Celigo, Bayer, Merck, Sugardale
Event & Experiential Design
Translating brand strategy into physical experiences, from intimate gatherings to global broadcasts
2014-2024
Event creative is where brand strategy stops being abstract and starts being physical reality; where positioning comes to life through spatial design, material choices, and human interaction patterns. The events showcased below span vastly different scales. Whether rallying 300 people or 12,000, each demanded distinct creative solutions yet share one constant: deft translation of strategic vision into physical experiences that deliver on the underlying brand promise, regardless of scale or scope.
Roles, Tasks
CREATIVE DIRECTION, BRAND STRATEGY, ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN, EVENT PLANNING, STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT, ONSITE EXECUTION, TEAM LEADERSHIP, BUDGET MANAGEMENT, CHANGE COMMUNICATIONS
SUITEWORLD 2024 (CELIGO)
Led creative strategy for Celigo's presence at the industry's largest iPaaS conference across four consecutive years (2022-2025), with 2024 marking the first physical debut of the new brand identity. The multi-channel campaign included a prominent booth presence, VIP party with 2,000+ attendees, and multiple speaking sessions, collectively generating 857 marketing qualified leads and over $393K in pipeline value.
Our 2024 booth needed to debut Celigo's rebrand in a competitive conference environment while proving the new brand identity could translate from digital to physical space and drive measurable business results.
Enterprise tech conferences demand immediate visual differentiation among dozens of similar companies competing for attention. Our challenge was creating a booth that would attract qualified prospects, facilitate substantive technical conversations, and validate that Celigo's rebrand worked in real-world applications—all while coordinating VIP experiences, speaking sessions, and promotional campaigns that reinforced consistent brand positioning. I developed an integrated strategy balancing visual impact with functional requirements. Large-format environmental graphics showcased the new brand's bold typography and stark black-and-white aesthetic, creating instant recognition while differentiating us from competitors' colorful, cluttered booths. The booth design created distinct zones for different engagement types—open areas for initial conversations, dedicated demo stations for technical deep-dives, and partner co-presentation spaces. A looping video wall established positioning before conversations even began. We extended the brand experience through an exclusive evening VIP event with branded environments and activation stations that reinforced our "enterprise integration platform" positioning. Beyond the quantifiable lead generation and pipeline impact, the booth successfully validated our rebrand's physical translation. Internal feedback confirmed the design "finally looked like an enterprise brand," while sales teams reported easier conversations with prospects who understood our positioning immediately. Managing four consecutive years allowed me to iterate and optimize—2024's performance reflected accumulated learnings that demonstrate the value of sustained event creative leadership.
MQLs
Pipeline
HFA 2016 (BAYER HEALTHCARE)
Breakfast symposium attracting 300+ attendees (nearly 2x previous year) featuring Dr. Mae Jemison keynote—the first African-American woman astronaut. Created interactive science experiment stations throughout venue with themed environmental branding and food integration, achieving 90% attendee satisfaction and intent to inspire children's science interest.
When FDA approval delays prevented Bayer from promoting their new hemophilia drug at the Hemophilia Federation of America's flagship conference, we transformed a regulatory constraint into an opportunity for genuine community engagement.
Pharmaceutical marketing operates under strict regulatory requirements where every element requires approval. Bayer risked losing valuable community connection at a critical moment before drug launch. The breakfast symposium needed to engage children and adults simultaneously, align with HFA's "resiliency" theme, and position Bayer as the pharmaceutical company that understood patient lives—all while complying with non-promotional regulations. Traditional educational content wouldn't break through, and we couldn't mention the product.
I led creative development of a science-themed experiential event built around Bayer's "Making Science Make Sense" program. We collaborated with Dr. Jemison's team to frame her presentation around resiliency, connecting her astronaut journey to the hemophilia community's daily challenges. The creative approach honored both her authority and the community's lived experience. I designed hands-on science activities accessible to children while engaging adults—kids launched rockets using Alka-Seltzer and film canisters, learned pollination through craft activities, and created silly putty. Each experiment reinforced that science exists everywhere, not just in medical contexts.
The environmental transformation created immersive branding: dry ice at entrance, moon-boot footprints guiding traffic flow, color-coded experiment wheels for station rotation, and science-themed food names like "Houston, We Have a Breakfast Sandwich" and "Gravi-Tea." I flew to the conference to manage setup, coordinate with Bayer stakeholders, ensure Dr. Jemison's needs were met, and handle real-time problem-solving. The symposium nearly doubled previous attendance while post-event surveys showed overwhelming positive response. Most importantly, we achieved the strategic goal: building community connection and positive sentiment through fully compliant, non-promotional engagement.
Attendees (2x previous year)
Positive Satisfaction
BAYER CONSUMER CARE / MERCK MERGER
Global simulcast reaching 12,000 employees across geographies for Day 1 event, featuring 30+ environmental branding pieces. Developed complete visual identity for internal brand campaign, designed executive presentation and speech, and managed change management communications throughout merger integration.
When Bayer Consumer Care acquired Merck Consumer Care in 2014, creating the world's largest OTC pharmaceutical company, we needed to unite 12,000 anxious employees facing reorganization through a Day 1 global simulcast that would maintain morale and drive successful integration.
Mergers generate anxiety, resistance, and decreased productivity—especially when most employees face uncertainty about their roles. Bayer needed creative that would unite two distinct company cultures, create genuine excitement rather than fear, provide strategic clarity without revealing organizational details still being finalized, and translate across diverse global markets. Traditional corporate communications wouldn't carry the emotional weight required. This demanded experiential event design and visual identity that could communicate strategic direction while moving employees emotionally.
I led development of the "Lead for Life" campaign and Day 1 event. We created the strategic articulation—a rallying cry positioning the new Bayer Consumer Care as the company empowering consumers to take better care of themselves and their loved ones. This narrative gave employees shared purpose that transcended organizational charts. I developed comprehensive campaign visual identity that united Bayer and Merck visual languages while creating something new, showing both organizations contributing to the merged entity. I designed Erica Mann's keynote presentation and speech, translating complex business strategy into emotionally resonant narrative that balanced realism about challenges with genuine optimism.
The Day 1 event featured 30+ pieces of environmental branding—stage design, signage, printed materials, digital displays—ensuring every touchpoint reinforced the Lead for Life vision. We developed partnership with White Ribbon Alliance to demonstrate commitment beyond profit, giving employees concrete examples of values they'd embody. I managed event logistics, vendor coordination, and stakeholder relations onsite for flawless execution of this one-time global broadcast. Post-event surveys revealed employees felt "excited about the future" and ready to "embrace the promise to help improve lives"—exactly the response needed for successful integration. While this work is now a decade old, it demonstrates the scale of event creative I can manage and the business impact properly executed change communications deliver.
Global simulcast audience
SUGARDALE FOOD TRUCK (FRESHMARK)
Sugardale needed a mobile brand activation vehicle that would break through at industry events and translate to retail shelf consideration—functioning as both working kitchen and bold brand statement.
Consumer packaged goods companies face a fundamental challenge: products hidden in grocery aisles get purchased based on habit or price rather than brand affinity. Sugardale's "hot dog revival" positioning championed enjoying hot dogs without health-washing—but needed physical expression that would create memorable interactions at sampling events. The food truck had to serve as functional kitchen, photo-worthy brand moment, and instant communication of positioning across environments from parking lots to convention centers. I developed a bold visual identity that embraced indulgence rather than apologizing for it. The design used vibrant, saturated colors—hot pink and citrus brights—deliberately contrasting competitors' muted "natural" aesthetics to command attention from 100 feet away. Custom food illustrations celebrated ingredients without health claims, aligning with Sugardale's strategic positioning as hot dog advocates. The large-scale "Presto" wordmark and playful messaging invited interaction, turning the truck into a brand manifesto on wheels. I designed the wrap around working kitchen requirements, ensuring graphics didn't interfere with doors, windows, and ventilation while maintaining visual impact from all angles. The food truck became Sugardale's most visible brand asset, appearing at dozens of events and generating substantial social media attention. More importantly, it successfully embodied their strategic positioning—you couldn't look at the truck without understanding Sugardale celebrated hot dogs rather than apologized for them. I traveled to the fabrication facility to ensure design translated correctly to three-dimensional vehicle surfaces and addressed technical challenges in real-time.
