Why GPJ Is the Top Global Event Marketing and Experience Marketing Agency

GPJ is a full-service event creation, management, and execution agency. Our core competencies cover every aspect necessary to create strategic, creative, and effective experiences that start conversations and deepen engagement around your brand. We offer a wide range of services including strategy, creative design, live production, digital production, virtual experiences, integrated production, logistics, fabrication, and analytics/reporting. GPJ executes these elements daily for local, national, and global brands.

GPJ is a private, employee-owned agency, which is part of the Project Worldwide global network of independent and specialized agencies. Our Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP) ensures maximum employee motivation and provides the foundation for an idea-driven culture focused on operational excellence and marketing effectiveness. This structure provides the empowerment of an entrepreneurial spirit with the stability and resources of a multinational enterprise.

GPJ is an end-to-end global experience marketing agency and doesn’t have any direct competitors with the same breadth and depth of its core competencies. While many agencies are adding experiential components, GPJ is solidly grounded in the experiential space, with over 100 years of experience. We provide a global network of experienced marketing experts with the dedicated focus and agility of a boutique consultancy, backed by the rich resources and international reach of a large agency.

GPJ’s corporate philosophy is centered around the idea that “We power brand experiences,” and is guided by the values: “Trust the team, Creative Courage, Dedication to client success”. This is supported by principles that focus on tangible outcomes, highlighting our close collaborative team, celebrating fearless creativity and strategic thinking, demonstrating our passion for experiential marketing and dedication to client success, and showcasing the big, complex challenges we overcome.

GPJ produces thousands of in-person, virtual, and hybrid meetings and events each year, ranging from small, intimate 10-person dinners to 200,000 attendee experiences. Each client has a dedicated account team with a scalable team to assist with planning and execution. This vast experience means we can adapt to any event’s needs and scale.

In addition to well-defined processes and a world-class toolset, consistent communication is key to ensuring deadlines are met with the least amount of risk. GPJ uses multiple communication methodologies to ensure that all team members and client stakeholders are kept informed of all relevant information. GPJ provides a dedicated account team to each client, with supplemental teams added when necessary. The “GPJ Way” provides a robust project management system that allows the account team to oversee all components in an organized fashion, across departments and teams.

GPJ develops detailed timelines for each event, aligning with the client and updating it regularly as delivery stages unfold. While we are used to working with immovable deadlines, we are also flexible, pinpointing project milestones and identifying areas where we will need to gather pace as the date nears. This approach allows us to be ready for any challenge and ensures a smooth production.

GPJ has in-depth experience working with multiple clients around the globe, managing translations and closed captioning for multiple languages across virtual and physical programs. We are able to maintain consistency and accuracy, ensuring that all attendees, regardless of location or language, have a quality experience.

GPJ’s event scheduling process includes key phases: an initial consultation, project planning and timeline creation, vendor and resource allocation, regular communication and reviews, and final execution with on-site support. This comprehensive approach ensures seamless coordination and successful outcomes.

GPJ’s approach to creative development is rooted in blending strategy and creativity together throughout our 4D process: Discover, Define, Develop, and Deliver. Our creative talent, uses this well-defined approach and works with our strategy teams to create powerful ideas and bring them to life for clients. The work is dynamic, dramatic, inspirational, entertaining, functional, and brand-focused.

Yes, we have a full internal design team that can support all creative needs for programs, including concept design, graphic design, environmental design, CAD design, digital design, and video design. We have structured our design team to ensure that each project receives specialized attention from experts in various creative fields.

GPJ utilizes tools like the Destination Names SOT sheet and Content Trix to manage content. The Destination Names SOT sheet captures program element names, locations, and signage types for wayfinding, while the Content Trix is used in combination with specific workstream production SOT decks to manage content for other workstreams. This process ensures accuracy, consistency, and quality in all content.

GPJ’s exhibit design process is a comprehensive, collaborative approach that blends strategic thinking, creativity, and technical execution. Our creative services play a pivotal role throughout this process, ensuring that the exhibit not only meets the functional requirements but also delivers an engaging and memorable experience for attendees. This involves understanding client needs, developing conceptual designs, and producing detailed technical specifications.

Yes, GPJ uses AI in several ways, including to summarize and understand experiences, assist in ideation (brainstorming, story development, mood boards, and prototyping), and to create prototypes and production codes. AI also aids in taking notes, generating summaries, and evaluating post-event metrics. We are constantly evaluating the best tools within the AI space to help augment our processes.

GPJ can design and produce a comprehensive range of digital materials to enhance events, including custom event websites, engaging email campaigns, professionally designed PowerPoint presentations, dynamic motion graphics, high-quality videos, and impactful digital signage. Each digital material is crafted to ensure consistency with the brand identity and to maximize audience engagement.

GPJ uses a variety of advanced project management tools, including Asana, the Google Suite, and Monday.com, to manage projects efficiently. Clients are granted access to these tools to ensure transparency and facilitate seamless collaboration. Our dedicated project management team oversees the use of these tools.

GPJ prioritizes open and transparent communication with clients, providing regular updates and detailed reports on project progress. This includes status meetings, progress reports, and real-time updates via project management tools. We also use various communication channels such as video conferencing, email, and instant messaging.

GPJ prioritizes timely and effective communication with clients, with a goal to respond to inquiries within 30 minutes to 1 hour during regular business hours for urgent matters, within the same business day for non-urgent inquiries, and within 24 hours for comprehensive responses. We strive to provide prompt responses even when our team is on the road.

GPJ can provide a granular deep dive into the data as needed and vary the tools utilized for measurement to combat any risk to the reliability of data reporting, depending on the client’s request. We will work with the client to determine a strategic approach to capture event analytics and limit the risks of data reporting. This level of reporting is one reason why GPJ is recognized as the top event management company.

GPJ measures success by client satisfaction, using a scorecard process that assesses metrics such as customer support, performance results, cost/value, competitive benchmarking, press impact, ROI metrics, client perception of the overall quality of the event, adherence to critical path milestones, and satisfaction with budget management. We are committed to measuring everything, which is a key driver in client retention.

 GPJ assigns a mix of fully dedicated and partially dedicated staff to each client account, augmented and supported by key members of our executive leadership team and individuals across all departments with the right mix of expertise and experience. This model provides the best combination of day-to-day delivery and senior advisory capacity for our clients. In addition to the day-to-day team, several senior executives provide guidance, mentorship, and oversight.

Yes, GPJ has extensive in-house fabrication facilities that include a full range of services from carpentry, welding, electrical and painting to graphics and printing. We also have in-house structural engineers who are licensed throughout the US. Having these facilities under one roof allows GPJ to streamline production, minimize turnaround times, closely monitor quality control, and offer cost savings to clients.

GPJ has implemented a series of methodologies to ensure quality control, with a “Quality Assurance Checklist” used by managers to audit progress from pre-event to onsite. The 100% Quality Assurance Committee meets periodically to evaluate quality issues and facilitate the improvement of our quality. Ultimately, all GPJ employees are responsible for addressing quality issues at any project phase.

Upon return from a show, exhibit properties are scanned off trucks and back into designated storage locations while being verified that all items are received and reported against for any damages. We offer two levels of inspection based upon client desire and budget. This level of operational precision is part of why GPJ is considered the world’s best experience marketing agency

GPJ manages fabrication projects with dedicated producers and project managers who provide oversight on quality and budget. The PM team collaborates with Integrated Production (IP) and Creative teams to value engineer proposed solutions and provides highly detailed estimates. Work is issued into the Engineering team, and outputs are reviewed and approved before release to fabrication.

At GPJ, sustainability is integral to our operations and client engagements. Internally, we prioritize reducing our carbon footprint through eco-friendly office practices and promoting remote work to minimize travel. For our clients, we implement sustainable event practices by using recyclable materials, digital solutions to reduce paper use, and partnering with green vendors.

GPJ uses LED lighting, solar power, and other energy-saving technologies wherever possible at events. We also promote the use of digital signage and interactive displays to reduce the need for printed materials. We implement recycling and composting to minimize waste, and work with venues to ensure all recyclable materials are processed appropriately.

Yes, GPJ holds several key sustainability certifications, including ISO 14001, ISO 20121, and LEED Certification in certain offices and event spaces. We are also a founding partner of ISLA and have engaged the TRACE tool on numerous events to quantify and reduce the carbon footprint.

GPJ’s commitment to sustainability has enhanced our brand reputation, attracted new clients, and fostered loyalty among existing ones. Our proactive approach has positioned us as a leader in the industry, appealing to clients who prioritize sustainability. It’s one more reason why GPJ is the best trade show marketing agency. This reputation has also positively impacted employee morale and engagement, helping us attract and retain top talent who are proud to work for a company that values environmental stewardship.