How and why do the best brand activation companies get on the CSR bandwagon?  

With 2017 being announced as “The Year of Giving” in the UAE, let’s start this year with 7 tips on how to create a successful CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) event.

All the best brand activation companies, experiential marketing agencies, event management companies and corporate event management companies in Dubai have realized that CSR events create shared experiences which are more meaningful, more powerful and more universally inspiring because of the ‘giving back to the community’ element.

CSR components can mean anything from raising money for a cause or assembling care packages, to cleaning up beaches or collecting goods for a charity. Include elements like a walkathon, entertainment and influencers and now you have an adrenaline pumping, music-filled inspirational shared experience.

Aniysha Seyfferdt planned and executed the diabetes walkathon, Beat Diabetes, for the Landmark Group in Dubai since its inception in 2009. And here are some key factors to consider when creating a successful CSR event:

Pick A CSR Initiative Close To Your Heart

Always select an initiative that the brand supports for a much deeper reason. People will be able to feel the purpose and the initiative will be received a lot better when they see the genuine care and concern associated with the activation.  Over 1.5 million people suffer from diabetes in UAE, and diabetes is a very close issue to the founders of the Landmark Group and hence an initiative around awareness about the prevention and management of diabetes was a natural choice.

Know Your Audience

Event companies in UAE and globally, tend to miss out on creating an effective event most commonly because they fail to think about what their audience would like. What would motivate them to participate? What is meaningful to them that is meaningful to you? Consider demographics, age, gender and geographic proximity.  Dubai is a culturally diverse city and people enjoy experiencing culture and creating an outdoor event focused on the values of health, like a walkathon, creates a shared culture of its own that people of all ages can enjoy.

Make It Easy

Over-complicating the event will only demotivate people to participate. Make it easy and convenient. Beat Diabetes would take place on a Friday for two hours, which has an easy online sign-up and onsite-registration process, located at an easily accessible place such as the Zabeel Park.  All attendees needed to do was turn up to support the cause!

Spread the Word Early and Clearly

The top event companies in Dubai market and communicate their initiatives well in advance. Get the word to spread like wild fire, so the second things are confirmed go social, go to media, share the event through your networks, publicize and make sure your attendees know exactly what you are offering and what they need to do to help support the initiative. Don’t let the key message get lost in your marketing efforts!

Additional Positive Benefits

There’s no reason that CSR components can’t double up as team building or bonding at your event. This is perfect for CSR projects that are activity based and it might even become a friendly competition. The important thing is that the “giving back” part is a shared experience – which is really what team building is all about. This is also a great tip if you’re trying to get more stakeholders to invest in a CSR program.

Be Proactive and Prepared For the Unexpected

All top event management companies in Dubai and worldwide know to be prepared for all circumstances. No matter how prepared you may think you are, a small unexpected issue like a permission delay or paperwork can turn into big issues. With the walkathon, government and other permissions and legalities took much longer than anticipated for.  Other factors, like the act of god can also wash away all your efforts. One year, it poured cats and dogs all weekend and the event had to be postponed! Make sure you have crisis management and insurance plans in place.

Have Multiple Goals

Why have just one goal in mind? Aim for more than monetary goals. Aim for more participants, support from multiple sources, influencer involvement and continuous growth. Beat Diabetes started with an attendance of 3,000 people in 2009, walking 3km around the Oasis Mall to 50,000 attendees last year and has expanded to Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, KSA, Qatar and India.  It never hurts to have multiple metrics to measure success.

lso Read : 5 Extraordinary Event Venues in Dubai

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