John Deere’s Run Smarter

A (Suddenly) Online Dealer Training Event

We’re not exactly sure if we “pivoted,” or simply had the rug pulled.

But we did find ourselves heading in a completely different direction when yet another Covid variant scrapped John Deere Construction’s plans for their 2022 dealer training event. The event was scheduled to take place in just five months at Deere’s legendary proving grounds in Sacaton, Arizona: A massive desert demo site, which affords dealers ample opportunities to test drive Deere’s latest earth-moving marvels, and ample amounts of sun in the middle of winter.

The annual desert-based training event has become a yearly welcome pilgrimage for dealers. And now it was going to be an online training program. The announcement triggered almost immediate doubts from attendees who openly worried they were about to suffer a slow “Death By PowerPoint.”

So, when Deere and Spiro teamed, our goal wasn’t just to produce online content. Instead, it was to make content that lived up to the high expectations set by previous in-person events. And to offset attendees’ disappointment.

And we had just five months to make it all happen.

Run Smarter was a live three-day virtual event featuring over 25 speakers, moderated panel discussions, game shows, comparative machine walkarounds, product launches, spoof ads, and a highly engaging digital platform allowing real-time dialogue and competition.

Attendee response was so positive that while Deere’s Spring Training will return to the desert, it will include a Hybrid component. Allowing dealers to begin learning before they arrive. Meaning future events will be Run Smarter.