Safe Celebrations
Sam Foxman is the go-to event planner for high-profile organizations and individuals in St. Louis, and one of the top event pros in the country. He has been credited with entertaining more than three million people in his 25-year career of producing world-class events. Foxman is the President and Cofounder of Evntiv, an agency dedicated to creating one-of-a-kind events and celebrations. We sat down (virtually) with Foxman to discuss how individuals and organizations can celebrate safely during the pandemic.
You have one of the hottest event planning firms in the Midwest. How has Covid-19 changed your business?
“It has been a roller coaster! In a matter of two weeks last March, most of our live event projects were halted. Even though we had a diverse portfolio of clients and projects, the pandemic forced us to take a hard look at how to incubate new lines of business – and do it quickly. As a company, we had been planning and producing virtual events and hybrid events for years. Typically, these virtual events were a part of a live event – in other words, a virtual layer. We were now challenged to create virtual events to stand on their own as engaging and compelling tools for organizations to use instead of live events. I am proud to say that, in just four months, we have booked more than sixteen virtual events and three Covid-conscious hybrid events. Many of our virtual event concepts and tactics have been modeled both in St. Louis and around the country. Most event planners have quickly evolved to be providers of virtual event services. This seems to be the easiest jump from what they were doing before. However, it is not that easy. My team has developed a very specific virtual-event planning process that combines coaching clients in this new realm, writing and developing engaging content, and deploying the right technology to exceed their goals. Again, virtual and hybrid events were not new concepts for me or my team, which helped us gain ground quickly.”
Everyone is talking about virtual events and hybrid events. Help me understand the difference.
“A virtual event is an online experience that involves people interacting in a virtual environment – no live component. A hybrid event is an experience that combines a live in-person event with a virtual online component.”
The word “pivot” is certainly being used in the business community during this pandemic. As an event host, can you “pivot” a live event to an online experience?
“I think this notion that you can just pivot your old plan to a new digital environment is absolute nonsense. A virtual engagement is completely different and involves a reimagining of the event, not a pivot. I would encourage all event hosts to look at this as a new medium, not a substitute for what they have done in the past.”
How are people safely celebrating personal milestones like weddings, anniversaries and birthdays during the pandemic?
“We are seeing two groups of event hosts emerge in this pandemic: those who are devout supporters of in-person interaction and those who are adamant about not being with others in the same space. Most of the events I am involved with currently are based in the virtual world. Most personal milestone events (other than weddings) have been canceled, moved to a virtual realm, have been limited to family only, include fewer than 25 guests and take place outdoors. Many weddings have been rescheduled for 2021. Some couples have elected to host a small in-person ceremony with a virtual component, so family and friends can join via livestream.”
How easy is it to do your own virtual event?
“Very easy. Any of the standard two-way video platforms (Zoom, Go-To Meeting, WebEx, Microsoft Teams, etc.,) can be used to create a virtual party. By investing an additional $250 for a good webcam, microphone and lighting, hosts can pull off a very elevated broadcast – and definitely look better than their friends! However, in my opinion, the magic is not in the technology or the platform. The goal of a fantastic virtual event is creating moments of impact with the audience in attendance. The way to architect these moments is through compelling content, strong messaging and professional broadcast quality. In my view, these components are what separates DIY virtual events from those that are professionally produced.”
What are some creative ways to keep virtual events fun and engaging?
“We are using many tactics to ‘break the fourth wall’ and deliver a live element as well. Examples of this include sending audience members a highly curated meal prepared by a local chef, a mixology kit assembled by a noteworthy mixologist and floral centerpiece kits that guests assemble themselves with a tutorial from a famed florist. We are even encouraging our hosts to invest in elaborate printed invitations with high design, a complicated folding and great artwork to give importance and a human touchpoint to a virtual experience.
What are the safety protocols event hosts are using to keep events safe during the pandemic?
“I was part of a working group led by our convention and visitors commission, Explore St. Louis, to help craft protocols that would allow event venues of all sizes to reopen safely. These protocols can be found on the Explore St. Louis website and are a fantastic resource for anyone planning an event during the pandemic. The two biggest game changers are capacity restrictions and duration of events. Capacity will be limited by 50% to 75%. When determining the size of the venue needed for a party, hosts will need at least twice the square footage. Also, the duration of events will be very condensed. Gone are the days of the 90-minute cocktail “hour” and two hour afterparty with dancing. A typical four hour event will be reduced to approximately an hour and 45 minutes. For larger public events, guests will experience a health screening before they are allowed inside the event, including a temperature check, mask check and general health questions. Registration or check-in will be handled very differently, with touchless options and plenty of plexiglass screens between staff and guests. As you can imagine, food and bar service will be very different as well. Food and beverages will not be left sitting out – no more dessert stations, champagne towers or passed hors d'oeuvres. And, you can forget about a pre-set salad! All catering staff will be wearing the appropriate masks and gloves while serving guests.”
St. Louis is a hugely philanthropic city. What is going to happen to the dozens of fundraising galas and dinners this fall?
“Most nonprofit organizations have begun the task of reimagining their gala events as virtual experiences. Some organizations are doing this on a very high level. My team is working on many of these projects, and we are excited to see the creativity and innovation at play with these hosts. Conversely, some organizations are pushing their galas into the second quarter of 2021 or later. This will give them a better opportunity to have some live components as part of the event. Definitely still a hybrid situation until October 2021 in my opinion.”
Do you think virtual events will be around after the pandemic subsides?
“Definitely. I am sure we are all growing tired of “Zoom culture” with all of the online interaction happening now. I can see pure virtual events tapering off over the next two years. However, I believe hybrid events will stick around for the foreseeable future as a way to offer audiences another option to join in the experience.”
When can we expect to see larger events, like concerts and festivals, return?
“I am asked this question almost every day. The truth is that I don’t know. None of us truly knows the answer until we have a vaccine in place that is ready to be distributed widely. The model I am working off of currently shows the remainder of 2020 as mostly virtual events. If a vaccine is ready by December, we will see more hybrid events with smaller audiences appearing in the second quarter of 2021. By fourth quarter 2021, larger events and concerts will return. Of course, there will be exceptions, and many will rush to market with conferences, festivals and events. However, I believe it is important to have a measured and cautious return to the live event world.”