Essence

Noche Neon: The 2,700-Guest Gamble

What do you do when your "Super Bowl" event for 1,000 guests suddenly balloons to 2,700 RSVPs just two weeks before showtime—and then a global tech outage hits? In this live-recorded episode from the TruNorth Presents: The Business of Experiential event in New York City, host Rick Kiley sits down with Marie Christofferson (Experiential Marketing Lead, Campari Group) and Jeannie Veneri (SVP of Client Services, SoHo Experiential) to recount the chaotic production of Noche Neon. This massive event celebrated the 25th anniversary of Espolón Tequila during the legendary Tales of the Cocktail festival in New Orleans. The team faced a "comedy of errors" that would break most producers: a 3x surge in attendance, the infamous 2024 CrowdStrike travel outage that stranded key staff, a DJ testing positive for COVID on event morning, and a centerpiece neon backdrop that arrived in plain black and white. Hear the incredible story of how the crew "acted like ducks"—calm on the surface while paddling furiously underneath—to solve every crisis, from hand-coloring a massive scenic wall with Sharpies to turning a production assistant into the night's headlining DJ.

The Princess Diana Mall Tour Crisis

What happens when your entire national marketing campaign is built around an international icon who suddenly and tragically passes away mid-tour? In this episode, host Rick Kiley and co-host Jeff Boedges travel back to the 1990s with guest Paul Robinson, a veteran brand activation leader. They recount a high-stakes promotional tour for the network Romance Classics (now WE tv) that involved touring three of Princess Diana's original dresses—purchased at auction for $700,000—across major U.S. malls. The campaign, boldly titled "Dressed to Di For," was a massive success until the unthinkable happened: the tragic death of Princess Diana in Paris. Paul and Jeff relive the heart-pounding Saturday night of Labor Day weekend when they had to act without client approval, scrubbing "exploitative" branding, securing priceless assets, and literally peeling wraps off promotional trucks in mall parking lots before the sun came up. It's a masterclass in gut-instinct decision-making and protecting a brand during a global tragedy. Links: Website: https://www.sohoexp.com [https://www.sohoexp.com] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UnlikelyEvent [https://www.youtube.com/@UnlikelyEvent] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0dqPOmSUXp2cyUVJc7LnrY?si=4b8a9f3a203f4cc0

The Millionaire Hangar Crisis

What happens when your $400,000 luxury vehicle reveal is suddenly upstaged by a $70 million private jet—and a looming tornado? In the kickoff to Season 2, host Rick Kiley is joined by Heather Salkin (Co-Founder & CEO of Artists and Robots) and Executive Producer Theresa Loguercio to recount a high-stakes launch for Ferrari. The mission: transform a raw, industrial airport hangar in Dallas into a world-class luxury experience for the reveal of the Ferrari Portofino. Everything was on track—complete with a "scent sommelier" and immersive projections—until the weather turned. With a tornado and hail threatening North Texas, the hangar's primary residents (multi-million dollar private jets) had to be moved back inside for protection, right into the middle of the meticulously built event space. Hear the heart-pounding story of how the team managed a last-minute structural redesign, moved massive trussing and walls, and navigated the ultimate "space sharing" conflict just 24 hours before the curtain rose. Links: Website: https://www.sohoexp.com [https://www.sohoexp.com] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UnlikelyEvent [https://www.youtube.com/@UnlikelyEvent] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0dqPOmSUXp2cyUVJc7LnrY?si=4b8a9f3a203f4cc0 [https://open.spotify.com/show/0dqPOmSUXp2cyUVJc7LnrY?si=4b8a9f3a203f4cc0]

In the Unlikely Event Season 1 Recap

Season 1 proved one thing: the best stories don't come from perfect plans. As we head into Season 2 of In the Unlikely Event, we're looking for event organizers, producers, and creative leaders willing to talk honestly about the moments that tested them and what they learned along the way. If you've got a story, we're listening. 🎧 Explore Season 1 and connect with us at sohoexp.com/podcast

Pushing the Edge of Possible: Producing Red Bull Stratos

What happens when a multi-year, record-breaking mission to the edge of space is threatened by a mysterious, untraceable signal just hours before launch? In this episode, host Rick Kiley and co-host Jeff Boedges are joined by event producer Ben Nelson (Director of Ground Operations for Stratos) to discuss the years of work that went into Red Bull Stratos. This was the mission where Felix Baumgartner ascended to 128,000 feet and jumped from the stratosphere, breaking the speed of sound. Ben recounts the immense scale of the operation in Roswell, New Mexico, and the final, heart-stopping crisis: a mysterious communication interference that nearly shut down the entire, multi-million dollar endeavor. Hear the incredible story of the team that built a temporary mission control in the desert and the final-hour scramble to save a stunt that pushed the limits of human courage and event production. Links: Website: https://www.sohoexp.com [https://www.sohoexp.com/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTyqEy1cd8I [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTyqEy1cd8I] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0HQ2CmoStTwRMNyLtuq9ue?si=BLNrAgx3R5KnuMs_vCDqYA [https://open.spotify.com/episode/0HQ2CmoStTwRMNyLtuq9ue?si=BLNrAgx3R5KnuMs_vCDqYA] Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pushing-the-edge-of-possible-producing-red-bull-stratos/id1852356725?i=1000741576997 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pushing-the-edge-of-possible-producing-red-bull-stratos/id1852356725?i=1000741576997]