In this section, we'll look at the pros and cons of brand event management careers—as described by Charlotte Saynor, former Head of European Events, Apple and former Vice President, Brands and Events, FremantleMedia Enterprises.
Charlotte Saynor is the former Vice President of Brands and Events for FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME), one of the world largest creators, producers, and distributors of TV programs such as The X Factor, America’s Got Talent, The Apprentice, and American Idol.
Initially joining FME as Global Head of Events, Charlotte’s role involved managing the global events program covering trade shows, conventions, festivals, brand launch events, executive conferences, and sponsorship events. Overseeing a team of 10 people, she has produced events in locations such as New York, London, Las Vegas, and Cannes.
Prior to FME, Charlotte was the Head of European events for Apple and has also organized events for TV brands such as Lost and Desperate Housewives whilst at Disney ABC . In 2013, she left FME and founded her own corporate event agency, Saynor Events.
“You get to wear many hats. For example, not only am I working in the events industry but I also work in TV and brand licensing, and that industry is constantly changing and evolving. Brand events give you the opportunity to gain expertise in a broader industry sector and apply your events skills to best effect.”
“You get to be more strategic. You have to get your head around what all the business objectives are for an event. Thinking about the broader picture to understand why you’re doing that event, what you’re trying to achieve, what return are you trying to get, and strategically how is the event going to realize that? There’s an intellectual challenge that comes with that.”
“It’s creative. For each brand you have to translate the theme of that brand, in my case a TV show, into something visual and experiential and that can be a lot of fun.”
“You’re often working with brands that haven’t launched their production yet, so you get access to things ahead of the general public, which can also be really exciting.“
“It’s dynamic. A different brand will come along every few months. I can go from organizing an event for a kid’s program about wizard and aliens to a serious factual program. You never get bored and if you don’t particularly enjoy one of the brands, something different will come along soon.”
“It’s incredibly hard work. People often think events are quite fluffy, but with brand events, what we do can have really strong results in terms of driving a business forward. Not only are you organizing an event, which is hard work anyway, you’re also having to make sure it delivers on specific marketing objectives and demonstrates a return on investment.”
“How a brand translates into a live experience can be quite subjective. Your vision may not be the same as someone else’s. Often I have to work across several brands that don’t come from the same stable. I have to think about how they can sit together and make that work.
Then you always have to think about the corporate positioning too, in addition to the individual brands. Sometimes you can be quite restrained creatively because of all those different factors.”
“You often have to deal with multiple stakeholders. I’m currently working with five different stakeholders for The X Factor final sponsorship events, which means everyone has to buy into an idea. Sometimes you have to present your ideas over and over again to numerous different people and try to make everyone happy.“
“You’re never going to earn a fortune doing this type of work, unless perhaps you’re running your own company.”
What are special events? Continue reading to learn about the next major sector of the events industry