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.
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!
“We are not makers of history. We are made by history.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
On the morning of January 21st, Salesforce celebrated MLK Day in Chicago with City Year. Partnering with Deneen Elementary School alongside several community officials, organizations, and volunteers to do more than just service work. They came to make a difference by both revitalizing the hallways of this area Chicago school, and engaging a bigger conversation. From topics ranging from Chicago community, to education, and civil rights, the goal was to move the City of Chicago forward.
Salesforce was proud to announce the start of the day alongside Chicago community officials, and leaders in education.
Volunteers were greeted by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, newly elected governor JB Pritzker, and Janice K. Jackson, Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Schools.
Salesforce team members worked together to beautify the hallways at the school. They added fresh paint and detailed murals.
Gold Grid Studios, Chicago commercial photography studio, was thrilled to join the Salesforce team on this mission. Alongside their team, we documented the creation of a new look for this anchor in the Chicago community.
First, we met up with the Salesforce team to enjoy some delicious donuts and coffee for that perfect energy kick. And then, we got to work!
After the City Year event, Salesforce hosted an afternoon of professional development.
Salesforce invited area Chicago students for a series of presentations by Salesforce team members. Then, they offered an interactive Q&A session at their downtown Chicago corporate office.
Afterwards, Salesforce team members responded to questions about job interviews, client-interfacing, and networking.
Plus, there was plenty of inspiration and guidance in finding the right work that fuels one’s motivation, and then staying motivated.
Next, Participants in the Salesforce presentation engaged simulated client-to-professional interactions. After that, they spent time with Salesforce team members one-on-one to ask questions. In their simulations, they learned about the history and mission of Salesforce.
Gold Grid Studios, a corporate photography studio in the Chicago area, loves working with the individuals, companies, and organizations who aim to make change happen.
Gold Grid Studios has partnered several times with Salesforce to create beautiful, engaging photography that depicts the quality of work they do.
Not only that, but we think it is important to capture the quality of people who form the team at Salesforce, and the pride they take in every aspect of their goals. We’ve had the opportunity to spend time with the company at corporate events, conferences, summer picnics, and events that directly reach out to the Chicago community. So, we understand the impact our commercial photography has made on their company.
From email communications, to outward-reaching editorials, to community partnerships, we’ve experienced the impact of our work with Salesforce and their team has influenced us.
Salesforce is the world’s #1 customer relationship management (CRM) platform. Their cloud-based, CRM applications for sales, service, marketing, make it easy to connect with customers. Their team strengthens customer relationships through managing customer interactions and information.
Commercial photography should show the stories behind the relationships. It should show conversations that lend new ideas, ask different questions, and push boundaries.
That said, when working alongside Salesforce, we knew we had to share their story on MLK Day. We look forward to sharing yours!
Finally, we have to ask you: how does your company reach out in the community? If you’d like to partner with Gold Grid Studios to share your story, let’s connect!
