Introduction

The use of events as a strategic tool in organizations is on the rise.  The modern business world is very dynamic, and thus objective must cultivate a competitive edge over their competitors. Major events have provided public, private and third sector organizations with a platform for strategic design. These organizations take advantage of the publicity of these events to enhance their advertisement and promotional practices (Winston & Kinzey, 2013).  The events have strong characteristics that make them so appealing to the organizations thus making them a universally acceptable avenue for organizational strategic gains.

Planned events

This refers to public activities scheduled for a particular period and may have a great impact on the normal daily operations. These events may include sports, concerts, music extravaganzas, festivals, and conventions. Choice of venues for such events must be very strategic to ensure increased accessibility. It is for this reason that most of these events are organized in permanent multi-use venues such as stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters, fairground and convention centers. Events may also include less frequent public events such as firework displays, parades, motorcycle rallies, bicycle rallies and sporting games which are mostly held in temporary venues.

These events are associated with mass attraction and thus making them viable for promotional purposes. Most organizations understand that through these events, information concerning their existence, products and services will reach a substantial group of potential customers (Masterman, 2009). The events are highly publicized and are a source of the psyche to the community. Some of these events such as Olympics and world cup are repetitive events and with global attention. It has therefore resulted in major global corporate organizations being actively involved in such events.

Public sector

For instance, Olympics are considered as the leading international sporting event that features summer and winter sports competition. The event has a variety of competitions where athletes from over 200 countries all over the world compete for the most coveted medals. It is among the oldest sporting events held after every four years. Apart from the large number of spectators who avail themselves in the stadium, there are also other viewers all over the world who keenly follow the events that are televised live internationally. As a result, many organizations take advantage of this live coverage to fulfill their advertising and promotional needs.

Olympics also require funding by corporate sponsors in planning and organizing the events. The sponsorship of such events is a plus to the organizations as it serves as a tool for the organization to fulfill its corporate social responsibility. Most organizations have taken advantage of the sponsorship deals to enhance their global reputation. The increase in corporate social responsibility serves to the advantage of the organization (Radu, 2012).  This is because it increase brand awareness as well as increased loyalty by the consumers. The Olympic brand is a strong global brand and, therefore, most organizations would consider it beneficial being associated with such events. It is, however, imperative to understand that it is very expensive to be associated with such events. These events are critical in generating massive funds for infrastructure development.

Nevertheless, it is essential to note that at times these events may not get the desired results. For instance, if the event lack the right publicity, the organizations are likely to suffer immensely.

Private sector

Apart from major international events, organizations have also embraced private events for strategic gain. For instance, an organization may decide to use a music extravaganza organized by private individuals for an organization competitive edge. The music industry is growing steadily over the years, and the number of fans in the industry is also increasing significantly (Austin & Pinkleton, 2015). Such music extravaganzas attract huge crowds that could be potential customers for organizations products and services.

The organization may liaise with the organizers of the event to offer corporate sponsorship. During the event, the firm can distribute its promotional materials such as fliers, T-shirts, and caps. Such organizations may also erect a stand where their products and services can be displayed for public viewing. Through such activities, the organization gets a lucrative advertising platform thus getting a competitive edge over their competitors.

However, firms must be equipped to deal with any eventuality. For example, the private events might not attract the necessary crowd. This will lead to the organization not fulfilling its objective of increasing brand awareness.

Charities

Another set of events where organizations have set their feet for strategic gain is the third sector especially charities. The number of charitable events is increasing every day and organizations understand that there is an opportunity for strategic design. Most of these charitable events aim at helping the disadvantaged in the society (Edwards, n.p.).  Through charitable activities, the organization gets a chance to give back to the society thus advancing its CSR status. Such charitable acts help in increasing brand recognition, as well as loyalty by the existing customers. These acts also increase public awareness of the organization that will eventually lead to increasing in number of new customers thus giving the organization a competitive advantage over its competitors. They are also significant in increasing positive emotions among the public.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is clear that planned events have over the years provided a platform for organization strategic design. The great number of people attracted to such events serves as the critical aspect that makes them a viable advertising and promotional platform for major organizations. It is also important to understand that these events are highly publicized thus increasing public anticipation. The events offer organizations with an opportunity for increasing brand recognition and its corporate social responsibilities which are critical for a competitive edge.

References

Austin, E., & Pinkleton, B. (2015). Strategic Public Relations Management Planning and Managing Effective Communication Campaigns. (3rd ed.). Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.

Conrad, C., & Poole, M. (2012). Strategic organizational communication: In a global economy (7th ed.). Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell.

Edwards, P. (n.d.). Studying organizations using critical realism: A practical guide.

Friedman, A., & Miles, S. (2006). Stakeholders theory and practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

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How To Host A Successful Promotional Event. (2011, October 17). Retrieved April 20, 2015, from https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/openforum/articles/how-to-host-a-successful-promotional-event/

Top of Form

How to Plan a Promotional Event for Your Business. (n.d.). Retrieved April 20, 2015, from http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-plan-a-promotional-event-for-your-business.html

Masterman, G. (2009). Strategic sports event management (2nd ed.). Amsterdam: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Radu, R. (2012). Well-being reconsidered: Empowering grassroots organizations: Cross-country experiences from the grassroots Europe for local wellbeing initiative. Budapest: Open Society Foundations.

Winston, W., & Kinzey, R. (2013). Using Public Relations Strategies to Promote Your Nonprofit Organization. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.

Xu, M. (2007). Managing strategic intelligence techniques and technologies. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference.

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