Celebrating the era of brand & corporate hospitality
Creating corporate hospitality marquees and spaces has been a big part of my career, it is possibly the hardest but most rewarding space to play in as an events director in this field. I was first introduced to this world in 2013 - attending the Vodacom Durban July, which is to this day the biggest horse racing event on the continent. Soon after I joined the hospitality craft with the EQUUS Group - known to be the most immaculate space and pioneer of luxury corporate hospitality spaces in Africa. (It’s a space enjoyed by many of the top-ranking institutions of South Africa hosting their key stakeholders, partners, investors or C-suite - but also has a membership of followers since its inception. Developing this space over 6 years required a bit more than the traditional marquee production but very detailed and high-level client care which added a bit of thrill to the game. It is a highly coveted space and EQUUS continues to enjoy a sold-out status to this day.)
LONG TERM VISION AND PARTNERSHIP
Over the years of creating and developing polo events for Val de Vie Estate and then moving on to the corporate hospitality space, I looked at these event properties more as brands or event brands. Many like to classify it as lifestyle brands or lifestyle events. Managed well it can be incredibly powerful especially if you align with key partners or sponsors along the way. But annual events or annual program management requires consistent development; the run-up planning is a bit longer than usual and as each year calls for improvement or differentiation - which holds a big development component to it every single time. The key is to show up bigger, better and brighter - keep it fresh and new, but stay consistent in delivery and experience promise.
It was a great privilege to head up and pioneer key events and spaces, and to see the consistent growth in capacity and as a brand (or lifestyle) entity - some including; Veuve Clicquot Masters Polo & Pink Polo with Val de Vie Estate, Match in Africa, Hollywoodbets Durban July, and the Nedbank International Polo for EQUUS.
CREATING FROM SCRATCH
In most instances, we create the brand entity and even the venue space from scratch - everything is event-specific and made to order so to speak. From the flooring tile, the lightbulb, to the plug you plug that into - content, following, attendee buyers trust etc etc. That’s the great thing about creating your own space or event - it’s brand and sponsorship-friendly, and with consistent application, you create a very ‘recognised’ footprint which people and businesses love to be part of!
It has that “coming home” effect but never allows you to be complacent in application. Part of annual production is that you get to show up differently every time but keep the DNA consistent - that’s how I would define luxury in part. To not overcomplicate but show up in excellence, quality and a warm or known manner.
As for corporates, it’s a great relief to plug into this network of events or suite facilities - the biggest differentiator or key to the decision would be which event you can successfully affiliate with and host your group with ease. Aligning with experienced corporate event planners to build or create hospitality spaces can go the extra mile in networking opportunities or stakeholder management. The reality is you’re here to do business, so let us take care of producing a hospitality space for you.
Partner with experts in creating corporate hospitality marquees or suites
Corporate hospitality marquees or box suites are an all-hands-on-deck kind of game. I don’t classify this the same as an event like hosting a year-end or networking cocktail function, it won’t fall into the traditional MICE category or as your conference planner. These spaces are incredibly important to the stakeholders attending or the brand investing, and it calls for a curated approach to facilitate conversations, showcase the brand and also grow annually along with the investment made. You have to know your members attending, have an overarching growth plan or objective and show up consistently to really reap rewards on all fronts.
(Personally I wouldn’t have seen half of it without my team by my side! We take this game seriously and we show up all in - but when we do laugh, it’s real and we know there was good in it! Nothing quite feeds hospitality or event junkies like ‘great to see you again’ arrivals or big hug farewells from guests.)
Annual Event Programs Are About Growth
That’s the dream right - growth! Within the numbers, exposure, networking conversations or connections, attendance and brand affiliation or dominance. You want your invitation or footprint to be the one that matters and that’s chosen - every single time.
If you’re wanting to create key spaces at prominent events, show up in remote or unprecedented locations for your network or stakeholders - it’s possible! And I know just the team that can make that happen for you. 😉
let’s create your vision
If you need to create an annual affiliate or engagement program, require management of the program, create or host a hospitality suite for stakeholders, C-suite, or consumers -
Let’s talk about your long-term goals and how we create the perfect solution. 📩