Salesforce Connections at McCormick Place

Salesforce Connections at McCormick Place was a 3-day conference of 13,000+ attendees. However, it provided an engaging experience for each and every one of it’s guests. First, Salesforce transformed McCormick Place (the nation’s largest conference center!) into an interactive campsite. Salesforce ensured attendees would remember their experience. Second, Salesforce’s iconic outdoor-adventure-themed branding created an engaging, fun space for learning and networking.

Salesforce Connections attendees networked in the main hallway at McCormick Place while a live DJ created an inviting ambiance.

The registration area included a panoramic banner with Chicago-specific illustrations integrated with Salesforce’s original character illustrations.

Salesforce holds the core idea of meaningful engagement at the heart of its company culture.

Therefore, it’s no surprise that Salesforce was ranked first in Fortune‘s 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2018 and second in 2019! For Salesforce, it’s not only about their broad steps and research in developer innovation, AI, and cloud-based marketing. At Salesforce Connections at McCormick Place, we witnessed their focus on creative engagement through branding.

Branded backpacks, fanny packs, and lanyards were a part of the large selection of Salesforce swag we spotted at Salesforce Connections.

What was it like?

Think high tech learning meets outdoor forest adventure. When we go off to summer camp as kids, our parents expect us to come back with new friends. Maybe, we come back with a little more knowledge about the world. Salesforce hosted a conference that excites the same energy as a camp in the woods, but with a focus on technology innovation. After all, companies who have integrated Salesforce’s technology are called “Trailblazers” for a reason!

Playful, branded signage around McCormick Place made it easy to navigate sessions in the large conference space.

At Salesforce Connections, attendees could play an original video game featuring Salesforce’s characters navigating the company’s core missions by going on a virtual outdoor adventure.

Great conferences aren’t possible without great branding.

Salesforce orchestrated a uniquely branded experience by making the space their own. Salesforce transformed each and every room in the conference center.

Presenters in the main keynote space shared their insights with attendees on a fireside chat-style platform.

Panelists spoke about their experiences and offered their expertise, engaging the room in a conversation about diversity.

The “Trailblazer” sign in the hallway at McCormick Place became an exciting photo-op for conference attendees.

The most immersive space was “Campground”.

This was Salesforce Connections’s trade show in the main exhibit hall in McCormick Place. Landmarks and trailhead signage created an environment perfect for meeting sites and exploring. Additionally, each environment was completely integrated with Salesforce’s iconic branding and signage.

The entrance to Salesforces’s Campground trade show area at McCormick Place encouraged attendees to “Blaze Your Trail.” Sound design in the entryway was composed of gurgling brooks, rustling trees, and birds chirping. This thoughtful audio created the feeling of hiking a trail in the woods.

Campground was the most visited space throughout Salesforce Connections, with bold banners directing the attendee’s experience to each interactive kiosk.

Salesforce kiosks fit the Campground theme as attendees gathered around these inviting, interactive huts.

These stations glowed under banners with each of Salesforce’s core services. That said, these seating areas became home-base for meeting clients and colleagues.

Forested seating areas allowed guests intimate spaces to network, charge their laptops, and relax.

Treehouse was an engaging presentation space in Campground where there was a series of presentations by the Salesforce team. Each presentation focused on education about their services.

Branded landmarks like Treehouse became great meet-up places in the large trade show area of Campground.

Larger sponsor stations like Google’s invited attendees to learn about Salesforce integration. Collaboration across platforms is key to Salesforce’s mission. So, it made sense that attendees could visit each unique sponsor station as its own welcoming retreat.

And, the Salesforce characters were there!

One of our favorite parts was photographing the Salesforce characters (these super cute mascots!) as they walked around Campground. They gave everyone the thrill of seeing an adorable illustration come to life.

A Salesforce Connections attendee poses with the four Salesforce characters, who were extremely popular during each of their appearances throughout the conference.

One popular piece of swag at Salesforce Connections was this fanny pack, reading “Leader of the Pack”! Fanny packs, mini speakers, and stuffed animals were available to attendees at the conference.

Are you investing time and resources to create and brand an engaging conference for YOUR attendees?

You can ensure your ROI will last longer with equally engaging photography. With this, photos from the event will remind you and your team how awesome of an experience it was. Then, they will come back year after year.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at Gold Grid Studios! For us, any conference is a great adventure.

Want to see how Salesforce Chicago makes a positive impact in our community? Click here to read about their outreach on MLK Day in Chicago Public Schools!