Because the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible to host the meeting in person, KCADC turned to its creative video partner DEG to reimagine its 2020 Annual Meeting as a virtual event.

In March 2020, COVID-19 hit anyone and everyone like a lightning bolt. Businesses adapted as people began working from home. Families transitioned to accommodate virtual learning, simultaneous conference calls, and beloved pets trying to steal the webcam spotlight.

Yet life continued, and areas like the Kansas City metro continued to work hard to sustain growth, as savvy business leaders and innovative thinkers worked to get others to invest in the city they called home.

The challenge

The Kansas City Area Development Council is a private, nonprofit organization charged with representing the economic interests of the entire two-state, 18-county region of Greater Kansas City. The group’s goal is to attract businesses and talent to the region by enhancing awareness of the metro’s assets.

To show progress over the past year, KCADC hosts an annual meeting that celebrates the area’s yearly updates and accolades. In 2020, the council wanted to highlight that in the last 12 months, the Kansas City region attracted 13 manufacturing, ecommerce, and professional service companies to invest more than $1 billion and create nearly 4,000 jobs.

Because the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible to host the meeting in person, KCADC turned to its creative video partner DEG to reimagine its 2020 Annual Meeting as a virtual event that still was engaging and bright.

The strategy

In years past, DEG had produced the opening and post-lunch videos for the annual KCADC meeting, which traditionally hosted 2,000 Kansas Citians. This time, the DEG Content Studio team leveraged its extensive video production knowledge to build an entire virtual show, consisting of multiple speaker videos, sponsor bumpers, transitions between segments, and opening and closing remarks. DEG pre-recorded all videos, filmed in visually pleasing spaces that were open, and purposefully shot scenes that showed we were adhering to safe distance between speakers.

People streamed the KCADC meeting via Castr on more than 2,000 devices across 46 metros in 28 states, and Spectrum made it possible for 187,000 households across the greater Kansas City area to watch the broadcast live.

The solution

KCADC provided DEG with a run-of-show document, modeled after previous meetings. The challenge DEG faced was keeping the show to precisely 60 minutes as the entire program would be broadcast to local Kansas City households via Spectrum. The agency planned a shooting, editing, and post-production timeline to fit this criterion and finalize the virtual program by the November 18 meeting.

DEG’s creative team provided multiple theme concepts for the production and offered several different production methods to the client. KCADC selected the Defining KC theme, which used bright colors and graphics to embody the modern, artsy energy of the city and its people.

Before scouting locations, DEG’s producer completed the Georgia Film Academy COVID compliance course to ensure the agency executed the filming safely for everyone on and off the camera. The creative team ran into some challenges finding venues because many were hesitant to allow filming during the pandemic, eventually leveraging DEG’s headquarters for several videos, as well as the T-Mobile Campus, Urban Youth Academy, and Evergy CEO Terry Bassham’s garage.

DEG produced the opening- and closing-remarks videos, five speaker segments, five sponsor bumpers, show transitions, as well as a region-wide roll call video, and the customary opening video reminding everyone attending why KC is so amazing. Personalizing the opening for every corporate member of KCADC, DEG replicated the opening video with customized end tags for each member.

The agency also built a Choice KC speaker backdrop, animated graphics throughout the show, and designed an interactive event guide. Finally, to promote the virtual program and the Spectrum broadcast, DEG produced 30-second TV and radio spots that aired leading up to the meeting.

The outcome

On November 18, 2020, KCADC and DEG aired the reimagined 2020 Annual Meeting. People streamed the production via Castr on more than 2,000 devices across 46 metros in 28 states, and Spectrum made it possible for 187,000 households across the greater Kansas City area to watch the broadcast live. Overall, the program garnered nearly 3,000 interactions and 88,300 impressions on social media. Meanwhile, leading up to the event, the KCADC social channels received 88,500 impressions and almost 1,000 clicks to the registration website using paid promotion.

“The DEG team is amazing. We are so appreciative of their creativity and commitment to our Annual Meeting. The agency did an unbelievable job producing it all!” — Tim Cowden, KCADC President and CEO

Together, KCADC and DEG continue to collaborate on more ways to shine a light on the choices made each day that shape the Kansas City community.