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CE Reflective Report
Marketing for TEDxBerkleeValencia
Cristina Domínguez Fraile
Student ID: 0763763
Global Entertainment and Music Business
1. Summary of the Project that was Completed
I focused my culminating experience on the development and organization of
an operational project: marketing for TEDxBerkleeValencia, the first TEDx
event hosted by Berklee College of Music, co-organized by a team of several
students from the GEMB program as well as Berklee alumni.
TED is a strong and widely recognized global brand whose mission is the
dissemination of innovative ideas (“Ideas worth spreading”) shared by
knowledgeable and remarkable speakers who are given no more than 18
minutes to communicate their ideas in the most engaging and creative way
possible. TEDxBerkleeValencia operated under a TED license as a local and
independently organized TED event.
As part of the marketing department, I collaborated closely with my colleague
Alejandra Menéndez to develop and implement strategies to raise awareness
and increase ticket sales for the event, and individually, I wore a wide range of
hats such as content creator, communication strategy manager, promotional
material designer, street campaign organizer, and production assistant at the
event.
The event took place on June 21, 2014, at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia,
revolving around the topic, Creative Catalyst, which was defined as an
exploration of the creative challenges that shape groundbreaking innovations
in different creative disciplines such as music, design, dance or
entrepreneurship. The conference featured talks by leading thinkers,
innovators, and artists representing diverse creative fields that are driving our
society towards new, undiscovered heights, as well as live musical
performances.
The program featured:
Panos Panay, founder of music platform Sonicbids.
Lucas Vidal, film composer.
Javier Mariscal, remarkable designer.
Erick Crockenburg and Tad Cooke, co-founders of New Moran, a nonprofit redevelopment corporation.
Stephen Webber, Emmy-winning composer and Director of the Music
Technology and Innovation Master Program at Berklee.
Michael Sean Harris, performer and producer.
M.T. Aditya Srinivasan, tabla player.
Belén Maya García, flamenco dancer.
Ben Houge, Berklee faculty and visual artist.
Clara Barberá, dancer and founding member of New Movement
Collective.
Ganavya Doraiswamy, singer and Indian music expert.
João Bruno Soeiro, music composer.
Jodie Rogers, empowerment coach.
Andrea Fraenzel, singer songwriter.
Luiza Sales Ranger, singer songwriter.
Attendees enjoyed a five hour-long event in celebration of creativity,
organized into two sections and divided by a coffee break at the Palau’s
catering space, La Octava.
The final results of the event were positive, the turnout of attendees was high,
with more than 300 attendees, and audience reception was positive.
Being part of the team of TEDxBerkleeValencia has been a challenging
process and, although there were many obstacles along the way, it has
equipped me with real-life experience in the fields of marketing and live event
organization, as well as a better understanding of the dynamics behind team
management and leadership.
2. Process
The process of shaping and marketing the event has been clearly divided into
three stages; each of them dedicated to different issues. Weekly
interdepartmental meetings where scheduled each week from November
2013 until June 21, 2014, gradually increasing in number as the event
approached and priorities increased.
Stage 1: Planning of the Event.
The first stage started in November, as I joined the pre-existing TEDx team,
which consisted of three members at that time. Shortly thereafter,
TEDxBerkleeValencia was announced to all students, posters were displayed
around the university, and the screening of speakers and venues began for
the artistic direction department. During this stage, the TED license, required
to realize the event, was acquired. At this point there was little to accomplish
within the marketing department, the concept of the project was not clear, and
there was neither a date nor a venue. This resulted in many fruitless
meetings where we focused on defining the concept of the event and
brainstormed future strategies for all departments. We carried out varied
research with respect to potential sponsors, promotional tools, gift bags, tshirts, and discussed the design of the logo and the website. I contacted
some companies for an initial budget and started to put the process in motion.
However, other team members would end up taking over this research and
carrying out the action. Another focus at this stage was to gather and edit the
required content for the website, which included defining what creative
catalyst meant, writing the team members’ and the speakers’ biographies, and
uploading information about TED, TEDx and Berklee. This process also
required the organization of a photo-shoot with Histeria Producciones of the
team, and the compilation of professional pictures of each speaker.
We developed a marketing proposal specifying all actions to be carried out
with specified deadlines and proposed a realistic budget. Again, none of
these tools were implemented due to the deficits present in the organization of
the team.
Stage 2: Implementation of Marketing Strategies.
Around April, organizational problems were acknowledged and started to be
resolved. Tasks were specifically assigned to individual team members, and
guidance and leadership was provided. During this stage, I implemented
various marketing and promotional strategies for TEDxBerkleeValencia,
specifically managing the areas of content creation, communication strategy
and street campaigns.
The second stage of the process was very fruitful: I directed, filmed, and
edited ten videos for the event, designed the visuals and content for the
program to be distributed to the attendees, managed communications with
several relevant entities such as English speaking communities or other TEDx
organizers, conducted an ongoing email marketing campaign, composed the
official press release and researched media for its distribution, organized
photo-shoots, distributed fliers and posters, and attended external events for
promotional purposes.
Stage 3: The Event.
During the rehearsal, I assisted the production department, helping on every
possible front, from setting up the equipment on stage to communicating with
the speakers to ensure a smooth flow during the rehearsal. The following day,
during the event itself, I served as an usher and coordinator, handling bags,
assisting attendees, guiding them though the event and assisting the ticketing
and production teams with whatever needs they had. The event ran smoothly,
on schedule, and with no organizational problems.
3. Results: How the Project Did and Did Not Align with Expectations
In order to analyze the event results, it is important to differentiate between
the expectations that were based on the delivery and outcome of the event
itself, and the personal expectations that I initially had regarding the impact
that TEDxBerkleeValencia would have on my growth as a student and a
future professional in the music industry.
Project Expectations: Project expectations are related to the event outcome,
marketing efforts, and general awareness of the event.
Deliver a successful and engaging event: I believe that, although
there is always room for improvement, the team delivered a great event
that reflected both Berklee’s creativity and ability to organize and
manage a live event or such scale. Audience satisfaction and ticket
sales were high, especially considering that it was the first edition of
TEDxBerkleeValencia. This being said, future editions could adjust to
observed imperfections, namely, there were too many speakers and the
event may have been perceived as too long. Also, too many free tickets
were distributed among students and VIP entities, which may have
caused the impression of ticket sales being lower than they actually
were. In the future, techniques should be employed to avoid empty seats
as much as possible, as they generate bad press for the event.
Generate awareness for TEDxBerkleeValencia within and outside of
the Berklee community: The marketing efforts were mainly successful
on this front, several activities such as communications, street
campaigns, and social media helped to spread the word outside of the
Berklee community. However, the event was announced too soon within
the Berklee community, and students and staff gradually lost interest. In
retrospect, the event should have been communicated later, and
promotional campaigns should have gradually increased inside of the
university to keep students engaged with the process and not kill the
momentum.
Personal Expectations: Personal expectations relate to the reasons why I
initially chose to join the team of TEDxBerkleeValencia, as stated in my
previous CE proposal, and to how the process helped me to grow as a
professional by applying the knowledge acquired during this past year as a
Master student of the Global Entertainment and Music Business program.
Kinesthetically develop skills in the fields of marketing and live
event organization: TEDxBerkleeValencia was instrumental in
enriching my knowledge related to the production and organization of a
large scale event, as well as helping me to expand my understanding of
standard marketing techniques when operating within the limits and rules
of larger entities such as Berklee or TED. Although I initially expected a
higher level of inter-departmental information flow, I got exposed to the
general dynamics behind organizing a TEDxevent, several of which are
consistent in any event organization process. Having to follow TED’s
very strict rules and Berklee’s guidelines was initially frustrating, but
made me understand the dynamics and bureaucratic procedures that
exist within corporate entities. For example, releasing the first
promotional video took almost two months, as TED’s approval was
necessary. Composing a press release involved adjusting to the
opinions of several individuals, which again, although the final document
was more appropriated, greatly slowed the process and even obliged us
to delay the deadline for purchasing early bird tickets. This has helped
me to realize that, when working in a bureaucratic organization, time
management is key, as such delays need to be forecasted in advance
and considered in decision making.
Improve resume for future career path: Having recently graduated, a
key factor for me was to be part of a high-profile event that would
generate awareness among the industry. As the event was successful
and of high quality, I feel this project will help me to open doors for my
first steps in the industry. However, I believe the marketing team did not
enjoy as much visibility and was not always fully credited for its work.
Expand my professional network: One of the most attractive parts of
participating in a high-profile event such as TEDxBerkleeValencia is that
it attracts many interesting individuals within the entertainment industry.
Coming from a very academic background, expanding my professional
network was of key importance to me, as soon I will graduate and start
my professional career. However, I was very disappointed to be
excluded from all processes that involved any interaction with individuals
outside the Berklee community, namely, external speakers, VIP entities
and sponsors. I was not invited to participate in the selection process,
auditions, or coaching, which limited my access to this professional
network. Moreover, as I was working as an usher during the day of the
event, I never got to even meet most of the speakers.
Learn how to implement a sponsorship campaign: One of the
reasons that drove me to join the TEDxBerkleeValencia team is that it
was specified to us that the marketing team would be in charge of
sponsorship deals and negotiations. However, after the project started,
this duty fell out of the reach of the marketing department and all my
contributions to this area got reduced to writing and formatting the
PowerPoint that was then used by other team member to approach
sponsors and conduct the negotiations. This was very discouraging, as I
felt that dealing with sponsors would have given me an opportunity to
work out of the comfort zone that Berklee is, and would have helped me
greatly to develop my negotiation skills, which are essential for my future
in such a relationship-based industry.
Contribute my own voice to a project: Participating in
TEDxBerkleeValencia offered the opportunity to join an event in its
nascent stages. However, due to a lack of both a clear project leader
and balance in labor distribution, most decisions initially laid on the
artistic direction department. From my own perspective, this was one of
the main organizational errors, as it only resulted in frustration.
Moreover, it is key for the marketing department to have a voice and a
deep understanding of the product in order to market it efficiently to
potential attendees. During the second stage of the project, as the team
dynamics improved, I had the opportunity to contribute some of my
creative input. I expected and yearned for more involvement since the
beginning, but I was finally able to contribute my own voice though
filming videos, organizing photo-shoots and designing the program,
aspects that composed the most stimulating part of my Culminating
Experience. In conclusion, a CE should be a full reflection of a master’s
student work and voice, while participating in TEDxBerkleeValencia felt
closer to being part of an organization that delivered a great product,
although not my personal project.
4. Next Steps:
This section will explore several ideas on how the organization of
TEDxBerkleeValencia could be improved for upcoming years. As marketing
manager, I divided these recommendations between the macro level
suggestions, which relate to organizational issues, and specifics for the
marketing department.
Macro level:
Timing: Venue and speakers next year need to be confirmed more
quickly to allow the production and marketing teams to start working as
soon as possible.
All students need to start working at the event at the same time, to
ensure that everybody is equally involved and has positive and
constructive team dynamics in which all individuals are motivated and
can perform to their maximum ability. This also relates with seeking a
balanced labor division between all team members, in which roles are
clearly assigned.
A clear hierarchy must be established from the beginning, with a
project leader that coordinates and guides each department, ensuring
task assignation, evaluating results and providing feedback.
In order to ensure that each student is able to fulfill the requirements of a
Culminating Experience, a smaller group of people should be
participating in the project full-time. Volunteers may be used for specific
moments of higher pressure or activity, but I believe that having six
students fully involved in the same project proved to be inefficient and a
barrier to them being equally involved.
Marketing Level:
Plan carefully the launching momentum: The event should not be
announced until all materials are professional and ready, such as the
website content and design, logo, or social media platforms.
Develop
more
street
and
PR
campaigns:
Next
year,
the
TEDxBerkleeValencia team could implement some of the ideas that
were discussed but were not put in practice because the reaction was
initially slow. For example, organizing a concert featuring Berklee
musicians to promote the event, or presenting the event at universities.
Use analytics: Social media and ticketing platforms allow the
measurement of the impact of specific marketing campaigns by
observing increases or decreases in both ticket sales and followers.
These tools should be used effectively to understand which strategies
are more or less efficient in terms of both general awareness and ticket
sales.
Develop a more efficient and consistent campaign for the Berklee
community: It is key that students, regardless of if they pay for their
tickets or not, be excited about the upcoming event. This edition failed at
maintaining such excitement among most Berklee students, as the
promotional momentum was killed by announcing the event too quickly,
and later marketing actions did not target Berklee students, as they were
no longer a priority.
5. Contribution to the discipline and profession
Following the very mission of TED talks, TEDxBerkleeValencia allowed the
diffusion of ideas worth spreading, making innovative and creative concepts
accessible to the local community. Collaboration between TED, dedicated to
the dissemination of innovative ideas and Berklee, a creative hub, provided an
opportunity for the Berklee Community to stimulate dialogue and innovation
within the creative sector.
TEDxBerkleeValencia served as a tool to raise awareness about Berklee
College of Music Valencia campus, as well as about the featured speakers
and performers. Contrary to many student-run Berklee events, several
marketing tools where used to target specifically the external local community
as opposed to Berklee students. Each successfully organized event, like
TEDxBerkleeValencia, plays its part to raise the status and perception of the
Berklee institution and Berklee alumni in the European market, which will
have a positive impact on every student’s professional career.
The team laid the groundwork for TEDxBerkleeValencia to become an annual
event for future GEMB students to develop professionally in the upcoming
academic years. Learning from both the obstacles and accomplishments of
this year’s TEDx event will hopefully allow future students to gain skills more
smoothly and successfully next year.
6. Impact on the Student Completing the Work
During the first months of the project, the focus was on meeting in order to
shape the concept of the event and research potential sponsors, promotional
tools such as gift bags and t-shirts, and possible designs for the logo and
website. However, as previously explained, several difficulties and obstacles
arose: some related to external factors, such as the fact that no agreement
was reached with the venue until much later, and some related to team
dynamics. Since the beginning, the team’s organization lacked an efficient
structure, and responsibilities were undefined among team members and
departments. It was difficult to decide which departments were in charge of
different aspects, and much of my research did not become a tangible action,
as another department would implement the final steps. This was extremely
frustrating as it was both an inefficient use of my time, and also was not
equipping me with the skills that I was seeking. Furthermore, a lack of
hierarchy and direction exacerbated the problem, resulting in an extremely
imbalanced labor distribution. Nevertheless, these problems have had a very
didactic impact on me, highlighting the importance of having strong team
dynamics, defined hierarchy and role positions. The team was formed by very
capable individuals with strong skillsets, but who did not perform exceptionally
together. This has showed me the importance of maintaining a happy and
motivated team, the intricacies of dealing with multiple strong egos, and the
influence that having a positive attitude within an organization can have on the
final outcome. Looking back, we should have collectively realized this before
and tacked these issues in the very beginning instead of just working
frustrated, but this is a valuable lesson that I will put in practice next time I
work in a team.
The second phase of the project was more efficient due to concrete task
assignation, allowing me to focus on activities relevant to my skillset and
professional growth.
Coming from a background outside of this field, being in charge of content
creation pushed me to develop several skills that will be useful to my future
career growth.
During my studies at Berklee, I enrolled in video production class, learning the
basics of video filming and editing, which provided me with a new tool to
express myself creatively. Being in charge of content creation at
TEDxBerkleeValencia gave me the opportunity to further explore such
techniques by applying in a real-life and professional context my acquired
skills in software such as Photoshop and Premiere Pro.
Developing a communication strategy gave me more insight into the
processes and obstacles involved in accomplishing a goal within a corporate
environment and into how to contact and involve different entities that can
help to push an event. I also learned how to compose a press release, a skill
that will serve me extensively in the field of event organization.
Finally, assisting the production department during the rehearsal and the day
of the event gave me insight to the production of a large-scale event. I
understood the function of every team member, and the specific dynamics
behind the scenes, such as lighting needs and stage design or production
timings. This will be extremely useful for me to conduct future events beyond
my university studies.
7. Appendix:
7.1. Press Release
Press Release:
FIRST TEDX EVENT TO BE HOSTED IN JUNE BY BERKLEE COLLEGE
OF MUSIC AT ITS VALENCIA CAMPUS
Valencia, May 27?, 2014 – Berklee College of Music, the world's leading
college of contemporary music,
is
to
host its first TEDx event:
TEDxBerkleeValencia, at its campus in Valencia, Spain. The conference,
themed: Creative Catalyst, will take place on Saturday, June 21, 2014
from 4pm in the Aula Magistral Theatre of the Palau de les Arts Reina
Sofia in Valencia’s City of Arts and Sciences.
“We are proud to be hosting our first TEDx event and following the central
foundation of TED and ideas worth spreading, TEDxBerkleeValencia will
celebrate creativity in all its forms,” explained Emilien Moyon, Program
Director of the Master of Global Entertainment and Music Business at
Berklee Valencia. “Under the banner of Creative Catalyst, we intend to
explore the creative challenges and inspirations that provoke groundbreaking innovations in different disciplines – including the arts, science,
sports and business models – leading to revolutionary changes in
perception that shape our history by dissolving the status quo.”
"The city of Valencia thrives on creativity, and it is by design that
TEDxBerkleeValencia will celebrate its inauguration on June 21, which is
European Music Day,”
The conference will feature talks by leading international thinkers,
innovators, and artists who represent diverse creative fields and include
Spanish artist and designer, Javier Mariscal; Sonicbids founder Panos
Panay,
who
is
leading
Berklee’s
new
institute
for
creative
entrepreneurship; and Spanish film composer, Lucas Vidal, among others.
Each will cover personal stories, explore ideas and share fascinating
contemporary examples that are driving our society towards new,
undiscovered heights.
Berklee students and faculty will also participate through presentations,
and live musical and dance performances.
Tickets
for
the
event
are
available
on-line
and
via
the
TEDxBerkleeValencia website and will be distributed on a first come, first
serve basis, with a limited number of early-bird tickets available at the
discounted price of 15 Euros until June 1, 2014.
-end-
7.2 Videos:
TEDxBerkleeValencia YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY2O2LWyMyn4Y_vF5fZuKmw
7.3 Program:
7.4 Event Pictures
Marketing for TEDxBerkleeValencia
Cristina Domínguez Fraile
Student ID: 0763763
Global Entertainment and Music Business
1. Summary of the Project that was Completed
I focused my culminating experience on the development and organization of
an operational project: marketing for TEDxBerkleeValencia, the first TEDx
event hosted by Berklee College of Music, co-organized by a team of several
students from the GEMB program as well as Berklee alumni.
TED is a strong and widely recognized global brand whose mission is the
dissemination of innovative ideas (“Ideas worth spreading”) shared by
knowledgeable and remarkable speakers who are given no more than 18
minutes to communicate their ideas in the most engaging and creative way
possible. TEDxBerkleeValencia operated under a TED license as a local and
independently organized TED event.
As part of the marketing department, I collaborated closely with my colleague
Alejandra Menéndez to develop and implement strategies to raise awareness
and increase ticket sales for the event, and individually, I wore a wide range of
hats such as content creator, communication strategy manager, promotional
material designer, street campaign organizer, and production assistant at the
event.
The event took place on June 21, 2014, at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia,
revolving around the topic, Creative Catalyst, which was defined as an
exploration of the creative challenges that shape groundbreaking innovations
in different creative disciplines such as music, design, dance or
entrepreneurship. The conference featured talks by leading thinkers,
innovators, and artists representing diverse creative fields that are driving our
society towards new, undiscovered heights, as well as live musical
performances.
The program featured:
Panos Panay, founder of music platform Sonicbids.
Lucas Vidal, film composer.
Javier Mariscal, remarkable designer.
Erick Crockenburg and Tad Cooke, co-founders of New Moran, a nonprofit redevelopment corporation.
Stephen Webber, Emmy-winning composer and Director of the Music
Technology and Innovation Master Program at Berklee.
Michael Sean Harris, performer and producer.
M.T. Aditya Srinivasan, tabla player.
Belén Maya García, flamenco dancer.
Ben Houge, Berklee faculty and visual artist.
Clara Barberá, dancer and founding member of New Movement
Collective.
Ganavya Doraiswamy, singer and Indian music expert.
João Bruno Soeiro, music composer.
Jodie Rogers, empowerment coach.
Andrea Fraenzel, singer songwriter.
Luiza Sales Ranger, singer songwriter.
Attendees enjoyed a five hour-long event in celebration of creativity,
organized into two sections and divided by a coffee break at the Palau’s
catering space, La Octava.
The final results of the event were positive, the turnout of attendees was high,
with more than 300 attendees, and audience reception was positive.
Being part of the team of TEDxBerkleeValencia has been a challenging
process and, although there were many obstacles along the way, it has
equipped me with real-life experience in the fields of marketing and live event
organization, as well as a better understanding of the dynamics behind team
management and leadership.
2. Process
The process of shaping and marketing the event has been clearly divided into
three stages; each of them dedicated to different issues. Weekly
interdepartmental meetings where scheduled each week from November
2013 until June 21, 2014, gradually increasing in number as the event
approached and priorities increased.
Stage 1: Planning of the Event.
The first stage started in November, as I joined the pre-existing TEDx team,
which consisted of three members at that time. Shortly thereafter,
TEDxBerkleeValencia was announced to all students, posters were displayed
around the university, and the screening of speakers and venues began for
the artistic direction department. During this stage, the TED license, required
to realize the event, was acquired. At this point there was little to accomplish
within the marketing department, the concept of the project was not clear, and
there was neither a date nor a venue. This resulted in many fruitless
meetings where we focused on defining the concept of the event and
brainstormed future strategies for all departments. We carried out varied
research with respect to potential sponsors, promotional tools, gift bags, tshirts, and discussed the design of the logo and the website. I contacted
some companies for an initial budget and started to put the process in motion.
However, other team members would end up taking over this research and
carrying out the action. Another focus at this stage was to gather and edit the
required content for the website, which included defining what creative
catalyst meant, writing the team members’ and the speakers’ biographies, and
uploading information about TED, TEDx and Berklee. This process also
required the organization of a photo-shoot with Histeria Producciones of the
team, and the compilation of professional pictures of each speaker.
We developed a marketing proposal specifying all actions to be carried out
with specified deadlines and proposed a realistic budget. Again, none of
these tools were implemented due to the deficits present in the organization of
the team.
Stage 2: Implementation of Marketing Strategies.
Around April, organizational problems were acknowledged and started to be
resolved. Tasks were specifically assigned to individual team members, and
guidance and leadership was provided. During this stage, I implemented
various marketing and promotional strategies for TEDxBerkleeValencia,
specifically managing the areas of content creation, communication strategy
and street campaigns.
The second stage of the process was very fruitful: I directed, filmed, and
edited ten videos for the event, designed the visuals and content for the
program to be distributed to the attendees, managed communications with
several relevant entities such as English speaking communities or other TEDx
organizers, conducted an ongoing email marketing campaign, composed the
official press release and researched media for its distribution, organized
photo-shoots, distributed fliers and posters, and attended external events for
promotional purposes.
Stage 3: The Event.
During the rehearsal, I assisted the production department, helping on every
possible front, from setting up the equipment on stage to communicating with
the speakers to ensure a smooth flow during the rehearsal. The following day,
during the event itself, I served as an usher and coordinator, handling bags,
assisting attendees, guiding them though the event and assisting the ticketing
and production teams with whatever needs they had. The event ran smoothly,
on schedule, and with no organizational problems.
3. Results: How the Project Did and Did Not Align with Expectations
In order to analyze the event results, it is important to differentiate between
the expectations that were based on the delivery and outcome of the event
itself, and the personal expectations that I initially had regarding the impact
that TEDxBerkleeValencia would have on my growth as a student and a
future professional in the music industry.
Project Expectations: Project expectations are related to the event outcome,
marketing efforts, and general awareness of the event.
Deliver a successful and engaging event: I believe that, although
there is always room for improvement, the team delivered a great event
that reflected both Berklee’s creativity and ability to organize and
manage a live event or such scale. Audience satisfaction and ticket
sales were high, especially considering that it was the first edition of
TEDxBerkleeValencia. This being said, future editions could adjust to
observed imperfections, namely, there were too many speakers and the
event may have been perceived as too long. Also, too many free tickets
were distributed among students and VIP entities, which may have
caused the impression of ticket sales being lower than they actually
were. In the future, techniques should be employed to avoid empty seats
as much as possible, as they generate bad press for the event.
Generate awareness for TEDxBerkleeValencia within and outside of
the Berklee community: The marketing efforts were mainly successful
on this front, several activities such as communications, street
campaigns, and social media helped to spread the word outside of the
Berklee community. However, the event was announced too soon within
the Berklee community, and students and staff gradually lost interest. In
retrospect, the event should have been communicated later, and
promotional campaigns should have gradually increased inside of the
university to keep students engaged with the process and not kill the
momentum.
Personal Expectations: Personal expectations relate to the reasons why I
initially chose to join the team of TEDxBerkleeValencia, as stated in my
previous CE proposal, and to how the process helped me to grow as a
professional by applying the knowledge acquired during this past year as a
Master student of the Global Entertainment and Music Business program.
Kinesthetically develop skills in the fields of marketing and live
event organization: TEDxBerkleeValencia was instrumental in
enriching my knowledge related to the production and organization of a
large scale event, as well as helping me to expand my understanding of
standard marketing techniques when operating within the limits and rules
of larger entities such as Berklee or TED. Although I initially expected a
higher level of inter-departmental information flow, I got exposed to the
general dynamics behind organizing a TEDxevent, several of which are
consistent in any event organization process. Having to follow TED’s
very strict rules and Berklee’s guidelines was initially frustrating, but
made me understand the dynamics and bureaucratic procedures that
exist within corporate entities. For example, releasing the first
promotional video took almost two months, as TED’s approval was
necessary. Composing a press release involved adjusting to the
opinions of several individuals, which again, although the final document
was more appropriated, greatly slowed the process and even obliged us
to delay the deadline for purchasing early bird tickets. This has helped
me to realize that, when working in a bureaucratic organization, time
management is key, as such delays need to be forecasted in advance
and considered in decision making.
Improve resume for future career path: Having recently graduated, a
key factor for me was to be part of a high-profile event that would
generate awareness among the industry. As the event was successful
and of high quality, I feel this project will help me to open doors for my
first steps in the industry. However, I believe the marketing team did not
enjoy as much visibility and was not always fully credited for its work.
Expand my professional network: One of the most attractive parts of
participating in a high-profile event such as TEDxBerkleeValencia is that
it attracts many interesting individuals within the entertainment industry.
Coming from a very academic background, expanding my professional
network was of key importance to me, as soon I will graduate and start
my professional career. However, I was very disappointed to be
excluded from all processes that involved any interaction with individuals
outside the Berklee community, namely, external speakers, VIP entities
and sponsors. I was not invited to participate in the selection process,
auditions, or coaching, which limited my access to this professional
network. Moreover, as I was working as an usher during the day of the
event, I never got to even meet most of the speakers.
Learn how to implement a sponsorship campaign: One of the
reasons that drove me to join the TEDxBerkleeValencia team is that it
was specified to us that the marketing team would be in charge of
sponsorship deals and negotiations. However, after the project started,
this duty fell out of the reach of the marketing department and all my
contributions to this area got reduced to writing and formatting the
PowerPoint that was then used by other team member to approach
sponsors and conduct the negotiations. This was very discouraging, as I
felt that dealing with sponsors would have given me an opportunity to
work out of the comfort zone that Berklee is, and would have helped me
greatly to develop my negotiation skills, which are essential for my future
in such a relationship-based industry.
Contribute my own voice to a project: Participating in
TEDxBerkleeValencia offered the opportunity to join an event in its
nascent stages. However, due to a lack of both a clear project leader
and balance in labor distribution, most decisions initially laid on the
artistic direction department. From my own perspective, this was one of
the main organizational errors, as it only resulted in frustration.
Moreover, it is key for the marketing department to have a voice and a
deep understanding of the product in order to market it efficiently to
potential attendees. During the second stage of the project, as the team
dynamics improved, I had the opportunity to contribute some of my
creative input. I expected and yearned for more involvement since the
beginning, but I was finally able to contribute my own voice though
filming videos, organizing photo-shoots and designing the program,
aspects that composed the most stimulating part of my Culminating
Experience. In conclusion, a CE should be a full reflection of a master’s
student work and voice, while participating in TEDxBerkleeValencia felt
closer to being part of an organization that delivered a great product,
although not my personal project.
4. Next Steps:
This section will explore several ideas on how the organization of
TEDxBerkleeValencia could be improved for upcoming years. As marketing
manager, I divided these recommendations between the macro level
suggestions, which relate to organizational issues, and specifics for the
marketing department.
Macro level:
Timing: Venue and speakers next year need to be confirmed more
quickly to allow the production and marketing teams to start working as
soon as possible.
All students need to start working at the event at the same time, to
ensure that everybody is equally involved and has positive and
constructive team dynamics in which all individuals are motivated and
can perform to their maximum ability. This also relates with seeking a
balanced labor division between all team members, in which roles are
clearly assigned.
A clear hierarchy must be established from the beginning, with a
project leader that coordinates and guides each department, ensuring
task assignation, evaluating results and providing feedback.
In order to ensure that each student is able to fulfill the requirements of a
Culminating Experience, a smaller group of people should be
participating in the project full-time. Volunteers may be used for specific
moments of higher pressure or activity, but I believe that having six
students fully involved in the same project proved to be inefficient and a
barrier to them being equally involved.
Marketing Level:
Plan carefully the launching momentum: The event should not be
announced until all materials are professional and ready, such as the
website content and design, logo, or social media platforms.
Develop
more
street
and
PR
campaigns:
Next
year,
the
TEDxBerkleeValencia team could implement some of the ideas that
were discussed but were not put in practice because the reaction was
initially slow. For example, organizing a concert featuring Berklee
musicians to promote the event, or presenting the event at universities.
Use analytics: Social media and ticketing platforms allow the
measurement of the impact of specific marketing campaigns by
observing increases or decreases in both ticket sales and followers.
These tools should be used effectively to understand which strategies
are more or less efficient in terms of both general awareness and ticket
sales.
Develop a more efficient and consistent campaign for the Berklee
community: It is key that students, regardless of if they pay for their
tickets or not, be excited about the upcoming event. This edition failed at
maintaining such excitement among most Berklee students, as the
promotional momentum was killed by announcing the event too quickly,
and later marketing actions did not target Berklee students, as they were
no longer a priority.
5. Contribution to the discipline and profession
Following the very mission of TED talks, TEDxBerkleeValencia allowed the
diffusion of ideas worth spreading, making innovative and creative concepts
accessible to the local community. Collaboration between TED, dedicated to
the dissemination of innovative ideas and Berklee, a creative hub, provided an
opportunity for the Berklee Community to stimulate dialogue and innovation
within the creative sector.
TEDxBerkleeValencia served as a tool to raise awareness about Berklee
College of Music Valencia campus, as well as about the featured speakers
and performers. Contrary to many student-run Berklee events, several
marketing tools where used to target specifically the external local community
as opposed to Berklee students. Each successfully organized event, like
TEDxBerkleeValencia, plays its part to raise the status and perception of the
Berklee institution and Berklee alumni in the European market, which will
have a positive impact on every student’s professional career.
The team laid the groundwork for TEDxBerkleeValencia to become an annual
event for future GEMB students to develop professionally in the upcoming
academic years. Learning from both the obstacles and accomplishments of
this year’s TEDx event will hopefully allow future students to gain skills more
smoothly and successfully next year.
6. Impact on the Student Completing the Work
During the first months of the project, the focus was on meeting in order to
shape the concept of the event and research potential sponsors, promotional
tools such as gift bags and t-shirts, and possible designs for the logo and
website. However, as previously explained, several difficulties and obstacles
arose: some related to external factors, such as the fact that no agreement
was reached with the venue until much later, and some related to team
dynamics. Since the beginning, the team’s organization lacked an efficient
structure, and responsibilities were undefined among team members and
departments. It was difficult to decide which departments were in charge of
different aspects, and much of my research did not become a tangible action,
as another department would implement the final steps. This was extremely
frustrating as it was both an inefficient use of my time, and also was not
equipping me with the skills that I was seeking. Furthermore, a lack of
hierarchy and direction exacerbated the problem, resulting in an extremely
imbalanced labor distribution. Nevertheless, these problems have had a very
didactic impact on me, highlighting the importance of having strong team
dynamics, defined hierarchy and role positions. The team was formed by very
capable individuals with strong skillsets, but who did not perform exceptionally
together. This has showed me the importance of maintaining a happy and
motivated team, the intricacies of dealing with multiple strong egos, and the
influence that having a positive attitude within an organization can have on the
final outcome. Looking back, we should have collectively realized this before
and tacked these issues in the very beginning instead of just working
frustrated, but this is a valuable lesson that I will put in practice next time I
work in a team.
The second phase of the project was more efficient due to concrete task
assignation, allowing me to focus on activities relevant to my skillset and
professional growth.
Coming from a background outside of this field, being in charge of content
creation pushed me to develop several skills that will be useful to my future
career growth.
During my studies at Berklee, I enrolled in video production class, learning the
basics of video filming and editing, which provided me with a new tool to
express myself creatively. Being in charge of content creation at
TEDxBerkleeValencia gave me the opportunity to further explore such
techniques by applying in a real-life and professional context my acquired
skills in software such as Photoshop and Premiere Pro.
Developing a communication strategy gave me more insight into the
processes and obstacles involved in accomplishing a goal within a corporate
environment and into how to contact and involve different entities that can
help to push an event. I also learned how to compose a press release, a skill
that will serve me extensively in the field of event organization.
Finally, assisting the production department during the rehearsal and the day
of the event gave me insight to the production of a large-scale event. I
understood the function of every team member, and the specific dynamics
behind the scenes, such as lighting needs and stage design or production
timings. This will be extremely useful for me to conduct future events beyond
my university studies.
7. Appendix:
7.1. Press Release
Press Release:
FIRST TEDX EVENT TO BE HOSTED IN JUNE BY BERKLEE COLLEGE
OF MUSIC AT ITS VALENCIA CAMPUS
Valencia, May 27?, 2014 – Berklee College of Music, the world's leading
college of contemporary music,
is
to
host its first TEDx event:
TEDxBerkleeValencia, at its campus in Valencia, Spain. The conference,
themed: Creative Catalyst, will take place on Saturday, June 21, 2014
from 4pm in the Aula Magistral Theatre of the Palau de les Arts Reina
Sofia in Valencia’s City of Arts and Sciences.
“We are proud to be hosting our first TEDx event and following the central
foundation of TED and ideas worth spreading, TEDxBerkleeValencia will
celebrate creativity in all its forms,” explained Emilien Moyon, Program
Director of the Master of Global Entertainment and Music Business at
Berklee Valencia. “Under the banner of Creative Catalyst, we intend to
explore the creative challenges and inspirations that provoke groundbreaking innovations in different disciplines – including the arts, science,
sports and business models – leading to revolutionary changes in
perception that shape our history by dissolving the status quo.”
"The city of Valencia thrives on creativity, and it is by design that
TEDxBerkleeValencia will celebrate its inauguration on June 21, which is
European Music Day,”
The conference will feature talks by leading international thinkers,
innovators, and artists who represent diverse creative fields and include
Spanish artist and designer, Javier Mariscal; Sonicbids founder Panos
Panay,
who
is
leading
Berklee’s
new
institute
for
creative
entrepreneurship; and Spanish film composer, Lucas Vidal, among others.
Each will cover personal stories, explore ideas and share fascinating
contemporary examples that are driving our society towards new,
undiscovered heights.
Berklee students and faculty will also participate through presentations,
and live musical and dance performances.
Tickets
for
the
event
are
available
on-line
and
via
the
TEDxBerkleeValencia website and will be distributed on a first come, first
serve basis, with a limited number of early-bird tickets available at the
discounted price of 15 Euros until June 1, 2014.
-end-
7.2 Videos:
TEDxBerkleeValencia YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY2O2LWyMyn4Y_vF5fZuKmw
7.3 Program:
7.4 Event Pictures
Media of
