Professional Event Production Case Study

Luxury Custom Event Fans in Orlando: Inside the PRA x MARITZ Project

Some of the most interesting production projects never involve a client walking through the door. This one started with PRA, a professional event and activation management team handling a project for MARITZ at Conrad Orlando at Evermore — and it ended with a matched set of personalized, DTF-decorated clack fans and velvet cases.

Here's how that project actually came together, including a decoration-method pivot that changed the production plan along the way.

A DMC-Managed Activation for a High-End Orlando Event

To be clear about how this project was structured: MARITZ was the end client with an event requirement, PRA managed the activation and the client relationship, and iHeartCustoms supported that work as the local Orlando production partner. iHeartCustoms was not hired directly by MARITZ or by Conrad Orlando, and is not affiliated with Conrad Orlando or Evermore. PRA owned the experience; iHeartCustoms helped execute the physical branded production behind it.

How the PRA Relationship Began

iHeartCustoms joined Visit Orlando in July 2026, and PRA was one of the first significant professional connections that came out of that ecosystem. The relationship moved from an initial introduction through onboarding and into this real production project — a useful reminder that local professional networks can lead directly to production work, even if that's not the focus of this story.

From Accordion Fan Concept to Clack Fan

The original project concept centered on an accordion-style fan. As project discussions between PRA and the client continued, and as iHeartCustoms was completing PRA onboarding at the same time, the combined timeline compressed the available production path. Given the evolving project requirements, the accordion-style concept was no longer the practical production path, and the project pivoted to clack fans instead.

Testing the Decoration Method: Sublimation vs. DTF

The initial plan was to decorate the polyester clack fan material using sublimation. Before committing to a full production run, iHeartCustoms physically tested DTF on the same product. For this specific fan, material, and artwork, the DTF test produced a better finished result than the sublimation test. Based on that testing, iHeartCustoms recommended DTF, produced a physical sample, and the client approved the revised production path before the run proceeded.

This isn't a claim that DTF beats sublimation in general — it's a documented example of why testing the actual product matters. We go deeper into that comparison in our DTF vs. sublimation case study.

The Finished Merchandise Program

• Custom polyester clack fans — decorated using DTF after physical testing.
• Custom UV DTF impressions — personalized details applied to the front fan ribs.
• Custom velvet bags — decorated and personalized with DTF, matched individually to each fan.
• Artwork assistance — production-ready artwork coordination provided by iHeartCustoms.
• Local delivery and final quality control — completed by iHeartCustoms.

The velvet bags were part of building a more polished, premium presentation suited to the high-end event environment — not a requirement specified by the venue. Each personalized fan was carefully matched to its corresponding personalized bag before delivery.

Delivery, Quality Control, and PRA's Reaction

iHeartCustoms completed final quality control on the matched fans and bags before delivering the finished project locally. The PRA team was very happy with the finished result.

This project is one example of a broader capability: helping professional event teams evaluate, test, personalize, and locally produce branded merchandise for premium Orlando events. If you're planning guest gifting for a similar program, see our luxury event merchandise and guest gifting guide, and if you're an agency or DMC evaluating a production partner, see what to look for in an Orlando production partner.