20th Annual Event Company Spotlight

Analog Events
Beverly Hills, CA
www.analogevents.com
Chief Executive: Jordan Kaye
2022 Event Count: 36
Noteworthy Events:

• House of Peacock: a monthlong storefront activation at The Grove for EMMY FYC season
• Privé Revaux birthday celebration for Jamie Foxx in Paris
• MTV Unplugged with JID in Atlanta
• Numerous Peacock red carpet premieres from Queer as Folk to Angelyne to Girls5eva
• iHeartRadio events like Wango Tango

Trend Forecast:

• Sustainability: As people become more environmentally conscious, sustainability is a top priority, from reducing on-site waste to using eco-friendly materials.
• Personalization: Attendees want events that are tailored to their specific interests and needs. Analog sees a future using data and technology to create even more personalized experiences.
• Safety and security: In the wake of recent events, safety and security are even more of a priority these days. From screening attendees to implementing emergency plans, Analog takes steps to ensure the safety of attendees, vendors,
• and clients.

Ashfield Event Experiences
Philadelphia, PA
www.ashfieldeventex.com
Chief Executive: Russ Lidstone
2022 Event Count: 750
Noteworthy Events:

• An employee engagement “Stronger Together” event, delivered for their client Genmab, an international biotechnology company. This event secured 2 Silver and 1 Bronze American Business Awards as well as becoming a finalist at the prestigious PM Society Awards.

Trend Forecast:

• Live events are back with a vengeance. People want to be back together. Until March 2022, Ashfield’s clients were very cautious and postponed events to be face-to-face. The pent-up demand led to June and September being busier than pre-pandemic, and they are seeing much shorter lead times from clients because of this.
• There is a realization that good hybrid meetings take a lot more effort (and budget). There are still plenary sessions/presentations being broadcast, but hybrid meetings are not as much in demand as originally expected. Ashfield is seeing some clients running smaller and shorter meetings virtually, while focusing on the face-to-face element and networking opportunities for the larger meetings.

Behind the Scenes
Memphis, TN
www.btsmemphis.com
Chief Executive: Dusky Norsworthy
2022 Event Count: 120
Noteworthy Events:

• Washington, DC: A 2-day event where business leaders met with local Congressman and Senators to focus on state and city results.
• Miami, Florida: The International Cotton Convention, streamed globally in multiple languages.

Trend Forecast:

• Increased focus on building a strong corporate culture as the future of work continues to change.
• New ways to network (creating spaces that foster networking and creativity, while allowing participants to choose their comfort level).
• More “choose your own adventure” events, allowing attendees more choices beyond sessions to take part in.
• Enhanced focus on sustainability, more green resources.

BDS Catering & Productions
West Palm Beach, FL
www.bdscaters.com
Chief Executive: Boris Seymore
2022 Event Count: 150
Noteworthy Events:

• BDS hosted multiple events and was offered to assist with Chef Showcases and different mentoring opportunities for the community.

Trend Forecast:

• Increased focus on food menu, serving, etc. Food is an essential part of any event as that is what people remember the most. It is also an important part of culture, heritage, and identity that connects and brings people together.

Champagne Events
Montreal, QC, Canada
www.champagneevenements.com
Chief Executive: Sebastien David
2022 Event Count: 25
Noteworthy Events:

• 2022 YWCA Charity Gala
• Multiple conferences for Pharma clients across
• North America•
• Multiple galas and fundraisers

Trend Forecast:

• Chic and elegant feel
• Popping colors
• Textures over textures
• Gold and silver
• Technology is a requirement and must be
• user-friendly

Corporate Magic
Dallas, TX
www.corporatemagic.com
Chief Executive: Jim Kirk
2022 Event Count: 48
Noteworthy Events:

• 2022 Mazda North America Dealer Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee: a multi-faceted event that engaged dealers in two waves. The event included multiple general sessions, dinners, and high-tech labs, giving dealers an up-close look at Mazda’s new products, marketing campaigns, and innovative dealership technology. The Nashville State Grounds served as the primary venue and an exclusive private party was hosted at Marathon Music Works.
• 2022 Dallas Cowboys Season Kickoff event: a live broadcast of the Blue Carpet event allowed fans worldwide to join in, watching players and their significant others arriving and posing for photos. The players’ presentation at the Ford Center showcased the team’s unity and spirit while allowing players to interact with fans and share their enthusiasm for the upcoming season.

Trend Forecast:

• Immersive worlds that captivate attendees and stimulate active participation. The latest trend in this space is centered around crafting captivating virtual and augmented reality experiences that integrate art, technology, and storytelling to foster meaningful connections and inspire creativity. With increasing demand, immersive experiences are becoming a staple of corporate events, trade shows, and product launches.

CSI DMC
Washington, D.C.
www.csi-dmc.com
Chief Executives: David Hainline, Tom Hubler, Amberlee Huggins, Hope Valentine
2022 Event Count: 1074
Noteworthy Events:

• Las Vegas: Rife with supply chain shortages, CSI DMC helped their corporate franchise client navigate and source materials when exhibitors grew 11 times over in record time.•
• Nashville: An unforgettable street party for 8,000 people during a highly anticipated multi-day program. CSI DMC collaborated with the city, 68 vendors, 42 shops, various entertainment, and supporting acts, and coordinated 15,000 meals. The creative team developed 529 concepts to meet the explosion of boutique and mid-sized programs focused on customized attendee experiences.
• Orlando: After four date changes, 1,300 eager attendees celebrated a company rebrand. The CSI DMC team crafted fun-filled, brand-centric special events over four nights, including gifting of an autographed guitar from a rock band.

Trend Forecast:

• Climate change concerns are front-page news, and sustainable sourcing and eco-friendly events are far beyond a trend. Practical, feel-good solutions that don’t break the budget are critical. CSI DMC finds that taking a collaborative, step-by-step approach with their internal practices, vendors, venues, and clients leads to deeper buy-in and quantifiable success.
• The continued surge in events that promote healthy living, community giving, and kindness. Schedules that intentionally program time for mental health breaks and destination immersion support evidence of increased attendee engagement and connection, a win-win for all!
• Forecasting the speed of advancements in virtual (VR) and augmented reality (AR) is tricky. However, there is value in leveraging these technologies to connect attendees to events anywhere, from virtual trade show booths to AR product demos and beyond. It is a very compelling time to be in the events industry!

dfx Entertainment
Higganum, CT
www.dfxent.com
Chief Executive: Nicole Cassarino-Conlon
2022 Event Count: 350
Noteworthy Events:

• Grand opening MGM Music Hall at Fenway Park
• Grand opening Resorts World Hudson Valley
• Casino 2022
• New Years Eve Mohegan Sun 2022 Themed
• Moulin Rouge Party
• Easter Seals Crystal Ball Farmington Polo Club
• Lego Systems Play Day Yard Goats Stadium

Trend Forecast:

• More experiential and immersive events
• More themed events, with venue selection based
• on the theme of the event
• Total transformation of spaces
• Interactive areas
• More digital enhancements

EMM Creative Arts Co.
Vancouver, BC, Canada
www.emmcreativearts.com
Chief Executive: Erica Marrello
2022 Event Count: 25
Noteworthy Events:

• Burnaby Blues Festival
• Skratch Bastid’s BBQ
• Harvest Haus Oktoberfest Festival
• Abbotsford International Airshow
• Ambleside Music Festival
• UBC AMS Block Party
• Vancouver International Polo Festival
• A Tale of the Forest: Glenmorangie exclusive
• tasting event

Trend Forecast:

• After almost three years of pandemic-related separations, bringing people together is more important than ever. 2023 is the year of prioritizing social gatherings, get-togethers, special events, team bonding, and bringing people together after the wild times of the holidays and finally feeling normal(ish) post-pandemic.
• Prioritizing self-care
• Maximalism: patterns on patterns, brights on bolds, color on color

Event Solutions
Santa Monica, CA
www.eventsolutions.com
Chief Executive: Brad Lipshy
2022 Event Count: 100
Noteworthy Events:

• “The Future of Water” Conference in San Fransisco
• XOS Trucks’ Fleet Week Product Launch
• NBA2K Video Game Wrap Party

Trend Forecast:

• Company retreats, employee excursions, and brand activation events were among the biggest shifts in the corporate events industry. Event Solutions predicts that they will continue to grow into 2023 and beyond.
• A shift for events that consider company culture and values are being brought to the table in the planning phase. CSRs (Corporate Social Responsibility) such as diversity, equality, inclusion, and environmental awareness are playing bigger parts in the selection of everything from venue to vendors.

Hana April Inc.
Minneapolis, MN
www.hanaaprilinc.com
Chief Executive: Hana April Chughtai
2022 Event Count: 50+
Noteworthy Events:

• Surescripts Picnic: Brought together families, spouses, and households for an inaugural companywide event.
• A bold color palette wedding design in Chicago, with 3D huge dinosaurs a garden, and fairytale energy.

Trend Forecast:

• Going full speed ahead on small attention to details
• Guest experience: How guests feel, interact, and entertain themselves is important

Haute
Austin, TX
www.wearehaute.com
Chief Executive: Alisa Walsh, CITP, CIS
2022 Event Count: 106
Noteworthy Events:

• NI Connect: May 2022, 2,000 guests, Austin, TX
• Meta in Reel Life: September 2022, 150 influencers, New York, NY
• Marriott International Topline Leadership Summit: September 2022, 1,500 guests, Orlando, FL
• Children’s Hospitality of Los Angeles Gala (featuring Justin Timberlake): October 2022, 1,300 guests, Los Angeles, CA
• BMW Product Brand Experience: November 2022, 600 guests, Palm Springs, CA
• Fluence MJBizCon Tradeshow & Hospitality: November 2022, 30,000, Las Vegas, NV

Trend Forecast:

• Haute believes that business is personal and that connecting to the audience is the only goal that truly matters. This means looking at the people first, with priorities of inclusion, diversity, and neurodiversity and how our industry can lead a change for good.
• Measuring events not only with ROI but also with ROE (Return on Emotion). Authentic human-to-human connection will drive business in the coming years; it isn’t about impressions on tens of thousands of people but the personal connection and championship of brands that can create these through more intimate and real moments.
• Sustainability and true (and cost-effective) methods of reducing our footprint with the experience we create will be required in the coming years. Not simply greenwashing but an infrastructure that allows us to continue exceeding business goals while being mindful of how continuing to meet in person impacts the world. The next few years in the live events industry will let us innovate rapidly.

J. Scott Weddings
Dallas, TX
www.jscottweddings.com
Chief Executive: Jessica Scott
2022 Event Count: 22
Noteworthy Events:

• A gorgeous wedding at The Thompson (Chicago, IL) for a professional golfer and all of his New York family that flew in by the masses. It was quite the black-tie affair.

Trend Forecast:

• Very long, giant dinner tables that feel like one
• big table
• Guest lists of friends and family, and not everybody that they’ve ever known getting invited

Laurel & Co. Events
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
www.laureleventstx.com
Chief Executive: Abigail Gibson
2022 Event Count: 42
Noteworthy Events:

• A 6-figure winter wonderland wedding
• A New Year’s Eve wedding with a 1,000
• balloon drop
• Color filled weddings
• Over-the-top birthday parties

Trend Forecast:

• Larger events focused on statement decor and detailed place settings
• Unique entertainment

LEO Events
Memphis, TN
www.leoevents.com
Chief Executive: Cindy Brewer
2022 Event Count: 200
Noteworthy Events:

• Walmart’s 2022 Shareholders’ Meeting, staging presentations and performances for over 14,000 associates, using augmented reality and theater techniques to create a content-rich spectacle of story and emotion.
• AutoZone’s National Sales Meeting, delivering 17 different events, including 16+ hours of General Session programming, 13 Breakout Sessions, and over 50 meal functions for 3,200+ attendees.
• Hilton’s Global Owners Conference, delivering 8 hours of C-Suite executive content, a tradeshow-esque “Network Hub,” five brand showcase rooms, and more for over 2,500 attending owners, representatives, and guests.
• Some of LEO’s best festival work was on display by working with the New Mexico Tourism Department to create five incredible Arts Festivals across the state: the Las Cruses Space Festival, Riverfest, Silver City Blues Festival, Nashville to New Mexico, and the Gallup Inter-tribal Ceremonial.

Trend Forecast:

• At the moment, there’s the AI explosion, which LEO views as a tool we can wield to expedite and enhance the experiences we create, made by and for humans.
• The plateau of remote and hybrid work has catalyzed renewed demand for enriched networking and genuine teambuilding.
• Sustainability has graduated from trend to imperative, and LEO predicts brands and event attendees will expect more measurable and meaningful action.
• Disruptive thinking—redefined by a new generation—will once again be in favor. There will be greater interest in an “ideas-first” mindset, sharpened into a marketplace where small companies, industry newcomers, and larger incumbents compete for similar business opportunities.

New Moon Entertainment
Las Vegas, NV
www.newmoonentertainment.net
Chief Executive: Matthew Gucu
2022 Event Count: 100+
Noteworthy Events:

• Event for Workday at Mandalay Bay Hotel Beach
• Event for Home Depot at Mandalay Bay Hotel Beach
• Event for Harris Computers at Brooklyn Bowl

Trend Forecast:

• Social Media tool integration for promoting events
• AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual
• reality) inclusion
• AI tools (e.g., ChatGTP) will help with marketing, artwork, etc.

RED VELVET
Austin, TX
www.weareredvelvet.com
Chief Executive: Cindy Y. Lo
2022 Event Count: 50
Noteworthy Events:

• Wheel Health All Hands Employee Conference
• (150 pax)
• The Life Coach School Mastermind Conference (1500 pax)
• Austin PBS Media Center Debut (5000+ pax)
• SailPoint Navigate 2022 Conference (800 pax)
• Silicon Labs NA+EU Conference (500 pax)
• Tito’s 25th Anniversary Luxury weekend trip for 125 guests and +1s

Trend Forecast:

• The advent of ChatGPT and AI and how to intelligently and safely integrate them,
• enhancing processes and work products without sacrificing integrity
• Events during a recession and in the aftermath
• Motivating a team during hard times to sell services with authenticity, confidence, and courage
• Returning to hybrid and virtual out of fiscal necessity and learning how to best make use of the lessons from the pandemic

SENIK The Event Agency
Montreal, QC, Canada
www.senik.ca
Chief Executive: Sebastien David
2022 Event Count: 130
Noteworthy Events:

• A 42-cities client roadshow for a financial client
• over six weeks
• Two different one-week conferences for a retail client in Mexico and the Dominican Republic
• Three three-days conferences across Canada for
• a retail client
• First Nation conference with a public institution

Trend Forecast:

• Green events
• Reward and recognition event for staff are a must as a hybrid remote work system stays in place

Steve LeVine Entertainment & Public Relations
Scottsdale, AZ
www.slentertainment.com
Chief Executive: Steve LeVine
2022 Event Count: 524
Noteworthy Events:

• Breaking the attendance record at the Chandler Chamber Ostrich Festival (a Special Events Gala Award recipient) with over 150,000 attendees. Steve LeVine Entertainment has produced this event for the past seven years, but this year’s festival was hosted as a two-weekend event for the first time in history! The star-studded lineup included Walker Hayes, Nelly, Flo Rida, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Beach Boys, The Band Perry, and Uncle Kracker.
• Scottsdale Fashion Week: brought back after a two-year COVID hiatus; hosted the seventh year of Fashion Week 4 Kids with 2,000 people in attendance.

Trend Forecast:

• Technology is playing an increasingly important role in events. From event apps to virtual and augmented reality, technology is being used to enhance the overall attendee experience. The expansion of AI has opened new possibilities for event planners. With the ability to analyze large amounts of data and learn from attendee behavior, AI and big data can help event planners make more informed decisions about everything from the peak time for festival-goer purchases to feedback on marketing efforts.

The Special Event Company
Raleigh, NC
www.specialeventco.com
Chief Executive: Sally Webb, CSEP
2022 Event Count: 75
Noteworthy Events:

• nSight User Conference for Banking Software Leader, nCino: 1,500 attendees, three days,
• Raleigh, NC
• Franchisee Conference for Affordable Care Inc.:
• 700 attendees, four days, Miami, FL
• Recognition & Awards program for top performers, First Citizens Bank - 350 attendees, three days, Nashville, TN
• Beyond Duke Alumni Global Recognition Virtual Broadcast
• Pepsi Annual Sales Conference: 350 attendees, two days, Raleigh NC

Trend Forecast:

• Putting the FUN back into events is a huge strategy reversal from mid-2022 onward. As people began to return to live events, the trend of being “all business” at conferences has moved to reimagining the attendee experience to make it more valuable and relationship driven. COVID made people’s time with their families more important, meaning that their time away from home needs to be more rewarding and not just an “information dump.”
• Many events that went virtual during the last few years will never go back to live as it makes little economic sense, and the option to view portions of a conference on demand virtually rather than in person is here to stay.

Vibrant Table Catering & Events
Portland, OR
www.vibranttable.com
Chief Executive: Art Fortuna
2022 Event Count: 757
Noteworthy Events:

• Partnership with The RK Group for LIV Golf
• NIKE Global Events
• Oregon State University Foundation Event
• Daimler Trucks North America LLC Event

Trend Forecast:

• Menus and floorplans are moving toward a mingling, reception-style experience with shorter programs.
• Clients will continue to be interested in small plates and stations like sliders and fries, individual hors d’oeuvres plates or something fun like a taco bar. This goes along with the more casual, social vibe. Plus, guests appreciate the variety.
• Venues that offer unique experiences like indoor/outdoor flexibility or specialized audio/visual continue to be in high demand.

We Crush Events
Los Angeles, CA
www.wecrushevents.com
Chief Executive: Jessica Cheney
2022 Event Count: 183
Noteworthy Events:

• VideoAmp’s HMCMNG MMXXII, an annual conference with 500 guests over four days.
• Rosendin Electric: Holiday Nights at Zoo Lights, Phoenix Zoo
• C2 Financial Holiday Party, Punch Bowl Social
• Illumina MTT Summer BBQ Picnic, De Anza Cove
• Partner ESI: San Diego After Party, Rustic Root

Trend Forecast:

• Event hosts are definitely looking for more creative entertainment and wellness options. More and more hosts want “something different” and bigger than they’ve had in the past.
• Wellness enhancements have been slowly making their way onstage for years, but now it is one of the most important aspects of conferences. Experiences like sunrise beach yoga, CrossFit competitions,
• and creative mental breaks have definitely been popular lately.
• Hybrid, more travel/incentive, more overall event spend and budgets.