Meticulous planning, creative thinking, one incredible corporate summer event
Enjoying a longstanding relationship with this client, one might think that we can plan their events in our sleep. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our client rightly expects us to surpass each previous event and we continually set the bar higher for ourselves. Which is why this year’s whole company conference, for 900 employees from multiple European offices and requiring venue finding, full event management, delegate management and registration, production and design, took a full seven months to plan – from initial concept to smooth and seamless delivery on the day.
The Solution
Whilst last year’s event was replicated across four different geographic locations as part of the company’s commitment to sustainability, our client recognised the importance of bringing everyone together. As such, this informed our development of the event theme and branding, which combined connectivity and the future, transforming the venue and giving the event a unique identity.
Having first considered other venues, we knew that last year’s London venue would once again be an ideal setting. York Lawns is one of the capital’s most amazing outdoor venues. Set within the inner circle of Regent’s Park, it’s picturesque, spacious and has an immediate wow factor and we wanted to exploit that to the maximum, using the venue in an unexpected way and its outside space as much as possible.
Held in June, we knew there was some risk attached to this plan – especially with the weather being so unpredictable. Naturally, we had a wet weather contingency plan in place but, thankfully, it turned out to be a glorious day. Equally, we were prepared for heat, with event branded bottles of water and eco fans supplied to every delegate.
With only 45 minutes in which to register 900 delegates, we needed a super-efficient process. As part of our pre-event comms delegates received a unique QR code that could be scanned as they arrived and coloured wristbands given out. Our queueing system included a fast-track lane for those arriving with suitcases – they were then directed to one of four colour-coded cloakrooms. Tea, coffee and fruit juices were served during registration and ahead of guests being invited to take their seats for the opening presentation, which would be delivered by the CEO.
Rather than confining everyone to a conference room we took the bold decision to host the plenary sessions in the venue’s fabulous clearspan marquee, more commonly used for parties. We extended the existing marquee, working closely with the marquee supplier and installing draping throughout. Draping served three purposes: firstly, the marquee’s clear roof would have led to uncomfortably high temperatures in the event of it being a hot day; secondly, it disguised the extension; and finally, when delegates entered the marquee for the first time we were able to add a wow factor as the drapes were pulled back to reveal the incredible space that we had created within.
Inside the marquee we had installed a 15m x 3m stage with LED walls at either end. A fully branded stage set linked the screens and created an impactful backdrop for the presentations. Truss lighting, titan tubes, spark machine and smoke machines added some unexpected theatre at key moments, along with music and special effects to help drive messages.
Presentation content was highly creative. From one that was delivered in the style of a fairy tale to another that celebrated the power of every single member of staff to be a superhero (cue appearances by several Marvel superheroes!), this fun approach really helped keep the audience alert and engaged. All presentations were recorded via a camera installed at the rear of the marquee, which would enable post-event recaps and marketing.
Much of the event was designed as an expo, showcasing different areas of the business. Delegates were split into three groups, determined by the colour of their wristbands, and we had carefully planned the delegate journey to ensure everyone had a chance to fully experience each area without any bottlenecks or crowding. Our well organised event crew achieved this effortlessly and without delegates feeling that they were being herded between the various event spaces.
Train Land, a seminar featuring guest speakers and interviews, was hosted in Tuke Hall, the venue’s comfortable and well-equipped auditorium. Future Land explored the future of the business and AI and was located in the main marquee. A few adaptations to the stage set and some special production touches established a different look to the main event. On the lower lawn we had installed a stretch tent where delegates were invited to go Around the World. Here, teams from the different regions in which the business operates – Spain, Italy, France, UK and Rest of the World – showcased the latest developments. We created five zones to represent each region, featuring themed food carts – strawberries and cream, macarons, gelato, churros and hot dogs. Regional snacks were also provided – French madeleines, Spanish crisps, Italian waffles, British pub snacks and some very special Chinese fortune cookies. Rather than containing fortune messages, they held challenges that encouraged interaction with colleagues. And just to keep delegates’ on their toes, there was a quiz to complete as they went from zone to zone, testing what they had learnt.
As the expo drew to an end, everyone was brought back together to enjoy a drinks reception before returning to the marquee for the company’s awards ceremony. With business wrapped up, it was time to get into a party mood. As evening fell, the venue was magically transformed. Wash lights added a colourful glow to the trees and bushes and festoon lanterns decorated the lawns. June is Pride Awareness Month, so the marquee was given a Pride theme, with rainbow colours transforming the bar area, rainbow bunting and even rainbow paper straws for drinks. The lighting design changed to create a club atmosphere and a large DJ booth was set up on the stage – not only did our DJ put on a great set, two of the delegates decided to jump on the decks and this added an amazing vibe that no one could have predicted! Other entertainment was available in the stretch tent where guests could have fun playing arcade games such as air hockey and Batak. A 360° video booth and selfie photo booth were also popular and produced lots of fun images for guests to keep. And a great variety of garden games set out on the lawns allowed for some friendly competition amongst guests.
Three further bars were opened around the venue, serving a range of cocktails, mocktails, wine, beer, spirits and soft drinks. Catering for so many guests was easily solved with a sumptuous barbecue served over two sittings, followed by nitrogen ice cream and candy floss.
With so many delegates travelling from other countries, part of our remit was to source local accommodation, manage all bookings and take care of rooming lists. This meant that no one had to worry about anything other than collecting their belongings at the end of the night.
