It's been a big year for AOL. In the past six months the company spun off from former parent company Time Warner and adopted a new logo. So to discuss the online media brand's evolution, and showcase its growing roster of talent and Web sites, AOL hosted a summit for clients on April 8.
Produced by the company's five-person corporate events team—on just two weeks' notice—the daylong gathering brought together 150 executive partners at Skylight SoHo. Guests had the freedom to visit throughout the day, but AOL scheduled eight hours of programming for those who could attend the entire event.
The goal of the Partner Summit was to showcase the company's growth and influence, but as is the burden of all Internet properties, that meant taking the brand offline. Planners aimed to accomplish this with images and literature from its most popular lifestyle Web sites and by bringing in celebrity contributors for a series of demonstrations and performances.
Chef Marcus Samuelsson, of AOL foodie blog KitchenDaily, gave a cooking demonstration during lunch. Home improvement expert and AOL DIY Life blogger Eric Stromer showed guests how to stain wood. Later in the evening, after a cocktail reception, comedian Richard Lewis performed before musician Jakob Dylan recorded a set for AOL Music.
It wasn't all entertainment though. For a large portion of the afternoon, AOL executives discussed the company's business plans in a conference room where clients could get up to speed and ask questions during a panel discussion with editors and producers of the brand's different properties. There are already plans to make it an annual event.