An Experiential Brand Experience Firm.
...we are truly grateful for initiatives like Above & Beyond the Playground that work tirelessly to bring hope, resources, and opportunity to our communities and youth.
- Frank P. Crivello, Chairman and Founder of Phoenix Investors
ABP
Motto: "Action To Impact: Building Relationships"
Industry: Non-Profit Social Impact
Experience Type: Community Takeover
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Event Planning Turnaround: 10 days
Return on experience.
monthly organic
visitors added
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23,000+
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10,000+
rooms for
student housing
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2,300+
city governors,, + investors in attendence
425
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high domain authority
links
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3,656
press
mentions
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88,000+
social
shares
Making An Impact.
Sustaining Experiences.
For many college students, their biggest anxiety is paying tuition or getting good grades. But a large number also struggle with homelessness. According to a Temple University Hope Center survey, about 14% of community college students are homeless, and 52% are housing insecure.
Innovative Housing Opportunities (IHO), a Nonprofit Real Estate Developer comintted to putting people and their needs first, is aiming to provide a solution through The Aspire – affordable housing development in Riverside, California.
Located a mile from Riverside City College, on the corner of Fairmount Boulevard and 3rd Street, in a residential area walking distance from downtown, The Aspire is intended for homeless young people and foster youth aging out of the foster care system to find stable housing while in school.
The Groundbreaking Ceremony, an experiential activation apart of the larger strategic advancement of the project, broke in April 2023 – honoring the past, celebrating the future, and reinforcing aspirational values.
When complete in Fall 2024, The Aspire, a 34-unit building — 33 for students and one for a full-time onsite counselor, Riverside City College will provide educational training and resources for Aspire residents by offering onsite educational wraparound services and programs, including academic counseling, career counseling, financial aid counseling and job placement assistance.
This activation was the “start of something new” championing the City of Riverside to grow with us.
“Thanks again for the wonderful job
you and your team did yesterday!”
- Project Manager
Highlights
Activation
See how we blend emotions + decisions in collaboration with our Stakeholders.
For that, our unique approach to Brand Experiences are supported by stakeholder journeys, on and offline, and strategically important campaigns + interactions that encourage end-to-end journeys through emotion-led relationships.
$10k Hope &
Opportunity Center
10 new laptops; 8 workstations; 2, 60-inch televisions; new cabinets; and a new, 30’ x 24’ meeting space.
Charlie Rocket Dreamr Partnership
F.A.N.S Community
Describe the tactics of gathering vendors in a timely manner.
Execution
“Thank you for the kind remarks and
we look forward
to the next one!”
- Vendor
ENGAGEMENT
One of the biggest differences between experiential and event marketing is how each of these tactics engages the audience. Event marketing uses one-way communication – speaking directly to the consumer, but the consumer does not have the opportunity to respond.
We use two-way communication.
Stakeholders were able to converse and interact with City & Civil Leaders to gain a better understanding of the project, the beneficiaries, and implications on the community with dedicated time post ceremony.
EXPERIENCE
Each guest at an experiential activation will walk away with a unique memory of the individual experience they had. This is not the typical experience people have when it comes to event marketing—all at once, all the same.
We celebrated those involved in bringing this project + community vision together – individually.
Stakeholders were greeted with personalized name tags with not only their names but their affiliations to identify + honor their contributions on the project. Not only did you know their names but their contributions to the ecosystem.
GOALS
Event and experiential marketing are used to achieve different goals. Most Marketers turn to event marketing to announce a new product, sell products, or get press coverage. Experiential activations can also be used for the above, but those aren’t typically the goals of these events. Fostering the relationship is the goal.
Create positive brand associations and grow relationships with the community – from the beginning of The Aspire.
Each Stakeholder also went home with a piece of the soil from the Groundbreaking Ceremony — as a keepsake + beginning to a new relationship through The Aspire. They were probed to "Grow with us" over the next 12+ months, until we all meet again at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, and return with what they've grown in the soil as the building grew — bringing it full circle.
TIME
Event marketing typically has a start and end time so guests know when to arrive and when the event is over. Once the end time has passed, the event is officially done.
Experiential marketing lives on much longer than event marketing.
Over the next 14 months, with anticipation for the ribbon cutting and milestones along the way – Stakeholders will have several checkpoints to follow up on the progress of their plant growth as we disclose the progress with The Aspire.
Services
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Activation strategy + development + management
Brand partnership strategy & management
Event technology sourcing, management & technical support
Budget & expenditures management
Food & Beverage management
Special Events, permits, & policy Management
Activation design & implementation
Activation production & livestream management
Live show & event day support
Venue management
Vendor sourcing & management
Content management
Post-activation reporting & analysis
Speaker management
Experiential outreach
Thank you and your team for assisting us…
The attendees were enjoying themselves and we have…
captured all those moments.
I especially liked the potted plant idea and having attendees place soil in a pot to take with them.