Objective
After a few months of working remotely due to the pandemic, a customer reached out to organize a live event as soon as local restrictions would allow it. Their sales team had been apart for too long. The customer wanted to plan a 1-day internal sales conference to present new products, turnover, and upcoming plans.
With 100 sales employees to re-engage and new products to put in the spotlight, the event also needed a solid visual identity and an engaging end-to-end communications plan.
Challenge
With few signs of live events becoming a possibility, CWT convinced the client that going virtual would be the best and safest choice. After agreeing, the client asked to keep costs down while having all nine speakers present live from a central location. They also requested support and best practices to avoid risks of Covid-19 infections.
We selected this event as the first to receive a new ISO certification for both pandemic risk management and sustainable event management: ISO 20121. On top of designing and managing the event itself, our teams had to drive all safety protocols while reducing the project’s sustainable impact to receive the certification.
Solution
With the triple objective of designing a successful event, reducing its environmental impact, and managing all safety protocols, our event planners got started by acting as the main point of contact between the client, speakers, and all the suppliers.
After specific site inspections in potential locations around the region, we quickly identified the client’s headquarters as the safest and most sustainable location to host nine speakers by avoiding the transfers of many across long distances.
Our event designers brainstormed with the client to better understand their goals, attendees, and expectations. It became clear that to reach the client’s objectives, the event needed to stay on the “serious” side with sessions on products and business strategy. It also required a good balance of entertainment and positivity with attendees being apart for so long. We created a future-oriented creative event theme that became the basis for all communications, including digital visuals and presentations. We also put together a care package, fully branded with the event theme, to send to each attendee containing locally sourced gifts and a creative cocktail kit.
To comply with local Covid regulations and receive the certification, our teams reviewed the protocols of every supplier, as well as the client’s ones. We set up new forms and approvals, on-site protocols to limit the risks of infections such as social distancing, individual microphones, and micro-bubbles to avoid mixing different groups.
Results
Protocols were respected at all times: speakers kept fixed distances on set, with never more than three at once on stage; sanitation procedures were followed; our staff and director stayed in separate rooms, and bubbles didn’t mix. No infections were reported.
All requirements were met to receive the official Covid-compatible and sustainable event accreditation – a first for the client and CWT!
Speakers and attendees reported excellent communications and coordination. They gave highly positive feedback, mentioning that the digital format did allow them to reach their objectives.
Quick facts
- Received a novel certification: ISO 20121 for pandemic risk management and sustainable events
- No infections were reported
- 45% cost saving by going virtual
“Congratulations on the fantastic organization of this UNIQUE EVENT”
“Thanks to everyone and congrats for the excellent organization!”
“Virtual applause”