Summary
Many in event marketing serve both corporate and association
clients or employers during their careers. Therefore, the need for
understanding the significant differences between the two is vital.
This chapter has explored in detail many of those glaring, and
sometimes subtle, differences. For corporation events, the corpo-
rate culture, its values, and its strategies for the future are para-
mount to successfully delivering the marketing message. A thor-
ough investigation of the past history of the firm, and the results
of its past events, is essential to understanding its aims for the
future.
Corporations are centralized in decision-making authority.
Therefore, understanding the mission and gaining approval for the
marketing strategies are typically simplified. Budget considera-
tions are usually relatively fixed, taking much of the guesswork
out of the resources available for the marketing effort. However, as
this chapter has demonstrated, the allocation of those resources to
internal and external communications in the proper ratio will be
an underlying qualifier for the success of the marketing campaign.
Finally, because corporations are for-profit companies and often
viewed by the media as somewhat biased toward company goals,
the establishment of continuing and personal media relation-
ships is a unique challenge, and opportunity, for the marketing
executive.
Summary 149
TALES FROM THE FRONT
that area of the city, all Oriole games had
to be canceled for four days. City fire and
police officials could not endanger the health
of 45,000 fans and solve the traffic prob-
lems that the congestion would create with
many roads closed by the accident.
The Bowie Baysox public relations de-
partment responded with a unique public
service and promotional strategy. Through
television and radio news reports, as well
The Bowie (Maryland) Baysox is a minor
league baseball team, one of the member
teams within the Baltimore Orioles farm sys-
tem. In July 2001, the city of Baltimore was
paralyzed by a train derailment and conse-
quent fire in a tunnel adjacent to Oriole
Park at Camden Yards, the home stadium of
the Orioles and the location for a long home
stand of major league baseball. With the
tunnel ablaze and toxic smoke pouring into