National Restaurant Association Show
A major tradeshow in need of a fresh look and tone
A major tradeshow in need of a fresh look and tone
The National Restaurant Association Show (or the NRA Show, as it's commonly called) is more than ninety years old, draws tens of thousands of attendees, and is a key event for every player in the restaurant and foodservice industry. It's one of the largest tradeshows in the world, but even this show has suffered due to tough economic times—as well as its relatively staid image.
The 2012 event presented NRA Show staff with a golden opportunity to revamp its brand. The City of Chicago decided to host the NATO Summit, resulting in a late, unforeseen date change for the NRA Show. Hundreds of exhibitors had to bow out of the show, and attendees weren't signing up. So, to win back interest and maintain its market share, the NRA Show needed to roll out a dynamic new show look, vibrant tone, and a slate of can't-miss activities.
As a core member of the team responsible for marketing the NRA Show and its partner event the International Wine, Spirits and Beer Event, I crafted all copy, from print and web ads to brochures and event programs. In addition, I drafted executive speeches and awards presentations as well as scripted and conducted interviews for video productions.
The 2012 event presented NRA Show staff with a golden opportunity to revamp its brand. The City of Chicago decided to host the NATO Summit, resulting in a late, unforeseen date change for the NRA Show. Hundreds of exhibitors had to bow out of the show, and attendees weren't signing up. So, to win back interest and maintain its market share, the NRA Show needed to roll out a dynamic new show look, vibrant tone, and a slate of can't-miss activities.
As a core member of the team responsible for marketing the NRA Show and its partner event the International Wine, Spirits and Beer Event, I crafted all copy, from print and web ads to brochures and event programs. In addition, I drafted executive speeches and awards presentations as well as scripted and conducted interviews for video productions.
Attendee Brochure: I crafted a series of brochures aimed at highlighting the core needs of attendees and demonstrating how the NRA Show catered to those needs. We also created brochures specifically for types of attendees, such as franchisees, dealer/distributors and more.
Inside: A shot from the inside cover. While the NRA Show had welcomed celeb chefs for years, it had never featured how the show impacts their businesses.
Evening Events: In addition to creating all content for the NRA Show, I was also tasked with creating the concept and brand for a marquee evening event—Destination Celebration. This event attracted industry luminaries, including the power-packed NRA board, for an evening of awards and live music. I produced the invitation, event program, and awards presentation script for an NRA executive.
Videos: I was tasked with producing a series of videos aimed at exhibitors and attendees to increase awareness of the show and its various award programs. My roles included storyboarding, creating a shot schedule, collaborating with our video production team, and securing executive approval.
Event Programs: Another major task was creating the event programs for both the NRA Show and the International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event. The Show's guide contains more than 200 pages, and until this edition, had been cobbled together by reviewing handwritten changes faxed to the marketing department. I was able to streamline and digitize this process, resulting in more accurate, more engaging copy which will save dozens of man hours for each future Show team.
Executive Board Invitation: The 2012 Show featured a slew of new evening events, and it was critical to secure board excitement and attendance. So at the 2012 National Restaurant Association Board Meeting, we took the opportunity to create a high-octane invitation presented in each board member's suite. This piece featured an invitation detailing each evening's events and how to secure tickets, plus a bottle of premium vodka branded with a custom cocktail recipe created for the piece.
