A/V production often takes up about 15% of an event budget. It’s one of the top three expenses for most corporate events, and for good reason: it can make or break the attendee experience.
When done right, production turns your message into an immersive experience that sticks with attendees long after the event ends.
To see how that happens, I sat down with Greg Christy, CEO of Brite Ideas, and Fabiana Fonseca, Head of Media and Production (our trusted event production affiliate partner). In this article, they share real-world examples of how thoughtful production design elevated the audience experience and delivered measurable results.
Here are three of those stories and the takeaways you can use to make your next corporate event one your attendees will remember.
1. Bringing Los Angeles to the International Olympic Committee.
Sometimes, your audience can’t physically experience the full scope of what you want to share, so you bring it to them.
When the Los Angeles Olympic Committee hosted the International Olympic Organizing Committee as part of its bid for the 2028 Games, it needed to capture the city’s energy and diversity in one evening. The dinner venue, a private Bel Air residence, was transformed into a 40-by-100-foot LED environment.
Guests were surrounded on all sides by dynamic visuals (beaches, mountains, cityscapes) paired with a powerful soundtrack. The experience created an “IMAX-style” immersion under the open night sky.
👉 Why it mattered: The IOC delegates were seasoned travelers who had seen it all. This unique presentation gave them a visceral connection to LA in a way no traditional presentation could. And yes, Los Angeles won the 2028 Olympic bid.
Related: Think production and management are the same thing? Here’s why they’re not and why it matters for your event.
2. Turning shade sails into an underwater world.
For a fundraiser benefiting the Marine Mammal Institute in Laguna Beach, the venue’s permanent shade sails became the perfect canvas for storytelling.
The creative challenge: use the existing space to immerse guests in the organization’s mission of ocean conservation.
The solution? Projection mapping that transformed the sails into a living underwater ecosystem.
Throughout the evening, the visuals evolved: from colorful paint splashes (tying into the event’s “Splash” theme) to shimmering blue water, then to a full underwater scene complete with bubbles, fish, and playful seals swimming overhead.
The transition was intentional. Guests began in the dining area, were drawn through a “siren call” of visuals into the dance floor space, and ended the night fully immersed in the ocean world they were helping to protect.
👉 Impact: The event broke previous fundraising records, a testament to the emotional connection the immersive environment created.
3. Reimagining history at Mission San Juan Capistrano.
The historic Mission San Juan Capistrano hosts an annual gala to raise funds for preservation and cultural education. In the past, their projection design was minimal. For this event, they decided to make the Mission itself part of the story.
Using projection mapping, Brite Ideas reimagined what the Mission might have looked like before an 1800s earthquake left it in ruins. Since no photographs existed, the team worked from historical references and architectural imagination to “rebuild” the grandeur in real time.
The show unfolded like a piece of theatre: votive candles flickered, singers performed live, swallows (the Mission’s symbol) flew overhead, and fireworks lit up the finale.
👉 Outcome: Guests were transported, seeing the heritage they were helping preserve. The impact was so strong, the Mission immediately booked Brite Ideas for its next anniversary celebration.
Lessons for corporate events.
Here’s how these three principles apply directly to corporate events:
- Think immersive. Informational is boring. Immersive content keeps audiences engaged and emotionally invested in the message.
- Use your venue creatively. Shade sails, building facades, or even unconventional spaces can become part of your storytelling when you think beyond the stage.
- Align your message with your environment. Each of these events tied its visuals directly to the event’s purpose (think selling LA’s vibrancy and showcasing ocean life).
Greg summarizes it well: “We’re designers who just happen to own gear. The goal is never just to deliver equipment, it’s to help tell your story.”
👉 Related: Want your screens to work harder for your event? Here’s why having your production partner handle your content can make all the difference.
Planning ahead for 2026 and 2027 events.
If you’re preparing for a large corporate event in 2026, now is the time to start aligning your content strategy with your production plan.
Here are three steps to get ahead:
- Start with your purpose, not your gear list. Define what you want your audience to feel, remember, and do as a result of your event.
- Engage your production partner early. The more runway you have, the more creative (and feasible) your solutions will be.
- Be open to non-traditional formats. As Fabiana notes, “There’s no rule that says the screen has to be square. The sky’s the limit, and if you don’t know where to start, we can help you get there.”
👉 Related: Ready to make your A/V production a highlight, not an afterthought? Try these tips for next-level conference production.
The GoGather approach.
Our role is to orchestrate the entire event ecosystem from logistics to creative to production. Partnering with Brite Ideas means we can merge storytelling, content creation, and technical execution.
For your corporate event, that means:
- Fewer points of contact and less time lost in translation between vendors
- Budgets that can flex between production and creative needs
- A cohesive audience experience where every visual and sound supports your message
Great production turns your event into an experience that connects with attendees and drives real results.
👉 Related: Not sure where your A/V budget is going? We break down the true costs of production in this article.
Let’s plan your next big event.
Ready to explore how creative production can elevate your next corporate event? Let’s talk about how we can help bring your big ideas to life.
