It was impressive to see how many rehearsals Client A went through for this product launch. The 90-minute keynote session was comprised of multiple presenters with technically challenging product demos using all devices you can think of (Mac Pro, MacBook, iPad, iPhone, Surface tablet, Android phone). The client chose Tokyo this year as Japan is the second biggest market for them. It was interesting to attend a series of rehearsals both in San Francisco and Tokyo, and to see the progress along the way. Thorough preparation definitely paid off to the flawless presentations.
In spite of the midnight load-in schedule, the local Japanese agency put together all the necessary personnel and equipment by 6:00am as scheduled.
One hour before the doors opened, it rained cats and dogs. Yes, this was in the middle of a rainy season in Japan. The U.S. crew was drenched with rain and sweat. Over 650 people (the event was for media outlets and industry influencers) attended despite the weather. In the evening, we celebrated the success of the event with beers and saké. Then I realized I had been up for 20 hours. It was indeed “Sleepless in Tokyo.”
Thank Nicole, Meg, Jeremy and Shaun for their generosity.