Maximizing Your Marketing Margin: How we turned a Speakeasy Fundraiser into a Full-Scale Marketing Campaign

What if your next live performance wasn’t just a night of entertainment—but the kickoff to a full-scale, multi-channel marketing campaign? That was the challenge and opportunity presented to us when Meals on Wheels of Alameda County tapped Curated Entertainment to create an unforgettable gala. What followed was a high-impact fusion of immersive performance, donor engagement, video production, and press outreach all wrapped in the glitz of a 1920s speakeasy.

Here are just a few ways we turned one night of entertainment into a fully-leveraged campaign:

  • Produced both a promo sizzle reel and a recap video to energize pre- and post-event engagement

  • Launched an email marketing push to our curated list with themed visuals and teasers

  • Designed an immersive brand experience with custom performances that aligned with the nonprofit's mission

  • Delivered interactive, personalized entertainment that built emotional resonance with donors

  • Executed a press release strategy to generate buzz and credibility

  • Created demo content from the event to fuel future bookings and client outreach

The Event: An Immersive Speakeasy Experience with Heart
The event was more than just a fundraiser; it was a themed, interactive spectacle designed to transport attendees into the Roaring Twenties. From custom flapper emcees and mind-bending magic to musical numbers and audience participation, we created a show that captivated guests and honored a critical cause: feeding homebound seniors.

PHASE ONE: Pre-Event Buzz – Creating Anticipation We approached the event not just as entertainers but as storytellers and marketers. Our first move? Build excitement long before guests arrived.

  • Custom Promo Video: We produced a 1-minute sizzle reel to preview the experience and energize ticket sales.

  • Email Campaign: We shared behind-the-scenes insights with our mailing list to create anticipation.

  • Influencer Engagement: We softly reached out to influencers in our network who aligned with the cause, encouraging early visibility and potential donor support.

PHASE TWO: Experience Design and Real-Time Storytelling On event night, we weren’t just emcees. We were brand ambassadors for Meals on Wheels. Our performances reinforced the core message of care and connection—all while keeping the audience laughing, singing, and occasionally gasping.

  • Brand Consistency: From our 1920s costumes to themed illusions and musical transitions, every element matched the tone and mission.

  • Interactive Magic: Close-up mingling magic helped build one-on-one emotional connections with guests, creating deeper resonance with the cause.

  • Onstage Custom Content: Comedy, choreography, and callouts were customized to reflect the nonprofit’s impact, connecting the audience to the mission.

PHASE THREE: Post-Event Content Lifecycle Once the curtains closed, the marketing opportunities didn’t end—they began anew.

  • Recap Video: We created a short, high-quality recap reel that the client could use for ongoing engagement, future donor cultivation, and social media buzz.

  • Press Distribution: Our press release was distributed before the event to local outlets, and we repurposed the language afterward to support the recap.

  • Demo Material: The final footage now lives in our portfolio, giving future clients a taste of what integrated event strategy can look like.

TAKEAWAYS: How to Turn Your Gig into a Growth Engine

  • Don’t just perform. Campaign. Think of every moment from booking to follow-up as a chance to build brand equity—yours and your client’s.

  • Capture content. Before, during, and after. Use it to drive engagement, booking, and lasting visibility.

  • Align with mission. Let your work serve the cause. Whether nonprofit or corporate, you’re reinforcing someone’s brand. Make it sing.

  • Package your impact. Turn one night into ten leads. Deliver recap videos, press coverage, and visuals that sell your future value.

Velia Rizzo, performing as “Valentina the Voice Verde” brought two audience members on stage to join in the fun, and the took the house down with their sassy steps and sultry swagger.

Final Thought
You don’t have to be a full-time marketer to think like one. The next time you book an event, consider: what story are we telling? And how can that story live beyond the curtain call?

For us, it started with a speakeasy. But what we really built... was a campaign.

Heather Rogers, performing at “The Magnificent Marigold” delivers comedy quips while a guest from the audience straps her into a regulation straight jacket. She escapes, miraculously with a full brandy glass in her hand that she gulps down during the rousing applause.

Press Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Velia Amarasingham
Email: info@CuratedEntertainment.biz
Phone: (415) 902-8536

A Roaring Good Time for a Remarkable Cause: Meals on Wheels Gets a 1920s Makeover

Oakland, CA – June 5, 2025 - On June 21st, the 1920s are roaring back in style for an unforgettable night of entertainment and impact at Bloc15 in Oakland.

Curated Entertainment’s founders, Heather Rogers and Velia Amarasingham – renowned for sparking imagination and connection – will take the stage costumed as 1920s flapper emcees for a reimagined fundraiser benefiting Meals on Wheels of Alameda County. This immersive experience will transport guests to a prohibition-era speakeasy where custom comedy, music, and mind-bending magic set the scene for an evening that’s as dazzling as it is meaningful.

This ritzy, 1-minute sizzle reel gives you a sneak peek: https://youtu.be/OkrAkimByrc

More Than Just a Fundraiser
This isn’t simply another charity gala – it’s a fully themed, interactive spectacle designed to captivate guests and drive engagement like never before. Attendees will step into a world of secret passwords, vintage glamour and unexpected magic, ensuring that fundraising feels as enchanting as it is impactful.

For fundraiser details and ticket information, visit: https://event.auctria.com/eb6f25ee-8d71-40a7-b59c-1a2f3edfe090/

Supporting a Vital Cause
Meals on Wheels plays a crucial role in providing nutritious meals, companionship, and essential support to seniors in need. This event offers an exciting way to give back and help ensure no senior faces hunger or isolation.

Step Into the Experience
Guests can expect an evening filled with casino games, unexpected magic, live musical performances, immersive storytelling, dancing, and the electric atmosphere of a hidden lounge – creating unforgettable memories – all for a cause that matters.

Get Dolled Up
Attendees are encouraged to dress in 1920s, speakeasy attire and come ready to experience the unexpected—all in support of Meals on Wheels.

About Curated Entertainment Curated Entertainment is an experience design company that specializes in creating unforgettable experiences through fully customized entertainment, team-building, and emcee programs. From corporate events to private celebrations, their performances are designed to spark imagination and foster genuine connection. This Bay Area-based, woman-owned business was founded in 2017 by Heather Rogers and Velia Amarasingham.

For more information, visit: https://curatedentertainment.biz/

Heather RogersComment