Oakland A&E | 2018 SPEAKEASY
The PLOT: This was a fundraising event for a brand new Arts&Entertainment District. It was both its christening and virgin voyage. It was a rather new concept to have an entity that’s governed by the town, also be the purveyor of an adult form of entertainment and not a family event. It then became a challenge to send the message quickly and effectively. Disbelief that it was “real” resulted in initial low ticket sales until the eleventh hour, and then capacity was reached… and exceeded.
A photo showing most of the crowd at The 2018 Speakeasy
Every major project needs its own identity, and the room to grow.
In April of 2017 Oakland, Maryland began the process of attaining an Arts & Entertainment District status using its historical, rather than current arts contributions and traditions, as a way to show where they were headed in the future. The first concepts for events and action items weren’t in the planning stages until 2017 was coming to a close. As the winter waned and Spring was on the horizon, plans for a fundraising event were underway. Because one of Eloqui’s principals was part of the advisory committee, we were invited to present a plan to the group. It outlined a history-themed festival. But budget and time constraints dashed anything as complex as creating an annual event, although one fragment of that bigger plan was a speakeasy. The idea was originally a pair of adult activities for day and evening. The first was an afternoon outdoor beer garden and the second, more upscale affair, was a fake secret social club, (prohibition-style ) that would take place a confidential location. To add to the mystery and intrigue that information could only be gotten through a series steps which included a password protected page on the website. So the search was on for an obscure location that wouldn’t be easily guessed.
It was, indeed a surprise when folks realized they would be spending an evening on a private terrace, off the second floor level of the County Courthouse, that had been closed to the public for well over a decade. It was super exciting and this was the very first event the Oakland A&E!
For more on this event visit the Speakeasy page on the Oakland A&E District website .
This client values well-curated events that offer unique experiences, because boring isn’t an option.
Print & Collateral
The Invitation. Can you say “Lenticular”?
Specialty printing is used when you really want to draw attention. Maybe because your value proposition is high, but you’re worried it might go unnoticed or unappreciated. By leading with something impressive or unique you raise the expectations from the start. Expectations justify the ticket price and there’s the hook. Lenticular printing is a technology in which lenticular lenses (a technology that is also used for 3D displays) are used to produce printed images with an illusion of depth, or the ability to change or move as the image is viewed from different angles.
In the case of this invitation the lenticular effect was used to make the lights “run” in a circle around the card.
“The Mob” waiting for a call. Props like this one and cell phones make great party games.
Professional art , short-run printing and a high-quality office printer can save money!
This is a photo of a phone at the angle it would be seen from above on a table. It’s duplicated and attached at the top.
When using an icon (in this case the vintage phone) to symbolize the event in situations where recognition is the goal, be consistent, and repeat the theme multiple times to get a “branded” feeling quickly. Graphic imagery with limited color is easier, in some ways, to print and has a casual, unpretentious attitude.
“PAPER DOLL” Vintage Phone | This phone image was shot at the local Historical Society. When printed on heavy paper, mirrored and cut out, it folds at the top and stands up like a table tent. Add a piece of black piping for a cord. Very inexpensive, but memorable.
Follow-Up Promotion confirms great memories… and envy. Yeah, if you passed on this one, “you blew it”.
It was easy to show what the event was like because there were photos taken for that purpose. The object of this poster was to sell the next event. This is proof of “identity”.
A little research produced an interesting newspaper article about bootlegging in the 1920s. This made the invitation a conversation piece and explained the concept of a Speakeasy a little more. Each piece was created for a specific purpose; invitations, reminders, posters, etc., but all the promotional material had to give “clues” to solidify the theme to be a viable expense.
Branded souvenir glassware can become a collectible with annual fundraisers. This mason jar was included in the ticket price and came with two drink tickets.
Hottest Ticket In Town. Really?
Well, not until you say it. Starting a “movement” requires a second person to act. Then it’s exponential. So you have to get the first person out of the way and then, the sky’s the limit. This is poster that invited passersby to tear off the bottom (see dotted line) and take the bottom with them. In theory, it would go back to their office or car and would be seen by at least one other person. Communities have to be taught to act on teasers and audience participation games and in time the culture will anticipate these kinds of promotional tools to be directed toward the public.
An 11”x17” Poster printed inexpensively on newsprint and posted randomly in Oakland was noticed.
