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The ALS Ice Bucket others, a great way to raise support.” videos, share an experience with others, and Challenge–a Brilliant Entry into the movement didn’t even have to feel like they were participating in a good, to cost money. Those who didn’t donate did charitable cause that was authentic. Many advocacy campaign! their bit to move a message and motivate would not have taken the dive into cold THE DESTINATION EXPERTS others. The playing field was level and many water had it not been for the charity piece. By Roger Rickard got onto it. “Emotion moves people to do and think CVB UPDATE things,” Rickard says. “I tell people to watch Editor’s note: The following excerpt was Harness Video Power. Videos are most the 70th anniversary video for the Ad sourced from a recent e-newsletter from likely to go viral these days on platforms Council on YouTube, and I ask them what Voices in Advocacy, a meetings industry A Special Advertising Section like Facebook and YouTube, as those about they see—emotion, children, pets, military, advocacy effort headed by Roger Rickard. the ALS challenge did. They offer more of a celebrities and messages that contain easily personal experience than a single image, say digested facts. That’s how you put a face on s of Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2014, the social media marketers. And most everyone your cause.” ALS Association had reported can record videos with their mobile devices, Areceiving $88.5 million in dona- so it’s easy to hit record and then upload to Avoid Controversy. People of all tions compared to $2.6 million during the social media. persuasions, political and otherwise—espe- same time period last year (July 29 to Aug. If you design a message you want to catch cially celebrities—could step into the ALS 26). WOW—over a 3,400 percent increase. MAKING fire online, Harris advises the use of images, challenge territory without fear of raising The donations have come from existing donors and 1.9 video and copy that are relevant and easy a ruckus, offending anyone or creating a million new donors. for users to duplicate. public relations problem for themselves. It ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a neuro- degenerative condition that breaks down muscle control, The Palm “Give your audience [content] that is easy had universal appeal. for users to copy and paste. If you do, you’ll “Using celebrities can be very tricky, leading eventually to loss of life. According to the ALS Using viral marketing efforts to create a big impression find this will increase the number of people because somebody might attack them Association there are roughly 5,600 new people in the USA who will engage with and post about an for endorsing something even if it is well diagnosed annually. SPLASH! event,” she says. intentioned,” Rickard says. “The ALS The Ice Bucket Challenge has become hard to avoid—it Beaches A For Twitter, “pick a short, generic and challenge used big names in the way the is everywhere. It went viral on social media and became evergreen hashtag,” advises Guy Kawasaki, Jerry Lewis telethon used them for decades a pop culture phenomenon, particularly in the United ome social media and technology marketers say it was an online marketing guru and chief evan- to raise funds for muscular dystrophy. States, with numerous celebrities, politicians, athletes, Using viral marketing efforts to create a big impression Description sizes. Plus, there’s the state-of-the-art Palm Airport and Transportation gelist at Canva. “The big picture is that you Nobody attacks someone for wanting to and everyday Americans posting videos of themselves serendipity and good luck that it caught Internet fire and The Palm Beaches are the best way to meet in Beach County Convention Center featuring The Palm Beach International Airport was want a hashtag that’s constantly in people’s help kids with MD. So your issue or cause online and on TV participating in the event. It has very well Florida. This Sunshine State favorite boasts 47 over 100,000 square feet of exhibit hall space, voted by Condé Nast Traveler as the “3rd went beyond mere success to become a cultural “phenom.” faces, trending and consistent, whether it dictates whether and what celebrity should become one of the most successful advocacy awareness miles of sandy Atlantic coastline, more than including a 22,000-square-foot Grand Ball- Best Airport in the United States and 6th refers to an event or new television com- be attached to it.” campaigns in recent times. S 160 public and private golf courses, world-class room and 21,000 square feet of additional Best in the World.” It offers outstanding lift Theit —that online summer “ice bucket chal- you create community, they will have a reason to mercials.” The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is an advocacy campaign shopping that rivals any cosmopolitan center, flexible meeting space. from major markets and allows groups to ar- lenge” that brought in over $100 million for the attend your event. Organizers need to give people Don’t Forget the Influencers. Influ- pure and simple. They have reached, and I’m sure far BY RUTH A. HILL ALS Association from over 3 million donors—did something to talk about and social media can be Make It Self-Focused. The “selfie” encers from many walks of life, not just exceeded, their advocacy goals with this campaign. Let us and more than 200 hotels and resorts, many Moreover, the convention center is located rive mere minutes from beachfront resorts, more than raise a bundle of money for the orga- the platform.” culture can help you spread your message pop celebrities, got into the ALS challenge, take deeper look. with oceanfront locations and outstanding in the heart of the downtown arts and enter- downtown hotels and the convention center. nization, which funds research to support finding far and wide. People like to star in messag- Grossman points out, and this was a huge According to The New York Times people shared more golf and spa facilities, that are ideal for hosting tainment district, and just three miles away Additionally, travel in style with A1A Airport treatments and a cure for the disease. It also raised Keep It Simple. The ALS challenge was simple es they post to social media. So design a impetus. than 1.2 million videos on Facebook between June 1 and groups of all sizes and meeting agendas. from the airport and minutes from the beach- and Limousine Service, featuring executive public awareness and created a sympathetic world- (donate money, pour ice water over your head, or campaign that gives your audience direction Influencers who would have normally Aug. 13 and mentioned the phenomenon more than 2.2 The Palm Beaches became America’s es. Best of all, construction is underway on a town cars, stretch limousines, vans and bus- wide community to combat ALS, while entertain- both, and then challenge three friends to do the for creating content that’s more interesting cost huge fees for their endorsements or million times on Twitter between July 29 and Aug. 17. First Resort Destination® over a century ago. 403-room Hilton West Palm Beach, opening es to ensure a luxurious and safe experience. ing nearly everyone who stepped into its sphere. same), advocated a great cause, and it was fun. than a picture of the fish they ate for dinner. participation were creating and sharing Prior to the challenge, public awareness of the disease Today, while equipped with every modern in July 2016. It could not be more convenient But can an online messaging grassfire be du- Anyone could and did participate. The ALS challenge had people putting their videos. amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was relatively limited; the convenience and incredible diversions, the from both a business and pleasure standpoint Climate plicated—and controlled—for use inside or about “If you are asking people to do something, themselves at the center of the action and “Just make sure you have influencers who ALS Association states that prior to the challenge going viral area still welcomes guests with a genuine to arrange a meeting in The Palm Beaches. The average annual temperature in The Palm meetings and events? Though nearly every social don’t make it complicated,” advises Emily Harris, bringing in others to help them dump the buy into your idea,” he advises. “This is key only half of Americans had heard of the disease, often re- sense of hospitality that’s truly one of its Beaches hovers around a perfect 78º, with media marketer agrees it’s nigh on impossible to digital marketing manager at Rockhouse Partners. water. And in this way, it became a commu- to good social by design. It enlarges your ferred to as “Lou Gehrig’s disease,” after the famous baseball greatest charms. Dining and F&B more sunny days than you can imagine and ensure a message goes viral, there are definitely “Think in terms of an ‘elevator pitch’ style, other- nity event. reach many times over.” player Lou Gehrig, who publicly revealed his diagnosis in 1939. One of the hallmarks of The Palm Beaches waters that are crystal-clear and temperate See industry steps one can take to encourage participation. wise they won’t respond. Your directions should “We have used ‘selfies’—the word of the The bottom line for the ALS ice bucket After the Ice Bucket Challenge went viral on social media, Meeting Space is the area’s exciting and eclectic culinary year-round. be easy to recall if you ask them an hour later year—and asked people to use our hashtag challenge: Even though it was a viral Inter- public awareness and charitable donations to ALS charities Sufficient meeting space is never an issue scene. From five-star gourmet resort expe- bigwigs take the Movement Over Moment. Motivating what you asked them to do. And remember to to get our conference traffic going,” says Liz net wildfire that may have ignited without soared. The New York Times reported that the ALS Associa- in The Palm Beaches. There is more than 1 riences to trendy eateries to celebrity chef STANDOUTS people to attend an event (the moment), embrace keep it light and respectful—this is very import- King, CEO of Liz King Events. “We were much planning, it had all the components of tion had received $41.8 million in donations from July 29 to million square feet of meeting space in the restaurants to charming tiki huts by the Ice Bucket Challenge! a cause or act on a message requires what some ant. And don’t try to be funny if you’re not.” surprised by how many people got into it a good contemporary social media-by-de- Aug. 21. More than 739,000 new donors have given money hotels alone. shore, there are endless options to satisfy ➤ 200 hotels and resorts Visit call movement, says Ben Grossman, vice president and got the buzz going with their friends sign messaging campaign that can be to the association, which is more than double the $19.4 The oceanfront resorts and spas pres- every taste and budget. You’ll find them ➤ Over 1,000,000 square feet of meeting of strategy for Jack Morton Worldwide, a global Ease of Entry. Anyone—from celebrities and and followers. People want something fun applied elsewhere, like meetings and events, million in total contributions the association received during ent an ideal backdrop for any meeting or nestled along the beach and lining the space. marketing agency. politicians to grandparents and teens—could take to do online, and selfies can get things going where planners want a message to be adopt- the year that ended Jan. 31, 2013. convention. The Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa charming streets of entertainment districts www.MeetingsFocus.com/ ➤ 47 miles of beaches IceBucket “People want to attend an event that is part of a part in the ALS challenge because it appealed to pretty fast. Just be sure to have resources at ed fast and wide. Similarly, the ALS Therapy Development Institute features 12,000 square feet of sophisticated like Worth Avenue in Palm Beach, Clema- broader movement,” he says. “This is a natural for all ages and all walks of life. hand if things really do go viral, like having Messaging is, after all, about motivating reported a 10-fold increase in donations relative to the indoor and outdoor function space and Four tis Street in downtown West Palm Beach, ➤ More than 160 golf courses causes like ALS, but not so much for B2B brands “It had a low entry commitment to play, and it enough tickets for everyone who wants to people to act and donate, buy, believe, un- same period in 2014, with over 2,000 donations made in a Seasons Resort Palm Beach boasts adapt- and Atlantic Avenue in beautiful Delray ➤ World-class shopping and dining mf single day on Aug. 20, 2014, while Project ALS reported a AIRPORT MEETINGS and services, though it can be. had peer pressure,” says Roger Rickard, founder attend your event.” derstand or adopt something. able meeting spaces ranging from a resi- Beach. Suffice it to say, The Palm Beach- ➤ Florida’s Spa Capital® 50-fold increase. Runway Renaissance “Good movement has a central purpose,” he and partner of meetings industry advocacy group dential-style lounge and patio to two grand es are a dining destination through and continues. It’s purpose-driven marketing that Voices in Advocacy, “because you call out three Include Emotion. The ALS challenge RUTH A. HILL is a longtime contributor to The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has achieved truly out- ballrooms to accommodate events of all through. Catering options are endless and gives people a reason to enlist and be a part. If others and challenge them to reciprocate and find gave people the chance to star in their own Meetings Focus based in Gainesville, Va. standing results. available at most every meeting hotel and CVB UPDATE resort, and the award-winning culinary Palm Beach County Souped-Up Services HOTELS: 200 team at the Palm Beach County Conven- Douglas McLain, Senior Vice President, 12 MEETINGS FOCUS NOVEMBER 2014 MEETINGSFOCUS.COM 13 tion Center will prepare a superb menu for TOTAL GUEST ROOMS: 16,000 Global Sales any occasion. DRIVE-TO MEETINGS 68 HOTELS WITH MEETING SPACE 1555 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., Ste. 800 Escape From the City 18 HOTELS WITH MEETING SPACE OVER 5,000 SQ. FT. Spa West Palm Beach, FL 33401 Tel.: (561) 233-3026 11 HOTELS, WITH LARGEST MEETING SPACE OVER 5,000 SQ. FT. The Palm Beaches are Florida’s Spa Capital®, Fax: (561) 233-3044 TOTAL SQ. FT. OF INDOOR MEETING SPACE: Over 1 million with iconic resorts that include The Break- The destination sections selected by you! www.PalmBeachFL.com/Meetings TOTAL SQ. FT. OF LARGEST MEETING SPACE: 100,000 ers, The Boca Raton Resort & Club and PGA National Resort & Spa.

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