How Culture and Community Elevated the Champions Conference
At a Glance
In the vibrant city of New Orleans, Louisiana, this Champions Conference was a dynamic gathering of professionals. Held at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans and Generations Hall, the three-day event brought together over 1,100 attendees for an immersive experience filled with insightful sessions, extensive networking opportunities, and celebratory activities. With a focus on integrating the rich culture of New Orleans, the event featured unique themes, personalized experiences, and a philanthropic initiative.
By the Numbers
- 1,178 attendees
- 3 days (1 pre-conference day and 2 full conference days)
- 124 breakout sessions
- 98.8% of registrants attended
- 1,485 minutes of recorded sessions shared with attendees
Opportunity
Having partnered with this client since 2022, we were entrusted with managing their 2024 Champions Conference. For this user conference, the program focused on delivering extensive product knowledge to customers, offering direct interaction with product experts, increasing customer retention and upselling opportunities, and fostering valuable networking. Our objective was to deliver seamless execution, allowing the client to concentrate on content while we handled logistics. Additionally, we sought to elevate attendee satisfaction and improve the conference’s quality and value year-over-year.
Outcome
The Champions Conference was a resounding success. We achieved high attendee satisfaction by incorporating personalized gifting, unique thematic elements, and engaging activities. A major highlight was the final night party with a line marching band, traditional New Orleans Creole cooking (including po’boys and gumbo), and activations like spice-making stations and recycled bead art for an over-the-top New Orleans vibe. The conference also featured keynote speaker Chris Barton, founder of Shazam, who received high marks from attendees. Seamless execution and other innovative elements contributed to an overall positive experience.
Final Experience
Exceptionally blending professional development and New Orleans culture, the careful planning and attention to detail ensured every attendee had a memorable and enriching experience. The welcome reception was themed around New Orleans neighborhoods, and the final night party created a festive atmosphere, showcasing traditional Creole cuisine and music. Attendees enjoyed picking their custom t-shirts at the on-site gifting experience, and the philanthropic partnership with STEM NOLA (Science Technology Engineering Math, New Orleans) added a meaningful touch.
Unique Feature
Philanthropic Activation: A standout element of the 2024 Champions Conference was a robust philanthropic activation centered around the client’s commitment to supporting STEM education. This year, the conference partnered with STEM NOLA, a local nonprofit dedicated to enhancing STEM literacy and education in the New Orleans community.
The partnership began with a significant donation from the client to STEM NOLA, reflecting the company’s commitment to fostering future generations of STEM professionals. STEM NOLA was given a prominent booth presence at the conference trade show, allowing attendees to personally donate as well. This booth was informative and interactive, featuring one of STEM NOLA’s popular educational activations. Attendees had the opportunity to engage with the exhibit, learn about the nonprofit’s mission, and see firsthand the impact of their work.
Quotes
Attendee comments included:
Great conference!!! Absolutely incredible!!
The reception at Generations Hall was an absolute blast! The music was great, the food was delicious, and the networking was fantastic!
NOLA was a great destination for the Conference. Very fun vibe. Great job on both night events. Easy to have fun and network.
The set up was fantastic.
Little details were noticed and appreciated. The vendor area drinks and snacks; personalized t-shirts; head shot; hangout area; STEM donation.
It was very well executed.
