Dreamforce 2023
2023 will be remembered as the year when AI changed everything.
For Salesforce, it will also be remembered as the year the company transformed itself.
We didn't stop being a CRM company. It just became an added ingredient to our recipe of success, adding data, AI and trust to the equation. It's a change that was seen in everything we did, from our demand gen efforts to our website to our pitch materials and yes, to our live events.
Like Dreamforce, which we billed as the biggest AI event in the world.
This was my first Dreamforce as a Creative Director on the Events & Experiences team. So my team and I had to oversee how we were talking about AI throughout every inch of the campus. We had to develop and judge digital experiences (like AI Basics and DF Gives, for example) that made sure AI was being represented in an accurate way. We were tasked to expand our “Everyone’s an Einstein” messaging, giving our attendees the confidence that they can do this. And we had to make sure our story made sense and resonated to everyone.
From the stories we told on Howard Street through the campground and product lodges, everything we did centered around a story about the AI and data revolution - and how with Salesforce, you can trust the entire process, even if you find it scary.
So we took great care with our messaging hierarchy throughout our attendee journey.
At our registration desk, we had signage that said “Welcome TrAIlblazers. Ask More of AI”. This challenged them to think deeper about this new technology they’re learning about, and how there’s more to it than meets the eye.
We led them down to front of buildings in Moscone that read “Business is the greatest platform for change”, reminding them that even with a powerful tech tool like AI, it’s what you do with it that matters most. And you can do good by doing good.
That brought them to our product campground with signs that said “Data + AI + CRM + Trust. That’s Customer 360”, which provided them with a more specific context which how Salesforce can help them succeed (with an emphasis on “Trust”, which was our differentiator).
And then, we inspired them with “Now Everyone’s an Einstein”, because with AI, they can do genius level work. (This was our product campaign that was running, and was really effective and beloved).
It was a clear and convincing message, and because the entire company told the same story, Dreamforce resonated more than ever.
How much? This much. EventMarketer.com awarded us the Ex Award (Best of Show) for the "Best B-to-B Conference or Event in 2023", the first time we won that prestigious honor.
And the after-effects of Dreamforce led to a huge Q4 and Q1 earnings for our company.
Here’s some photos from the event.
