CASE STUDY
CASE STUDY
Hospitality Trade Show Photography and Real-Time Content at IMEX America
IMEX America 2026 · ACCOR · Las Vegas
For the second consecutive year, ACCOR brought Millard Creative Studio to Las Vegas to photograph its presence at IMEX America, the annual trade show for the global meetings, events and incentive travel industry.
In partnership with ACCESS Destination Services, we covered two days of trade show activity, hosted meetings and evening events, and delivered edited images while the show was still running. We also sourced and coordinated the video team, so photography and video worked from one plan.
Project-at-a-glance
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PHOTO + VIDEO
Coordinated by one team
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TWO DAYS
Trade show and evening coverage
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MULTIPLE ROUNDS
Of same-day image delivery
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SECOND YEAR
Covering ACCOR at IMEX
The challenge
IMEX America brings more than 17,000 meeting planners, hospitality leaders and industry professionals to Las Vegas each fall. For a global hospitality brand like ACCOR, those two days are a chance to showcase its portfolio and strengthen relationships across a busy show floor, scheduled meetings, hosted experiences and evening events.
ACCOR’s marketing and communications teams needed images that reflected the brand and were ready to use during the show, not a week later. The job was to cover all of it, deliver quickly and never interrupt the guest experience.
The approach
Instead of holding images until the event ended, we built editing and delivery into the event schedule. Between coverage blocks, a small behind-the-scenes workspace became an editing station, and images were selected, edited and uploaded to a shared online gallery in multiple rounds throughout both days.
Coverage moved from the ACCOR exhibition space and its branding to networking conversations, hosted meetings and the evening reception at Chéri Rooftop. Each setting called for a different approach, but the finished gallery needed to read as one cohesive story of the brand at the show.
Photography was one part of a larger content plan. Millard Creative Studio also sourced an experienced video production team and managed how video coverage fit into the event schedule, from pre-event planning to coverage priorities and deliverables.
The video team captured highlights, candid interactions, interviews and branded recap content. With one point of contact for photo and video, ACCOR and its event partners had fewer moving pieces to manage.
One plan for photo and video
Images created for immediate use
Because edited images arrived throughout both days, ACCOR’s team had fresh content for social media updates and internal communications while IMEX was still underway, and the same library carried into post-event marketing.
That pace depends on knowing which images the client will need first, staying consistent under pressure and keeping the full event story in view.
The result
Two days of coverage produced a cohesive visual library built around ACCOR’s event and marketing needs:
Professional photography across trade show, hospitality and networking environments
Multiple rounds of edited images delivered during the event
A curated online gallery for viewing, downloading and sharing
Coordinated video coverage and expedited recap content
A versatile image library for future marketing, communications and event promotion
By managing production logistics and delivering content during the show, we made the workflow simpler for ACCOR and its creative partners.
Working alongside DMCs and production partners
Event photography at this scale depends on the team around it. When I work with a destination management company or production partner, my job is to fit into their plan, support their client relationship and make the logistics easier, not add to them.
Based in San Diego and available for destination events nationwide, Millard Creative Studio works with corporate event planners, DMCs, hospitality brands and production teams on trade shows, conferences, executive meetings and brand experiences.