// FIELD NOTES VOL. 01 · LIVE

Field notes from the frontlines .

Hard-won lessons on staffing, sampling, sponsorship, and the unsexy logistics that decide whether your activation actually moves the brand. Written by the people who run the campaigns.

How Much Does Event Production Cost? A Line-Item Breakdown

Every event production quote is built from the same eight lines. Here's what each one covers and what makes it move, so you can read a quote instead of guessing at one.

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How Much Does

STRATEGY 8 MIN

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№02 / LOGISTICS What Drives the Cost… SEP 29, 2026 7 MIN What Drives the Cost of a 10-City Mobile Tour in 2026 Mobile tour quotes look wildly different because the drivers are different. Here are the six that decide your number, and how to plan a route that spends money on stops, not on miles. READ →№03 / STRATEGY In-Store Demo Cost: What… SEP 28, 2026 6 MIN In-Store Demo Cost: What Actually Drives the Hourly Number Two demo agencies can quote the same store on the same Saturday and land far apart. Here's what's inside an in-store demo rate, and the questions that tell you if you're buying a demo or a body. READ →№04 / LOGISTICS Trade Show Booth Staff… SEP 27, 2026 7 MIN Trade Show Booth Staff by City: Las Vegas, Orlando and Chicago The three biggest convention cities in the U.S. each staff differently. Venue rules, labor rules and show calendars change what you need and when to book. READ →№05 / STAFFING How to Staff a… SEP 26, 2026 7 MIN How to Staff a Developer Conference: Lessons from 87 Crew at OpenAI Dev Day Developer events need staff who can keep up with the audience. Here's how we planned and ran 87 brand ambassadors across OpenAI Dev Day 2026. READ →№06 / LOGISTICS Running a 12-City Workshop… SEP 25, 2026 6 MIN Running a 12-City Workshop Tour with Local Teams What we learned supporting the 12-city Claude Code workshop tour: how to keep every stop consistent while staffing each city locally. READ →№07 / STRATEGY Silent Discos and Exit… SEP 24, 2026 6 MIN Silent Discos and Exit Sampling: Sponsor Activations That Work at Festivals Two very different festival activations, one festival series. What we learned staffing Jimmy John's silent disco and hiyo exit sampling across 12 Breakaway festivals. READ →№08 / LOGISTICS What 150 Retail Demos… SEP 23, 2026 6 MIN What 150 Retail Demos a Month Looks Like Operationally A demo program at volume is a scheduling business first. Here's how Ignite runs about 150 in-store demos a month for Brew Dr. Kombucha. READ →№09 / STRATEGY Sampling Bread at Kroger:… SEP 22, 2026 5 MIN Sampling Bread at Kroger: What 32 Events Taught Us Stone House Bread brought its sourdough story to Michigan Kroger shoppers. Here's what worked across 32 sampling events in 19 stores. READ →№10 / INDUSTRY THC Beverage Retail Marketing:… SEP 21, 2026 7 MIN THC Beverage Retail Marketing: Running In-Store Activations That Stay Compliant THC beverages are one of the fastest-moving categories in retail, and one of the most regulated. Here's how to run in-store activations without guessing at the rules. READ →№11 / INDUSTRY Craft Beer Tastings at… SEP 20, 2026 5 MIN Craft Beer Tastings at Total Wine: Scheduling, Rules and What Converts Drekker Brewing's rollout runs through Total Wine & More tasting counters. Here's how scheduled in-store tastings work for a craft brand. READ →№12 / STRATEGY New Store Opening Marketing:… SEP 19, 2026 6 MIN New Store Opening Marketing: Turning Foot Traffic into App Signups Luckin Coffee's New York openings pair in-person activations with app signup. Here's the playbook for opening events that build a customer list, not just a crowd. READ →№13 / STRATEGY Event Production Company vs.… SEP 18, 2026 5 MIN Event Production Company vs. Event Staffing Agency: Which Do You Need? One builds the event. One staffs it. Many brands need both, but buying the wrong one first costs time and money. Here's how to tell. READ →№14 / STRATEGY Mobile Tour vs. Pop-Up… SEP 17, 2026 5 MIN Mobile Tour vs. Pop-Up vs. Street Team: Picking the Right Format Three field formats, three different jobs. Here's how to pick the one that fits your goal, your markets and your timeline. READ →№15 / LOGISTICS CES Booth Staffing Checklist SEP 16, 2026 6 MIN CES Booth Staffing Checklist CES is the loudest four days in tech. Here's the checklist we use to staff a CES booth so every conversation counts. READ →№16 / STRATEGY How to Evaluate Your… SEP 30, 2026 6 MIN How to Evaluate Your Sponsorship Portfolio Before Renewal Most sponsorships renew on habit. Here's a five-question review that tells you which properties to keep, renegotiate or cut. READ →№17 / STRATEGY Agency of Record vs.… SEP 30, 2026 5 MIN Agency of Record vs. Project Agency: Which Model Fits Your Brand? Hiring one agency per brief feels flexible. Past a certain point it costs more than it saves. Here's how to tell when an agency of record makes sense. READ →

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