An AV Production Slam Dunk in Orlando, FL

The Not So Boring Annual Meeting

Let’s face it! Every company, no matter how big or small, has to rally the team at least once a year for their annual meeting. It’s part strategy, [art celebration, part “please don’t fall asleep during the financials.” The challenge? Keeping it fresh and engaging year after year without resorting to trust falls and scavenger hunts. That’s where we come in! Clarity’s got the secret sauce to turn your annual meeting into something people actually want to attend. Let’s look at a recent event where we sought to raise the bar for our friends at LKQ.

All Systems Go: Inside LKQ’s Leadership Meeting

LKQ’s annual leadership meeting is a tightly run ship. Boasting 1,100 top leaders in attendance with a 300+ support staff, LKQ set to align their organization with financial updates, market strategies, and their new plans for the new year. LKQ's annual leadership meeting consists of a welcome reception, an awards ceremony with 60 top awards, general sessions, and 15 breakout tracks focused on educational content specific to different departments. The event also features a high-profile guest speaker, and the main room undergoes a major transformation from the general session to the awards ceremony, requiring a 17-hour workday for the crew. Needless to say, LKQ’s meetings require a coordinated effort to ensure a smooth and fast paced event production.

Building A Collaborative Client Partner Relationship

Before our client could trust Clarity to turn over such an event as their annual leadership meeting they had to see what we were made of. After experiencing the audio visual production of a couple of Clarity’s shows, LKQ chose Clarity to lean on for a trial basis. Once Clarity exceeded expectations (impressive show execution, relationship focus, and tech quality), they decided it was time to start elevating the AV production quality of their meetings.

A New AV Company With A New Strategy

At Clarity, we treat every event with a unique and tailored approach, especially when working with distinctive venues like the Gaylord properties. We embrace the space’s quirks and lean into current events to make each show feel rooted in its location. For LKQ this year, that meant a March Madness + sports-themed experience. With tight booking restrictions and narrow setup windows, we got straight to work designing fully tailored audio visual production to highlight the theme. Our stage featured a jumbotron-style LED centerpiece flanked by goalpost-shaped LED backdrops, with seamless, borderless LED screens to create a modern, clean look. Strategic lighting and haze elevated the energy in the room, while efficient AV equipment planning kept transitions smooth and the stage uncluttered.

Charting a Course to a Successful Event

Every show has curveballs, and LKQ’s was no different. With content showing up in real-time from multiple teams and presentations landing onsite, we had to act fast. No sweat, we adapted in real time, reshaping content and tweaking designs on the fly to keep everything dialed in. This is one of the benefits of being in an MSA (multi-year agreement). After year one, we got fluent in LKQ’s rhythm and culture, which made year two feel like second nature. Our crew stayed cool under pressure, rolled with every last-minute change, and kept the vibe collaborative no matter what came flying in.

Key Takeaways and Recommendations

The end result? Total win. Executives and attendees couldn’t stop talking about the experience, giving us rave reviews across the board. It goes without saying that we’re human and not perfect in any way, but our dedication to being a reliable partner and caring about LKQ’s company goals is what makes Clarity a refreshing AV partner in this industry. 

One of the biggest highlights of the entire show? A full-on standing ovation for the breakout operating team. That’s proof that when the AV production is dialed in, the energy in the room follows. From the moment the lights hit the custom stage to the final award handed out under a haze-filled spotlight, the visual experience packed a punch. Our jumbotron-style LED centerpiece, goalpost-inspired backdrops, seamless LED walls, and immersive lighting weren’t just flashy, they were thoughtfully designed to elevate every moment. This level of audio visual production didn’t just impress; it delivered real results. We’re also proud to boast that our multi-year agreement with LKQ is thriving, and we’re now being tapped for their smaller regional events, too. The word is getting out: when it comes to high-impact, high-style production, Clarity is the go-to partner companies can count on.

Work With Clarity Experiences

We're the real deal when it comes to making event planners feel like rockstars and creating experiences that attendees won't forget! Specializing in the seamless productions, conferences, and events of varying scales and budgets, our experienced team understands the challenges of planning and executing live event productions. If we can alleviate some of these challenges and make your event a blast, then we’ll have done our job. Let’s turn your live events into epic adventures that you and your guests will remember forever. Sit back, relax, and let us sauce up your conference to make it the talk of the town!

Great Production Starts With Great People

If this story has you excited to start planning your next event with us, request a quote below!