mardi gras 2024
Innovative Environments
CATEGORY: EVENTS, TRADE SHOWS & DISPLAYS
NON-TRADE SHOW EXHIBIT
SITUATION OR CHALLENGE
The challenge was clear: how do we take a legacy event—our 17th Annual Mardi Gras Party—and continue to elevate it as a premier client experience, while turning it into a measurable marketing engine? We weren’t just throwing a party—we were executing a strategic brand activation designed to strengthen relationships with existing clients, convert prospects into partners, and showcase our capabilities in immersive environments.
As expectations continued to rise, we needed to not only meet them but exceed them. That meant expanding our reach, increasing attendance, and most importantly—delivering ROI. The challenge wasn’t just to host the event; it was to market it in a way that proved impact.
OBJECTIVE
Our objective was to strategically position our annual Mardi Gras celebration not just as an event, but as a fully integrated marketing campaign—one that would elevate our brand, create meaningful engagement, and deliver measurable business results.
This campaign had three core goals:
1. Drive Targeted Awareness and Attendance Through Email Marketing
We designed our outreach with precision and scale in mind by curating a list of past and present contacts. Our goal was to reach a broad yet qualified audience of professionals across industries like marketing, architecture, construction, manufacturing, and more.
2. Showcase Our Expertise in Immersive, Branded Environments
We aimed to transform our 6,000 sq. ft. showroom and training center into a one-night-only Mardi Gras spectacle that reflected the creative power of our team. The event itself served as a living case study of our ability to concept, design, and execute experiences that leave lasting impressions.
3. Foster Meaningful Business Connections
The environment was designed to encourage organic networking between our guests and design consultants. Through these personal touchpoints, our goal was to:
- Deepen existing client relationships
- Introduce prospective clients to our capabilities
- Generate new business leads and follow-up meetings
To ensure we could evaluate the campaign’s success, we tracked:
- Total email sends, open rates, and click-throughs
- RSVP conversions and final attendance
- Engagement during the event and lead follow-up activity
- Digital impressions and brand visibility across digital platforms
Ultimately, this campaign was not just about putting on a great event—it was about creating real, scalable impact. By tying each objective to a clear KPI, we ensured every effort supported our business goals, and that success could be measured, celebrated, and optimized for the future.
STRATEGY & TACTICS
Our strategy centered on a high-impact, multi-touch email campaign that created excitement, urgency, and action.
We built a segmented list of 6,054 contacts across marketing, architecture, manufacturing, construction, HVAC, and more—strategically curated from client databases, industry networks, and past event attendees.
We executed a multi-phase email campaign over 6 weeks that included:
- Save the Date announcements
- Formal invites with RSVP links
- “Last chance to RSVP” pushes
Each email was custom-designed to reflect the Mardi Gras spirit—vibrant visuals, bold CTAs (Call to Actions), and messaging that mirrored the immersive experience attendees could expect. By combining storytelling with strategic subject lines and segmentation, we optimized for both deliverability and engagement.
The event itself was an unforgettable experience. Our space was transformed into a New Orleans-style celebration filled with interactive entertainment, branded touchpoints, and food & beverage delicacies:
Interactive Entertainment & Branded Touchpoints:
- Nine Banded bourbon vs. Scotch whiskey bar
- Los Vertigos band, live on a 10’x20’ stage with a 20’x20’ dance floor
- Three professional fortune tellers, including award-winner Diane Gremel
- Magician Justin Gessel, sleight-of-hand performer
- Two energetic go-go dancers
- Interactive Snapta photobooth
- Caricature artist
- Houston Glitter Bar
- 8′ walk-through LED tunnel, creating a high-impact visual moment
- Hundreds of pounds of Mardi Gras beads, including 400+ custom-branded medallion beads
Food & Beverage Highlights:
- Café Du Monde-style café with fresh king cakes and New Orleans coffee
- 100 lbs. of Best Stop Grocery’s award-winning grilled boudin
- 70 lbs. of boiled Gulf Coast jumbo shrimp with homemade horseradish cocktail sauce
- 10 gallons of seafood & sausage gumbo from BB’s Tex-Orleans Café
- Two kegs of Saint Arnold draft beer
- Color-changing custom branded Mardi Gras cups
Every detail reflected our core business—experiential branding and environmental design—brought to life in a way that people could touch, feel, and remember.
MESSAGE ALIGNMENT
The message alignment for our Mardi Gras campaign centered on reinforcing our brand’s expertise in creating immersive, branded environments while ensuring the event resonated with our professional audience. From the email invitations to the in-person experience, we maintained a consistent Mardi Gras theme, blending authenticity with relevance. Our messaging highlighted Innovative Environments as a leader in experiential design, using bold visuals, compelling storytelling, and immersive touches to communicate our core capabilities. Every touchpoint, from interactive entertainment to food and beverage offerings, was crafted to showcase our creativity, provide a memorable experience, and emphasize the connection between our brand and our audience’s needs.
RESULTS
This campaign delivered results that exceeded every key objective—demonstrating the success of a marketing initiative rooted in clear strategy, strong creative, and measurable outcomes.
1. Drive Targeted Awareness and Attendance Through Email Marketing
- Our email campaign was the backbone of this initiative, and its performance exceeded expectations across all key benchmarks:
- 12,040 total invitations sent, reaching a highly targeted audience of industry professionals
- 54.70% open rate, well above the 50% goal and significantly outperforming industry averages
- 413 total RSVPs, reflecting strong engagement and interest
- 316 confirmed attendees, surpassing our goal of 300+ in-person guests
These results validate the power of our email strategy—not only in delivering reach, but in generating meaningful action and real-world attendance.
2. Showcase Our Expertise in Immersive, Branded Environments
We successfully transformed our 6,000 sq. ft. showroom and training center into an unforgettable, on-brand Mardi Gras celebration, positioning our team as experts in immersive environments and experiential design. Every element of the event— from bold visuals to immersive moments, every element reinforced our brand promise and sparked conversation.
- Live music, dazzling performers, and interactive features—including a custom whiskey bar, fortune tellers, and a walk-through LED tunnel—created unforgettable moments that encouraged guest engagement and conversation.
- Bold, branded elements such as an interactive photo booth, custom medallion beads, and color-changing Mardi Gras cups ensured every detail reflected our experiential design expertise.
- Culinary highlights like fresh king cakes, Gulf Coast seafood, and award-winning Louisiana boudin elevated the guest experience and reinforced the Mardi Gras theme.
3. Foster Meaningful Business Connections
Every element was more than festive—they were strategic. Each touchpoint was designed to spark conversation, highlight our creativity, and provide talking points for design consultants to engage with guests authentically.
- Mardi Gras facilitated dozens of meaningful conversations between attendees and our design consultants
- Multiple follow-up showroom tours and new business leads were generated as a result of the event
- Strengthened relationships with current clients while introducing our brand to prospective partners
- Amplified brand visibility with 6,586 total impressions across social and digital platforms
The Mardi Gras campaign was more than a party—it was a proof point of how marketing, experience design, and measurable strategy can work together to drive results. From the inbox to the dance floor, every detail was intentional, tracked, and impactful.
Shall we see you at the 19th Annual Mardi Gras Party? Mark your calendar for February 17, 2026!