Crossover Rockstars: Inese Lukaševska

Inese_INTERVIEWS-Conventa-Crossover-STORYTELLERS

MEET THE ROCKSTARS OF CONVENTA CROSSOVER 2021

Every year, Conventa Crossover invites world-renowned meeting planners, marketers, entrepreneurs, and creatives to share their knowledge in Ljubljana, Slovenia. This year won’t be any different – inspiring individuals who have helped co-create and transform the meetings industry will come together from 26 to 27 August 2021. At the same time, we will be opening the stage to a new generation of young and talented meeting planners and marketers. You will learn from keynote speakers who have successfully transformed their events and are recognized as the pioneers of our new reality.

Joining the 6th Conventa Crossover conference is Inese Lukaševska, founder and leader of agency “Luka” – specialized in corporate, cultural, and art sectors. Before you meet her at Conventa Crossover 2021, we wanted to hear her thoughts on the future of the meetings industry and see what surprises she has in store for us.

Interview with Inese Lukaševska

Q: What do you think about the theme of this year’s Crossover – The Meetings Industry AC/BC (After Corona/Before Corona)?

The events have experienced and continue to experience a drastic hit. Even though many things can be done virtually, many people believe that there’s nothing quite like a face-to-face meeting.

The bad news is that the times have changed and unfortunately this online or hybrid event format is going to be our daily routine, and I would even say an integral part of every day in the future regardless of the situation around the world.

So, how to change, grow and acquire new knowledge and implement it in practice? How to be flexible, goal-oriented with a focus on sustainability? How to place the content and provide an attractive experience over the form? How to see things in a broader spectrum and to create projects with different industries combined, not only the event industry alone?

These are just some of the topics that will be on the agenda for a long time. It is great if we have an event where we can exchange experiences, views and work together to take a step towards industrial renewal.

Q: What is your forecast for the meetings industry in the coming year (2022) and beyond?

“People have developed a thirst for real, authentic content”

Unfortunately, or fortunately for some, all things virtual are here to stay. A different question is how and why they will be used. Some will use it as a personal goal by believing that this is the trend of the moment or as a tool to save up on budget. But others will use it because it is the most appropriate form of designing an idea and achieving the strategic goal.

At the same time, the question of authenticity becomes more and more topical. The period of Covid proved that people are striving for authenticity more and more with each day. For real, not artificial environment. For real not artificial communication. Real feelings not emoji symbols. People have developed a thirst for real, authentic content, which causes a storm of emotions in them, which becomes an occasion in their lives, which makes them realise the importance of the moment and the value of the gained experience. Therefore, the viewer will be more demanding and will require a content, which makes them experience something authentic, real, genuine, where it can truly believe in every utterance, where it can feel in sync with nature, environment and itself, where it does not have to consume fake content and does not have to lie to itself. Where everyone can be themselves.

At the same time, this desire for authenticity will not mean striving for simplicity. Actually, it is the other way round. Unconventional, new solutions, convergence of industries, even scientific experiments all will play increasing role in creation of authenticity and relative simplicity. Representatives of different industries, even from relatively distant from the event industry, will have to collaborate in order to find new forms of addressing audience, an innovative way of content manifestation, which will not only let the event industry reveal itself from an unexpected viewpoint, but also provide opportunities for development and collaboration to people from different sectors.

My agency has been implementing such solutions in event realisation for several years already. This means thousands of experimentation hours. At the beginning, when we started this journey we were looked at as freaks, now many consider it as a must have trend, which is actually just at its starting stage.

Q: How do you envision agility and innovation in overcoming the corona crisis? Can you share some examples of best practices?

At the end of the last year we won BEA World contest in both nominations. What is more, those were not large calibre culture events but internal communication low budget events.

Although, the competition was fierce, an unconventional idea, very brave solutions and an innovative outlook on the event creation process as such helped us to win. For example, if we usually enjoy the end result of an organised event, no matter if that is a concert or a play, then this time I decided to reveal the event creation process from the moving in in an empty or untidy venue, the event structure, the development of the scenario up to the very realisation. We built the whole event in front of the audience!!! Even the stage, lighting, decorations and the viewers – we involved them in to the creation by turning them into the organizers of the event. A decision to build an event in front of audience in just 40 minutes was an absolute madness. Even more so because the viewers in definite roles had to take part in the making of the event, and this directly could affect the result.

Each episode was created like a movie scene, directed and filmed, and when the director felt satisfied with the scene, everybody heard the word – cut! The event venue was transformed three times each time when the mood, a particular filming episode and event scenario changed. The guests were led through levels of emotions – shock, chaos and euphoria.

I have also started to collaborate with Germany, USA and other countries. At the moment, we are working on a very interesting project where a virtual gallery and an art exhibition will be made with a view on a process of creation from a perspective of different culture personalities. The viewer will have the opportunity to compare the way a composer, director or painter sees the world. Taking into account that this project is still in the making, I do not want to reveal the details, but I can say that a project like this has never been created and to create a contemporary art exhibition like this a scientific research was carried out. In the result, a photo camera system was created to make the material necessary for the exhibition.

A creative and unconventional idea as well as experiments with shape is a fundament of all our projects. But these experiments carried out by the representatives of different sectors is not some sort of personal goal, but an absolute necessity so that we could divulge the idea and bring it to the viewer. But that is not all. The fact that we not only create but also realize these ideas is a proof of our courage. Courage to take risk. Courage to not be afraid to present them to the viewers. Courage to stay true to ourselves and our vision. Therefore, as much as I would like to talk about creativity, primarily, we have to talk about courage. Because there is no sense in sitting in dungeon believing that you are a Picasso, if you have no courage to exhibit your work for the assessment of audience.

Q: How would you comment on the following statement? “Coronacrisis has shown the need to organise events that are responsible to the environment, the participants and the community as a whole”

“Implementation of sustainable events takes human, financial and time resources”

The question of sustainability is not new anymore. A different question though is how this sustainability is understood and what is the aim of using it. Because unfortunately, people often do not have the depth and understanding of what and why they do it, who they do it for and what is it that they want to say.

When we create and implement any solutions in the architecture of our events, we make this question a priority – SO WHAT will change if we add or on the contrary take out any of solutions, what is it that we want to say, what impact will it leave and whether it is the right way to express the idea. And only then if we get the positive answer to all of our questions we include the particular solution in to the concept of the event or programme. If the answer is negative or just maybe, or we can also do without it – we search for new ideas.

Implementation of sustainable events, without doubt, is a continuous and thorough work, which takes human, financial and time resources. But primarily – understanding. What is the goal of it, because sustainability with the recognition of your responsibility as a foundation, is one of the self-evident company development preconditions, and not a tag to hang on corporate sites.

Q: What will you surprise us with at this year’s event?

My view on event creation, on what we want to express with our works, my personal experience and my life’s journey have let me achieve 9 victories in all world’s biggest contests. We have won in art and culture categories as well as in internal and unconventional, innovative idea sector.

During my speech, I will tell my personal, very emotional and at the same time harsh but also beautiful story about my journey to the top of the world, which I begun in the moment when I felt my professional life had been destroyed. I hope that this story will serve as an inspiration to everyone working in this industry and to never give up no matter what the other say or do. A person can do anything and only the sky is the limit. Of course, if only our desire to win is stronger than our fear to lose.

About Inese

Inese is the founder and leader of agency “Luka” – specialized in corporate, cultural, and art sectors. She loves to integrate unconventional ideas and “out of the box” solutions in her events, turning the events into special occasions, where a special role is assigned to design communication. Her agency has won 9 awards in the biggest event industry competitions since 2019 in art and culture, as well as, internal communication categories. She is the winner of BEA World 2020, German Design Award 2020, Eventex 2019 and others.

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THE FESTIVAL OF EVENTS AND LIVE MARKETING

The Conventa Crossover conference, intended for event planners, creatives, marketing experts and all those involved in the MICE business in the New Europe region, will be carried out as a hybrid event this year. This means that you can choose to attend the event LIVE or ONLINE. Click the link below to register!

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Bynet Friends

Basic Event Information

Date: 15 and 16 September 2020
Location: Tel Aviv, Israel
Organiser: Eldan Productions
Client: Bynet

EVENT CATEGORY: B2B
EVENT SUBCATEGORY: Best Corporate Convention / B2B
EVENT FORMAT: HYBRID

Event description and key objectives

The event was held for two days. The first day was an event for the company’s employees and a day later was held for the company’s customers. The goals were clear: to provide a respite from the situation outside (covid-19), to provide a job for the entertainment industry that sat at home, and to market the company in the best way in between lockdowns from Covid-19.

Key challenges

The challenges of course were Covid-19 and its constantly changing procedures protocols from the government. The event dates, lockdowns, facial masks, hand sanitizers, health check stands, number and age of participants, check in and tickets and of course capsules. All of those had a new protocol and were changing by the minute.

Creativity

Pre-event required us to think outside the box regarding the invitation and registration process. We also had to invent a new method of dividing the guests arrival to the venue. Furthermore, because of the restrictions we had to distribute food and beverages in a whole new way – reusable boxes.

Innovation

The way we invited the guests to the events, how we communicated the event, monitoring and distributing, the entrances to the event and live performances of artists on stage was brand new and needed a brand new look on things.

Execution

Maintaining social distancing among all guests and workers by obeying the Covid-19 laws, without damaging the event itself.
Capsule crowd distribution.
Managing extra entrances to the venue with pre-registration tickets including sorting the crowd to recovered / vaccinated participants, by time of arrival, facial mask and hand sanitizer.
Stage line up and stage preparations.
Staff guidance and instructions to work as a Covid-19 supervisor.
Cleaning and purifying artists equipment in between line up.

Measurable results

First result was immediate: after the event took place, the event industry in Israel learned it as a case study when it comes to crowed management in Covid 19 situation.
Total amount of attendee who registered and came to the events.
The fact we got the clearance from the government and law officials to hold the events.
The way the crowd enter the venue without any delays and still holding social distancing.
And of course the good feedback we got from the client and suppliers.

Communication

Save the date, event website, WhatsApp messaging and instructions, barcode ticking (no-touch method) and all according to Covid-19 new protocols.

The use of sustainable practices

We used perishables for the food and beverages distribution Designed and packaged with environmentally preferable materials.

Huawei Eco-Connect Poland 2020

Basic Event Information

Date: 24.11.2020
Location: Poland, Warsaw, Hotel Hilton (at Grzybowska street)
Organiser: Bespoke Sp. z o.o., Poland
Client: Huawei Poland (Huawei Enterprise department)

EVENT CATEGORY: B2B
EVENT SUBCATEGORY: Best Corporate Convention / B2B
EVENT FORMAT: DIGITAL

Event description and key objectives

This project was the most important Huawei Enterprise event in Poland in 2020. It was made online and was addressed to four groups:

1. Partners,
2. IT companies,
3. The Media
4. New Customers.

In addition to promoting services and new business, it was also a summary of Huawei’s 16 years in Poland in 3 fields:

1. Intelligent technologies
2. Social campaigns and sustainable business
3. Scientific cooperation with tech-universities.

The event was carried out online in 4 thematic categories and on 4 scenes simultaneously. Substantive business message was based on experiencing Huawei’s in four areas:

1. Cloud and Artificial Intelligence
2. Network Solutions
3. Solar Inverter (innovative idea of green energy)
4. Partner Ecosystem + LIVE with showroom

It was accompanied by a media campaign and 360 ° communication media service from the agency. In recognition of the cooperation so far, we were given a chance to actively co-create the assumptions of the project. And with big opportunities, big things happen…

Key challenges

Key priorities for Huawei (client)

1. Promoting products by experiencing their innovations
2. Cooperating with new and acquired clients
3. Presenting the brand as a global and socially responsible IT leader
4. Reaching Huawei’s KPI (listed further and shown on the video)

Main challenges for Bespoke (agency)

1. Organizing an online event that will be better than traditional F2F form
2. Creatively turning pandemic restrictions and digital participation to the positive benefit of the brand (“use technology to reach participants better and match their business needs”)
3. High and long participant’s participation in the content (common problem for this kind of online meetings)

1. Eco-Connect Poland 2020 challenge no. 1 – promotion of Huawei innovations
– experience of Huawei solutions in 4 thematic areas through a creative and tailored concept – 4 online rooms in 30 lecture scenes.

2. Eco-Connect Poland 2020 challenge no. 2 – promotion of the global brand idea
– summary of Huawei’s 16 years in Poland

3. Eco-Connect Poland 2020 challenge no. 3 – promotion of responsible business
– promotion through social commitment and scientific dedication (including: supporting polish local innovations, fighting cybercrime, equipping tech-universities)

Creativity

“Hello Intelligent Poland” (a creative concept for Eco-Connect Poland 2020)

a. it was developed on the theme of a window through which we can see the innovative, intelligent and socially engaging future created by Huawei.

b. the symbol of the “windows of the future” were based on four LED squares placed in a spatial arrangement. These figures indicated 4 thematic rooms at the same time.

c. the rooms were distinguished by animations and the lectures by transmission boards – both of these elements made the participants familiar with the services and ideas of the brand through the image

d. we showed how Huawei supports society (concept for showing educational activities, storytelling narrative about the fight against social and technological exclusions, supporting science – the Seeds For The Future project)

Was this idea relevant for the target group?

the targeted group were IT specialists and tech-innovators – a very specific group. For them the greatest benefit of participating in such events, is deepening their know-how, gaining new knowledge and learning about trends. This drives their business and therefore their collaboration with Huawei.
our solutions were designed to meet the above-mentioned expectations. And as it turned out it was the way to success. Huawei’s KPIs were exceeded and attendees rated this online conference even higher than traditional F2F conferences!

Innovation

Advanced F2F-style interactions carried out online:

“…and The Winner Is”
– 2 storytelling games / we based our script on Huawei’s values

“Eco-Energizer Activites”
– highly active and physically engaging breaks during show – form of competitions

“Know Your Know-How”
– 8 quizzes for the common part (all participants) and for each room (profiled participants)
– it was an integral part of the website (easy participation without leaving the page)

Stay in Focus techniques
– soft and material awards for pro-active participants based on interaction with speakers

Deep Immersion
– dozens of advanced animations supporting deep concentration
– waving LED screens that stimulate participants activity

Advanced Communication
– efficient activities (a) before, (b) during and (c) after the event: mailings, chat, helpline
– a most important: profiling forms for creating the best business message (“you get exactly what you want and need – for you and your business”)

Web page
– function assigning participants to the room according to interest (profiling forms)
– demo zone
– videos with Huawei solutions tests recorded in the Warsaw POC Lab
– automated calendar of individual meetings with a speaker or engineer
– creating a collection of emoticons for SMS and Social Media

What was the involvement of the group?
– Every solution mentioned above worked better than we expected. We exceeded Huawei KPI and participants expectations.

Execution

In general: the event was carried out online in 4 thematic categories (Cloud and AI / Network Solutions / Solar Inverter – green energy / Partner Ecosystem) and on 4 scenes simultaneously:

Additional ideas we carried out during show:

Laboratory zone
– a special space for testing Huawei servers, where participants could learn about the full-mesh operation in Dorado V6 and the active-active cluster
– participants could arrange tests in the Huawei laboratory

Expert Zone
– LIVE chat with specialists and innovators
– creating a virtual expert space, which made it possible to arrange an individual meeting with the speakers (innovative functionality on the website)

360 ° event service and creation
– responsibility for the event campaign (PR / Media / Socials)
– selection of the target group – potential and current contractors and partners.
– promotion of the event and increasing the registration of the selected group.

Others:
– dynamic gala and awarding of statuettes to the distinguished partners
– precise survey for new and regular partners (support for Huawei sales department)
– delivery of gifts in real time of the event (product promotion)

Measurable results

Huawei KPI
– Registered participants: 800
– Online participants 50% of registered participants
– Participation in the broadcast 50% of participants for a minimum of 3 hours

Eco-Connect Effect
– 1227 (registered participants)
– 62% (online participants)
– 85% / 5h

Huawei Eco-Connect in numbers:
4 themed rooms, 4 sets, 4 separate studios, 4 graphic contents (a series of animations opening meetings)
30 lectures (recorded and live)
150 m² of space for speakers, 180 m² of LED screens
100 lighting points
19 hours of recording (gala, remote connections, lectures)
24 presenters from many countries, 6 partner companies and 3 external institutions.
17 awards for partners and distributors (gala)

Success on a European scale – our polish event as a reference point
– according to managers in the central and regional office, the polish edition of Huawei Eco-Connect 2020 was indicated as one of the two best Huawei events in Central and Eastern Europe and the Nordic countries.

Achieving goals
– the 360 ° promotion had great effect: increasing the reach, acquiring new customers and strengthening relations with existing partners.
– in the opinion of the client and participants, we managed to visually and qualitatively beat the formula of pre-pandemic F2F events. Journalists emphasized that the online presentation of services has duly replaced the F2F versions

Communication

A communication enhancing the main message of Huawei:
– the setting of the event started a new era in brand communication; Huawei has become a symbol of modernity, exceptional design and unique technological solutions.
– the creation of the event created a coherent story with the elements of Story Telling embedded in the animations and the message of the speakers
– specialized interaction during and after the event based on expanding knowledge and competences
– rewarding loyalty – summary of cooperation with partners and award gala
– media promotion – 360 ° communication

What aspect of our event opened a new chapter in organisation of business online events?
– knowledge mixing – we arranged cross-meetings of participants in separate rooms (not available before on such an event)
– individual consultations with best Huawei specialists (not available before on such an event)
– interactive and automated www platform functions
– strengthening the relationship with entertainment based on deepening know-how
– engaging participans (giving them “Huawei experience”) despite online participation
– profiled participants got the knowledge of new Huawei services in an inspiring way,
– exceeding the expected participation, activity and listening to the entire event

The use of sustainable practices

Unprecedented sanitary protection
– individual sanitary packages / continuous disinfection / temperature control / catering in special containers / statements / replacement of masks every 2-3 hours
– the technical teams and medical care were also provided with the sanitary protection
– we made this online event during red zone restrictions
– our experience has become the basis for solutions promoted in the industry

Symbolic zerowaste
– the foyer and reception area were built from recycled Huawei stands

Spectacular feedback from participants, the customers and the Huawei Management Board
– “Spectacular Organization, despite remote conditions. Congratulations! High level of competence, transmission, subject matter. It was definitely worth getting to know more about Huawei’s solutions!”

Communicating serious illnesses: A series of content marketing events

zavarovalnica-triglav-dogodek-triglav-lab

Basic Event Information

Date: April 22, May 11 and May 27 2021
Location: Triglav Lab (Ljubljana, Slovenia)
Organiser: Zavarovalnica Triglav in cooperation with Triglav Lab and PM, poslovni mediji
Client: Zavarovalnica Triglav

EVENT CATEGORY: B2C
EVENT SUBCATEGORY: Best Brand Activation / B2C
EVENT FORMAT: HYBRID

Event description and key objectives

Since 2018, we have been creating integrated life insurance communications with Zavarovalnica Triglav, Slovenia’s leading insurance company. Last year, Triglav revamped and upgraded its Additional serious illness insurance.

A campaign was set up to create awareness and provide information about serious illnesses followed by presenting the insurance product and helping our audience get in touch with the company. By providing relevant content, our aim was to encourage relevant target groups to perceive the need for financial protection for themselves and their loved ones in case they become seriously ill, and to consider taking out additional insurance for serious illnesses.

Since the topic is a challenging one, we chose a format of three live “covid-19-time approved” events with conversations focusing on topics such as heart attacks, strokes, depression and burnout. By following principles of quality content marketing, our main goal was to provide added value, verified information and authentic first-person testimonials to Triglav’s potential customers.

Experts (renowned doctors, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, physiotherapists, insurance experts) and recognizable public figures (who had encountered serious illnesses and were willing to speak publicly about the topic) were invited. For each event, a detailed scenario based on live digital event specifics, required dramaturgy and duration, was prepared with space reserved to answer audience questions.

Key challenges

Most people are reluctant to talk about serious illnesses, which are perceived as “something only happening to older generations” by the younger and healthy active population. A large proportion of individuals in this segment simply rejects the possibility of encountering a serious illness and do not carry adequate insurance. Subsequently, if they do get seriously ill, they are likely to be exposed to major financial consequences (therapies, treatments, incapacity for work, etc.). The key challenge for us was to encourage the public to realize the importance of the topic. What would it take for us to position an insurance company as a relevant source of information in discussions focusing on the uncomfortable but important topic of getting ill?

During the preparation phase, another challenge, of finding a proper communication channel, arose. We could not hold a round table or a live seminar with people in attendance due to the covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, we developed the concept of “hybrid events”: we preserved the element of authentic moderated live conversation between speakers seated on the same (physical) stage, included others remotely, added questions provided by the audience and made an interactive live “package” available for viewers everywhere. Content and technical quality were the key to keeping our audience’s attention at a time when they had already grown tired of various online meetings and events due to covid-19 lockdowns.

Creativity

The concept of “public tribunes” – discussions among experts, representatives of insurance companies and the audience – was transformed into a hybrid event which would not resemble “just another lecture on Zoom”. We set ourselves the goal of maintaining two-way communication and keeping the feeling of every participant or viewer “close to us” with a well-thought-out script, an imaginative directorial approach and thorough preparation.

With our “Apart … yet together” concept, questions were asked by the audience, answered by a public figure sharing his/her story from a remote location and followed by a live discussion among the experts in the studio.

The moderator and our guests – carefully selected experts in the field of illness treatment and rehabilitation – and credible celebrities offering their first-person testimonials of fighting against a serious illness shared their intertwining stories from a studio (set-up in one of Triglav’s live event venues), homes and offices. Our audience’s input was also added to the mix.

We created a series of comprehensive online events in which, instead of a multitude of on-screen “squares” with pictures of the speakers, we maintained a sense of closeness. We preserved human images and avoided showing people with masks without endangering the participants in any way. The desired feeling of everyone being involved in the conversation and being a part of a community discussing important topics was kept intact.

Innovation

We responded to the challenges by setting up a solid communication strategy and, first and foremost, by producing content representing true value: through first-person stories, expert opinions and celebrity video testimonials we engaged the audience and led them to consider serious illnesses and their consequences, including financial ones, as possibilities which could happen to anyone. Numerous questions posted by the participants in their online registrations (the events were free to watch for anyone registering with a valid email address) indicated that the topics selected were the right ones. Some of this feedback had already been included in the event scenarios while selected questions were also answered later in the live events. Additional dynamics were added by using (pre-)recorded video interviews with patients who shared their experiences.

Technology- and execution-wise we also asked ourselves a series of new questions – and found the answers. How can we create a safe study environment, a “bubble” in which guests can speak without a mask (using special invisible plexiglass dividers, social distancing and strict safety measures to prevent infections even “backstage”)? How can we stay on schedule and include all the relevant audience feedback? How can we provide a smooth viewing experience by matching video and sound from at least three different locations without any delays (cutting-edge technology, extensive training, hours of practice before the live events)?

Execution

We conducted a series of three one-hour events. Contextually, sales funnel phases were followed. The first two events focused on serious illnesses: depression and burnout (mental illnesses on the rise in covid-19 times and of special interest to the audience according to Triglav’s web page visit statistics) and heart attacks. Insurance wasn’t mentioned directly in any way at these events, making them purely about awareness and providing info about the illnesses. It was only at the third event that we also included product-related discussions – as a logical answer to the issues described at the first events.

We included more than a dozen professional experts and witnesses, including top Slovenian medical specialists, therapists and celebrities (actors, writers, journalists, etc.). By highlighting useful content, authentic questions posted by the audience and real testimonies, we achieved the desired goal: an open, emotional conversation and reflection on illnesses.

Technically, we turned the Triglav Lab live event venue into a studio with all the recording equipment and crew. We specially adapted it to social distancing measures and used unobtrusive, nearly invisible barriers between participants. Parts of conversations recorded online were used as testimonials and incorporated into the live events.

Measurable results

More than 650 people registered for the events by providing their contact details (email). Almost 600 contacts were provided to Triglav’s sales department, of which 80% were estimated to be new leads (non-customers of Zavarovalnica Triglav). Lead processing is still ongoing. The same goes for contact database building, as recordings of events are still available on Triglav’s website to anyone willing to register.

In their qualitative responses, our participants emphasized the webinars’ professional execution, usefulness of advice and praised the way in which Triglav presented info on sensitive and important topics. They also liked having the opportunity to participate by asking questions on the application form. The number of online visitors at each webinar did not decrease during the event, meaning our viewers were satisfied with the content.

With event-related content (video trailers, follow-up articles, social media posts), we achieved more than 12,000 views on the client’s website and recorded average reading times on the page between 4 (shorter content) and 9 minutes (longer articles), again indicating users’ interest in the content provided and their willingness to devote time to a more detailed reading.

With articles published in print (native) media, we reached an additional audience with more than 30,000 magazine copies. With targeted ads on Facebook, content about serious illnesses also reached more than 30,000 users.

Communication

Each event was announced with a series of native content pieces in selected digital and offline media deemed relevant and credible. Dedicated landing pages on Triglav’s main website were launched for event live streaming registrations. These were also used for lead generation.

A follow-up in the form of additional content was prepared for each event, including editorial articles with event summaries and key highlights, as well as shorter CTAs for the subscribers’ channels – these were used to invite additional viewers who did not have time to watch the live events. Given the timeless nature of the topic of serious illnesses, we also plan to refresh the content for re-use of text and video in the future.

Additionally, events were communicated through Zavarovalnica Triglav newsletters and specially designed banners on the “Vse bo v redu” website (Triglav’s content hub) and on social media (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook).

A continued communication campaign with the participants is still ongoing, as well as promotion of generated content (video recording of the event) with the aim of generating even more leads among the targeted audiences and directing these contacts towards taking out new insurance policies.

The use of sustainable practices

As the events were offered online, our production process did not have a lasting impact on the environment or generate any physical waste (no print materials, e.g. leaflets, were used). What makes the content sustainable as well is the fact that recordings of the events remain available to all interested individuals providing their contact information on Zavarovalnica Triglav’s website, which enables long-term campaign goals to be met in months and even years to come: building awareness among the public and providing relevant, useful information while also enabling Triglav to generate new quality leads in the long run.

Secret Dinner

Basic Event Information

Date: July 10, 2021
Location: Sevnica Castle
Organiser: Pirana d.o.o.
Client: Visit Sevnica/KŠTM, Posavje Wineries, Merit International, Nepremagljiva.si

EVENT CATEGORY: B2C
EVENT SUBCATEGORY: Best Pop-Up Event / B2C
EVENT FORMAT: LIVE

Event description and key objectives

Secret Dinners are occasional pop-up events since 2017, for those enjoying good food and selected wines and drinks, spiced up with excitement and some secrecy without prejudice. Best Slovenian chefs, unusual locations, thematic menus and great company are the common denominators of those evenings. Menus are inspired by the chosen location and chef’s enthusiasm; rules exist mostly to be disobeyed. Only the region, chef’s name and time of the events are known, the exact location of the pop-up restaurant is revealed three hours before the dinner. Only after the guests arrive, they get to know about the dishes they are about to taste. The idea is to attract and connect a colourful bunch of attendees that share the same passion, present Slovenia’s best, and enrich our country as destination with yet another tasty and trendy reason to visit. We mostly choose locations and themes that seem a bit off, but out of the box approach brings results every time.

This time we paired up with an underrated region of Slovenia, Posavje, as it has a lot to offer – great locations, rich history, perfect food ingredients and a selection of indigenous Blue Franconian (modra frankinja) wine that has started to reach out into the world with the new generation of innovative young wineries. The goal was to present all of it to selected members of lifestyle media as well as to wider audience – random potential customers, tourists and foodies who probably never thought Posavje offers so much.

Key challenges

There were more than one challenge to overcome:

1. On first weekend of the peak tourist season – people pouring towards the seaside – it’s hard to convince people to go inwards, to a not very well known region of Slovenia.
2. Pairing a very specific wine-selections of Blue Franconian with all the plates
3. Using typical Posavje region’s ingredients on all plates
4. Telling the story of the region and the castle in a new way
5. Collaboration with inexperienced clients, unused to media communication and demands
6. Attracting all the ‘right’ media and influencers to attend or publish the event
7. Maintain the interest of the media after the event

Creativity

Since menus and locations are a well-kept secret, it is hard to cater people with special needs and dietary requests as well as do a proper location teaser. It can only be done using previous positive experience of customers and clients, as well as with a positive PR campaign. We are using our Chefs as a main teasing factor. In time, it became already known our menus are formed within a story that the location inspires and it has become expected. Although for some people it is still hard to understand that this event is not meant to be a typical restaurant with multiple menu choices, shiny toilets, ideal temperatures, comfy seats or valet service, but foremost a tasty story to remember. We manage to overcome that with a personal one-on-one approach, knowing that we are all taking some risks – guests initially not knowing what they paid for and risking that they might not like it all, and us trying to cater as most needs possible in the best way possible, making guests experiencing a great evening to remember. That’s why dinner is not just a dinner, it’s a story, preferably an unexpected one.

This one was done in a castle surroundings in a merry, very non-castly, casual setting, with a guided tour for those interested, and a surprise twist – visit of countess Mathilde after the desert, who explained her story and led our guests in the family’s tomb for a good-night prayer. That certainly made an impact.

Innovation

Events for promoting unknown locations and stories don’t need to be flashy and crowded to be well communicated and considered as successful. Secret Dinners with approx 25-45 pax attendance have that effect at all locations.

Successful wine/food/location/Chef pairing goes a long way, especially in Slovenia that is one of the best and most diverse gastronomic region in this part of Europe. We sincerely advise people with special dietary needs not to join the party since they would not have the complete experience, still, Chefs and wine brands that have been promoted/used for Secret Dinners have experienced an immediate increase of demand. A good story, professional photographer and PR also help (all participants – Chefs, guests, wineries and location owners get their pro-photos to share and publish), as well as a good execution of the event that is based more on personal, not so much technical perfection. This way guest can observe the preparation of food by Chefs in a relaxed atmosphere, sommeliers explain the wine pairing and everybody is at guests disposal for a chat, opinion or networking at a long democratic table without a seating order. At times we also provide occasional surprises or decide to give guests practical giveaways that prolong the effect of the event itself. In short- in a very impersonal and merciless world that most of guest live daily, we decided to choose an imperfect sincere and personal approach instead of perfectly technical one, for no lesser effect.

Execution

1. Choosing the date according to availability of wanted Chefs, confirming the Chefs
2. Choosing the best location and wines/winery of the region
3. Announcement of the event, opening the applications
4. Research of the locations trivia, food specialties, ingredients, stories as well as client’s wishes
5. Pairing the wines (in this case variations of the indigenous Blue Franconian/modra frankinja) with the menu, preferably with local ingredients – in Sevnica we used the’voščenka’ apples, the famous ‘krškopoljski’ pork, trouts, venison and honey.
6. Assembling and designing the menu – printing it in form of a fan – reminding the guests about the castle ladies as well as being practical for a hot summer night
7. Deciding on decorations
8. Preparing the PR approach/texts for the follow-up
9. Execution of the event
10. PR follow up
11. Measuring the effects

Measurable results

Targets:

1. To remind the audience Secret Dinners are back after the long Covid break
2. To have at least 20 guests
3. To establish Sevnica and Posavje as one of the ‘worth to visit’ locations, especially in central Slovenia
4. To establish modra frankinja/Blue Franconian wine as a trendy and interesting wine in all its variations
5. To promote Posavje wineries
6. To reach lifestyle media outside the local Posavje region

Results:

1. 22 attendees – 7 members of different media
2. 18.171 FB post reach, 1765 post engagements, 44 new followers only on ‘Skrivna večerja’ FB official page
3. IG posts and stories with a noticeable reach by Rebeka Dremelj, slovenianstravel, Hannah Mancini, Manja Stevic
4. 10 menus sold for next dinner in September (date, location and Chef still unpublished!)
5. 2 B2B custom Secret Dinners ordered for September
6. Articles published on web so far:

https://nepremagljiva.si/tako-smo-nepremagljive-uzivale-na-skrivni-vecerji/
https://kongres-magazine.eu/2021/07/secret-dinner-cultural-heritage-fused-with-top-notch-cuisine/
https://www.citylife.si/gourmet/skrivna-vecerja-v-cudovitem-ambientu-gradu-sevnica

7. Articles published in lifestyle magazines: Suzy, Lady – published in July
8. Articles to be published in August: Odprta kuhna (Nedelo), L&Z,/Lepa in Zdrava, slovenianstravel.com;
9. Happy clients!

Communication

All communication of Skrivna večerja/Secret Dinner project is personalised, sincere, open and based on previous experience. We are trying to be as personal as possible, as it is a beloved project of two ladies, Andreja Freyer and Melinda Rebrek, both known to enjoy life, travel, food and bubbles, recommending the best experience to those who share their passions. We sincerely advise people with special dietary needs not to join the party since they would not have the complete experience, but still, most of them agree even for less, just to join the experience and feel the atmosphere. Also, locations, Chefs and wine brands that have been promoted/used for Secret Dinners have experienced an immediate increase of demand. Unexpected menus, imaginative Chefs, new locations, personal touch with a help of a good story, professional photographer and PR with a lot of cross promotion also help, but going with personal, not so much technical perfection. The short term effect is measurable by numerable published articles and posts, and immediate increase of demand, in long term the whole package attracts new B2B customers, wanting the experience for closed groups, as well as a public B2C variant for open minded people, seeking excitements in a bit of an unknown. As the case with Sevnica, there were (are) other regions and locations longing for better recognition with out of the box solutions and collaborations that emerge as we read this. Because we provide results.

The use of sustainable practices

As portions are ordered by exact guest’s numbers, there are no leftovers, so no food goes to waste. Invitations are all done via e-mails, we print only as many menus as are necessary, they are mostly usable as props – the last one could be used as a handy fan for a hot summer evening. We don’t use any plastic, all cutlery is washable and reusable. Even decorations are recycled for every event, only set-ups change. Only waste after the dinner are used candles and even those are replaced by electronic ones where possible (in glasses).

Crossover Rockstars: Lea Kosović

Lea_Kosovic_INTERVIEWS-Conventa-Crossover-STORYTELLERS

MEET THE ROCKSTARS OF CONVENTA CROSSOVER 2021

Joining the 6th Conventa Crossover conference is Lea Kosović, owner of LOL Event Management Agency specialising in event planning, organisation and realisation. Before you meet her at Conventa Crossover 2021, we wanted to hear her thoughts on the future of the meetings industry and see what surprises she has in store for us.

Interview with Lea Kosović

Q: What do you think about the theme of this year’s Crossover – The Meetings Industry AC/BC (After Corona/Before Corona)?

I honestly can’t wait to discuss this topic with my Event Management colleagues! In Croatia, there is no such event as Crossover: where you can meet a lot of people that work in the event industry in one place. This topic is still very much relevant and I am looking forward to hearing about all experiences from colleagues from all of the region.

Q: What is your forecast for the meetings industry in the coming year (2022) and beyond?

I hope that in the spring of 2022 we will all be able to breathe a sigh of relief – this is all just taking too long! On the other hand, the coronavirus has forced us to change the event formats we are used to, and we become comfortable with hybrid events – so I think that hybrid events will remain as a new, better event format than just a live option.

Q: How do you envision agility and innovation in overcoming the corona crisis? Can you share some examples of best practices?

It took us some time to adjust to new conditions, but once we realized that events don’t have to be just in live format – everything changed. We got a chance to reach out to a much broader audience: participants from the region, US, even Australia… All of a sudden internet exploded with apps such as Zoom, Teams, AirMeet (…). Everybody switched to the new format in just a few months. A lot of events were cancelled, however by the end of the year they were organized in an online format. And that is something! That is big! Last year, we were organizing one of the biggest digital transformation and innovation summits in Croatia. We were planning to have more than 3k attendees, but coronavirus stopped us and we were forced to cancel. A few months after, we were preparing the same event but on a streaming platform – and it went very well! Of course, it’s not the same, but we still did it!

Q: How would you comment on the following statement? “Coronacrisis has shown the need to organize events that are responsible to the environment, the participants and the community as a whole”

Sustainable events are a norm outside of our region. The UK and the USA are putting a lot of effort into sustainability and sustainable events. Here, in our region, like a lot of things, this also comes with a big delay. I hope this was a wake-up call!

Q: What will you surprise us with at this year’s event?

I can’t tell you, it’s a surprise!

About Lea
Lea is the owner of LOL Event Management Agency specialising in event planning, organisation and realisation. She started her journey of organising events in 2014 and honed her skills carrying out different events that engaged anywhere from 20 to 5,000 participants. What makes the LOL agency unique is that they like to be different and create new event formats – the kind you haven’t seen or experienced before. Creativity and uniqueness is something that marks all LOL events!

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THE FESTIVAL OF EVENTS AND LIVE MARKETING

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With open arms at FIMP House

Basic Event Information

Date: November 2020
Location: Online
Organiser: AIM Group International
Client: FIMP (Italian Federation of Paediatricians)

EVENT CATEGORY: B2C
EVENT SUBCATEGORY: Best Association Conference, Congress / B2C
EVENT FORMAT: DIGITAL

Event description and key objectives

A beautiful house in 3D welcomed paediatricians for their annual congress, redesigned into virtual version. A simple user experience, a pleasant visual aspect, great interaction among participants, richness and variety of content and personalisation made this first experience a novelty in the sector and a real success.

“With open arms … at FIMP House” provided a unique and unprecedented experience for a medical-scientific congresses. The transformation of the annual congress into a digital format allowed the client to meet in a new way, keeping both participation and involvement high.

After a fruitful collaboration for many years, the AIM Group team designed and organized the entire project together with FIMP. The objectives of the event were to Re-design the XIV National Scientific Congress of the Italian Federation of Paediatricians (FIMP), which should have been held live on Lake Maggiore (Italy); Make the most of the opportunities offered by the virtual environment in terms of imagination, participant interaction and multimedia; Even if it is not possible to meet physically, to not lose the human touch and spontaneity typical of the live conference experience; offer varied and current scientific content that can be enjoyed in a simple and personalized way.

Key challenges

The solution is a creative project conceived from scratch, forgetting the format and methods typical of the traditional physical event, to give life to an original event, tailor made for the community of family paediatricians. From the title, to the choice of the platform and to the development of the 3D image, from the setting to the content organisation, everything has been designed to facilitate education and knowledge sharing in a simple, direct and effective way.

The main challenges were related to maintain a high level of interaction and spontaneity as the paediatricians community is used to informal meetings and open discussions about their daily clinical practice, so in some way to we must accompany the guests to forget about the digital platform and feel comfortable and at ease.

Creativity

Virtual but with a human touch.

At a time when social distancing is in force, in which we are all at home due to COVID -19, FIMP decided to maintain the contact with its members, offering a unique and personalized place where they could meet.

Usually we meet in a conference center, a public and neutral place, but in this historical moment it was thought that it was better to meet at home, from home, in a large hospitable and welcoming villa, where they could discuss in serenity and simplicity, in a serious and respectful environment, not too formal but efficient. FIMP thus welcomed its members and all those who chose to attend to the FIMP House.

The congress was celebrated in virtual mode over 3 days, from 15th to 17th October, when the FIMP House opened its doors.

Innovation

As simple as a visit to a friend’s house

The access to the house was in the main entrance by ringing the bell and entering the password. The living room was the heart of the house, from where you could make a tour of the house and find the different rooms which were allocated different sessions and topics of interest.

The navigation was simple: Click on the TV monitor in the room and the broadcasting of the sessions starts and if you want to ask a question just click on the appropriate button and start the chat. An Info Point staffed by the Organising Secretariat answered any questions or delegates could consult the Program, which was a catalogue placed in the middle of all the rooms.

Personalize the use of content

Each participant could move freely among the rooms and the garden, looking around and staying according to their interests and their time. Each visit was personal and unique.

The Dining Room was the setting for the plenary sessions, held every morning and accredited for CME. From the Living Room, you could access the afternoon sessions, which took place in parallel in the Kitchen, in the Bedroom, in the Study and in the Garden. The Kitchen was dedicated to issues such as proper nutrition, vegetarian cuisine or diabetes. In the Bedroom issues related to neuroscience and sleep disorders were addressed. The Study gave space to infantile neurodevelopment, hypotonic children, gastroenterology, the appropriateness of antibiotics. In the Garden, you could find sessions

Measurable results

The results were excellent, also considering the intense daily work for paediatricians, who were very busy at the forefront of assisting young patients in times of Covid-19, and that it was an absolute debut.

Satisfaction from the Scientific Society was undoubtedly high. As Dr. Paolo Biasci president of FIMP states: “The title of the event, “with open arms” at FIMP House, was particularly apt to describe the experience we would like to offer to our members. We welcomed many participants into our virtual home and there was active participation and great interaction, with many questions and discussions even among the speakers. It was a good congress and we received great appreciation for the content. This year, thanks and congratulations are particularly warranted, because everything was new and everything went well. A big thank you to the wonderful team of AIM Group, a great team that has been assisting us for some time and will continue to assist us in the events to come”.

Here are some numbers which give the idea of the participation and interaction:

1000 credentials assigned
+700 paying registered participants
+800 delegates connected to one single session on Saturday morning
+ 7450 accesses to sessions during the three days congress
+5800 accesses to the sessions in the living room, the plenary ones
+870 request of info managed by the AIM Info Point during the 3 Congress days
+ 850 single visits to expo area
+ 200 chats managed

Communication

To communicate this innovative project in a short and direct way and help participants to use the platform, it was decided to realise a demo virtual tour of the FIMP House with one of the doctors moving through the different digital rooms and presenting the topics, the agenda of the congress, the features of each space, the services at their disposal and the opportunity to interact. The brief, effective video tour was really appreciated by physicians and contributed to approach the new tool with more confidence.

Launch of Porsche Digital Croatia

porsche-digital-croatia-event-people-business

Basic Event Information

Date: September 8th 2020
Location: Zagreb, Croatia
Organiser: Komunikacijski laboratorij d.o.o.
Client: Infinum

EVENT CATEGORY: B2B
EVENT SUBCATEGORY: Best Corporate Convention / B2B
EVENT FORMAT: LIVE

Event description and key objectives

Infinum is a leading Croatian IT company for software design and development. In mid-2020, they completed negotiations with Porsche Digital, a digital subsidiary of the German sports car manufacturer Porsche, and established a joint venture, Porsche Digital Croatia. As this is a very competitive market with a noticeable lack of skilled professionals, Infinum’s goal was to present Porsche Digital Croatia to the business and media community, position the newly established company as a desirable employer and strengthen its image and reputation. We designed and implemented the creative concept of presenting Porsche Digital Croatia through an event on September 8, 2020, for 100 guests – business partners, prominent members of the tech community and media. Event was organized at The Garden Brewery because this space provided us with atmosphere and logistics we needed for the event and also, we were able to follow all required epidemiological restrictions at that point.

Key challenges

Our key challenge during organization of this event was to fulfil as much of the client’s requirements and follow all epidemiological measures. Therefore, we prepared in detail three possible versions of the event – live, hybrid and online. We waited to the last possible moment to see which version we will implement. Luckily, we were able to organize an event for 100 people, with participants coming from Germany.

Creativity

From creative point of view, we wanted to create surrounding that is most welcoming for the target groups – IT segments, Germans, and media representatives. So, we decided to combine burgers and beer. We wanted to show great business venture that is created by creative people who know how to relax and enjoy life. This was also important from the employer branding point of view. This is why for the location of the event we chose The Garden Brewery – through the venue we were able to communicate the image of the company.

Innovation

We managed to attract all targeted audiences to the event without implementation of any innovations during the preparation and execution of the event.

Execution

For this event biggest effort and longest time took preparation of tree different concepts, so we would be ready for any situation related to epidemiological restrictions. Setup of the event was done the night before and the technical rehearsal was done in the morning before the event. Event started at 11:00 AM. During the official part, instead of welcome speeches, we made a conversation between the host of the event, Ida Prester, and company representatives. This way we created more dynamic content, compared to classical speeches. After the official part, media took statements and interviews and guest continued networking. Event ended at 13:30, as planned. In total team of 11 people took to prepare and execute this event.

Measurable results

Due to epidemiological restrictions, targeted number of guests was 70, but at the end we had over 90 guests, due to large response from media.

Communication

Only in the first week after the event, the success story reached 5 TV shows and 9.21 minutes in prime time. We generated an additional 15 minutes on HRT, which is event more with reruns included. More than 80 online publications and 10 print articles were published during the first 2 days after the event. Story reached more than 500.000 of online audience members with more than 300 mentions. Renowned editors through columns and reviews of 2020 recognized Infinum and Porsche Digital Croatia as the news of the year, and Infinum as one of the companies leading positive changes.

The use of sustainable practices

Since we were lucky enough that representatives of Porsche Digital were able to attend the event live, they decided to arrive from Germany in electric car, Porsche Taykan, in order to minimize their carbon footprint related to organization of this event.

VEKOL DHC: Introducing The World’s FIRST Destination Hybrid Company

vekol-dhc-event-hybrid-serbia-conventa-best-event

Basic Event Information

Date: May 24th, 2021
Location: Hotel Square Nine, Belgrade, Serbia
Organiser: Vekol DHC

EVENT CATEGORY: B2I
EVENT SUBCATEGORY: Best Private Event / B2I
EVENT FORMAT: HYBRID

VIDEO:

https://youtu.be/wf0tP_dH1nY

Event description and key objectives

We all watched the ultimate “digital-first” shift explode overnight in 2020. We now live in experimental (and experiential) times, but running a great event still takes a well-oiled machine, made up of the good old human factor: hard work and ultimate commitment.

After a couple of months of in-house migrations, we finally presented our business transformation and announced brand new business ventures at the very first official corporate event of the congress industry in Serbia since the outbreak of the pandemics!
For the occasion, we gathered around seventy most prominent representatives from all congress-related industries in Serbia, but also pharma and healthcare, banking, automotive, IT and high fashion. There we could officially announce: the new era has started, the world’s FIRST Destination Hybrid Company was born.

Key challenges

“After the period of heavy global crisis, I truly believe in further intense development of congress tourism in Serbia, which has the potential to become one of the main engines of our domestic economy and as such deserves to become national strategic focus.In the meantime, we will continue with the global promotion of the destination in new, changed circumstances“, said Tanja Bogdanov, Managing Partner of the company during the event.

The greatest challenge was to familiarize our clients and colleagues from the industry with what the advanced hybrid output actually is and make them rethink their own hybrid experiences. To show them how hybrid event does not equal vans of AV and Zoom. The hybrid implementation itself helped us present our new know-how to the audience by showing them a first-hand case study what the real hybrid event should look like.

Another challenge was choosing the right momentum and place. We aspired to organize the launch event out on the open in order to minimize fear from COVID, avoid any new precaution tightening and of course, host the first recovery-event in industry before anyone else does.We did everything right. Our response rate was over 95% and everyone felt perfectly comfortable, so it’s safe to say our event was the new beginning of gatherings in Belgrade. At the same time, livestream via YouTube and social networks made our partners around the world think about the destination and how a proper hybrid event looks like when organized from Serbia.

Creativity

It was the very first time in Serbia that one traditional DMC went through such a heavy business transformation and hosted a public launch of their redesign. At the same time, it was the first time that Vekol promoted its services to the local companies. During the 22 years of existence on international market, we were only focused on bringing people to Serbia and showing them the very best of our destination. Our task was now to increase awareness of our brand both domestically and internationally and make stronger ties with local corporates and hospitality.

Minding the circumstances, hybrid event was the ideal type of event to launch the rebranding. As Vekol DHC pioneers and innovates congress industry in Serbia, we decided to integrate “Vekol Studio” concept in live event and have a real showcase of what are the possibilities of a hybrid experience.

Innovation

The first Destination Hybrid Company (upgrade from DMC), the first post-COVID19 live event that gathered all decision-makers top in Belgrade’s meeting industry, the first-time implemented “Vekol Studios” at the event, the first DMC that brought all general managers of Belgrade’s top-notch hotels on one place.

We also spiced up the event with “Vekol Awards Night” ceremony. The award was specially designed as sign of gratitude to our longtime partners and loyal clients that we decided to give in seven different categories: loyalty, courage, inspiration, mentoring, support and innovation.

We set the standards, created a new trend in MICE industry (Destination Hybrid Company = DMC + PCO + Hybrid Experience Design + Content Creation + Business Mentoring), and out of our event we made the best case study for our clients.

Execution

In the presence of numerous clients, business partners, friends and media representatives, DHC Vekol launched a new selection of products and services, including “Vekol STUDIOS” – an interactive event studio equipped with the latest technologies for production and broadcasting of hybrid content, as well as “Vekol Waterfront” – the first business-only open concept on Sava riverbank in which businessmen will be able to enjoy utmost privacy and comfort.

Our hybrid launch was held out on the open at the rooftop of the designer hotel Square Nine 5* (The Leading Hotels of the World) with one of the most stunning views in the city. We had fantastic RSPV rate of 98% and an unbelievable 100% show up rate of the people who confirmed the attendance.

During the event, we presented our new concept and rebranding, and via “Vekol Studios” we took over 50 emotional interviews from people who attended the event live. The event was streamed live via YouTube and social network channels. The live production included 6 TV cameras, 10 sqm of LCD’s, stage, two parallel AV booths and 14 IT technicians.

Measurable results

To avoid such high-profile event features to be perceived as an expense rather than a business investment,we first established some KPIs to display the event contribution more strategically in the long run, both monetary and non-monetary.

With a mind-blowing response/attendance rate of 98% and around 250 other industry professionals joining the presentation live, the post-event reporting clearly shows – we set up some new bars in marketing turnover as well.The net value of the event was mostly manifested in increased visibility on the local market: the event itself (organically) led to the press clipping in total value of 23.000 EUR up until the moment of publishing this survey. Total of 37 articles was published in different business and mass media, including 6 full-page reports from the event with mainly the same title:“Congress Industry of Serbia Strikes Again”, marking Vekol DHC as the industry player that leads the post-Covid MICE world. Other significant benefits were achieved by signing partnership contracts with the leading Belgrade hotels and improving mutual business conditions,some initiatives for strategic joint promotion on international markets and use of consulting services from Vekol DHC.Creating demand for “Vekol Waterfront” river business retreat for hosting exclusive events also led to immediate direct profit.People are the most important part of congress industry – we are proud that every attendee felt extremely welcome well locked after by Vekol DHC team

Communication

“Our hand-in-hand cooperation with DHC Vekol lasts for full 12 years now and during all that time they have remained the most innovative partner company we work with. I come from a large team of 300 people, in which the average number of employees is only 27. When you work with such a young workforce, you must always reinvent yourself and bring some new energy. I am beyond happy that the period of physical distancing is hopefully behind us, and I’m excited that we are able to start working on our new projects, because young people have the need to dress up, they want to share experiences, to socialize”, said Marija Pavlović, Director of Human Resources of KPMG, in one of nearly 50 interviews that we made in “Vekol Studios”.

Besides the organic media coverage in domestic media, we promoted the event through social media, especially LinkedIn. These days, communication continues through brand of Tanja Bogdanov, her life, her fight for the Serbian MICE industry and all the love and passion that she and her whole team are giving in order to bring the world to Serbia and Serbia to the world.

The use of sustainable practices

Serbia is a place where it’s very easy to appreciate the beauty of nature and in order to preserve our community, at Vekol DHC we decided to declare #WarOnWaste quite a while ago. In accordance with our Green Commitment Policy and sustainability credentials, all measures were taken during this program in order to minimize any negative impact on the environment.
For decoration, we used natural materials only and live plants we used to refine the ambience were later used as decoration in the hotel.

Special attention was given to takeaway gifts. Symbolically, we chose Succulents in the jar – these beautiful night-shift indoor plants are perfect to settle at a cozy spot inside clients’ homes, having a positive calming effect on humans, encouraging better sleep quality, reducing instances of an anxiety and insomnia.

In order to avoid any unnecessary C02 emission, we thoughtfully choose the venue in the very city center where most of the attendees could come by foot, avoiding additional use of cars and taxi services. Instead of offering international specialties at all costs, both Square Nine and Vekol DHC were willing to give advantage to local food – grown organically close to where it’s bought and consumed to avoid traveling long distances and consequent pollution (Zero-kilometer approach). After the sanitary check, all food leftovers were donated to the local shelter for elderly homeless to eliminate as much waste as possible.

Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence

dubrovnik-nomads-computer-digital-event-happy-people

Basic Event Information:

Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence (DN-I-R) Program

Date: 23 April to 23 May 2021
Location: Dubrovnik, Croatia
Organiser: Saltwater Nomads (Media partner Total Croatia News)
Client: Tourist Board of Dubrovnik and City of Dubrovnik

EVENT CATEGORY: CROSSOVER
EVENT FORMAT: LIVE

Event description and key objectives

10 winners. 4 weeks. A once in a lifetime experience.

The Dubrovnik digital nomad-in-residence (DN-I-R) program is a collaboration between the city of Dubrovnik and the global digital nomad community it hosts. It was held from 23 April to 23 May 2021.

Using a co-creation model, the Saltwater program team brought together residents and 10 digital nomads selected as DN-I-Rs. Over a four week period, the digital nomads attended design thinking workshops to create a strategic direction for the city, especially as it adjusts to a more sustainable direction and manages the impact of COVID19.

Winners stayed free in Dubrovnik for 4 weeks to collaborate, upskill and contribute as Dubrovnik’s first special guest Digital Nomads-in-Residence.

The activities in the program were intended to contribute to enhancing the city’s standing among digital nomads globally. DN-I-Rs were expected to engage fully, respect their position and bring their collective expertise to benefit incoming digital nomads and the City. DN-I-Rs received professional development training, participated in workshops and presented their findings on shaping Dubrovnik as a Digital Nomad Friendly city. This was presented at a finale event at the end of the program as a roadmap of quick wins, mid and long term goals.

The program team included design thinking experts and a placemaking strategist. They led representatives from the city and digital nomads ranging from CEOs, radio hosts to writers and a migration scholar.

Key challenges

Being the first event of its kind in the world, there was no benchmark to reference. Bringing in the right expertise required a well informed forecast on what would make a great program. This was achieved with a team who have global experience – and builds on the legacy of an event organised 6 months prior, Croatia’s first digital nomad conference, “Dubrovnik for Digital Nomads”.

Several areas stand out as the challenges for the event.

COVID19 AND TRAVEL
ACCOMMODATION COSTS
AWARENESS AND EDUCATION

COVID19 TRAVEL
Due to current epidemiological measures, the number of attendees at any one venue was restricted. Further, many of the attendees required a lot of logistical support to attend and with limited flight connections. The city in particular is very reliant on air travel. 60% of attendees came by air, with the rest within driving distance of Dubrovnik.
ACCOMMODATION AND COSTS
One of the major disruptors this audience brings to tourism is the desire for longterm travel. The destination is known as a short term destination; something the city are actively looking to change. As this is still a relatively new audience, the accommodation options were limited, as property owners opt for short term lets to recoup the losses of 2020.
AWARENESS AND EDUCATION
Digital nomads are a new concept for many local residents. Some businesses required education on this target audience and mythbusting. Established providers and early adopters embraced this audience.

Creativity

*First of its kind in the world.
*Global coverage.
*Medieval meets Modern.

World First
This was the first event of its kind in the world, and was picked up by a variety of media focused on travel, cities, European policy, lifestyle and business.

Global Coverage
This event stood out. Running a global competition to an ‘overnight audience’ gained worldwide exposure among its target audience. With the pandemic, remote work has become a mainstay – and this event was open to anyone who could work remotely.

Dubrovnik is famous for its beauty AND as one of the most over-touristed cities (per capita) after Venice. This was an opportunity to work with a fresh approach – and the city and tourist board were supportive and grasped the idea from day one, valuing its innovation and potential.

A medieval setting with a modern twist.
The main event setting was one of Europe’s first quarantine facilities – this imposing venue hosted 10 digital nomads from around the world. The stone arch Lazareti complex, outside the walls of Dubrovnik, was the setting of the design thinking workshops and coworking space.

Creative applicants
Entering required a one minute video application, explaining what skills the DNIRs could bring, and why they were applying. The selection ensured a creative mix of skills, backgrounds and ages – to bring the best possible range of perspectives to inform a new strategy for the city and its tourism – one which is sustainable, locally loved and globally admired.

Innovation

This is the first (known) Residency program for Digital Nomads in the world.

It was also the first time the region had seen design thinking principles applied to a program which would inform aspects including urban planning, tourism, hospitality, work and lifestyle trends – using a co-creation model.

The program team consisted of experienced professionals from the tech industry, placemaking strategy, communication, regional development and social impact sectors.

Partnering with a media company brought the event to a wide audience, with near daily features of the rich program, interviews with all participants and insights into the city and what digital nomads could experience in the area.

The program also used collaborative tools to connect all participants prior to arrival, with Discord as a tool to connect and inform all stakeholders with fun and ease. The tool proved highly effective.

Revising how we ‘gather’ again following the changes brought by the pandemic saw all participants connected online the entire month, as well as in person. While the technology is helpful, the basic human need for connecting remains strong, and this was evident with the participants and the design of the program. In the latter half of the month, participants moved to a co-living setting, making use of a new accommodation complex supported by the city, Akademis Akademia. This award winning facility proved a unique way for the group to form bonds, stay connected and collaborate.

Execution

A month-long event, with weekly workshops.
Online communications platforms for next-level interaction.
Events in historic locations – and aboard a medieval vessel.

This event was meticulously planned months in advance of delivery. In addition to the logistics of the month to provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the design thinking workshops were shaped by a sustainable strategy specialist and drew one of the lead facilitator’s (formerly of Apple) decades of experience building products for an iconic global brand.

The input and collaboration from the city was exemplary. The city and tourist board representatives were active contributors to each session, bringing in the expertise and knowledge sharing to inform the DNIRs and work together to co-create a strategy.

The workshops culminated in an event presentation outdoors, afloat on the majestic Karaka wooden warship. This time, equipped with internet and screening facilities.

Multiple businesses and tourist boards from neighbouring cities and islands (Korcula, Mljet and Lokrum Island) all gave their support and added to the program.

This event was delivered in partnership with the City of Dubrovnik, the Dubrovnik Tourist Board, Total Croatia News and concept and management by Saltwater Nomads.

This community of local and visiting digital nomads demonstrates the longterm goals are being met – to build a community and maintain strong relations between the client and service providers connected to this event.

Measurable results

Global and national media coverage.
Online forum buzz.
Newly established hub for digital nomads.

The event continued the momentum in positioning Croatia as a destination for a global remote workforce. The first being set in October 2020 with the Dubrovnik for Digital Nomads Conference – a hybrid event. There is a significant focus on Croatia right now.

As the event organiser and a long time remote work advocate – it was important and easy to bring together a network of thought and community leaders who have been watching and promoting Croatia. Croatia was an early mover in the space to welcome remote professionals in light of the pandemic, and among the first to make legislative changes to ease the process for third country nationals to stay longer in Croatia.

Further, these changes and promotion raises awareness to EU members and citizens; Croatia is an ideal place to base for work – be it a month, a year or a lifetime. The popular Digital Nomad Permit brings even wider effects – locals and the next generation in particular will see new opportunities and avenues for business and employment, by witnessing firsthand the evolving remote workplace and making business connections.

Tourism as we know it has changed with the pandemic; responding to a shifting way of working and lifestyle gives Croatia a new opportunity – recognised by outlets such as The Washington Post, Fast Company and the Independent UK.

Communication

The longterm strategy for the client, the City and Tourist Board of Dubrovnik were adhered to in all aspects of the program delivery and communications.

These are, namely:

Continuity. Build on the momentum of the first digital nomad conference, ‘Dubrovnik for Digital Nomads’ – its partnerships, audience engagement and community impact.
Raise awareness globally and profile of Dubrovnik as a digital nomad destination.
Position Dubrovnik as a forward-thinking city, with a fresh, collaborative approach which values its visitors and temporary residents, in harmony and alignment with the City.
Lead. Deliver best practice initiatives in Croatia and be respected internationally for urban planning and sustainable tourism directions.
Identify, analyse and implement feasible ways to create a Digital Nomad Friendly city.

This event has raised awareness through the largest English language news portal in Croatia, Total Croatia News, with a dedicated section on Digital Nomads.

The event has also been circulated online – website and social media, including the channels for Dubrovnik Tourist Board, Saltwater Nomads and Total Croatia News. Multiple online forums specific to expats and digital nomads also have shared content among their respective audiences.

The event was featured in national media – online, print and television.

Several large online travel and business sites also promoted the program.

The use of sustainable practices

The event goal was to shape how ‘Dubrovnik 365’ might look. Global and local participants contributed to this vision.

The finale weekend opened with panelists discussing Sustainable and Regenerative Tourism. Panelists included the Deputy Mayor of Dubrovnik, NGO for Dubrovnik’s Respect The City initiative, the Director of Tourism, Zagreb Tourism and moderated by a blue economy expert DN-I-R.

Longtermism and Slow Travel:
The emphasis on longstays (i.e. 1 month) demonstrates sustainable tourism practices, with a move to slow travel and exploring less congested areas.

Economic:
This event was specifically designed to educate and assist businesses who were most impacted by the events of 2020, especially Dubrovnik’s tourism and hospitality sector.

Environmental:
Along with the benefits of virtual attendance for facilitators, the month’s program was mostly accessed by public or group transport and on foot.

Social:
Strong collaborations, presentations and support from businesses and other localities were a constant element for the event month. The nearby tourist boards of Cavtat, Konavle Region, Ston, Mljet and Korcula islands all supported the program as weekend hosts.

The visiting digital nomads-in-residence started a legacy and connection to the historic city as it faces its next big test and adoption of sustainable practices. The findings of the DN-I-Rs show the importance of creating an ecosystem where a ‘365’ model is embraced by institutions, locals and visitors.

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