Client Background
2024 marked a major milestone for Strategic Factory—25 years of delivering innovative branding, marketing, and production solutions. To celebrate the company’s anniversary, we organized Strategic Fest, a large-scale event that showcased our expertise while giving back to the community. Our team leveraged every facet of our own services to plan, promote, and execute this unforgettable event, proving firsthand how our solutions create impactful brand experiences.
The Challenge: Marketing a Company Milestone
Strategic Fest 2024 was more than just a celebration—it was an opportunity to showcase Strategic Factory’s expertise while engaging the community and supporting local nonprofits. To make the event a success, we first needed to rebrand with a refreshed logo and implement it consistently across all platforms, ensuring a cohesive identity. From there, we developed a comprehensive suite of branded materials, including signage, giveaways, event collateral, and digital assets, all designed to enhance the guest experience. A key focus was multi-channel promotion, leveraging direct mail, digital marketing, email, ads, PR, and social media to maximize attendance and engagement. On-site, the event needed to be seamlessly executed, with clear branding, interactive elements, and a memorable atmosphere. Most importantly, we aimed to support 25 nonprofit organizations through fundraising efforts, reinforcing our commitment to the community while making a lasting impact.
The Process & Solution: Leveraging Our Own Expertise
1.) Brand Strategy: A Company-Wide Refresh
To celebrate our 25th anniversary, we launched a bold brand refresh—new logo, updated event branding, and a cohesive identity across print, digital, and event materials. But it wasn’t just about looks—it was about redefining who we are. We expanded our core values to include “Flawless Execution,” “Pace of Play,” and “Building Lasting Relationships,” reflecting how we deliver smarter, faster, and with lasting impact. An internal campaign with branded collateral and peer-to-peer recognition brought the refreshed brand to life from the inside out.
2.) Creative & Design: Crafting the Event’s Visual Identity
Our in-house creative team developed a comprehensive suite of custom-branded assets, including:
- Logos & Patterns: Designed a set of logos and patterns and a brand guide for the anniversary year and the event, Strategic Fest.
- Copywriting: Created content for owned social channels, emails, website blogs, and communications as well as external promotions, media, PR opportunities, and more.
- Photography: Shot event photography and designed branded photo frames and custom graphics for mobile photo booths and red carpet walkway backdrops.
- Videography: Filmed several promo videos leading up to the event as well as an event recap with throwback footage, voiceovers, new material, and engaging visuals.
3.) Branded Apparel & Company Store: Dressing for the Occasion
We designed and produced custom-branded apparel for staff throughout the year with updated logos and with anniversary logos on limited edition items.
Our company store allowed employees to order branded gear in advance, fostering engagement and excitement leading up to the event.
We also designed and produced t-shirts for the event attendees, staff, and sponsors, ensuring a unified event aesthetic day-of.
4.) Print & Signage: Bringing the Event to Life
As Maryland’s top print provider, we produced all event materials in-house, including:
- Event Materials: Name badges, VIP passes, lanyards, stage backdrops, podium branding, and ribbon-cutting elements.
- Directional Signage: Self-guided tour signage, floor-to-ceiling wall vinyl, floor graphics, yard signs, free-standing signs, banners, and more.
- Charitable Partner Signage: highlighting each nonprofit involved.
- Donation Installation: Interactive wall where branded coins let attendees allocate contributions to nonprofits.
- Commemorative Wall: A visual timeline of Strategic Factory’s 25-year journey.
- Hosting Materials: Menus, cards, tablecloths, napkins, runners, plates, and glassware.
- Live Demonstrations & Custom Giveaways: Guests watched signage in action and took home custom-cut acrylic souvenirs.
5.) Direct Mail & Digital Marketing: Driving Attendance & Engagement
To maximize attendance, we launched a multi-channel marketing campaign:
- Direct Mail Invitations: high-end branding, promotional boxes for VIPs, postcards, and invitations.
- Social Media Promotions: LinkedIn banners, branded frames, videos, ads, geotargeting, and graphics for partners, vendors, and sponsors.
- Email Marketing & Digital Engagement: Branded email visuals and signatures, Zoom backgrounds, and phone backgrounds served as event reminders.
6.) Promo & Giveaways: Memorable Branded Takeaways
To enhance the guest experience, we created premium branded promotional items, including:
- Custom Apparel & Accessories: T-shirts, tote bags, stickers, and branded coloring books.
- Event Swag: Notebooks, pens, planners, koozies, drinkware, and tech gadgets.
- Branded Food & Beverage: Anniversary-themed cocktail cups, napkins, plates, and custom-branded water bottles.
The Results: Event Branding Success
- Successfully rebranded and implemented a new logo company-wide.
- Designed, printed, and distributed over 20 types of custom-branded materials.
- Engaged 500+ attendees through print, digital, and social promotions.
- Raised $9,000+ for nonprofit partners.
- Strengthened Strategic Factory’s brand presence through event marketing and immersive experiences.
- Secured media coverage across local outlets, highlighting the event’s community impact and Strategic Factory’s role in supporting nonprofits.
- Earned a prestigious 2024 CPPA Peake Award for Excellence in Promotions in the Bronze category for the communication program, specifically recognizing the VIP box invitations and their impact on attendee engagement.
- Expanded Strategic Factory’s client base by attracting new business relationships through networking and showcasing capabilities at the event.
- Elevated employee morale with a company-wide celebration, reinforcing team spirit and appreciation. Following Strategic Fest, we hosted a Friends & Family Night version, honoring our employees and their contributions to our success.
- Proved the power of an all-in-one solution. By handling design, production, signage, apparel, direct mail, digital marketing, promotional products, event branding, and more in-house, we streamlined execution, ensured consistency, reduced vendor coordination headaches, and maximized ROI—all the things we help our clients achieve every day.
Celebrating a Company Milestone and in Need of Custom Branding Solutions?
Contact Strategic Factory today at [email protected] or (443) 548.3500 for a discovery call to see how we can help you bring your brand to life. Whether you’re planning a milestone event, launching a rebrand, or looking to enhance your marketing strategy, our team has the expertise, creativity, and in-house capabilities to make it happen. Let’s create something unforgettable together!
