Bristol International Balloon Fiesta: Lessons from the comms team
This year marks the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta‘s 46th anniversary and to support the journey as they approach their 50th year, AMBITIOUS was brought on to run their PR and comms with a core goal: to take the Fiesta to new heights.
Starting back in February, the team have been involved with a huge amount in the run-up to the big weekend over the 9th-11th of August. From media accreditations to press launches, messaging and social media management, there’s a whole post that could be written on what we’ve done in preparation.
However, with the buzz of the past weekend still here, we thought we would focus on what the Fiesta itself was like from the perspective of its comms agency.
It’s easy to get caught up in the moment. Thankfully, our Junior PR and Content Intern Inaz was with us during the Fiesta. One of his tasks, amongst taking some killer content, was to observe his key learnings as part of the team over the weekend. He’s collated them here for you:
Flexibility is essential
When you’re working with something as unpredictable as balloons in the British weather, you’ve got to be ready to adapt.
So much hangs on whether the balloons do or don’t fly, which means you have to plan for both eventualities. There are hundreds of media and thousands of the general public to support who may have woken early or travelled far.
It’s not enough just to wing it, there needs to be contingencies in place to keep everyone happy.
Situations will crop up that are unexpected but using experience to address them in a measured and methodical way ensures that even potentially negative scenarios can be mitigated.
Don’t lose the detail
The Fiesta is fast-paced but that doesn’t mean you can afford to drop quality. With so many eyes on your content, a slip-up can’t be afforded.
Using the latest information, with high-quality suitable imagery ensures you communicate your messages as effectively as possible. This is even more important during the high-stakes moments.
Make sure you’ve got the right people doing the right thing at the right time to create a more seamless process.
Everyone has something to contribute
Combined, our team has over a hundred years of experience.
With so much to do, there was a fair bit of “mucking in” and being spread across tasks people wouldn’t usually have in their day-to-day schedule.
Social media was a big part of our remit for the weekend, keeping audiences up to date with the latest updates and activities. The whole team contributed to gathering photo and video content to use on social channels, helping with community management and manning the reception desk of our media tent.
It would’ve been impossible to make it through the weekend without the huge group effort, which leads to the next point…
A good team will get you through anything
With starts as early as 4 am and finishes as late as midnight, the days are long as well as challenging. Communicating what is needed and asking for help when things are unsure can go a long way in making sure we support each other when needed.
Collaborate, delegate and don’t carry pressure on your own.
The weekend was intense but we had so much fun, and that’s because we got through it together.
Enjoy the success
It’s hard to keep your mind in the present when there are so many things to consider. If anything is going to help you take a step back and recognise the moment, then it’s the spectacle of balloons taking flight.
Over the weekend we spent time with lots of incredible people, from balloonists to journalists, influencers and the event team. Acknowledging the meaningful connections we made reinforced the impact our work was having.
Hard work does pay off and it’s important to celebrate it.
A final word from Inaz
“To see the results of a successful weekend along with amazing feedback from clients, media team and consumers has been a joyful experience. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with such a talented team. From doing small events to doing my first international event, this has been a great chapter on my journey.”
