The Meetings Mean Business Coalition will boldly move forward into the political arena during the Democratic and Republican national conventions. Seizing an opportunity to remind the public and politicians about the value of face-to-face meetings, the coalition has created a new integrated campaign that will debut this summer.
The campaign slogan—Worth Meeting About—is designed to engage elected officials and policymakers through physical and digital advertising at both the Republican and Democratic national conventions. Meetings Mean Business intends to showcase the idea that whether it’s selecting the next U.S. president or another pivotal moment, when it’s important, it’s Worth Meeting About.
“Worth Meeting About will demonstrate how political candidates leverage the power of face-to-face meetings throughout the election cycle,” said Michael Dominguez, Meetings Mean Business co-chair and chief sales officer for MGM Resorts International. “In doing so, the campaign will highlight that while these events only happen every four years, meetings take place and positively impact people, businesses and communities every single day. The election cycle is just one example of how the most important decisions, moments and milestones are Worth Meeting About.”
The campaign’s first paid advertising will debut July 18-21 during the Republican National Convention with signage at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. The Republican convention will be held at Quicken Loans Arena. Known as The Q, the multipurpose venue is visited by more than 2 million guests each year for various events, including NBA Cleveland Cavaliers home games.
Approximately 2,470 delegates, 2,302 alternate delegates, 15,000 members of the media and nearly 120 staffers will take over the arena. Altogether, around 50,000 people are expected to visit the Cleveland area during the event, with an estimated economic impact of $250 million.
The Democratic convention will take place July 25-28 at Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia. The Meetings Mean Business campaign will spread its message on signage in the Philadelphia International Airport as well as billboards along Interstate 95. Targeted digital advertising will also be deployed to reinforce the Worth Meeting About message.
Some special events will take place at Pennsylvania Convention Center. The convention center is a historic gem, incorporating the former Reading Terminal railroad station into its meeting and event space. The center boasts 1,000,000 sq. ft. of rentable space, including 82 meeting rooms and 679,000 sq. ft. spread out among seven exhibition halls. The largest of three ballrooms measures 55,408 sq. ft. A 400-seat lecture hall is perfect for presentations and product launches.
“The coalition’s expanded reach and industry leadership has allowed us to engage in this type of unique advocacy,” says Richard Harper, co-chair of Meetings Mean Business and executive vice president for HelmsBriscoe. “We’re excited to launch our first multi-faceted campaign to show the industry’s role in the election cycle and demonstrate how these important moments are only made possible by bringing people together face-to-face.”
