Building Relationships and Reinventing Your Event: Featuring AICP

Establishing and maintaining lasting connections is one of our core values here at HELEN MILLS.

On a daily basis we have the privilege to take part in bringing people together, and we love when we have the opportunity to forge our own meaningful relationships with our clients. So, this month, we are proud to feature one of our long-standing clients, the Association of Independent Commercial Producers. For the sixth consecutive year, they turned our venue into the Base Camp for their annual AICP Week.

AICP Week has multiple components, which take place at several different venues in NYC. HELEN MILLS is the home to Base Camp, serving as the central gathering spot for the week’s participants. Each year, the event space is utilized to showcase their sponsors and allow guests to network. The theater is used for their daytime programming, which includes industry-led panel discussions and presentations on a vast array of relevant topics. 

 Although the structure of the event is similar from year to year, AICP always keeps things fresh and exciting. Being as familiar as they are with the venue helps them to make the most of the space and mold it to suit their specific needs.  No detail is too small, and the result is always a seamless guest experience.

AICP never ceases to think outside the box…and even outside the venue!  They rented a mobile office, which was parked outside, to function as their Will Call ticket pickup for guests.  It was a creative way to gain some square footage, and keep two distinct elements of AICP Week in one place.  They also took advantage of our exterior branding opportunities by customizing the porthole windows, installing showcase posters, and hanging their flag to help draw guests in. 

This year, AICP honed in on making the event space feel more like a collaborative workplace. They wanted an interactive experience that would encourage their guests to hang out and feel at home. To achieve that, they offered coffee and snacks all day, foosball and billiards for kicking back, and a living wall art installation for Instagram-worthy photo ops. Instead of typical sponsor tables, AICP created lounge pods where guests could sit comfortably while chatting with the representatives. Samsung’s recent work in virtual reality advertisement was available for guests to try, and a sustainability consultant was brought in to engage producers about how to go green on set. They even customized our WiFi network and password to be on brand for Base Camp.  These simple elements really helped achieve the communal vibe they were going for and increased the overall attendance at Base Camp. 

It was an exciting week and such a pleasure having this valued client return to us.  Congratulations to AICP on another successful year!  It is always a pleasure hosting you.

Photos By: HELEN MILLS

Thinking of hosting your own “base camp” or conference?  We would love to work with you!  Contact us at info@helenmills.com for more information.