The Secret of The Perfect Conference

I set out in 1976 to develop the secret of producing the perfect event.

In 20 years I came close.

Now, in 2008, I will bring that weird complexity to Thailand, again.

And why not?

Call me in Chiang Mai

Harbin Ice Festival, China 2

Harbin Ice Festival, China 1

Tonga: A Varied Experience

My recent excursion to Tonga was interestingly so say the least. I have written extensively about it on my personal blog and also the venues blog.

Please have a look there for more details but the short of it is that, while it is not the tropical paradise you might expect, it would be a very interesting place for a conference.

Give your delegates an experience they will never forget.
Give them stories to take home.

And also give them a chance to see a culture so different that it will caste their own in stark relief.

What could be better?

Pictured: High School uniform from the top school in Tonga. This really is seen as formal wear over there- including the dress thongs!

Christmas Party Watsons Bay

Featuring James Morrison and his band.

The curious thing about this event was that we had several areas for people to wander about and enjoy during the night, often with spectacular views, but the guests ALL just wanted to stay together in the tent. Very odd.

This was the first time I observed such behaviour.

Perhaps it tells us something about the social mentality of corporate lawyers?

Medieval Theme Party Part 3

Medieval Theme Party Part 2

Medieval Theme Party Part 1

Six hours of entertainment edited to a total of 15 mins over three episodes.

Awards Table Vs The Stage

I read recently from a so-called 'events expert' that the stage was more important than any other aspect of the event.

WRONG.

At an awards night, 80% of their time is spent looking at or over the table.

Therefore the table, the centrepiece, the presentation of food and drink is far more important than the stage.

At the same time, the centrepiece must be designed so that most people can talk over it and around it.

It must also be so low that it never interferes with the view of the stage, the screen or other people at the table.

Sorry but too many times have I seen floral arrangments that destroyed the social flow or had to be removed before the stage was used.

A great event is never simple or formulaic.

Later in the night, the awards for these engineers had a table that was groaning under four bottles of wine, a bottle of water and anything else we thought they might need during each awards sequence.

It wasn't pretty but then again, no-one ever complained about having too much too soon...

did they?

Autumn Leaves or Holy Drapes

The hotel was about to refurbish...
Client booked the venue...

And it was autumn...

Looked great.

As my old mentor Roger Foley taught me- the secret of lighting is darkness.

No-one saw the holes in the curtains, they were too mesmerised by the autumnal images, the quirky butter sculptures (that we got for nothing after we found them in the hotel storeroom and gussied them up) and the food displays- arranged as much like an art event as we could imagine...

Dinosaur Destruction Cenrepiece

This WAS a great centrepiece- dinosaur being led by caveman with palm trees- BUT the guests loved it so much they had played with, fought over and souvenired the pieces BEFORE the service of dinner1

Three Sisters Ice Centrepiece

In the blue mountains but with some license...

Guests have their cocktails- ambient music, nothing special... and then dinner is announced.

The lights dim and the guests make their way into a ballroom of fog and bell birds and blue mist...

Then sunrise (turn on extractors) and the Three Sisters emerge in pink from 50 tables...

And the evening begins...

And as the night wears on the centrepieces gradually melt and change...

So beautiful and so easy to do (not so cheap exactly)...

Rabbit Hat Centrepiece

A conference dinner featuring a great magician, so on entry the tables swirl and rabbits jump from hats...

The sounds of children and birds...

As they sit the tablecloths turn from swirling patterns to soft hues...

Thankfully due the fact the hats were hired, only the rabbits made their way to new homes.

Good to have souvenirs...

Ants Tropical Edible Centrepiece

For a sales conference dinnier in Cairns, the need to stimulate and amuse on the evening of Day Four.

Ants walk around the table, little lights shine amongst the exotic flowers, jelly snakes trail through foliage...

And each setting gets a 3D puzzle of a tropical animal.

Set off with the sounds of the jungle- as heard on an excursion some night earlier.

Odd thing- at the end of the night all the ants and jelly snakes had disappeared!

Dancing Flowers

For a formal dinner

They wanted an ice breaker- something to get a bunch of Credit Union people (like bankers but more sombre) talking to each other...

During dinner they seemed normal...

But when the band started they started dancing around...

The reactions were priceless:
Some too tired and emotional got motion sickness
Engineering types pulled them to bits to find the secret (they were REAL flowers)
Many just laughed and chatted
Several thought the aircon had been turned up

But best of all the Hilton Ballroom looked just fabulous as the flowers danced and the guests bubbled.

Mission accomplished!

Atelier Bow-Wow Tokyo

Pic from this amazing design team.

Have a look at their website:

http://www.bow-wow.jp/

Lots of amazing house designs and other quirky MCA type stuff.