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How SB Converted an Annual Meeting to a Virtual Platform Using Cadmium: AAC&U Case Study

Find out how SB Expos & Events guided the transition from an in-person to a virtual meeting, including managing 75 sponsor items, for the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U).
  • Case Study

AAC&U LOGOTHE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (AAC&U) is dedicated to advancing the health and public standing of liberal education in the United States by making quality and excellence the foundation for undergraduate education, with the goal of promoting democracy.

THE CHALLENGE

The worldwide pandemic changed assumptions about best practices in teaching, learning, and assessment. And while it shed light on how technology can augment high-quality learning, it also raised questions regarding the exorbitant cost of higher education, and emphasized the inequality of opportunity that arises from economic disparity among students.

AAC&U felt strongly that its Annual Meeting should take place, even though that meant hosting the meeting virtually.

It was important that AAC&U provide a forum to explore the questions currently facing leaders and educators, share best practices, and discuss the future. The goal was to provide attendees with the full program planned for the live meeting, as well as to offer opportunities for virtual engagement. The organization selected Cadmium virtual meeting software to host the Annual Meeting. After weighing the challenges associated with learning the Cadmium software, AAC&U chose virtual meeting consultant SB Expos & Events to execute the Annual Meeting’s exhibits and sponsorships on the Cadmium platform.
OUR STRATEGY

SB Expos & Events joined the Annual Meeting team with experience from managing nine previous virtual events on the Cadmium platform. This allowed the AAC&U team to bypass the learning curve typically associated with new software, and best make use of the vast number of tools Cadmium has available to facilitate sessions, networking, exhibits, and sponsorships.

SB Expos & Events took the following steps so that AAC&U’s team could launch the exhibits and sponsorships sales process.

 

Virtual Prospectus
SB Expos & Events worked closely with AAC&U staff to create a virtual Exhibitor and Sponsorship Prospectus crafted to take advantage of opportunities on the Cadmium platform. Using the staff’s familiarity with the platform, sponsorships from past in-person meetings were translated to the virtual when possible, and exciting new virtual sponsorship opportunities were developed. Cognizant of the need for a rapid turnaround, the team finished the virtual prospectus in less than three weeks so that AAC&U could begin sales.
Webinar

The team hosted a one-hour webinar for current and potential exhibitors and sponsors, detailing opportunities in the prospectus, and explaining how content would render on the platform during the meeting. A recording of the webinar was used during the sales process.

Exhibit and Sponsorship Management

SB Expos & Events managed deliverables for the virtual event including:

  • Construct exhibit and sponsorship areas of the virtual platform
  • Build portals to which participating companies upload information for exhibits and sponsorships
  • Send specs and collect sponsored advertising and brand promotion assets to populate the platform
  • Manage concurrent session speakers, monitor session “rooms”
  • Provide technical support during the event
OUR RESULTS

With the guidance and experience contributed by SB Expos & Events, the AAC&U team seamlessly integrated their goals for the Annual Meeting with the opportunities available on the Cadmium virtual event platform. Significant participation by exhibitors and sponsors added to the meeting’s revenue. SB Expos & Events managed 75 total sponsor items, including:

  • Concurrent Sessions
  • Opening/Closing Plenary Sponsors
  • Scan and Win Game
  • Eblasts
  • Faculty and Admin of Color Event Sponsors
  • ePortfolio Sponsor
  • Magazine Advertisements
  • Event Homepage Advertisements
  • Liberal Education News Emails
  • Program Advertisements
  • Event Mobile App  Advertisements
  • Pre-Meeting Attendee List
The virtual event experience SB Expos & Events brought to the Annual Meeting team allowed AAC&U staff to focus on programming and meeting content. SB Expos & Events expertly handled the transition from in-person to virtual content for exhibits and sponsorships, thereby securing much needed meeting revenue, generating ROI for participating companies, and allowing AAC&U to focus on meeting its goals for the Annual Meeting.
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