The editors of Event Marketer have announced the Hidden Gems finalists, focused on B2B events with less than 5,000 attendees. The Oath NewFront, which took place in May 2018 on Pier 26 in New York, won First Place in ‘Best Event Reimagination (1,000 – 5,000 Attendees).’ The New York Times New Rules Summit at the 1Hotel Brooklyn Bridge in New York won Runner Up in ‘Best VIP Event (Under 1,000 Attendees).’
To engage potential advertisers, clients, and industry press during the digital media NewFronts, Verizon Media needed to showcase its vision of storytelling across vertical video. It did so by revamping the NewFront format with 13 immersive activations for 1,450 people at New York’s Pier 26. The theme, “This is an Uprising,” was woven through every part of event, from digital invitations, to graphic posters, name badges, content, music, run of show and the venue itself—a raw space that was transformed from a slab of concrete into a street festival.
The journey began with passage through a tunnel lit up by blue LED lighting and dozens of monitors that surrounded guests with energizing music and video content from Oath’s brands. Graffiti-style street posters lined the journey, conveying the Uprising theme. To keep energy high throughout the presentations from celebrities and executives, five takeover moments were staged about 30 minutes apart, each kicking off with a countdown on the screens.
Performances included a pep rally, a New York City step-team and bucket drummers, parkour stuntmen jumping over crowds, eight women in business suits dancing across all four stages to Jeanelle Monae’s “Make Me Feel,” and the finale: all performers together accompanied by an impromptu performance by host and emcee Jamie Foxx.
The New York Times’ inaugural New Rules Summit brought together 230 leaders and VIPs to discuss creating inclusive cultures that empower women. Hosted by Times journalists and influencers and held at 1Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, the event included speaker sessions and smaller workshops for networking and solutions-building. The venue’s lobby served as a pre-function area and hosted sponsorship activations tied to a women-in-the-workplace theme, including a photo opp with a replica of the SSGA Fearless Girl statue. The Times livestreamed five sessions on Facebook and three on Twitter, making it the brand’s most-streamed event ever. Highlights included Melinda Gates’ session, which reached 93,000 views, and America Ferrera’s, which garnered 98,000 views.
Hidden Gems brings to life some of the big ideas, big creative and big thinking—shared by the sector’s smaller events. Learn more about the Event Marketer Hidden Gems Awards and other finalists here.
