When you’re working with a client who offers marketing services for big names like TripAdvisor, Resy, JetBlue, Venmo, and others of that caliber, you have to pull out all the stops. And that’s exactly what the Savvy team did for Simon Data’s Full Moon Party. The company’s goal was to host their clients and prospective clients for an out-of-this-world Full Moon party.

When we were looking at proper Full Moon Party dates, we ended up going with October 13^th which was just a couple of days after the full moon, so it was still a very on-brand night sky! Today, we’re going to show you the behind-the-scenes of this epic festival-style engagement event.

What is a Full Moon Party?

First off, before we start, what is a full moon party? Originating in Thailand, these festival-style events traditionally combine food, music, and a whole lotta fun. The first one was hosted in the 80s, and since, they’ve become a style of event that takes place all over the globe! 

Now, when putting this together for Simon Data, we kept it super professional, but super fun. 

The Brand Event Vibe: Buzzing

Our top goal with the event was to make sure that it created buzz among their prospects and made their clients feel valued and engaged. So, we came up with a few ways to do just that:

Stellar Outdoor Venue

You can’t have a full moon party without a sightline to the night sky, can you? We transformed an outdoor courtyard at the beachside luxury hotel, Viceroy Santa Monica, to host the evening. With vibey string lighting and uplighting by Carcano DJ, a colorful DJ booth for DJ Mike Moss, bright white custom builds by BPS Vision Graphics to segment the space, and more. But most of all, once the sun went down, the full moon was shining bright above!

Clever Entertainment 

With fun in mind, we thought of new ways to entertain that weren’t traditionally found at networking and engagement events. 

We had a tarot reader set up a tent (we’re pretty sure she predicted a whole heck of a lot of business coming after this party), makeup artists for extra glam moments, and a roaming portrait artist who was able to send the art directly to the client from her tablet.

Engaging Photo Activations

With the essence of a full moon party in mind, we cultivated two photo activations that would give off that vibe. 

The first was an area where you could capture photos and videos while shooting off bubble guns that gave an ethereal full moon experience with floating suds all around. 

The other was at the entrance, a full-bloom step-and-repeat with out-of-this-world florals and greenery from Parties, Petals, and Paper, accented by logos in lights to thank sponsors and partners for the evening.

Epic Eats & Elixirs

Let’s be honest. One of the main things everyone remembers about an event is the food and drink. So, we had to make sure the menu was delicious. Since it was a marketing event and we wanted people mingling, we offered an eclectic mix of passed, bite-sized appetizers, as well as chef-attended sushi and taco stations for handheld delights. 

Apps included: 

• Scallop ceviche (served on a scallop shell for a fun visual)
• Lollipop wings
• Mini tostadas
• Sliders

In addition to that, we came up with two signature elixirs to sip on. They were named based on the client’s marketing expertise:

“The Word Of Mouth”:
Mi Campo Blanco Tequila, Lime Juice, Fever Tree Sparkling Pink Grapefruit

“The Loyaltini”: 

Empress 1908 Gin, Mediterranean Tonic, Juniper Berries, Dehydrated Lime Wheel

But perhaps the most fun was the s’mores cart for dessert we had Lee’Poof Treat Carts® set up. A delicious way to end the night with a tasty spark.

There were tons of photos of all of the above circulating after the event, so we consider that a mission accomplished! 

Want to Plan an Epic Party for Client Engagement? Let’s Chat.

Client events shouldn’t be boring. The more memorable the event, the more likely your clients will bring your name up in a crowded room. And that’s the goal, right? Let’s talk about how we can make your next client event exciting, engaging, and effective. 

Special Thanks To: 

Venue: @viceroysm

Photo: @joannelphoto

Florals: @partiespetalsandpaper

DJ: @dj_mike_moss

Fabrication: @bpseventsla

Lighting: @carcanodj

Makeup artists: @xopariswilliams and @sandyhillegaartbeauty

S’mores cart: @leepoofs

Balloons: @partyshopavenue

Rentals: @mtb_event_rentals