As brand ambassadors, we generally have incredible imaginations. These imaginations help us create ideas that are innovative - but can also become expensive and complicated.

Four essential factors to consider when developing a new idea are:

1. Is it aligned with the brand's overall goals and objectives?
2. Does it have the potential to scale? i.e., can it be repeated easily across multiple venues, states, and countries and make the same impact?
3. Is it within budget? ( we will discuss this in the next module)
4. Is it legal? (and can it scale legally in multiple markets)

Creating a scalable concept is vital because developing a concept takes effort, time, and money. You are more likely to have an idea approved if you demonstrate that it:

1. Solves a real problem
2. Scalable: The activation can be repeated consistently and streamlined across multiple cities, countries, online, offline, etc., for the trade and/or consumers.

So how can you figure out whether your idea has the potential to scale?

1. Start with the problem you want to solve. Is it a real problem?
   
   
2. Can the budget support scaling this idea across multiple cities, countries, etc?
   
   
3. Identify your target market: Who will this idea impact or solve a problem for? The bigger the audience, the better.
   
   
4. Identify a small group from your target market to start with

• Test in your home market or few key markets

5.Come up with and write down your "Growth Plan"

• How will you scale from this small group of people to your entire target market? It does not need to be 100% right; the goal now is to have an idea.

6.Moment of Truth: If you can answer "yes "to all these questions, you have an idea that has the potential to scale.

• Your problem is real and worth solving.
• You can identify the small group that you are going to start with
• Your growth plan make sense

TO DEMONSTRATE THE SCALABILITY OF YOUR IDEA, MAKE SURE TO LAYOUT ON YOUR "PROGRAM ON A PAGE" ( to be discussed in a future module) THE FOLLOWING.

1. BUDGET: An estimate of much this idea will cost
   
   
2. TARGET MARKETS/ACCOUNTS: A scalable activation should be consistently achieved in multiple locations.
   
   
3. OBJECTIVE: Should be aligned with brand goals and essential to all markets. What problem is it solving?
   
   
4. # OF EVENTS: The more streamlined the concept, the easier it is to replicate. Start small, prove the concept, and constantly upgrade
   
   
5. CONSISTENT ELEMENTS: The core elements must be consistent and easy to repeat and utilize in every activation. Here are examples of items that can and should be standardized for an event idea:

• • Signature Cocktails
  • Signature serve
  • Branding
  • Decor
  • Brand Messaging
  • Length of time
  • Venue type
  • Activations - i.e., tastings, sensory experience, etc.
    
    

1. Outsource: How will it be activated across multiple locations
   1. Automate: Where possible automate as many systems as possible, so you and the markets do not need to handle them. For example, RSVPs, Reminder emails, etc.
   2. Agencies: Outsourcing to agencies is expensive, but when it comes to more significant events, they are necessary to create consistency and ease.
      
      
2. Roadmap: Provide an activation roadmap for markets to follow.

Negroni Week is one of the best examples of a scalable activation. It started off in 2013 with a handful of bars across multiple states in the US. Almost 10 years later it has grown into a global event happening in over 10,000 bars.

NEGRONI WEEK IS BUILT AROUND THREE MAIN CONCEPTS

1. 7 DAYS (Held around the same time every year)
2. THE NEGRONI
3. CHARITY

STREAMLINED PARTICIPATION

1. Central Website:
   1. Bars can sign themselves up
   2. Consumers can find participating bars.
   3. FAQ's - Answers to the most common questions
   4. Recipes
   5. Shop- Consumers can purchase products and other merchandise
2. Three simple directions to participate:
   1. Register your venue
   2. Make a donation
   3. Serve a classic Negroni or variation
3. Consistent look and feel: Negroni week logo is recognized globally and used on various merchandise and POS items.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A SCALABLE ACCOUNT ACTIVATION

• GOAL: To gain menu placements and build brand awareness
• OBJECTIVE: To make the brand's reputation within the trade and with consumers as one that cares about sustainability and charity.
• ACTIVATION: "Cocktails for a Cause" Signature Serve Daiquiri
• PR ANGLE:
  • Earth day kickoff
  • Sustainability and charity
• CORE ELEMENTS:
  • Paper seed garnish
  • Wooden clips
  • QR code tied to the website and description of the purpose of the activation
  • Sell sheet
  • Account spend
  • Training guidelines
• MARKETS:
  • NYC, MIAMI, AND CALIFORNIA- BA BASED
• TIME FRAME:
  • 4X a year

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A LARGE-SCALE JOHNNIE WALKER EVENT

This is a complex and very expensive event. In order to get the most out of this investment in each market they scaled this event over three days to engage as many folks as possible.

Core elements:

• Social media engagement
• Interactive tasting experience
• Brand Education
• Signature cocktails

Event Overview

More than 1,700 people attended Johnnie Walker's "House of Walker" events from October 28 to November 1 at Fair Market in Austin, Texas. The invitation-only tasting events provided an interactive, educational experience for local influencers, chefs, musicians, media, and bartenders to learn about the whiskey brand's labels. 

Upon arrival, guests received a card embedded with a radio frequency identification, or R.F.I.D., tag. The cards took the place of drink tickets as guests visited six Johnnie Walker tasting stations. Organizers' guests link their cards to their Twitter and Facebook accounts to enable easy social sharing at the event.

Throughout the night, groups of 48 guests sat at two long tables for a 15-minute tasting experience led by a brand expert known as the "Master of Whisky." As guests placed their R.F.I.D. cards in a designated slot on their tasting mats, the table illuminated with animations and information corresponding to each liquor they sampled.

A personalized welcome message appeared in front of guests when they put their R.F.I.D. cards into a designated slot on the tasting mat on the right.

Buttons on the tasting mats allowed guests to share the experience on their social media channels instantly. The interactive tables provided a quick and easy way for guests to capture and share content without taking out their phones, which would have disrupted the tasting experience.

In addition to the tasting, guests sampled whiskey cocktails prepared by selected Austin bartenders. Organizers also invited them to "Join the Pact"—Johnnie Walker's responsible drinking campaign asking consumers to always designate a driver—by signing a branded Mercedes-Benz.