During NSM, AutoZone truly takes over Downtown Memphis for the full week. As the birthplace of AutoZone, leaders want employees to feel as connected to the city as AutoZone does. LEO books hundreds of hotels on the bluffs of the Mississippi River. General Sessions, the Vendor Experience, and breakout rooms are held in the Renasant Convention Center, which overlooks the iconic Memphis “M” bridge spanning the river. The General Sessions space featured a massive, immersive LED environment which served as the backdrop for award ceremonies, a celebrity guest appearance by NBA legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and multiple C-suite speeches. In addition, the stage itself was designed to look like the inside of an AutoZone store, a last-minute request that The Solutions People at LEO handled without a hiccup, bringing in physical store shelves as props, and using CGI environments on the screens to complete the look.

LEO launched a massively successful gamification program to boost attendee interactions with vendors in the NSM Expo. With dozens of vendor booths present, it was paramount to encourage attendees to talk with new companies, see new products, and make new connections. Using the show app LEO developed, AutoZoners were challenged to scan QR codes located in each vendor booth to gain points for prizes. Vendors controlled where the QR code was within the booth, giving them a perfect conversation starter and allowing them more time to get to know attendees.

LEO planned a multitude of off-site events to round out the experience. LEO welcomed attendees the first night with a “Party at the Park” in AutoZone Park — the AutoZone-sponsored minor-league baseball stadium. The next day, AutoZoners were introduced to the “Best of Memphis” at Liberty Park, where they sampled some of the best Memphis BBQ and brews, were wowed by a drag race performance, and celebrated with fireworks and a car giveaway. Wednesday saw the party continue with “Wednesday Night Fever,” a ’70s-themed party at The Kent. With retro arcade cabinets, roaming sensationalist performers, live music, and live airbrushing and T-shirt tie-dye, LEO gave attendees a true blast from the past. Each event also featured celebrity autographs, carnival games, food trucks and catering, and unique 360 photo experiences, ensuring there was something for everyone.

The LEO team worked tirelessly to guarantee that every event felt new but connected. From signage to video, from photo filters to networking apps, attendees saw what it would mean to Accelerate Together – going all out while being unified. AutoZone was so impressed with LEO’s professionalism, problem-solving, and creativity, that they want LEO in the driver’s seat of NSM 2023 more than ever before.

Key Services Offered by LEO:

• Meeting Services
• Registration
• Transportation
• Strategy
• Creative
• Production
• Technical Support
• App Development
• Versatile LED Stage Design
• Live Broadcast
• Entertainment
• Off-site Events
• Speech Coaching and Speaker Support

Virtual National Sales Meeting

It’s Time to Get in the Digital Zone

AutoZone came together digitally in 2020 holding their multi-day National Sales Meeting from Memphis, TN. The conference was designed to give attendees the same engagement they expect, year-over-year, through networking via live chat, General Sessions, Q&A, live panels, and of course a knock-out awards ceremony recognizing hundreds of stand out AutoZoners.  In addition to the content filled days, attendees were greeted with custom email communications, planning, and a welcome website with plenty of know before you go information. They were also able to submit store-based cheer videos and personal recordings which were turned into pre-show hype videos highlighting various stores and employees’ excitement of the AutoZone Cheer.

Some of the key services provided by LEO were:

• Virtual Event Strategy
• Attendee Management
• Registration and Communcation Management
• Pre-show Awards Nominee Sizzle Reel
• Virtual Event Platform Design and Management
• Event Production
• Creative Design and Custom Content Management
• On-site Studio recordings
• Video Development and Editing
• Asset Management

Virtual Vendor Summit

It’s Time to Get in the Digital Zone

AutoZone’s Virtual Vendor Summit was designed to provide employees and vendor partners a platform to recognize and celebrate accomplishments and strengthen relationships for future success. Nearly 1,000 AutoZoners and vendors virtually gathered for a 2-day agenda complete with a General Session, Vendor Awards, and enticing Breakout Sessions.

LEO Events provided the following services:

• Virtual Event Strategy
• Attendee Management
• Registration & Communications Management
• Virtual Event Platform Design & Management
• Event Production
• Creative Design & Content Management

Sales Leadership Council

Driving to the Top

Every November, AutoZone gives special recognition to their best and brightest at the Sales Leadership Council, an incentive perk bestowed on the top 125 field performers. Held in various locations throughout the country – including Phoenix, Miami, San Diego, and Orlando – this dynamic get-together is so much more than a meeting. For more than seven years, LEO has been privileged to share the driver’s seat with AutoZone for this event by managing:

• Registration
• Meeting Planning (Food & Beverage and Hotel Management)
• Hotel and Resort Sourcing
• Pre-Program and Full Communications Plan
• Speaker Engagement and Management
• Expo Management
• Off-Site Events
• Transportation and Logistics

Vendor Summit and Merchant Classic

Fueled Up and Giving Back

Once a year, AutoZone hosts a two-day Vendor Summit in Memphis, where all AutoZone vendors are treated to an awards banquet, general sessions, and breakout meetings. LEO not only ensures a good time, but also a good way to give back by:

• Coordinating a “give-back” component called the Merchant Classic, a one-day special program that pairs vendors with AutoZoners in which all proceeds go to AutoZone’s designated charities
• Managing registration, meeting planning, and full communications
• Overseeing logistics and transportation for three simultaneous golf tournaments 
• Handling content management and flow