiastic* Boston fans can be, you probably know unsportsmanlike conduct can get ugly. And the well-documented charge by Oubre of Boston's (undeserving) Olynyk two games earlier in the Playoff series was a textbook example.

It's now Game 5, tied at 2-2. The Celtics have returned home and are ready to prove themselves. They do so immediately, establishing a +/- 20 point lead in the first few minutes of the game.

Celtics fans had been charged up from the get-go, anti-Oubre chants further amplifying things well before he was even put into the game in the 2nd half.

It’s easy to argue it wasn’t necessary for Brad Stevens to make a lineup change right after Oubre misses that first free throw. But without missing a beat, right as the Garden explodes with joy over Oubre’s miss, Stevens sends Kelly Olynyk in.

The place detonates.

Timing is often an important part of the equation. You must also know your audience, which Stevens clearly does. There’s also something big to be said for giving people even more of the same (e.g. what they expect or crave from your product) – in this case, another intense emotional charge.
 

And – newsflash Event Managers! – nailing the timing doesn’t mean you have to be 100% planned. You can’t be afraid to be spontaneous when the opportunity presents itself.
 

[Rebecca S.] I know all too well that that lesson can go against the grain. I shocked myself, in fact, at the revelation as I caught my breath and sat back down at TD Garden. The event planning niche my team and I occupy is one that celebrates customization; Pour Favor Wine Events is not the bento-box of wine tasting events. 90% of what we do is carefully orchestrated to reinforce our client’s brand or culture. That takes even more planning.

At the same time, I couldn't help but pause... We’ve been at this for 9+ years. We have an incredible roster of partners, a rich skill-set among our staff members (beyond the obvious wine knowledge required) and have curated myriad events – we have a lot of inspiration to draw from. We could develop and implement a still-customized event pretty quickly.

It seems then, if you:

1)      Know your audience and

2)      Have a great supporting cast, whether your planning team or network of partners, and

3)      Are clear on your brand identity and/or event goals, you are in a clutch position.

The Stevens Take-Away?   Don’t hesitate to take advantage of the moment, and strike while the iron is hot to super-charge your own “fan base”, aka customers or guests, with a memorable event. Otherwise, the opportunity might pass you by.
 

We’re HERE when you need us.

How Wine is an Asset to Every Marketer’s Brand Strategy

People always ask how I [R. Schimmoeller] got into wine. To be honest, it was never something I thought would impact my professional path; it was purely a hobby. My day-to-day was related to brand strategy and business development. It wasn’t until later that I realized wine could be leveraged to tell a compelling story about a brand – and on a key, subconscious level.

Wine wields a powerful sword. It has the power to bring people together, reignite memories and provoke connections. In effect, the entire shared experience of discovering a new wine strikes a particularly memorable cord for people.

And marketers know that the more people connect to something (or someone) on a core level, the more compelled they are to act or engage. The challenge is that emotion is hyper-personal. It is incredibly difficult to pinpoint what ultimately triggers a consumer to buy – in large part because they often struggle to tell you why they prefer your brand over another themselves!

“marketers know that the more people connect to something (or someone) on a core level, the more compelled they are to act”

To develop a winning brand strategy the challenge (and fun) is to be as subtle as you are strategic. You must plant seeds through different channels and approaches, and with a consistent brand experience each and every time you do. Such a nuanced approach will intercept and ultimately engage consumers meaningfully.

For example, events offer a great opportunity to leave a particularly lasting impression – that you control. You know how rare this is in brand-work, where others’ perceptions are the reality you contend with. An event experience offers a chance for potential customers to interact with multiple pieces related to your brand, too – from your staff, to your physical office space, sometimes even to your actual product.

Now, how many times have you been to an event with just one wine?

If one wine has the power to compel curiosity and interest, imagine what happens when an entire flight (aka multiple wines) has been curated – very deliberately – to tell a bigger, even more captivating story that ties back to your brand. Think about it. Each wine offers an opportunity to elicit a reaction, to draw someone in. Together, each wine can serve as a chapter in your brand story; the flight delivers a beginning, middle and a (happy) ending.

“imagine what happens when an entire flight has been curated – very deliberately – to tell a bigger, even more captivating story that ties back to your brand”

Here are some starting points.

If you’re all about innovation, choose wines that are in some way; if you’re about luxury, go baller; if you’re showcasing a product with a customizable interface, craft an entire wine experience that has a personal, hands-on element. Ping me and I’ll give you a few specific ideas.

BOTTOM LINE.

If you’re clever and creative, you can create a larger wine experience that’s fun and uniquely personal, that reinforces connections and celebrates your brand – without ever waving a big red flag. You will tickle your potential buyers’ subconscious in a truly memorable way. The key is to tell each wine’s story during your event synergistically and such that the subtly is not lost. Guests should go home appreciative of the artful tie-ins because you set the stage accordingly.