What happens when your in-person signature event can’t move forward? You don’t just scrap it. You get creative and transform that program into something you’ve never done before.
While we couldn’t gather together in person this year for our annual men’s ice hockey game at Madison Square Garden, we still wanted to celebrate the rich history and tradition of Big Red Hockey at Cornell. Pivoting the Frozen Apple to an online experience allowed Alumni Affairs to provide lifelong learning, multi-generational dialogue, and alumni connection around the game in a new and exciting way. From a history lesson about Men’s Ice Hockey, to live interviews with current players and MIH legends, online attendees were immersed in the tradition they love while learning something new and gaining access to players and coaches in a totally different way.
Here are our top 5 lessons from our digital pivot:
Take a risk
- Could we really emulate the excitement of a Big Red Hockey game at a world-class stadium through Zoom?! We’d never done it before! Marking the tradition outweighed the risk of transferring the program online. If you have a program that is part of your club’s tradition, measure what’s at stake in getting creative and marking the tradition online. There may be certain elements of your in-person program that are easy to transfer into the digital space. While other aspects you may have to replace entirely with new and creative content. Reimagine your program, and then give it a shot!
Teach something new (and highlight Cornell excellence!)
- Including interviews with the coach, current players, and legendary alumni allowed us to deliver access to the team in a whole new way, and showcase various perspectives. This attracted fans and new attendees alike.
- Integrating fun content like a hockey history lesson and a video about the rules of the game made the event stand out from an in-person game, and allowed us to promote lifelong learning (a key initiative). How can your events teach your attendees something new?
- Video content about Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell Tech not only communicated a One Cornell message but also highlighted our premiere campuses outside of Ithaca – underscoring Cornell excellence. As a regional club, we depend on you to spread Cornell’s excellence to the community. How can your events showcase what makes Cornell so uniquely special and great?
Pick up the pace (and variety!).
- While this event ran 90 minutes, we designed a fast-paced program. Short, varied segments kept the audience entertained and engaged, and allowed us to retain almost all of our viewers for the duration of the event.
- Use a variety of media – from pre-recorded videos to music, to static photos, to live interviews, the different mediums kept the program dynamic and exciting.
Include the crowd
- Want to increase engagement and buy-in from your audience? Get them involved! By soliciting fan photos before the event, we were able to build excitement ahead of time and make our Big Red Hockey alumni, family, and friends feel part of the experience. Plus, it’s always fun to see yourself on screen!
- Our fan photo montage also aimed to increase a sense of belonging among alumni and showcase the diversity of the Cornell fan base. By including these pictures, we highlighted the diversity of our community.
Tug on the heartstrings
- We invoked nostalgia through videos of campus, music from the band, and a recording of the alma mater, driving the event home for the audience. What can you do to bring your attendees back to their Cornell experience and feel more connected to the university through your program? Increasing connection and belonging, and invoking your attendees’ shared experience at Cornell, could increase their satisfaction and have them coming back for more!
So next time you’re embarking on an online event journey, we hope you’ll consider these ideas. Thanks in advance for all you do for Cornell and your community!
Missed the live event on 11/28/20? Watch here >>
Have questions about your own digital events and creating great online experiences? Your engagement officer is there to guide you!
by Ilana Dimbleby, Director, Northeast Corridor Engagement and Nadia Kiechle, Assistant Director, Athletics & Physical Education, Cornell University, Alumni Affairs & Development