TABLEAU Experiential Marketing: Bringing brands to life while creating unforgettable experiences

Events have withstood the test of time when it comes to establishing a brand and connecting customers to the brand's core values. Fitting for both consumer and B2B brands, events are an exemplary way to target stakeholders to produce distinctive experiences that befits them and present a reason to identify with and connect to a brand. Events propose and present something that no other advertising channel can — authentic engagement and face-to-face interaction with the brand.

Powerful brands are created and developed via the execution of pertinent, distinctive and consistent messaging, imagery and experiences to particular markets. Events have come forth to be one of the mightiest tools in the arsenal of event managers, and once these events are marketed, it creates an exclusive and unique experience for any brand aiming for recognition and acceptance. The event intrinsically empowers brands to engage in a high-touch environment where deep and crucial connections between brands, prospects, suppliers, customers, and partners can be established. A well-planned, organized and executed event can substantially increase brand value, grow profit and build market share by forging a stronger and more meaningful connection between a brand and its audience.

One such company establishing authority and thought leadership within the event industry is TABLEAU Experiential Marketing. TABLEAU Experiential Marketing, founded in December 2014 aims at setting the perfect stage for brands to present themselves in a manner that creates lasting impressions. TABLEAU is headquartered in Mumbai and has a branch office in Bangalore. TABLEAU has in-house production facility that is based out of Mumbai that produces staging and décor. With the benefit of having in-house production facility the firm's aim was to be one of the leading event management companies in India with the strength to manage everything from venue constructs, staging and decor. This soon became a reality where they managed one of the biggest concerts which India witnessed in 2016 for MTV Xtreme – Slash feat Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators tour in Mumbai and Bangalore followed by one of the largest marathons that was done across 15 cities in a single season. Between January 2018 to March 2019, Tableau has executed a total of 21 SBI Green marathons. TABLEAU focuses on great concepts and designs that are customized to cater to specific target groups as per the requirements. TABLEAU's young & dedicated team of event specialists works as partners for brands to ensure they meet the end objectives.

Offerings

TABLEAU specializes in events that includes – sports events, music concerts and corporate events – MICE, dealer events, product launches & press conferences, rewards & recognition programs, annual days, etc.

Differentiating Factors

TABLEAU is armed with an in-house production facility that ensures that they are giving the best rates compared to any other big player in the country. Sneha Kalbag, the Managing Partner of the company is from Encompass events which is one of the finest event management companies in the country and coming from there she has a great sense of creativity, attention to detailing and quality in services.

Clientele

ENIL (Radio Mirchi), BCCL (TOI, Mumbai Mirror, NBT), Optimal Media Solutions (OMS), Tata Sky, State Bank of India, HDFC Life, iVolunteers (NGO) and Rentokil PCI to name a few.

Major Milestones

TABLEAU won at WOW Awards Asia in the first year of conception in the category Best Concert of the Year for MTV Xtreme, competing with major event giants like Cineyug and Percept which were in the same category. Within a span of 4.5 years the company has executed one of the largest marathons in the country 'SBI Green marathon' across 15 cities, simultaneously conducting 2 marathons in one day across 2 different cities flawlessly which is a big achievement for any event management company.

The CEO Magazine caught up with Sneha Kalbag, the Managing Partner of TABLEAU Experiential Marketing over a conversation. Here are the edited excerpts.

What inspired to make your career in this field and establish this business venture?

Event management is all about passion and hard work. It may look cool to people from the outside but the blood and sweat that goes into it is something that only someone from the inside who have experienced it first-hand can understand. I had this passion of organising events since the beginning from my college days. I organised our cultural festivals in R.D. National college and in Rizvi college of management I participated in plays and dance programs. That is when I realised that I want to make a career in this. I had support from my family then, which was a big deal because coming from a family of bankers and doctors it was difficult to explain to them what is event management as it was relatively a new term and people back then did not know whether it was a respectable profession or not and did it pay well or not.

What were the problems you suffered at initial phase? How do you overcome them?

Every company faces this in the start where when you meet new clients, they all want to know what is the experience of your company. Individual experience doesn't make much difference to them. However, working at Geometry Global Encompass and GPJ I have developed some great relationship over the years with my clients who trusted me and supported my plans of starting my own event company. They trusted me with their business and in the next 2 years I had a good portfolio to meet new clients and win their confidence.

Present your point of view on the event industry of India.

The event industry is one such service industry that will never run out of business. As long as there are products & services, events will always play an important role in reaching out to the people and helping brands and companies achieve their objectives and goals. It is only growing bigger and better and the main reasons for this growth are; cutting-edge technology, innovation in communication, and the creative genius of event planners.

The biggest challenges for any event company today are; to create or tweak ideas that appeal to their audience's intelligence, integrate technology in experience, work under tight budgets, also get tie-ups done, look for sponsors or partnerships for your client.

What is the success secret of your company?

A good team that is motivated and happy is the secret for success of any company.

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do."

Steve Jobs