Diversity = Creativity = Profitability

The 3% Movement was founded by Kat Gordon to address a critical gap in the creative industry: only 3% of U.S. Creative Directors were women, and even fewer were people of color. The movement’s mission was simple yet powerful: “change the ratio” by providing agencies with a clear road map to champion female creative talent and leadership. In a few short years, they’ve made notable progress, lifting that number from 3% to 11%, and eventually to 29%. The 3% Conference, launched as a central platform for this initiative, has become a beacon of change, not only for women but for anyone in an industry that shapes the consumer narrative.

The two-day annual event features four tracks, dozens of speakers, and a unifying purpose that benefits everyone, in a world where up to 80% of consumer spending and 60% of social media sharing are driven by women. With each event, the 3% Movement continues to inspire an industry-wide shift, empowering agencies to embrace a future where diverse creative leadership flourishes. Bluewater is proud to have been a part of this successful movement helping with the production and AV needs for their annual 3% conference for the past few years in addition to a fully virtual event during the pandemic.

For four years in a row, Bluewater Technologies was honored to team up with the 3% Movement Conference to help with their production and AV needs. After all, when you’re hosting a conference specifically targeted to creative professionals from the worlds of advertising, marketing, PR, tech, nonprofits, and more, creative and state-of-the-art execution is everything.

2018

Bluewater was honored to serve as the AV and technology supplier for the 7th annual 3% Conference, collaborating closely with Proper Planning and the 3% Movement team to craft an immersive experience for attendees. The main stage featured a large-scale LED wall as the visual focal point, while dramatic lighting transformed the ballroom into an inspiring environment. Full production support, including audio reinforcement, presentation playback, and technical expertise, ensured flawless execution and a memorable experience.

Extending this ambiance throughout the venue, Bluewater provided uplighting at key areas and comprehensive AV support for three breakout rooms, tying them cohesively to the main ballroom’s design. To share the event’s impactful content beyond the venue, planners adopted a “conference in a box” approach, documenting the sessions for online sharing. This strategy enabled the 3% Movement’s message to reach far beyond the event itself, with the visually striking setting ensuring that the content would continue to inspire long after the conference concluded.

“We’ve been so impressed with the level of Bluewater’s service. All the way from the point of sale to execution, they have done a really great job. It’s been a great partnership, all the missing pieces we had before are now complete.”

2019

3% Movement Conference

For this year’s annual event, Bluewater partnered with the strategic event planners at Proper Planning to elevate the immersive experience from previous conferences, introducing a major design shift to the main stage LED wall in the Aon Grand Ballroom. Bluewater provided comprehensive production, including audio, lighting, video recording, livestreaming, and stage management, creating a dynamic and branded focal point for keynote speeches and main programming. This collaboration allowed the main stage to serve as a powerful visual centerpiece that enhanced the overall conference atmosphere.

In addition to the main stage, Bluewater handled video, audio, and lighting across three breakout rooms to support various conference tracks, ensuring a seamless experience throughout the venue. To extend the event’s impact, the planners implemented the “conference in a box” approach that they first used in 2018.

We can’t produce a show without our vendor partners, and we look for partners that are smart, passionate, committed to excellence, and focused on collaboration in the truest sense of partnership. We rely on a partner to bring ideas to us. That’s the collaboration piece. We have a vision of what the show is going to be overall, but to have Bluewater engage at a high-level of innovation around best practices, best looks, best gear, cost efficiencies… those are all super key elements that we look for and Bluewater delivers.”

2020

In 2020, during the pandemic, Bluewater supported the transition of the 3% Conference to a fully remote format, ensuring a smooth and engaging virtual experience. With comprehensive virtual production support, Bluewater enabled the conference to reach a broad audience online, preserving the quality, impact, and mission of the event despite the shift away from an in-person gathering. This adaptation allowed the 3% Movement to continue its work and expand its reach during a challenging year.

2021

The 3% Conference is rich in thought-provoking discussions, and compelling stories from speakers at the forefront of creative industries. Because this event is a show for creatives, it was important for the Bluewater Team to deliver an event that not only ran smoothly but also looked impressive aesthetically. Our team was responsible for the full production, including audio, lighting, video recording, livestreaming, and stage management. The event was an absolute success! The Bluewater Team is honored to be part of this successful event and movement that has helped raise the number of female Creative Directors from 3% to 29%. Now that the 3% movement’s goals have been met, the founder is pivoting to new channels and moving into new verticals with hopes of delivering their message even further.

“Bluewater has been a great partner for us. Their team is rock solid, really one of the best in the business. The team’s ability to adjust and meet the challenge of going hybrid was unmatched. The Bluewater Team is very solution focused and cutting edge in terms of the solutions are able to offer.”

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