Lock In Live
Reformatting an in-person corporate event into a live-streamed TV-like experience
Reaching a global audience of bartenders who could interact live
Immediately recommissioned for a follow up by William Grant & Sons
Shortlisted for Campaign and Digital Event Awards
In 2020, many event and experience companies had to re-evaluate their core business as Coronovirus swept the globe, bringing a temporary end to all in-person hospitality. ‘Digital transformation’ became a buzzword, as global trends that were tending slowly towards the online were massively accelerated.
One such company was the events agency ACA Live, most of whose work is tied up with huge drinks producers. One of their returning projects was Camp Monkey, a brand-ambassodor event set in an exotic location each year to celebrate all things bar-tendery funded by Monkey Shoulder (in turn owned by William Grant & Sons). What was historically a hugely enjoyable advocate event hit the wall, leaving Monkey Shoulder and ACA Live with a big challenge.
I was brought on board to help them develop, and ultimately produce, what they would do instead of Camp Monkey. The result, Lock In Live, was a multi-cam studio entertainment show featuring interactive gaming, overseas VTs, in-studio cocktail demonstrations and interviews with luminaries from the global bar scene. It went live to an international audience of bar tenders in November 2020, and was quickly recommissioned for March 2021, receiving a Campaign Award nomination along the way.
Take a look at some of the photos to get a sense of the scale and ambition of the production. It’s also worth noting what you can actually achieve when you get away from the financial structures that dominate television programme-making: Lock In Live was produced for a fraction of a comparable TV show.
