25 years of contrast – from team building to brand experiences over a quarter of a century
It all started with an adventure in Småland. In the simple and natural surroundings, human encounters emerged. Business relationships were strengthened by shared experiences. Team building was the buzzword in a time when high-performance consulting firms were looking for methods to increase their efficiency.
For us, it was the beginning of close customer relationships and the realization that creative meeting formats develop. We learned early on the importance of ’seeing’ people and understanding drivers of engagement, creating commitment, being proactive and genuine. As well as that good relationships are fundamental to all forms of business. On an island in a forest in Småland, we laid the foundation for Contrast. With these building blocks, we have managed to maintain and develop our position in the event market for 25 years.
Experience and constant relevance are two factors of success
In our industry, we are quite unique as we have been around for so long. In the mid-90s, we were only a handful of companies marketing events in Sweden. Today, it is an ever-growing industry that generates sales of 7 billion kronor.
Success and continuing success, in my opinion, are about seizing experience and constantly keeping an ear to the ground and being curious about our contemporaries. Our experience is definitely a success factor that allows us to continuously deliver quality. But to be relevant, we must also be prepared to constantly change ourselves and our offering. By sharing everything we can with young talent in the industry, we constantly remain challenged by new insights, thoughts, and ideas.
Experiences change attitudes
Over the years, the industry has gone through countless phases. We have gone from simple team building activities to advanced content concepts. Agencies have shifted their positions and evolved into everything from communication agencies, brand experience agencies, and PR agencies. We remain committed to being an event agency that works with experiences to strengthen relationships between people and brands.
”We are an event company that works with experiences to strengthen relationships between people and brands.”
Climate-smart events are the future
The sweet era of digitalization demands new smart communication solutions and more efficient working methods. At the same time, it has never been more important to meet in person as we do now. This places extra high demands on sustainable and climate-smart events, which is the most important point on everyone’s agenda.
To help create climate-smart events, we set requirements for ourselves and for everyone we work with: contractors in the hotel, transport, restaurant, and technology sectors, among others. We help our clients make smarter climate choices by showing them the options and the carbon footprint that their particular meeting will entail.
In the process, we develop and find ever smarter solutions that benefit both the climate and our customers’ businesses. For humanity still needs human interaction. It is in these interactions that important relationships are created, and it is in these interactions that we can bridge conflicts and reach consensus. It is in these interactions that we develop and new ideas see the light of the world.
Trend spotting: This is how events will be in 2020 (and the next 25 years)
The future was already here in 2019: Most of our customers had the climate issue high on their agenda during the year. In 2020, we will see more of smart transport solutions, more vegetarian and locally produced food, more digital tools, as well as scheduled reflection time during the conference. At the same time, the number of meetings per year will be fewer, but they will be more thoughtful and with smarter productions that create engagement and provide maximum return. Measuring your carbon footprint and offsetting your carbon emissions will become a hygiene factor.
At Contrast, we look forward to meeting 2020. We plan to roll up our sleeves and surprise with new climate-smart and creative events. However, we have no idea what the events will look like in 25 years. But who knows, maybe we’ll see each other again on an island in Småland? Suddenly, experiences that are close to nature, free from digital noise, feel really right again. Investing in another 25 years might be taking on too much (I’m turning 75 myself, haha), but one thing is certain: we plan to have a lot of fun along the way, so we’re definitely heading towards 2044.
With hope for a dazzling Christmas and a truly wonderful 2020!
/Ola
