Why is event activation safety important? It is important for the safety of your consumers, the general public, your company and yourexperiential marketing agency. It is important that the event planning agency you partner with for your campaigns has a safety training program in place from event set-up to event tear down and everything in between. Standard operating procedures should cover:
- Event set-up safety tips
- Event activation safety tips
– Consumers
– Security
– On-premise promotions - Event tear down safety tips
Below are some key tips to ensure event safety before, during and after your experiential marketing events.
Event Set-Up Safety Tips
- Rope off the set-up area before moving any of the equipment into place
- Do not have the entrance or exit of the display near any vehicle traffic areas
- Lift with your legs (not your back) when moving equipment
- Do not leave the equipment lying around the display during set-up as this can pose a tripping hazard
- Do not let spectators around your display during the set-up process
- When using a generator, ensure it is properly hooked up before starting
- When using a ladder, one person should hold the ladder steady
- Park the support vehicle as close to the set-up area as possible
Event Activation Safety Tips
Consumer
- Be aware of unsupervised children
- Be aware of weather from the start of the day to changes throughout the day. Weather can be a hazard – be prepared for wind, rain, and snow.
- Have an emergency procedure plan in place
- If you have to step over it, so do visitors to the display – move it out of the way (example – re-route extension cords or place covers over them to prevent a tripping hazard)
- Based upon the type of event additional Security personnel may be necessary. Work with your Security partner to ensure you have the appropriate number of Security personnel based upon the type of activation and estimated number of consumers visiting the footprint.
On-premise (bar) safety
- Be aware of your surroundings
- Know where the bar is located prior to going
- Make sure your route is safe
- If you are worried about the area, ask a staff member from the bar to watch you walk to your car
- Walk the area inside the bar to be aware of any steps or ramps inside the building
- If there are any altercations in the bar that makes it an uncomfortable situation, contact your project manager, end the promotion and leave
- Ask the manager/servers the best place to leave your personal items during the promotion
No matter how big or small the event or activation is for your campaign, safety is an important part of planning and activation.
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