CSM Sport and Entertainment, the global integrated partnership, marketing and brand experience firm, has formalized its “Experience Anywhere” practice in North America with the purpose of providing a full-service approach to concepting, creating and delivering hybrid experiences.
The practice builds on CSM’s 25-year experience delivering award-winning live campaigns, bolstered by its acquisition of pioneering experiential agency LeadDog Marketing Group along with JHE Production Group in 2016.
The move comes as CSM has delivered hundreds of in-person, virtual and hybrid experiences this year as brands and sport and entertainment properties sought new ways to connect with consumers through live, interactive programs.
CSM North America President Christa Carone said, “Over the course of the year we have conceptualized and created experiences in ways we barely considered before. By seamlessly incorporating third-party platforms with our in-house creative strategy, content development, audience acquisition tools, AR and VR features and our full-service production studio, we’ve redefined what is possible by inspiring, informing and entertaining audiences anywhere and everywhere.”
The Experience Anywhere offering provides a full complement of end-to-end services including,
- Creative: Messaging, concepting, branding, copywriting, motion graphics, virtual stage/set design
- Content: Strategy and programming, agenda, speaker and talent management
- Audience: Multi-channel audience acquisition marketing, event kits, and pre/post-event communication
- Engage: marketing promotions, data capture and integrated CTA-driven communications
- Integrated Tech: A customized and platform-agnostic assessment of technology needs for hosting hybrid experiences that can include AR, VR and in-person moments
- Production: Full-service event production, from pre-recorded video segments through to live run of show with audience interactivity, calls to action and measurable outcomes as well as access to the company’s suite of production services from its owned and operated studios
- Health & Safety: Facilitating COVID-19 safety protocols for in-person gatherings
- Analytics & Insights: Integrated measurement system to track engagement, intent, action and brand sentiment
CSM has worked with these and several other brands this year on integrated approaches to redefine impactful experiences:
- Lenovo: CSM partnered with long-time client Lenovo to create virtual product launches, content-rich webinars and an interactive global sales meeting that connected employees from around the world.
- March of Dimes: CSM produced more than 55 virtual experiences for March of Dimes as part of the organization’s Signature Chefs Feeding Motherhood campaign, which united local dining communities in creative ways to support each other and to raise critical funds in support March of Dimes: improving the health of mothers and babies and nourishing all aspects of motherhood from prenatal to postpartum.
- Verizon: By leveraging Verizon’s partnerships with the NFL and INDYCAR, CSM developed a series of hyper-exclusive virtual events that included exceptional access to top-tier talent and invaluable live interactions that redefined premium corporate hospitality.
Gina Hagedorn, President, Brand Experiences at CSM North America commented, “Experience has been at the core of everything we do. An amazing brand experience was never just about the trendy venue or the cool swag bag. What lives beyond is the way an experience makes someone feel and the meaningful connection created between brands and consumers.
“Our approach to Experience Anywhere puts a customized focus on each touch point so audiences aren’t just logged in but are also leaned into the moments that matter most.”
Jay Howard, President of CSM Production added, “We’ve truly lived the concept of Experience Anywhere this year, working with our clients to produce hybrid finish-line celebrations at NASCAR events and drive-in concerts, to massive online dinner parties that support people in need.
“With each experience, we’ve learned about the value of customization and the need to be agile and innovative. Our team prides itself on identifying the right blend of technology solutions to meet budgets, exceed expectations and win rave reviews from our clients and their consumers.”
CSM was instrumental in launching the #ExperienceGood industry-wide collaboration platform to share and help redefine live event solutions in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. Partnering with The Vendry, ExperienceGood.co is a modern example of how an industry comes together to innovate.