Mayor’s Gala, We Are Boston
The Assignment & Challenge:
The annual We Are Boston Gala attracted nearly 700 from diverse communities, to celebrate Boston’s immigrant contributions, provide an environment of inclusiveness, and highlight the remarkable talents that have made immigrants so integral to the fabric of the City of Boston. AJ Events was hired to work with Mayor Marty Walsh and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Advancement (formerly New Bostonians) to create a highly visible event, execute a new event design for its 10th anniversary event, and assist in sponsorship.
Event Execution:
After diving into the gala’s history, we implemented a strategic plan for growth, exposure, and increased funding. Our campaign began with strong messaging on immigrant contributions in Boston and promoted an elevated, inclusive event full of multi-cultural performances. We conceptualized and executed every aspect of the event including: headline entertainment, fundraising (sponsorship and live auction), committee management, décor, script writing, menu planning and catering, ticket sales and registration, public relations, security, audio visual, graphic design, transportation, and run of show.
We solicited, secured, and increased corporate sponsorships, new and past. With our guidance we were able to secure an A-list corporate committee to assist in our fundraising campaign. We secured Bob Reynolds, CEO of Putnam Investments and Jim Rooney, President & CEO of the Boston Chamber of Commerce as Co-hosts, Janet Wu as the Mistress of Ceremonies, and secured 4 celebrity chefs to cook at the event.
Live auction donations secured by AJ were priceless experiences. We moved the gala to the Fairmont Copley Plaza for a more accessible venue for guests and media. We secured Grammy award winner, Vanessa Williams to create media buzz and generate revenue via sponsorships. We secured 15 multi-cultural local talent to perform throughout the night. We also created a social media campaign pre-event and social media experiences during the event.
The Results:
Event generated incremental media impressions Online, print and TV
Increased attendees to over 1,000
VIP event for 300 people SOLD OUT within a week of delivering invitations, creating demand and drove incremental donations
Social Media presence and impressions exploded Online, the client was still receiving retweets and posts from the event a year after
Exceeded revenue goal by over 200%
Generated $85K night of during the Live Auction
AJ Events was rehired for the next 3 years
Photos by: Cheryl Richards Photography
