#619 theme

Last week, I went to the district American Advertising Awards ceremony and dinner. The sponsors took the show's theme "Take Flight" to new heights (ha ha) and held the event in an airplane hangar!

The execution of the theme was excellent.  In addition to the location, which featured a real jet in the corner, the emcee was dressed as a pilot, those handing out the awards were in vintage stewardess dresses, we all received wings from AAF Airlines, and the script used language such as "fasten your seat belts so we can begin."  When we left, the "stewardesses" were even at the door cooing the traditional "bye bye".  

Seemingly forgotten amidst planning the theme-based hoopla was the fact that the dinner and program were in an airplane hangar -- in February -- in the middle of one of the coldest winters on record.  Most people in the audience were wearing coats over their little black dresses by the end of the show.  People had to shuttle to the jet center and wait outside for the bus to take them back and forth.  We were on folding chairs for the four hour gala.  It was a lot like flying -- full of conditions that are less than ideal.

I am sure that there was debate about whether to continue to host the event in a generic hotel ballroom or whether to break out of the box and try the hangar.  This is the Advertising Federation after all; they have more motivation than other groups to embrace the creative. Yet it is February after all; there are climate issues to consider.

An interesting indicator will be what people say about the event next year.  Will it be: "thank goodness we're in a warm ballroom again" or will it be: "we're back to boring"?  Going outside of the box is often uncomfortable, and sometimes it's even chilly.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
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