Conferences, Trade Shows + Training Events

Impressing event industry peers with flawless full-scale event production

San Francisco Travel Association successfully showed off their city

Events production expertise supports a host city’s overall vision

International event management professionals arrive at PCMA Convening Leaders with high expectations. Known for stellar speakers and epic experiences, the annual conference attracts hospitality experts seeking inspiration, career advancement and destination-specific opportunities. The place is as important as the agenda. So, the pressure is on the local convention and visitors bureau to deliver.

When San Francisco was chosen as the 2020 host city, the San Francisco Travel Association (SF Travel) seized the opportunity. They envisioned welcome and closing events, keynote support, and a comprehensive transportation plan. Hosting the best in the business requires bringing your “A game” to every event detail. This was their chance to prove to their industry peers that the Bay Area is an unparalleled event destination. And to do that, they needed a partner to help create, design, manage and execute something seamless and unforgettable.

We designed the eye-catching and comfortable SF Travel Host Pavilion on the Moscone Center expo floor. We scripted and produced the SF Travel keynote segment. And we helped with three exceptional evening events showcasing the best of San Francisco.

The four-day conference kicked off with a reception that reflected the diverse cultures of San Francisco. Attendees took an “urban hike” through zones inspired by iconic SF neighborhoods (The Haight, The Castro, Chinatown, The Waterfront, etc.). More than 3,000 attendees experienced dragon performers, wine tastings, mural-making and a DJ in two transformed warehouses.

Situated on San Francisco’s swanky Nob Hill, The Masonic was a legendary location for a party with a purpose: the PCMA Education Fundraiser. Just blocks from downtown, the historic venue exudes elegance and charm, making it the perfect place to dance the night away. More than 1,000 donors celebrated the scholarships and grants securing the future of the events industry.

This was the first non-sports event hosted at San Francisco’s newest premier entertainment venue. This positioned SF Travel to make a splash and go all out to showcase The Chase Center.  Remarks from San Francisco’s mayor and the president of SF Travel kicked off the event. The Warriors Dance Team hyped up the audience for what was to come. Then, Grammy Award-winning Maroon 5 took the stage amidst a spectacle of lights, creating an electric atmosphere. The audience was awed by the level of production displayed for an intimate show.

Strategy

Creative Services

Digital Services

Event Production

Technical Production

Professional event production left a positive impression

Focusing on sponsorship sales, experiential design and live event production, SF Travel dazzled the difficult-to-impress. This is a crowd that has seen it all, but thoughtful planning ensured everyone caught “The Golden City” in its best light.

SF Travel curated a dozen sponsorship packages to engage their most coveted partners. Each was tied to themed activations that enhanced the experience for all guests. For instance, the hot sauce bar sponsorship in The Mission neighborhood included logo impressions, signage opportunities, tickets and more. Other sponsored activities included numerology readings in Chinatown, and an oyster and champagne bar in The Waterfront neighborhood.  The opening party won numerous industry awards for weaving so many unique moments into a comprehensive story. The concept proved to sponsors why SF Travel is known for being “curators of the most interesting 49 square miles on the planet.”

SF Travel set new standards per the Port Fire Marshal, solving egress challenges and meticulously planning traffic flow. Chase Center leaders learned how to overcome operational challenges to deliver a jaw-dropping concert. We worked with their technical staff to adapt the sports-specific LED surfaces for entertainment. Our use of space and production insights impressed attendees and paved the way for corporate events that followed.

4,000+

concert attendees

3,200

partygoers

4

conference days

3

evening events

1

Grammy-winning band

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