Access All Areas November 2018 | Page 37

NOVEMBER | SECTOR FOCUS One Big Night at the O2 and The Appointment Group to deliver a memorable evening of celebration at The O2 for more than 1,200 guests. One Big Night was designed to celebrate a record-breaking year in the UK for the luxury car brand, in particular, new car sales across the country reaching an all-time high. The Appointment Group’s Nicole Unsworth project managed the event, creating a celebratory evening by merging two separate, smaller events. Pride in London April saw London celebrate all things Pride. Pride in London, organiser of the UK’s largest Pride celebration, appointed Innovision as production partner for the 2018 event. The live event production specialist was selected by the not-for-profit organisation as a production partner and was chosen by Pride in London to move the event forward. Innovision, which has experience of large-scale events such as the London 2012 Athletes Parade, turned to PRG for its specific requirements. It was a task that would require skill, precision and planning; three things that filtered through to the contractors that had been chosen to supply considerable amounts of infrastructure in what were at times, restricted sites and short load in windows. Cameron Bannister, senior account manager at PRG said “There was certainly a fantastic energy in the team. It was great to be a part of such a positive event. All of the people – client side and supplier side – had masses of enthusiasm that resonated through every aspect of the delivery.” St Johns May Ball 2018 HAWTHORN ON EVENT PRODUCTION Access talks to Hawthorn’s Scott Rooney-Ashby about how event production is panning out this year What have you noticed changing in the event production landscape over the last year? There has been a lot more emphasis on experiential activity. We’re living in an age that is all about the experience, and attendees are demanding more from the events they attend, whether it’s a festival or a more corporate conference style event, they’re not satisfied to simply be told about a brand, they want to be completely immersed in it. The pressure is on for organisers to go the extra mile and create extraordinary, unforgettable experiences. Is the demand for innovative production increasing? We’re definitely seeing an increased demand for more innovative ideas within production. Event organisers are always asking for something completely bespoke that will really capture imaginations. With social media playing such an important role in how we communicate now, brands understand the importance of creating an off-line experience that attendees want to share online. By utilising this, brands can vastly improve the reach of their events and create more connections. At Hawthorn, we like to get involved with the client at the concept stage to help develop and shape a bespoke solution. How much does cost come into the equation? Costs are always at the forefront when working with a client. On the whole, budgets are similar to what they were last season although 37