Spencer Allison

Spencer Allison is the Senior Brand Marketing Manager at Opus Agency. He is a writer, thinker, and explorer helping brands bring their story to life.

Going Remote: New Realities for Virtual Employee Engagement

With remote work as the norm and not the exception, all companies are looking for ways to drive employee engagement in new and sustainable ways.

Virtual Music Festivals: Experiences For The Masses, Curated For The Individual

Where the digital experience can be curated to be a personal adventure.

Opus Announces Kim Kopetz As President

The Opus Group's Board of Directors has unanimously approved Kim Kopetz, as the new President of Opus.

The Strategy Brief: Your Event Campaign’s North Star

Brief document, big decisions. Note: If you haven’t already, I recommend reading part one of this series, discussing best practices for the strategy workshop which informs development of your strategy brief. Event initiatives which begin with a serious...

Strategy Workshops 101

So, what is a strategy workshop? “Strategy workshop” can sound intimidating, but it’s really just a facilitated conversation amongst key decision makers and stakeholders, designed to help get everyone on the same page regarding the “why” behind the “what”...

“Run of Show” Bruised, Bonded During Hood to Coast

Event professionals are used to covering lots of miles by foot on show day, but Hood to Coast is on another level.

One of Portland’s Top Creative Agencies!

The Portland Business Journal has released their annual list of the Portland area’s largest creative agencies, and Opus is near the top!

Three consecutive years on the Inc. 5000!

Opus remains one of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the United States for the third straight year.

Opus Named Top Agency for Eight Straight Years!

Event Marketer recently released the 2017 It List. Opus was honored to be named to the list for the eighth consecutive year.

An Events Agency’s Favorite Events

Not only do we love being event professionals, we love being attendees as well! Enjoying an event as an attendee allows us to learn about the industry and have fun at the same time. Here are a few of our personal favorite events: TechFestNW TechFestNW...

Five straight years of extraordinary growth!

We were honored last week to make the Portland Business Journal’s list of the 100 fastest-growing private companies in Oregon and Southwest Washington!

A Healthy Team is a Happy Team!

Opus values the importance of mental and physical health, which is why Opus employees are provided with various opportunities to work toward being their best selves.

e-book: Key Steps to Acquiring the Right Audience for Your Event

One major question that faces any event marketer at the outset of the planning process: how do I fill these seats?

Event Manager: a great career if you love to travel!

Our resident Road Warriors can certainly tell you: they travel a lot, and have the airline miles and hotel loyalty points to prove it! Managing events around the globe takes a serious amount of jet-setting, so your average Event Manager is a seasoned veteran...

Opus adds accomplished events leader to head Strategy team

Opus Agency has added another seasoned event marketing industry leader to its executive team, welcoming Kim Kopetz as EVP of Strategy.

Opus Agency: One of the Best Places to Work in Events

Event Marketer recently announced their biennial list of the best places to pursue a career in the event marketing industry.

Road Warriors: Staying Connected as a Working Parent

Opus employees are experts at traveling for business. However, there is one aspect of traveling that never gets easier: being away from family.

e-Book: 12 Rules for Safe and Productive Work Travel

Rather than get chewed up in the grind, the event wizards at Opus have figured out the secret code to acing work on the go.

Five Ways to Be a Green Attendee

There’s never a bad time to work on reducing your carbon footprint. In honor of Earth Day, we put together a list of ways to get you started.

How to Host a Green Event

Event professionals know how many resources are used in events. In honor of Earth Day, make an effort to reduce your events’ carbon footprints.

Tech in Opus HQ’s back yard

Since 2012, thought leaders and tech enthusiasts have congregated in the heart of Portland, Oregon to attend TechFestNW. This three-day event brings together innovators to discuss trends, breakthroughs and opportunity in tech in the Pacific Northwest...

Events industry networking at Opus Peer Connect

We recently hosted a networking breakfast for event marketers in the Bay Area to meet up, get to know one another, and get the low-down on the industry’s latest developments. Event professionals representing a wide array of companies, industries, and...

e-book: Event Pricing to Drive Attendance and Maximize Revenue

There’s both an art and a science to effectively pricing an event.

Snapshot: a look at the latest trends in tech events

Are you charging too much for your event–or worse yet, not enough? What about location? Are you offering your sponsors what they need? To answer these questions, you need data.

Seven reminders when adding video to your content strategy

Developing your own content marketing strategy is good—but it’s just a start! Factoring video into your content plan is a step in the right direction.

Celebrating our 2017 TeamCS™ Award Winners!

Here at Opus, we take teamwork very seriously. Our philosophy when it comes to our team can be summed up simply: We hire amazing people, guide them with strong values, and empower them to do great work with industry-best methodology. This formula drives success for our customers—we call it TeamCS...

Opus celebrates Team Connect 2017!

At every year’s conclusion, Opus Agency holds its annual Team Connect event, a high-energy, all-staff offsite where we review the prior year’s results, celebrate our shared successes, acknowledge everyone’s contributions (aided by some next-level swag), and look ahead to the coming year...

Road Warriors: Acing Air Travel

We’ve got dozens of event veterans on staff who hit the road all the time, so they know what it takes to make the most out of work travel.

Opus Agency bolsters strategy capabilities with two VP-level hires

Opus Agency has added two senior-level members to its steadily growing Strategy team.

e-book: Six Reasons You Need Event Content Strategy

In an increasingly competitive environment, brand marketers are investing more in their event content.

Road Warriors: At Home in Hotels

We’ve got dozens of event veterans on staff who hit the road all the time, so they know what it takes to make the most out of work travel.

Opus Takes Home Three Experience Design and Technology Awards

We were honored today, along with our clients, with awards in three categories at the Experience Design and Technology Awards.

Congrats to the Third-Quarter SUPOs!

At Opus, we call our employee of the month award the “SUPO.” It’s kind of a long story, but essentially: it’s “OPUS” spelled backwards, and it sounds a little like “super.” The SUPOs for the third quarter are… We honored three different SUPOs through the summer months...

Opus: the Intern Experience

Looking at an internship in the events industry? Or maybe you’re interested in learning more about working in a fully integrated agency environment while still earning class credit. Opus is proud to offer multiple academic placements every year to help students get a taste of the working world...

eBook: 10 Keys to the Perfect Site Visit

Your venue may be the most important factor in the success of your event. Getting the full picture on your venue is integral to the strategic and logistical planning requirements of your program.

Opus Named One of Oregon’s Top Workplaces

Last night, the Oregonian held a gala to honor the best places to work in Oregon and southwest Washington. Opus Agency made the list for the fifth year in a row.

A Day in the Life of an Event Manager

Opus Agency’s team of event managers operates on the ground and in the moment, creating amazing experiences for our customers’ attendees. We recently managed to get one of them, Event Coordinator Madeline Golden, back in the office long enough to describe the joys...

Road Warriors: Staying Healthy Through Work Travel

As a brand events and marketing agency with a hand in hundreds of experiences around the world every year, our work tends to involve quite a bit of travel.

Opus Agency Makes the Inc. 5000

Opus Agency was once again honored among the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the United States.

Opus Supports 8th Annual Children’s Cancer Association Children’s Pro-Am

For the eighth year in a row since the event’s inception in 2009, Opus was proud to be involved with supporting The Children’s Pro-Am benefitting the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA). Opus Vice Chairman and CCA board member Grant Hammersley founded the tournament eight years ago.

Opus Tech Time: the Internet of Things

In the spirit of our weekly grammar notes, the resident tech experts on our Event Technology team send out periodic updates on current trends in the tech world and their impact on the industry. This week, we unpack a hot industry topic: the Internet of Things...

EMC Recognized for Consistently Incredible B-to-B Events

EMC was recently featured in Event Marketer for their impressive work in the B-to-B event space. It was a pleasure to partner with EMC on this amazing project—their continual drive to push the envelope of what is possible in B-to-B events is a challenge we love taking on, again and again...

Glory to the June SUPO!

At Opus, we call our employee of the month award the “SUPO.” It’s kind of a long story, but essentially: it’s “OPUS” spelled backwards, and it sounds a little like “super.” This month’s SUPO is… The SUPO for the month of June acts as an ambassador for the Opus brand, and for TeamCS™...

Pokémon Go: Top Tips for Becoming the Best There Ever Was!

The entire nation is in the grip of a Pokémon craze! We too have felt the draw to far corners of the city (or the office) to catch those little critters. To help you on your path to building a formidable Pokémon army, we’ve put together a few pro tips for the other trainers out there...

Interactive: Shifting Perspectives on Experience Design

What is experience design? What does it have the power to do when you get it right? What can go wrong when you don’t? Earlier this year, Opus assembled a who’s who of industry experts to help define this esoteric yet essential topic. Moderated by Opus EVP of Creative Services David Lemke...

Opus COO Dena Lowery presents at CEMA Summit

Opus Agency COO Dena Lowery presented not once but twice at this year’s Corporate Events Marketing Association ( CEMA ) Summit, an annual gathering of the leading voices and thinkers in events marketing. Fresh on the heels of a Monday breakout session—co-presenting...

Opus Tech Time: RFID versus NFC

In the spirit of our weekly grammar notes, the resident tech experts on our Event Technology team send out periodic updates on current trends in the tech world and their impact on the industry. This week, we look at the difference between RFID and NFC protocols.

Opus Named to the PBJ’s Top 100 Private Companies

Last night, Opus was honored for the fourth year in a row as one of the 100 fastest-growing private companies in Oregon and Southwest Washington. The list, put together by the Portland Business Journal, recognizes privately owned companies who display...

All hail the May SUPO!

At Opus, we call our employee of the month award the “SUPO.” It’s kind of a long story, but essentially: it’s “OPUS” spelled backwards, and it sounds a little like “super.” This month’s SUPO is… Our SUPO for the month of May is recognized primarily for...

A tip o’ the helmet to our two-wheeled Maestros!

Congrats to the many Maestros who participated in this year’s Bike More Challenge. The Bicycle Transportation Alliance issued a challenge to all the cyclists in Oregon: get out and ride during the month of May! Check out those sick stats! And ride we did...

Top 3 Tips: Rock-Solid Registration

An event, no matter the size, will never get off the ground without an effective registration process. Getting people interested is one thing—getting them signed up and squared away for attendance is the real trick. Read on for our top tips to turn your...

Mini-Maestros Invade Opus HQ

We had a ton of fun today celebrating Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day today in Opus headquarters. For half a day, we had Maestros bring their kids in to get a close look at what it is their parents do all day while they’re in school. This year’s theme is “Sparking AHA...

A high five for our April SUPO!

At Opus, we call our employee of the month award the “SUPO.” It’s kind of a long story, but essentially: It’s “OPUS” spelled backwards, and it sounds a little like “super.” This month’s SUPO is… April’s SUPO stands out for her high level of efficiency...

eBook: 12 Tips to Recharge Your Incentive Trips

Incentive programs aren’t easy! Every organization has their own set of values, culture, and system of accountability. Once they’ve been established, and you’ve built an incentive program to reflect them, the big question remains: How do you create an incredible incentive trip...

Design Week Portland @ Opus HQ

Back in April, the Portland design community came together for a week of engaging events, open houses, and fireside chats exploring the many facets of the design world. Opus joined the fray, hosting an event focused on experience design. We targeted all sorts of sensory experience...

Opus Among Top 100 Event Agencies Four Years Running

Today, Event Marketer Magazine released their 14th annual It List, a yearly roundup of the top agencies in the experiential marketing space. For the fourth year in a row, Opus claimed a spot among the top 100 agencies in the game. The It List honor is...

Walking to Cure Arthritis

Cathy Burgess, an industry vet who’s been with Opus for over ten years, faces more than the typical challenges that face hard-working event planners.

The 2016 Walk for Wishes

Erin Johansen, a long-time Business Financial Analyst on the Opus team, put her 20 years of industry experience to work for the Make-A-Wish “Walk for Wishes” over the weekend, raising over $120,000 for the organization. While it’s certainly a worthy cause...

Hooray for our March SUPO!

At Opus, we call our employee of the month award the “SUPO.” It’s kind of a long story, but essentially: It’s “OPUS” spelled backwards, and it sounds a little like “super.” This month’s SUPO is… Our March SUPO has quickly adapted the “Opus Way,” embodying the key values of hard work...

Three cheers for our February SUPO!

At Opus, we call our employee of the month award the “SUPO.” It’s kind of a long story, but essentially: It’s “OPUS” spelled backwards, and it sounds a little like “super.” This month’s SUPO is… February’s SUPO is incredibly passionate about the quality of work that Opus produces...

Opus Once Again Featured in Event Marketer Magazine

Opus Agency and 21st Century Fox’s recent Experience Design Awards silver award in the Best Single Technology Interactive category was highlighted in the February/March edition of Event Marketer magazine. The 2015 Experience Design Awards special section...

Top 3 Tips: Feeding the Masses

Whether you’re creating an intimate dining experience for a group of executives or feeding 25,000 famished developers at a user conference, the catering plan can make or break your event. A well-fed attendee is a happy attendee, so be sure to follow these...

Announcing our January 2016 SUPO!

At Opus, we call our employee of the month award the “SUPO.” It’s kind of a long story, but essentially: It’s “OPUS” spelled backwards, and it sounds a little like “super.” This month’s SUPO is… January’s SUPO takes immense pride in the work he delivers, and relishes working with his team...

eBook: The Magic Behind Winning Teams (And the Discipline Behind the Magic)

Winning team cultures don’t happen by accident, and team isn’t just a who, it’s also a how. In this comprehensive eBook, Opus Agency Chief Operating Officer Dena Lowery explains the discipline and approach required to build and sustain a thriving team dynamic within your organization...

Announcing our December 2015 SUPO!

At Opus, we call our employee of the month award the “SUPO.” It’s kind of a long story, but essentially: It’s “OPUS” spelled backwards, and it sounds a little like “super.” This month’s SUPO is… Our December SUPO is a consistently positive teammate who is always willing to cooperate...

Opus Featured in Event Marketer Magazine

Highlighting Opus Agency and EMC’s recent Event Technology Awards win in the Best Combination of Event Technologies (B2B) category, the most recent edition of Event Marketer magazine features a full-page overview of the experience EMC and Opus partnered...

Announcing our November 2015 SUPO!

At Opus, we call our employee of the month award the “SUPO.” It’s kind of a long story, but essentially: It’s “OPUS” spelled backwards, and it sounds a little like “super.” This month’s SUPO is… Our November SUPO is known for being willing to take on grueling tasks with professionalism and a smile...

Opus Takes Silver in the 2015 Experience Design Awards

Event Marketer today named the winners of the 2015 Experience Design Awards. Opus Agency and 21st Century Fox received a Silver Award in the Best Single Technology Interactive category for their partnership at the 21st Century Fox Senior Leadership Summit...

Congratulations to our 2015 TeamCS Award Winners!

Here at Opus, we take teamwork very seriously. Our overarching philosophy when it comes to our team can be summed up simply: We hire amazing people, guide them with strong values, and empower them to do great work with industry-best methodology. This formula drives success for our customers...

2015 Team Connect / Holiday Party Event

At the end of every year, Opus Agency has its annual Team Connect event, a high-energy, all-staff offsite where we review the prior year’s results, celebrate our successes, acknowledge everyone’s contributions — epic swag! — and look ahead to the coming year...

Announcing our October 2015 SUPO!

At Opus, we call our employee of the month award the “SUPO.” It’s kind of a long story, but essentially: It’s “OPUS” spelled backwards, and it sounds a little like “super.” And this month’s SUPO is… October’s SUPO always has a “happy to help” attitude, and is a force to reckon with...

Opus Wins 2015 Event Technology Awards Gold

Earlier today, at an EventTech (eventtech.eventmarketer.com) awards ceremony at Las Vegas’ Bellagio Hotel, Opus Agency and EMC took home 2015 Event Technology Awards gold, for partnering on this year’s EMC World event (www.emcworld.com). Specifically...

Top 3 Tips to Swag Like a Pro

If you’ve been to an event, you probably came home with a branded pen. In a branded tote bag. That’s also holding a branded T-shirt. And pens, totes, and T-shirts are just the beginning of the hundreds of thousands of promotional product options for any given event or marketing initiative...

Announcing our September 2015 SUPO!

At Opus, we call our employee of the month award the “SUPO.” It’s kind of a long story, but essentially: It’s “OPUS” spelled backwards, and it sounds a little like “super.” And this month’s SUPO is… Our September SUPO is an excellent team player, and...

Fan Creek Capital invests with Opus Agency

Investment provides significant growth capital, opportunity to expand capabilities and service offerings Opus Agency, a global corporate events and experiential marketing agency, announced today that Fan Creek Capital, a mid-market private equity firm...

eBook: 3 Big Ideas Event Marketers Should Steal from Digital Marketing

Opus Agency Chief Strategy Officer outlines three specific ways event marketing professionals can borrow from digital.

Opus Agency Named to Oregonian’s 2015 “Top Workplaces” List

For the fourth consecutive year, Opus Agency has been named a Top Workplace in Oregon and SW Washington by The Oregonian. Recipients of this recognition are determined solely based on employee feedback, solicited via an anonymous survey conducted by WorkplaceDynamics...

Announcing our August 2015 SUPO!

At Opus, we call our employee of the month award the “SUPO.” It’s kind of a long story, but essentially: It’s “OPUS” spelled backwards, and it sounds a little like “super.” And this month’s SUPO is… Our August SUPO manages to push her ten-key machine...

Top 3 Tips for Working with Designers

If you’ve worked with a talented designer or creative team, you know the value they offer. They can bring your brand to life in ways you never imagined; create delightful digital, print, and real-world experiences for your customers and other important...

Announcing our July 2015 SUPO!

At Opus, we call our employee of the month award the “SUPO.” It’s kind of a long story, but essentially: It’s “OPUS” spelled backwards, and it sounds a little like “super.” And this month’s SUPO is… Our July SUPO often works “behind the scenes,” helping...

Top 3 Tips for Negotiating Venue Contracts

If you’re in charge of booking event venues, you know how much is at stake—the success or failure of your event, the potential for budget-busting overruns, and the stresses of competing in an increasingly seller-friendly market. But don’t worry—Opus is here to help...

Announcing our June 2015 SUPO!

At Opus, we call our employee of the month award the “SUPO.” It’s kind of a long story, but essentially: It’s “OPUS” spelled backwards, and it sounds a little like “super.” And this month’s SUPO is… June’s SUPO has managed to shine in the short five months she’s been at Opus...

eBook: Top 10 Principles of Event Strategy

Top 10 Principals of Event Strategy from Opus Agency Events are labor intensive, time-consuming…and remarkably effective at building your brand when done right. How can you be sure you’re maximizing your events’ effectiveness while creating a memorable experience your attendees will enjoy—and...

Opus Named to Portland Business Journal’s “Top 100 Fastest-Growing Private Companies” List for 4th Consecutive Year

Opus Agency has been named to the 2015 Portland Business Journal’s “Top 100 Fastest-Growing Private Companies” List, marking the fourth year in a row the agency has received this recognition. This prestigious list is published and celebrated annually...

Announcing our May 2015 SUPO!

At Opus, we call our employee of the month award the “SUPO.” It’s kind of a long story, but essentially: It’s “OPUS” spelled backwards, and it sounds a little like “super.” And this month’s SUPO is… May’s SUPO simply makes the Account Management team better...

DeEtte Kapustka Honored as Finalist for Portland Business Journal CFO of the Year Award

Opus Agency is pleased to announce that our very own DeEtte Kapustka has been honored as a finalist for the 2015 Portland Business Journal CFO of the year. This prestigious award serves to recognize Portland’s top financial stewards—individuals who help form the core of company operations...

Announcing our April 2015 SUPO!

At Opus, we call our employee of the month award the “SUPO.” It’s kind of a long story, but essentially: It’s “OPUS” spelled backwards, and it sounds a little like “super.” And this month’s SUPO is… April’s SUPO exemplifies integrity in everything she does, both in her work and personal life...

Announcing our March 2015 SUPO!

At Opus, we call our employee of the month award the “SUPO.” It’s kind of a long story, but essentially: It’s “OPUS” spelled backwards, and it sounds a little like “super.” And this month’s SUPO is… March’s SUPO is always willing to lend a hand and builds strong relationships with her clients...

Announcing our February 2015 SUPO!

At Opus, we call our employee of the month award the “SUPO.” It’s kind of a long story, but essentially: It’s “OPUS” spelled backwards, and it sounds a little like “super.” And this month’s SUPO is… February’s SUPO has an eye for detail and a desire for perfection that is unmatched...

Announcing our January 2015 SUPO!

At Opus, we call our employee of the month award the “SUPO.” It’s kind of a long story, but essentially: It’s “OPUS” spelled backwards, and it sounds a little like “super.” And this month’s SUPO is… Our January SUPO winner does not toot her own horn,...

eBook: Top Trends Driving Event Marketers in 2015

Top Trends Driving Event Marketers in 2015 from Opus Agency Here’s what’s coming in 2015… The new year embodies a sense of optimism and energy. It’s the time to start fresh, move fast, and make no small plans. In that spirit, we wanted to know what’s...

Opus featured in the Portland Business Journal

Beaverton, Ore – Opus was recently featured in the Portland Business Journal. You can read the complete article, written by Rivkela Brodsky below. Strategies: Opus evolves with the events industry Rivkela Brodsky Contributing Reporter, Portland Business...

eBook: 3 Essentials Every Event Marketer Should Be Measuring

3 Essential Metrics For Event Marketers from Opus Agency Event Marketers own some of the most immersive and powerful touchpoints in the customer experience landscape, which puts us under increasing pressure to demonstrate return on investment. But are...

Opus Events Agency Announces C-Level Promotions

Beaverton, Ore – Opus Events Agency is pleased to announce three of the company’s most recent promotions. Dena Kaufman, promoted to Chief Operating Officer, DeEtte Kapustka, promoted to Chief Financial Officer and Jim Snell recently joined the team as Chief Information Officer...

Airport Marketing Income Launches Steward Health Care System Campaign

Beaverton, Ore – Airport Marketing Income (AMI), a division of Opus Events Agency that specializes in sponsorship within airports, has partnered with nLIVEn Health to launch a one-year Health & Wellness Sponsorship Program with Steward Health Care System at Boston Logan International Airport...

Opus Events Agency named to The Oregonian’s 2013 “Top Workplaces” List

Beaverton, Ore – Opus Events Agency is pleased to announce that it has been selected as one of The Oregonian Top Workplaces. The Top Workplaces are determined based solely on employee feedback. The employee survey is conducted by WorkplaceDynamics, LLP...

Opus Events Agency named to Event Marketer “It List”

Event Marketer Magazine has unveiled their annual “It List” with Opus Events Agency being ranked once again as one of the industry’s top event agencies. The “It List” is the world’s only annual ranking of the top 100 agencies in event marketing. The “It...

Opus Events Agency named to Portland Business Journal’s, “Top Marketing Firms” List

Beaverton, Ore – Opus Events Agency has been named to the Portland Business Journal’s list of Top Marketing Firms for 2013. Opus ranked number three on the list of the top 45 agencies. The annual list highlights overall revenue, with three sub-lists that break out revenue earned from advertising...

Opus Events Agency Named to the 2013 Inc. 5000 List of “Fastest-Growing Private U.S. Companies”

Beaverton, Ore – Opus Events Agency has been named to Inc. Magazine’s 2013 5000 list, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The exclusive ranking list by Inc. magazine represents a comprehensive look at America’s independent-minded entrepreneurs, defined by Inc...

Opus Events Agency Wins “Best Startup / First-Year Event” At E.X.C.I.T.E. Awards

Beaverton, Ore – Opus Events Agency took first place in the category of “Best Startup / First-Year Event” at Expo Magazine’s annual E.X.C.I.T.E. Awards. Opus was honored for its work with Amazon Web Services on the 2012 re:Invent program. Companies across...