Mike is a multi-media writer, journalist and experienced editor. He specialises in events, digital, media and business travel. He is also a consultant on social media strategy, speaker moderator and professional photographer. This blog however is no longer updated and only consists of links to my work up to 2012. Contact me through LinkedIn or Twitter @Mikeyfletch to find out more.....
Showing posts with label Venues and Events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Venues and Events. Show all posts
London’s events industry gathered at the BFI IMAX on 19 September to hear an update on legacy plans following the 2012 Olympic Games.
Three speakers representing the Mayor’s office, London & Partners and the Olympic Park Legacy Company briefed 500 delegates about the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’s event spaces and the continued efforts to pitch for major sporting events beyond 2012, including the World Athletics Championships in 2017.
Clive Little, Director of Events and Programming at the Olympic Park Legacy Company said: “By 2016, we’re aiming to see more than 2,000 events held each year in the Park. The south end will have a real focus on sport and entertainment and include areas such as a 2,000sqm event lawn and possible temporary venue for exhibitions and conferences. In total, there’s potential for spaces of up to 60,000 capacity across the Park.”
Little added that the 3,500-seat Aquatic Centre could be transformed into a dry venue courtesty of rising floors which reduce the depth of water in the pool, and that the Orbit sculpture next to the Stadium could host events for up to 300 people on its viewing platforms.
“In October, we’ll consult with the events sector and ask what they might want to do at the park so people are engaged in the plans,” Little continued. “While we’re still in the strategic planning phase, we can adapt our offer to suit the response.”
Iain Edmondson, Head of the Major Events Team at London & Partners discussed the capital’s plans to pitch for future sporting events and congresses. Then, Dan Ritterband, Mayor Boris Johnson’s Director of Marketing confirmed that the Mayor’s Office wholeheartedly supports the work being done to bring mayor events into the capial and is working on a funding model to ensure London remains competitive with other nations.
To hear a snippet of Dan Ritterband’s address to delegates at Beyond 2012, click here
The London 2012 Olympic Games will bring some 100 private sector sponsors, 26 international federations, 205 competing nations, 560 domestic sporting bodies and the world’s media to the UK capital. Not to mention a host of consumer brands looking for an unofficial association with ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’ plus a range of local businesses, all eager to harness some of that Olympic spirit to motivate staff and win new business contracts.
With just over 300 days remaining until the Opening Ceremony, a number of venues and agencies have already secured events and hospitality contracts. However, there are many others who still strive for their opportunity to work with an Olympic related client.
Zanine Adams, head of sales and Event Solutions at London & Partners is keen to stress to those who are still searching for London 2012 business opportunities that they should remain focused and proactive.
“Venues should be looking at the bigger picture and away from simply marketing themselves as potential hospitality houses for National Olympic Committees," she says. "We believe there will only be around 60 of these NOC hubs as many countries have decided to adopt a national presence in London and form part of an International House, West African House, Latin American House or Oceania House for example. Agencies and venues need to assess all activation opportunities and be aware that deals will continue to be done right until the last few days of the countdown to the Games.”
To help events businesses consider the full range of opportunities available to them, I have worked with Zanine to compile the following advice:
1) Inspire
Do you have a clear London 2012 business message? Is there a dedicated area on your website providing details of Olympic packages? Ensure you have available itineraries, sensible rates and packages and that they are being marketed to their full capacity both online and offline.
2) Look closer to home
Have you consulted your regular client-base or local businesses? It’s likely that many companies are only starting to consider their Olympic action plan now. Discuss ways in which you can help to entertain their guests or motivate internal staff with or without access to tickets.
3) Partner Up
Is there an associated business which would strengthen your offer? Consider partnering up with a hotel, meetings venue or restaurant or team building company, agency or entertainment supplier and go to market with a complete package.
4) Set your sights
Many international sponsors are planning Wave Programmes that will see them fly guests into the UK capital on three-day rotations. Agencies are therefore in need of incentive and itinerary ideas. Can you offer reception space, dining amenities or transport?
5) Think laterally
Does your venue’s roof terrace provide a stunning media backdrop? Maybe, your out-of-town location would provide a good stop-off lunch point for airport transfers? Just because your venue space has always been used in a particular way, why not do something different and transform that courtyard into a pop-up restaurant or offer a brand gallery space where once sat meetings space.
6) 2012 lasts longer than a fortnight
There are so many fantastic events taking place throughout next year including the Cultural Olympiad, Charles Dickens’ 200th anniversary, the Shakespeare Festival and the four-day Diamond Jubilee. Do you have offers and packages aimed at driving business around these Olympic alternatives?
7) Don’t forget about the Paralympics
What can you offer those brands, sponsors, media and athletes involved with the Paralympic Games? Do you have dedicated Paralympic packages and rates in place? How are you marketing your offer? The Paralympic Games will afford a large amount of business opportunities, some of which will require specialist packages and bespoke offers.
8) Communicate
If you’re not using social media channels to build relationships and promote your offer, you can guarantee that your competitors will be. Now is the time to speak to your supplier network and industry peers. Share knowledge, discuss ideas and form partnerships wherever possible.
9) Stay focused
Lead times have grown shorter and the Olympic Games has always traditionally turned into somewhat of a sprint towards the summer. Now is the time to focus on helping clients to make decisions through consultation and keeping yourselves visible. If decisions are to be left until the last minute, those companies will need to remember you and your offer in a positive light.
10) Keep abreast of developments
There are a number of conferences, exhibitions, websites and magazines whose remit is to help you make the most of the Olympic opportunity. Engage and embrace them all. London & Partners has teamed up with The International Special Events Society and Unique Venues of London to host one such event on 19 September at the BFI IMAX cinema where we shall be discussing London 2012 and Beyond.
In the Summer issue of Square Meal Venues & Events I've written an in-depth piece on everything you need to know in order to plan hospitality around the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Below are some key questions answered and a section on five things buyers need to know.
What can we expect from the catering at official Prestige hospitality?
We’re told that the food served to corporates and their guests will be high-quality British produce, with an emphasis on provenance and sourcing food from multi-generational providers. Expect this ‘Great British Experience’ to be a big part of the sell – the country will be basking in patriotism after the Queen’s Silver Jubilee. Prestige is currently in the process of appointing catering companies for each location, and promises there won’t be a celebrity chef in sight.
Why is there no hospitality being offered at venues such as Lord’s (archery)? Any venue with poor sight lines to the action or deemed to have limited group appeal has been withdrawn from offering official hospitality packages.
What about all the fighting and table tennis action happening at ExCeL? The likelihood is that Prestige Ticketing will come up with packages for the Olympic action at ExCeL as the venue has been told it can’t produce its own. No package details were available at time of press.
Will corporates be able to access the Olympic Park for picnic entertaining during the Games? It is anticipated that there will be restrictions put in place to prevent access to the Park without an event ticket, but this may simply involve buying day passes. Agencies are also advising clients that restrictions on taking alcohol and food into the Park may also be imposed to protect sponsorship rights holders. That said, Square Meal V&E understands that LOCOG is looking into granting permission to provide non-sponsor-branded food within the Park after complaints in Beijing that the only snack available was McDonald’s.
Which brands are likely to feature heavily on the hospitality circuit? The Worldwide Olympic Partners signed up for London 2012 are Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos Origin, Dow Chemical Company, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Procter and Gamble, Samsung and Visa. LOCOG then has seven domestic Tier One Partners - Adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF and Lloyds TSB. And seven domestic Tier Two Supporters – Adecco, ArcelorMittal, Cadbury, Cisco, Deloitte, Thomas Cook and UPS. With a further 24 domestic Tier Three suppliers and providers and Sainsbury's signed up as the one domestic Tier One Paralympic Games Partner, there is sure to be a host of activity from everyone involved.
Will Olympics hospitality cause a decline in the sale of packages at other sporting events such as Wimbledon? Ted Walker of hospitality agency Keith Prowse is confident that there will be no impact on hospitality at annual blue riband sporting events. ‘The fact is that we are blessed with a decade of iconic sporting events for which the demand for hospitality will be high. It started with the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and will include the Rugby World Cup in 2015 and the Rugby League World Cup in 2013. Clients are allocating their budget to buy into not just London 2012 but the whole decade of sporting excellence in the UK.’
Should companies be worried about how the Bribery Act will impact on their 2012 hospitality plans? No. Section Nine of the Act makes it clear that corporate hospitality, which seeks to improve the image of a commercial organisation better to present products and services, or establish cordial relations, is an established and important part of doing business. It is not the intention of the Act to criminalise such behaviour.
Things buyers need to know… 1. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) cracked down on black market ticketing at Beijing, with many companies left stunned when they discovered they’d purchased unofficial packages. London 2012 will impose even tighter controls.
2.Prestige Ticketing is using three authorised sales agents in the UK. They are Sportsworld (Tel: 01235 555 844), Keith Prowse (Tel: 020 3137 7420) and IMG (Tel: 020 8233 5854).
3. Re-selling Olympic tickets is illegal and applicants who receive balloted tickets will not be allowed to re-sell them on eBay or as part of unofficial hospitality offerings. Anyone caught illegally trading could be hit with a fine of up to £20,000.
4. When buying packages for team sports such as football, hockey, volleyball and handball, be aware that there is no way of knowing at this stage when your country of choice will compete.
5. A levy placed on Prestige Ticketing hospitality will pay for a Ticketshare scheme, enabling 125,000 school children to experience the Games. A further 50,000 tickets will also be distributed to schools across the UK under the same guidelines and 25,000 tickets will be allocated to other goodwill causes such as Tickets for Troops.
Iain Edmondson, Head of the Major Events Team at London & Partners discussed the capital’s plans to pitch for future sporting events and congresses. Then, Dan Ritterband, Mayor Boris Johnson’s Director of Marketing confirmed that the Mayor’s Office wholeheartedly supports the work being done to bring mayor events into the capial and is working on a funding model to ensure London remains competitive with other nations. 
