Celebration of the century: a behind-the-scenes look at commemorating a milestone.

IN 1903, THE AVERAGE HOURLY WAGE IN THE UNITED STATES WAS 22 cents, the average life expectancy was 47 years, and only 14 percent of homes had bathtubs. Yet, the concept of imprinting a product with an advertiser's name and logo already had a toehold in businesses, resulting in a need for an industry association originally called the National Association of Advertising Novelty Manufacturers, located in Chicago.

As the century progressed, the association experienced seven name changes, a merger, three relocations, and sufficient growth to become the sole trade association in the United States for 6,500 companies that manufacture, imprint, buy, and sell promotional products. Items include everything from T-shirts, pens, and caps to sporting goods, buttons, and gift baskets.

On the anniversary of its first 100 years, the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), Irving, Texas, organized a yearlong celebration by producing a book, video, awards program, exhibit, and two mega-parties to honor its early visionaries and recognize the thriving $16.3 billion industry they helped launch. Our experiences in planning and executing an elaborate celebration may provide some ideas as you plan a significant event for your organization.

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Start early

At the core of the celebration planning was the Centennial Committee formed in mid-2001 when PPAI's then-chairman Bob Davis, owner, Specialty Incentives, Inc., Denver, asked two former board chairs to serve as co-chairs of the committee and selected me as staff liaison. We immediately identified and invited 12 longtime and influential members representing both the supplier and distributor sides of the industry to join us. Most of these individuals were former board members, some had been association members for as long as 40 years, and all had been active in association leadership. The Centennial Committee also reflected a good balance of men and women of varying ages, mirroring the composition of the association.

Once we publicized the new committee and its plans in our publications and through news releases, the excitement for the association's centennial started to build.

Develop a multifaceted plan

Early Centennial Committee work provided a framework upon which to develop the numerous details that would follow.

Determine the mission of the celebration.

The committee began by developing the following mission statement: "... to conceptualize, develop, and carry out a variety of events, publications, and/or products that create awareness of and excitement for the 100th anniversary of Promotional Products Association International. The aim is to promote the anniversary for a one-year period beginning in January 2003 and culminating in January 2004."

Define the scope of the project. It was important that the celebration not be a one-shot project but that it take the form of multiple events and activities spread across 12 months to create the biggest impact possible. The celebration targeted two groups. For members of PPAI, we sought to create camaraderie and reinforce teamwork among the members of the association through a shared history. Our objective with the second target group, the business media, was to engage their support in disseminating the message of the longevity of the medium to potential buyers in their markets.

Our plan was to kick off the anniversary at PPAI's major trade show, The Expo, in Las Vegas in January 2003 and culminate our efforts at that same show in January 2004. The committee also wanted to involve as many members as possible in this milestone because, after all, it was their anniversary.

In advance of the first in-person meeting, the Centennial Committee met via conference call to brainstorm ideas for projects and, in the end, voted to undertake six:

1. Assemble a mini-museum of vintage products and photos.

2. Publish a book chronicling the history of PPAI.

3. Produce a video as a companion to the book.

4. Produce opening and closing events at our January trade shows.

5. Create an awards program to recognize top promotions and top products of the past 100 years.

6. Produce commemorative gifts and giveaways to mark the occasion.

Delegate the tasks. The co-chairs then appointed five subcommittee chairs, divided the remaining committee members into those subcommittees, and gave each one a project. From that point forward, the subcommittees communicated independently via conference call and e-mail, made individual assignments, set deadlines, and reported to the full committee at our biannual meetings. I worked closely with each subcommittee, handling the details and recruiting staff support, such as meeting planners for the party and graphic designers for the exhibit and book.

Craft a budget

The board of directors approved $50,000 seed money for 2002 from the association's $12.4 million budget. Based on the Centennial Committee's plans, I developed an initial budget gauging what needed to be spent in 2002 and a pro forma budget for 2003. For example, 2002 expenses included deposits to the book author and video producer, letterhead, a sponsorship brochure, postage, and committee conference calls (the committee only met in person twice a year at our trade shows).

The bulk of expenses in 2003 included the remaining costs for the commemorative book (balance of writer's fee, design and production, printing and mailing); the balance due on production and miscellaneous costs for the video; party expenses (food, bar, bartenders, band, decorations, invitations, audio/visual/staging, entertainment, and complimentary tickets); awards (printing, mailing, and trophies); and the cost of the booth at two shows. I also budgeted for thank-you gifts for the committee members (gift baskets delivered to their hotel rooms at the January 2003 show). Publicity expenses (such as a centennial media kit) were included in a separate promotional budget.

We planned for projected budgeted expenses of $148,000 to be offset by two revenue sources: sponsorships and ticket sales for the party. Sponsorship revenue exceeded our goal, reaching $124,400, and additional revenue generated through party ticket sales resulted in revenue exceeding expenses in 2003. Celebrating the centennial was not intended to be a revenue-generating project, but we were able to cover all of our costs.

The 2004 budget included only the closing party and parting gifts for the committee members (logo-embossed leather cosmetic bags and money holders) ordered from a member company. Revenue sources were the same as 2003: sponsorships and party tickets, plus an association contribution based on its savings from having to produce one less event for the 2004 expo.

Spread the word

The first step in getting publicity is having a story to tell--and we did. We used an old photo taken at the 1925 convention as the centerpiece for several promotional pieces, including the cover of the media kit. Inside the kit, a news release detailed the centennial plans and included a brief history of the association, fun facts, and story ideas. The kit, mailed in fall 2003, was the second in a series of mailings (the first was a pen inside a folded card printed with a historical timeline) to industry and major business media across the United States.

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The Centennial Committee's objective was to reach businesspeople through our media efforts, so we used five different media lists available through Bacon's MediaSource to target publications specializing in public relations and advertising; business newspapers and magazines; and local and national newspapers, television, and radio. We pitched story ideas tailored to each type of media based on format and audience.

Except for the pen, timeline, and media kit, all other communication was sent by e-mail, which is the preferred delivery method for most editors. This helped keep our costs low as well. The number of media alerts you send, of course, depends on the amount of news your event generates and how much time you have to devote to media relations. But depending on your association's budget, it's a good idea to send at least one mailed piece, preferably containing something imprinted that the editor will want to keep, such as a pen, portfolio, or mouse pad, for example. If you can afford to personalize the gift, it further ensures that the recipient will remember your message.

We also used our monthly magazine, Promotional Products Business, to carry a monthly series of profiles on longtime member companies as well as features including products then and now, past magazine covers, a centennial quiz, and a look at members' best memories.

The final piece of the publicity pie was served on November 20, 2003--100 years to the day after the first meeting of the association's founders--when we held an open house for all members, prospects, vendors, and media at our headquarters. The day included workshops on member benefits as well as office tours. A proclamation from the mayor's office and ribbon cutting by leadership and members of the Irving City Council marked the beginning of the next hundred years.

In spring 2002 the rubber hit the road. We had been promoting PPAI's upcoming centennial on a regular basis in the association's magazine and online newsletters and in news releases to the media. Next it was time to see what kind of support for the celebration members would provide.

Turn support into sponsorships

Promote high-profile opportunities. We mailed a brochure and letter to all member companies with a once-in-a-lifetime offer: to position the company as a top player by sponsoring PPAI's 100th anniversary. Follow-up communication reinforced the elite and exclusive tone and continued to tout the benefits--both tangible and intangible. As a result, member companies exhibited a tremendous outpouring of support, and the committee raised $124,400 toward 2003 projects--exceeding our goal by nearly 20 percent.

Offer something for everyone. The key to raising sponsorship dollars was to offer four levels, so that small companies as well as large ones could take ownership. The levels were Diamond, $10,000; Ruby, $5,000; Emerald, $2,500; and Sapphire, $1,000, plus an individual donor category for contributions of less than $1,000. Each level included benefits relating to publicity at the January 2003 show such as free tickets to the party and recognition in all publications, signage, badge ribbons, and so forth, with benefits decreasing as the pledge decreased.

From companies that couldn't provide sponsorship, we asked for product donations--imprinted with the centennial logo--as booth incentives, party favors, media gifts, and promotional tools to create awareness about the centennial.

Provide recognition. Each donor was listed in show publications as well as on signage at the event where the products were used.

When archives aren't available--memories are

Unfortunately, each of the three times that the association headquarters was moved, first from Chicago to Irving and then once again within the city, board minutes and other important papers from the early years of PPAI were lost. I spent a half day at our off-site storage facility searching for them to no avail. (See sidebar, "Accessible Archives," for details on developing a deliberate record-retention plan.) Fortunately, we did have a large collection of fairly old issues of our magazine and its predecessor, a newsletter, dating back to the 1950s. A second important source of information was a brief 75th-anniversary publication. But the most valuable resource was our former director of marketing, Rick Ebel, now retired, who had been with the association for 26 years, had a great memory, and knew many of the association's veteran members personally. We hired Ebel to write our commemorative book, and much of the information he uncovered for the book was also used to create the video.

Analyze results

Creating and executing a multifaceted, inclusive, and well-promoted celebration takes time and money. However, the rewards can be significant. PPAI's yearlong centennial celebration, for example, created industry awareness and, as a result, was a catalyst for membership growth and retention with an almost 3 percent net gain in membership in 2003. The celebration also created a tailwind of momentum for many members' businesses, as they benefited by sharing in the longevity and prominence of such a milestone. But probably the biggest impact the anniversary had on PPAI is that it further united our diverse membership, reinforced the importance of their roles in business, reminded them all of the rich history they share, and brought out an unmatched camaraderie of spirit.

Consider the future

In looking back, my first thought is, "I can't believe it's over." Being liaison to the Centennial Committee was bittersweet. It's nice that it had a beginning and an end, but at the same time, it's hard to let go. The project was a marvelous experience, and I am honored and grateful to have had a part in it.

However, because I do not plan to be around when the association celebrates its next milestone anniversary--say in 25 years--I've compiled a lot of information to make the job easier for the next staffer. The archives, housed in our headquarters storeroom, now include all the photos and many of the products used in the exhibit, a copy of the book and video on CD-ROM, a disc containing many photos from the parties and events, and samples of the promotional products we used. In addition, the archives hold notebooks filled with all my records and copies of minutes, a full set of Promotional Products Business magazines and PPAI newsletters, all of the original archives, and a list of Centennial Committee members--just in case one is still around to jump-start the next anniversary celebration.

Want more information on this topic? Check out the "Outtakes and Exclusives" and "Link to Learn" areas at www.amonline.org.

RELATED ARTICLE: PROJECTS TO CONSIDER FOR YOUR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

When planning a significant anniversary or celebration, producing several commemorative events and products simultaneously can be a challenge. Here are some tips that might be helpful in planning your event:

ADOPT A LOGO

For its 100th anniversary event, the Promotional Products Association International's Centennial Committee collaborated on the logo and tag line, considering designs from member company art departments. However, in the end, we settled on a design created by PPAI's graphic designer, because it worked with all kinds of imprints, engravings, and embroidery and was as attractive on tiny items, such as pen clips, as it was on large ones, such as shirts and bags. We were also careful to create a logo that worked in black-and-white as well as two-color and four-color. The centennial logo replaced the association's regular logo for all of 2003 on everything from our letterhead to show signage. The logo and related user guidelines were made available to members through our Web site so that they could use the logo on their materials as well.

MEMORIALIZE IN PRINT

We hired our former director of marketing (who had been on PPAI's staff for 26 years) to author our historical book, and by fall 2002 he began the arduous task of collecting information. In addition to foraging through back issues of our publications, he conducted phone interviews with more than two dozen industry veterans, longtime members, and former board members.

The committee's key reason for publishing a book was to have an accurate, detailed, and printed record of the association's history--something that could be passed forward to future staff and leadership based on the old maxim: It's easier to get where you are going if you know where you've been.

Toward the committee's goal of spreading the celebration across the anniversary year, we decided not to produce the book in conjunction with our major January trade show but to debut it mid-year.

The 112-page commemorative tome took four months to produce from first draft to print with the Book/Video Subcommittee reviewing the draft--a process that proved invaluable in our quest for accuracy.

With our goal to touch as many members as possible with the centennial, we printed the book in hardcover (with four-color dustcover) and mailed it with a personalized letter to all former and current member volunteers and honorees. Soft cover copies and a letter were sent to every member company, and we sold extras of both versions in our bookstore.

IMMORTALIZE THE ASSOCIATION'S HISTORY ON FILM

Capturing our association's history on video and CD was very important to the committee. The committee members wanted a vibrant recollection that shared the fascinating story of the association's early beginnings with media and other industries and associations--some of which share similar starts.

To produce the video, we chose a company that has deftly handled general sessions and awards presentations for PPAI for many years. We initially discussed concepts and costs in summer 2002 and decided on a 15-minute video that could be shown at the opening session of our January 2003 trade show to kick off the year. A key element was our decision to use a former board member to introduce the video on screen, which made members feel even closer to the content. The company's writers produced a script, which the members of the Book/Video Subcommittee reviewed for accuracy. The actual taping in fall 2002 also featured a professional narrator and took place at our office to showcase our extensive display of vintage promotional products.

When the video was introduced at the show, the audience of thousands fell silent, then erupted in cheers and applause at the video's conclusion. It was clear that they truly felt ownership and pride in all that their industry has accomplished.

HIGHLIGHT PRODUCTS AND PROMOTIONS

The Awards Subcomittee developed a competition to recognize the best promotional products of the 20th century. All member supplier companies were invited to submit an entry. Centennial Committee distributor members judged the 25 entries and selected five winners based on originality of product or process and impact on the industry. These winning products and their companies were honored at the association's annual awards presentation and given etched glass trophies purchased from a member company.

The subcommittee also conducted a similar program to identify the best promotions of the 20th century but did not receive enough entries to judge. Instead, 25 winning entries from PPAI's annual Golden Pyramid awards, a program dating back to 1990, were selected, and a photo of the winning promotion was enlarged, mounted, and displayed gallery-style near the centennial booth to depict the many successful promotions that have occurred across the years.

EXHIBIT HISTORICAL PRODUCTS AND IDEAS

Our industry is a visual one that lends itself to interesting displays. Originally the committee's idea for a mini-museum that could go on the road to a variety of industry shows was dropped, citing logistical and security problems. Working with our trade show vendor, Freeman Decorating Co., we created a 20-foot by 20-foot booth featuring 10 lockable jewelry cases to hold the products; a 10-foot, fabric-covered column to hold photos; and a full fabric-covered wall for photos on one side and an association timeline on the other. We also rented a monitor to show the video on a continuous loop.

Members lent vintage promotional products to fill the cases, and I scavenged PPAI files to find nearly 100 old images depicting PPAI's past; these were enlarged and mounted on black gator foam. In setting up the booth, on site, it was easy to attach the photos to the fabric walls with hook-and-loop fasteners. The result was so engaging that the committee decided to set up the centennial booth at additional PPAI trade shows in 2003 and 2004.

THROW THE PARTY OF THE CENTURY

To open our centennial year, the committee envisioned a major gala with a vintage Hollywood theme complete with live band and celebrity look-a-likes--and the result was even better than we imagined. The party was held at the hotel in conjunction with our January 2003 trade show. For $25 per person (nonmember prices were $50 per person; on-site tickets were slightly higher), guests received three drink tickets; an extensive hors d'oeuvres buffet; live music by The Zippers; and entertainment by professional look-a-likes of Tina Turner, Marilyn Monroe, Steve Martin, Liza Minelli, Elizabeth Taylor, Dolly Parton, and Elvis; plus a strolling balloon artist and caricaturist. Decorations included oversized Oscar award statues and balloon and top hat centerpieces plus table favors: Elvis sunglasses, noisemakers, and imprinted napkins. As guests departed the party, they were given a gift bag of imprinted promotional products. More than 2,000 party tickets were sold.

Our biggest problem was finding a way to top it for the closing party in January 2004. The solution was to hold the Party of the Next Century off site at Studio 54 in Las Vegas, where the music, lighting, dancers, and location--an icon of '70s pop culture--proved the ticket to a second winning event.

RELATED ARTICLE: 12 TIPS FOR A MEMORABLE ANNIVERSARY

Looking back on the planning process for various elements of the Promotional Products Association International's 100th anniversary celebration, the following steps were particularly effective:

1. Select committee members who are influential within your industry. This will help with the sponsorship campaign. Also, members should be willing to give direction to staff and then let staff manage the process.

2. Select a high-level committee liaison. Make sure your staff liaison is at a high enough level within your organization to authorize and obtain staff and board support, as needed.

3. Consider some kind of community event or stunt, such as a competition, that ties in with your industry to help gain media attention. Don't expect media to be as interested in your anniversary as your members are.

4. Discuss your plans with other staff committee liaisons and department managers within your association to create synergy by tapping into projects others may already be planning.

5. Ask for donations of products and sponsorships, and get your committee members to help, too. You'll never get it if you don't ask.

6. Keep your committee informed on a regular basis, such as through weekly or biweekly e-mails. Consistent communication is vital.

7. Rely on committee members, other staffers, and paid professionals, such as authors and film producers, to help you. You can't do everything yourself, so don't even try.

8. Build a few extra days into your timetables in case of delays. In my case, the leather gifts for my committee were out of stock, but because I had planned delivery a week earlier than necessary, they still arrived in time.

9. Recognize that not all ticket holders will attend your event, so plan for about 20 percent fewer when confirming banquet orders for food and drink.

10. Keep your anniversary archives handy; don't put them in long-term storage. You may be surprised at how quickly you need access to them again.

11. Recognize your committee members as much as possible, because that's their compensation for such an assignment. For example, at an annual leadership luncheon, our chair called each member forward and presented him or her with a thank-you gift, took a group photo, and so forth.

12. Shoot for the stars with your plans, and even if you fall short, you'll have created a bigger splash than you might have originally. For example, our idea for the minimuseum grew out of a desire to create a section on promotional products within the Smithsonian. When that didn't happen, we still had a terrific idea.

RELATED ARTICLE: ACCESSIBLE ARCHIVES

In the article "Celebration of the Century," you'll read about the Promotional Products Association International, Irving, Texas, which was in the not-so-enviable position of putting on an anniversary celebration with little in the way of existing archives to provide historical data, information, and context. While the organization was fortunate to have other information sources, including a long-service employee with a good memory, imagine the additional benefits of having access to historical materials. If you're planning ahead for an anniversary, creating and maintaining accessible archives can

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* provide records of enduring value stored in an organized manner within the association;

* act as an authoritative source for those wishing to understand the profession, the association's leadership within the profession, and the source and rationale for policy decisions; and

* serve to build awareness and to drive public and private support for your association and its components.

Simply stated, the mission of archives is to identify, preserve, and make available records and papers of enduring value. Following are primary actions and considerations in the development and maintenance of an association archive. Two key sources used in formulating this list were Developing and Maintaining Practical Archives: A How-To-Do-It Manual, Second Edition, by Gregory S. Hunter (2003, Neal-Schuman Publishers) and "Anniversaries: A Framework for Planning Public Programs," by Timothy L. Ericson in Advocating Archives: An Introduction to Public Relations for Archivists, by Elsie Freeman Finch (1994, Society of American Archivists and Scarecrow Press).

1. Establish mission, purpose, and authority. Why do you want to establish archives? Reasons can relate to everything from legal requirements to issues of efficient maintenance and retrieval of material for special events, historical purposes, and more.

Is the concept supported by the organization at the highest levels? If so, develop an authorizing policy or mission statement that includes at minimum the following: purpose or mission of the archives; responsibilities and duties of the archivist; responsibilities of others throughout the organization; scope of items to be collected; and prohibitions against removal or destruction of records without prior approval of the archivist.

2. Conduct a survey. Who has what, and where is it? Your survey should determine what current and noncurrent records are being stored or maintained and by whom. Does your association have policies and procedures regarding what is retained and where and how it is stored? If not, one outcome of your survey may be the development of an associationwide retention policy and procedure.

3. Identify options for placement. Where should the archives be placed administratively and physically to enhance the likelihood of accomplishing the mission? Administrative options include

* the corporate secretary or governance department, which deals with the association's most obvious records of enduring value--governing-body minutes;

* the chief executive's office, which offers the greatest clout and visibility for the program;

* the communication or public relations department, which has a vested interest in preserving records to provide background to internal and external groups (and to implement the occasional anniversary celebration);

* administration, which provides a logical means to integrate active (central file) and inactive records in one program; and

* the library, which for many organizations is the most logical placement, because the staff is accustomed to dealing with access issues and cataloging. One key downside of this choice: Archival functions are not the same as library functions, and some library administrators may not understand the differences.

An additional question you should ask: Would the archives program benefit from the credibility and assistance of a member advisory group?

4. Develop selection and appraisal criteria. Because space and resources won't allow you to save and store everything, you must make some decisions: What do you want to collect and save? What can be destroyed? In determining the value and disposition of records, you will appraise them based on operating, administrative, legal, and financial value; research or historical value; arrangement and physical condition; intrinsic value; and relationship to other records.

5. Consider additional acquisitions and facilitate related accessioning. Are there records or papers not generated by the association that would contribute significantly to its holdings, providing additional context or enhancing the significance of the collection? If so, how might you acquire those items, given due consideration of the legal aspects of transfers within an agency, purchases, or gifts. You'll want to know more about accessioning (the procedure involved in transferring legal title and taking physical custody of records or papers) as you proceed with acquisitions.

6. Set up systems for arrangement and description. What's included in the archives, and how can you find it when you need it? You'll have to set up systems for arranging and describing the holdings to create finding aids that serve as the bridge between your records and their use by researchers or patrons. (Archivists are passionate about archives being accessible and used--and you should be, too.) The Society of American Archivists has published extensively on the topic of finding aids. Search SAA's Web site at www.archivists.org for more information.

7. Learn preservation techniques for documents. How can you prolong the usable life of the association's records and papers? As you consider how to prevent natural deterioration of paper, digital, and audiotape or videotape records or to restore already damaged materials, seek appropriate technical knowledge and assistance. This core area of archival management is covered well in research studies and literature. If you do not have archival training, you would be wise to consult with an expert rather than attempting to restore an already damaged document yourself.

8. Establish security procedures and a disaster plan. What if...? Make sure that you have policies in place to secure against theft, whether your users are staff or outside researchers. Because archival materials are also vulnerable to water, weather, fire, and other natural, accidental, or intentional phenomena, your association is best served by a broad approach to disaster planning that includes the archives as well as all other vital records of the organization, no matter who has custody of them.

9. Determine access, reference, and outreach parameters. Ultimately, access is what an archive is all about. You'll want to create a general access policy for the archives, determining restrictions for individual portions of the collection, if appropriate. Develop a procedure manual based on these policies and train staff in the procedures.

If you've worked through the steps outlined here, your association archives can serve as an effective internal marketing and external public relations tool to

* nurture a sense of community and a shared sense of accomplishment;

* affirm the goals of the organization's founders and of subsequent generations;

* provide the opportunity to appreciate the effort and dedication that it took to effect change and prevail; and

* emphasize the association's or profession's history of quality or dedication to service.

BY NANCY PERKIN BEAUMONT, CAE 

Nancy Perkin Beaumont, CAE, is executive director, Society of American Archivists, Chicago. E-mail: [e-mail].

Tina Berres Filipski is associate vice president for industry relations and publisher, Promotional Products Association International, Irving, Texas. E-mail: [e-mail].

PHOTOGRAPH BY DAN SELLERS