Thomas Davant Experiential Marketing Freelance Portfolio

Contact

t7davant@gmail.com

Originally from Columbia, SC, I moved to Atlanta, GA in 2016 and have been working in the production realm of experiential marketing since 2018.

After an extensive stint at 160over90 (formerly IMGLIVE) from 2018 through the end of 2024, I decided to pursue freelance producing. During my time at 160over90, I mainly serviced the USAA account, helping to produce events across the NFL, Academy football programs (Army, Navy and Air Force), military affinity (the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars) and military affairs programs, traversing the country to activate events both big and small at football games, bases, concerts, conventions and national holidays.

Bio

My Approach

My goal is to work with creative and account teams to bring client brand visions to life. Through involved discussions with fabrication partners and ancillary vendors, it’s my job to help find realistic solutions to deliver a final product that’s as close to render as possible while keeping projects within budget.

Anything can happen during production planning and on-site execution, so I believe that prior preparation and ready flexibility is the key to best performance. We’re bringing unforgettable experiences to the public, so it’s important to have fun in the process.

PORTFOLIO

Players House

Client: MLB Players Association

2025

Key skills

Talent/Contracts

Vendor Management

Custom fabrication

The Challenge: THE MLB Players association tasked multiplier agency with building out a hospitality space for invited guests on the second floor and patio of sports & Social within the Battery for MLB All-star week.

The Solve: Providing a can’t beat view of the red carpet and right next to the main entrance of Truist Park, the players house featured top to bottom branding, including hanging banners featuring MLB All Stars, a customized entry Wall with framed photos and pennants, shelving with decor and baseball memorabilia sourced online and from the MLB’s inventory, an Atlanta-themed mural wall, a Sony gaming station, a branded stage for local DJs and musicians, and an outdoor dug-out photo-opportunity with oversized props.

My responsibilities included:

Multiple site visits to gather measurements of railings, columns, windows to ensure proper branding wall sizes
Working with creative, AV and fabrication partners
Sourcing local Musical/DJ talent and handling contracts
Management of production documents including the workback schedule, including run of show, shipping & logistics manifests, budget trackers and more
On-site run of show management and troubleshooting issues
Final budget & finance reconciliation process for all production expenses

Deer Park @ 2025 Capital One All-Star Village

Client: Primo Brands

2025

Key skills

Convention & tradeshow

Custom fabrication

The Challenge: as the official water sponsor of the MLB All-Star Week in Atlanta, GA, Deer Park had its brand throughout the city. when it came to their presence inside the All-star village, the famous water brand wanted to integrate their colors into a baseball themed activation which would pit the National League against the American league.

The Solve: the result was a 20x12 concessions stand which integrated a local snow cone vendor and allowed guests to press a baseball-diamond shaped button to cast their vote for the NL or the AL. Lucky guests who triggered an eye-catching light received a free clear tote and MLB stress ball.

My responsibilities included:

Working with creative team and fabrication partner to bring meticulous vision to life (from color swatches to electronic integration)
Management of all production documents including the workback schedule, run of show, shipping & logistics manifests
Working with exhibition company to secure carpet/drayage/electrical/cleaning and other exhibitor services
Final budget & finance reconciliation process

Invesco QQQ at Final Four

Client: Invesco

2024

The Challenge: For the 2024 Men’s and Women’s Final Four in Phoenix and Columbus, 160over90 worked with Invesco to create an immersive basketball experience that would let guests feel what it’s like to step onto the court and against the clock in the final Seconds of a game.

THE SOLVE: The ask came at the end of February, leaving just one month to build two footprints for the different locations. Working with a digital vendor, i worked to integrate their (3) challenges (a buzzer beater, a hot hands and clutch free throw) into a cube composed of (3) floor to ceiling LED walls running 15' H and with specific motion capture testing requiring rigged cameras for floor mapping, this was an incredibly tech-forward activation requiring coordination between all elements from start to finish.

My responsibilities included:

Working with creative, AV and fabrication partner on (2) builds simultaneously (one indoor, one outdoor)
Planning for (2) separate events in different cities (Phoenix, Columbus) and collaboration with both exhibiting companies on load-in & load-Out Planning, Security protocols, carpet/turf protection, drayage, electrical and IT needs
Management of all production documents including the workback schedule, client-facing master event docs, including run of show, shipping & logistics manifests, budget trackers and more
Managing brand ambassadors
On-site run of show management and troubleshooting issues
Final budget & finance reconciliation process

Link: https://www.groovejones.com/invesco-qqq-ai-ncaa-final-four-experience

Key skills

Vendor Management

Convention & tradeshow

Custom fabrication

Ace Academy

Client: USAA

2020-2024

Key skills

Venue Coordination

Mobile Tour Fabrication and management

The Challenge: USAA requested a mobile USAA tasked 160over90's team with designing a mobile trailer to travel to air shows around the country and offer guests the chance to feel what it’s like to fly an F/A 18 hornet. After months of planning during the downtime of covid-19, we re-enterned the Experiential sphere with Ace Academy, a 53' trailer outfitted with (8) state of the art flight simualtors with joystick, throttle, foot pedals and actuators. USAA asked for “pre-flight” instructional videos and themed premiums.

The Purpose: To give airshow guests a cultivated, unforgettable, as-close-to-authentic experience as possible with the chance to test their mettle and prove if they were “no Go” fliers or “Ace” pilots. Ace was designed to be a Disney-like experience, with guests allowed inside 8 at a time, then directed to and guided through instructions by staff stations at each simulator before engaging in a 4-minute simulation which included flying through rings and shooting down enemy drones. The ultimate metric wasn’t the number of bodies in seats but rather the experience itself.

My responsibilities included:

Overseeing all aspects of custom fabrication, from inception to build delivery during covid-19 pandemic
Building a sanitation and safety procedure when the trailer first deployed for activation in 2021
Management of all production documents including the workback schedule for all stops, client-facing master event docs, staffing & travel plans, shipping & logistics manifests, budget trackers and more
Managing & leading drivers, contract staff & brand ambassadors
Coordination of load lists, support box truck rental and load
Collaboration with venues on load-in & load-Out Planning, Security protocols for military bases
On-site run of show management and troubleshooting issues with fabrication partner and virtual reality company
Final budget & finance reconciliation process

Memorial Day Poppy Wall of Honor

Client: USAA

2019, 2021-2024

Key skills

Vendor Management

On-Site Build

Permitting/Parks Coordination

The Challenge:

Erected every Memorial Day alongside the Reflection Pool on the National Mall, the Poppy Wall of Honor is a 250 ft. long, temporary exhibit to remember the more than 600,000 lives lost in armed combat since the First World War. Considered one of USAA’s most public-facing events, the Poppy Wall requires a dedicated production team and a trusted fabrication partner to bring it all to life within the National Park’s strict 72-hour event window and security guidelines.

The Purpose:

The Poppy Wall presents guests to the National Mall with the story of the Poppy as a symbol of remembrance, beginning with John McCrae’s famous poem and charting the loss of life across the two world wars, Korea, Vietnam and the Middle East. A somber display of 600,000 poppies encased behind acrylic helps guests visualize the sheer number of soldiers who gave the greatest sacrifice.

My responsibilities included:

Working closely with fabrication vendor on annual build updates, changes to creative assets, site visits to DC and progress visits with client and National Parks Department prior to activation
Working with digital/AV vendors for annual plus-ups to the Wall build
Management of all production documents including load list, workback schedule, master event documents, staffing and travel plans, printing of USAA employee badges and staff uniforms
Close collaboration with National Parks Department and Park Police on turf protection and security protocols
Securing first aid services, production tents, heavy equipment and facilities rental and coordinating delivery and pick-up
Up to 36 hr. on-site coordination of move-in/load-in, build and client walkthrough prior to open
Load-out and post-event recap and inventory
Final budget and reconciliation post-event

Affinity Conventions

Client: USAA

2021-2024

Key skills

Convention & tradeshow

Custom fabrication

The Challenge:

USAA’s affinity team requested a 30x50 portable activation build to utilize year-over-year during two large annual CONVENTIONs: the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention and the American Legion Convention.

The Purpose:

To bolster employee-to-member face-to-face interaction utilizing booth elements including six private meeting spaces, a soft seating lounge area, and a centrally-located welcome counter with themed giveaways. These activation areas received a creative refresh each year.

My responsibilities included:

Overseeing all aspects of custom fabrication, from INCEPTION to build delivery
Management of all production documents including the workback schedule, client-facing master event docs, staffing & travel plans, shipping & logistics manifests, budget trackers and more
Managing & leading contract staff, union labor, brand ambassadors & vendors
Collaboration with convention leadership to ensure booth build approval, drayage & labor production needs, Load-in & load-out planning, advanced shipping coordination and more
7-day on-site run of show management & troubleshooting issues
Final budget & finance reconciliation process

Salute to Service Lounge at SBX

Client: USAA

2019-2020; 2022-2024

Key skills

Convention & tradeshow

Custom fabrication

The Challenge: USAA wanted to create a curated meet and greet event for military members at the super bowl experience.

The Solve: The salute to service lounge became a returning activation at SBX. a 2-day NFL talent meet and greet, with furniture, complimentary snacks and USAA-branded pennants for players and coaches to sign during autograph sessions, the STS Lounge only got better each year, with elevated branding raising the bar as the Super bowl moved city to city. in the past two years, the STS Lounge has moved from from a ballroom into the main convention hall, requiring the rental and rigging of truss and heavy drape to curtain off a “sound-resistant” room out of thin air.

My responsibilities included:

Working with creative and fabrication partner on all aspects of interior branding, from SEG walls to digital content on LED screens
Management of all production documents including the workback schedule, client-facing master event docs, including run of show for AV/Emcee/Talent, staffing & travel plans, shipping & logistics manifests, budget trackers and more
Working with digital ROI vendor (eshots) for event registration and post-event communication
Managing brand ambassadors
Collaboration with SBX exhibiting company on load-in & load-Out Planning, Security protocols, carpet, drayage, electrical and IT needs
On-site run of show management and troubleshooting issues
Final budget & finance reconciliation process

T-FAV

Client: USAA

2021-2024

The Challenge:

After many years of 10x20 tented concourse activations, USAA wanted a new and exciting way to show up at academy football games to celebrate the Army, Air Force and Navy in the lead-up to the annual army-Navy game.

The Solve:

We located a decommissioned but drivable 1985 5-ton military cargo truck in the wilds of Wisconsin and had it shipped to our fabricator in North Carolina, where over the course of a summer it was revamped, rejigged, outfitted with truss, outdoor LED screen, 12-barrel CO2-powered t-shirt cannon and branded canopy, and painted from front to back. Staged outside the GATES OF each academy stadium, the T-FAV became a USAA mainstay, allowing excited fans to engage with football-themed activations, including QB Qualification courses and field goal kick challenges. to bolster fan excitement, USAA executives sat on the hood of the truck to fire off rolled t-shirts to the crowd.

My responsibilities included:

Travel to Wisconsin to help procure the cargo truck and oversee transport to fabricator as well as all aspects of custom fabrication, along with progress visits
Management of all production documents including the workback schedule for all academy football stops, client-facing master event docs, staffing & travel plans, shipping & logistics manifests, budget trackers and more
Managing & leading drivers, contract staff & brand ambassadors
Coordination of load lists, support box truck rental and load
Collaboration with military academy sports departments on load-in & load-Out Planning, Security protocols
On-site run of show management and troubleshooting issues
Final budget & finance reconciliation process

Key skills

Venue Coordination

Mobile Tour Fabrication and management

Fort Innovate

Client: USAA

2021-2022

Key skills

Venue Coordination

Mobile Tour Fabrication and management

The Challenge: To celebrate its 100th anniversary, USAA tasked 160 with building a mobile exhibit that might travel the country and teach the next generation of members about the important innovations made possible by USAA and the military.

The Solve: Our solution was fort Innovate, a 53' trailer themed and outfitted with kid-friendly touchpoints. Working heavily with the 160 digital team and our fabrication partner, we staged seven stations: night vision, virtual reality goggles, drone control, a tap to learn history board, silly putty, walkie Talkie Stations and trivia. Fort Innovate traveled to several Children’s museums across the country over the summer of 2022, from Phoenix to Chicago to San Antonio to the dock of the intrepid in New York City and back west again, and saw extremely high throughput on weekend activation days.

My responsibilities included:

Working with creative, Digital Teams and fabrication partner on all aspects of custom fabrication, along with progress visits
Management of all production documents including the workback schedule for museum stops, client-facing master event docs, staffing & travel plans, shipping & logistics manifests, budget trackers and more
Managing & leading driver & brand ambassadors for each market
Collaboration with museums on load-in & load-Out Planning, Security protocols
On-site run of show management and troubleshooting issues
Final budget & finance reconciliation process