KAREN M CRISTELLO, MBA, CTSM
brand development
integrated marketing communications
events & trade shows

Facebook post. One of the most popular ones, with the event chair in his Las Vegas-themed outfit.

Event screenshot. With a live host, it was very high-energy.

Drinks and Bites recipes from Las Vegas restaurants. Each page featured Foundation, museum, or Orbital Gala information.
EVENTS
AAO 2020 ORBITAL GALA:​
FUNDRAISING, MARKETING, PRODUCTION
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BACKGROUND
The American Academy of Ophthalmology Foundation holds an annual gala to raise funds for various programs. It's an opportunity during the Academy's annual meeting for everyone to gather in person, dress to a theme, bid in a silent auction, eat, drink and dance. In 2020, we were in the midst of raising $12 million to launch an eye museum at our headquarters.
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CHALLENGE
Covid-19 interrupted our plans for the gala, as the live annual meeting in Las Vegas was cancelled and moved to a virtual platform. But we needed to keep the fundraising campaign going and not lose our momentum. How do you make an online party fun and meet or exceed the live attendance goals?
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SOLUTION
I involved myself in every aspect of branding the event and amped up marketing communications.
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Ensured virtual platform was visually on brand with well-written, exciting copy for the event and auction items. (We kept the Las Vegas theme.)
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Created Drinks and Bites recipe flyers in advance for attendees to make at home.
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Supervised successful tactical mar-comm execution: email blasts, social media posts, e-newsletter and magazine blurbs, website content, video and SMS.
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Moderated the YouTube broadcast, updating auction statuses and enticing attendees to compete and bid high.
RESULTS
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Record Orbital Gala participation: 200%​
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Record Orbital Gala funds raised: 237%
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CFO commented, "Friends, just a huge THANK YOU to all of you who made the success of the gala possible. Karen you SO know how to keep an auction exciting and the impact was huge, as was everything else Communications added to the gala effort from start to finish. So glad and proud of this team!!!
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And Mar-Comm VP replied, "she was a rock star on this project."