Music, cocktails and a river cruise! It was all part of package at the 2018
Kiddie Academy® Educational Child Care National Conference. The conference, produced in partnership with Designing Events, was held June 21-23 at the Gaylord National Harbor in Washington, DC.
Kiddie Academy, based in Abingdon, MD, is a franchiser of educational child care centers. The company supports more than 200 franchises in 29 states and the District of Columbia. Recognized by publications like
Entrepreneur Magazine and
Franchise Times as one of the nation’s fastest-growing franchise operations, Kiddie Academy’s corporate team wanted to make sure that the conference instilled a sense of pride and camaraderie among those franchisees in attendance. They wanted to provide franchisees with constructive learning and networking opportunities. And they wanted them to have fun.
Attendance at the conference reflected Kiddie Academy’s growth as a whole. Attendance has tripled since 2012, and the 2018 conference drew 40 percent more attendees than the previous year. The hum of the crowd at the Gaylord National Harbor was louder and more energized than ever. The fun started from the moment attendees registered. They were met with lively music and the opportunity to sip a Kiddie Academy cocktail specially designed for the event.
With franchisees coming in from all corners of the United States, Kiddie Academy wanted to do something memorable that could only be done in the DC area – a river cruise around the National Harbor. The experience included picturesque views of some of the nation’s most revered monuments, plus dinner and music. The cruise provided a unique backdrop for franchisees to network, and created an exclusive sponsorship opportunity for vendors. The sponsors were able to reserve spaces for small displays, allowing them to talk with prospective clients in a more laid-back atmosphere. Hosting an off-site event can be risky when predicting attendance, but this outing surpassed expectations. Attendees wanted additional tickets for family and friends prior to the event, and were out on the floor dancing until the end of the night.
Video has become one of the most effective marketing mediums and has become one of the most compelling ways to tell a story. That’s why this year Kiddie Academy used pre-recorded segments tied into their presentations and had a videographer on site to capture every moment of the conference. During the Awards Dinner, each honoree was introduced by a Kiddie Academy student via a video clip. It was a creative way to reinforce to franchisees what they do every day – change the lives of children. Throughout the conference, attendees had opportunities to give on-camera testimonials, providing Kiddie Academy with feedback from their owners, and footage for future marketing pieces. At the closing of the conference, a video montage of the weekend’s events was presented with a very special announcement – the conference will be heading to San Diego in 2019!
Designing Events and Kiddie Academy are currently at work on creating more one-of-a-kind experiences for the 2019 conference.