In eventing, creativity must partner with pragmatism

The glitz and glamour associated with event planning tends to attract people with hard-working imaginations, funky ideas, and a highly-carbonated creativity…which is precisely what generates the potential to produce unique and unforgettable occasions. However, as is often the case, those operating predominantly from the left frontal lobe are inclined to overlook the practical matters in life, which can be deadly when it comes to eventing. Unlike in art or advertising where creativity is uninhibited by hard realities, effective event planning demands that talent be tempered with a pragmatic attention to detail.

In a typical boardroom situation where event companies are striving to bowl CEOs over with their Big Idea, there is a natural tendency to gloss over or completely ignore the Boring Bits such as indemnity, transport, storage, etc. Yet anyone who has mastered the art of event planning knows that the Big Idea and the Boring Bits are of equal importance. Creativity and Common Sense must hold hands in the playground, even if they don’t want to.

The key to accomplishing a smoothly-run and memorable event (without unnecessary cost or hair loss to client or company) is therefore to find a workable agreement between creative genius and deliverability. This can only be accomplished if the finnickity details of what it will take to execute are assessed and factored into planning from Day 1. Wild and wacky concepts which seem novel on paper often turn out to be logistical nightmares. And if this discovery is made too late in the day, the client usually ends up throwing obscene amounts of money at the problem to fix it.

When discussing the issue of creativity vs. pragmatism, industry gurus often like to cite one particular example of a logistical flop. At the conclusion of a high profile event for a major corporate, the host planned to surprise his guests with a ‘farewell gift’ of 10 000 branded camping chairs in a snazzy display. The cost of 10 000 chairs was budgeted for and the client gave approval. Unfortunately, 10 000 chairs don’t just materialise where and when you want them to, paid for or not.

As it turned out, two pantechnicons were needed to transport the chairs to the venue, storage space had to be found and reserved, and a mini army was recruited to haul the chairs around. Needless to say, the extra costs more than broke the budget, and Mr Bigwig Client was less than thrilled.

It is incredibly tempting to skip over the dull elements of an event when making that big pitch to marketers, but one needs to keep in mind that in eventing, professional reputation is everything. It is the event architect’s job to foresee logistical challenges and problem solve them beforehand as much as it is to brainstorm and create. We cannot ignore the Laws of Reality and expect our creativity to carry us through.

The good news is that you can learn from others’ mistakes, and follow a tried and tested (although by no means foolproof) procedure to make sure that your bases are covered.

It always starts with the eventing company that you choose to work with. Be fussy, and do your research. Does the company have a track record that reflects a consistent balance between creative talent and reliability? Did the team run through logistical elements when presenting their Big Idea? A useful way to gauge whether a company is professionally run (and pays attention to detail) is by asking to see things like insurance certificates and compliance forms. Does the company have public liability insurance? Do they seek approvals and sign-offs from site managers before installing temporary structures? These are some of the questions that should be posed from the outset, before a partnership is established.

While it is certainly acceptable to spend Day 1 discussing ideas and concepts, the next several weeks need to be devoted to a step-by-step plan of action that details what is required in terms of logistics, infrastructure, and money. 

This brings us to step two of the process which involves carefully going through the proposed budget, making sure that each and every possible expense is accounted for. Have they covered basics such as storage, transport, labour, etc?  Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you think that corners are being cut.

Essentially, you need to roll up your sleeves and get involved in the planning process. Work together with your event architect, build a relationship based on openness and mutual trust, and ensure that not only has attention been paid to both the creative and realities of execution, but that the core concept serves your business objectives.

Kim Winstanley

managing director, Eventworx