Staples 24h conference

Mission

The client wanted the meeting place to once again be Hotel Tylösand, the same location as at previous conferences, and it was a preferred choice by the management to achieve the sense of continuity that they considered to be important.

In terms of content, the client wanted to continue the work on the brand transformation the company is undergoing, and to provide the staff in Sweden and Denmark with in-depth knowledge and the suppliers’ products. Since the target audience spans a very broad group of people, a campaign that is fun, surprising as well as strategic and informative was needed.

Solution

Contrast created a creative concept where the three main elements were conference, party and fair. The conference itself was created with a wide variety of formats. The CEO and our moderator joked with each other in sketch format, the employees created an equally spectacular and humorous ”cat-walk” with Staples products and in a long series of humorous films we got to meet more employees in entertaining situations that nevertheless contributed significantly to the main message.

Traditional PowerPoint presentations were replaced with rapper-style interviews. The pace and various expressions kept the engagement and energy high throughout the day. Moderator Magnus Fyrfalk returned to the role for the second year, which created positive recognition. A content-rich and traditionally-styled supplier fair was also included, where Contrast contributed to creating the pace and clear appeal.

The social part of the Staples conferences is also always of great importance. The 400 employees, together with the suppliers, had to get together first during a relaxed afterwork at the pool, followed by a glittering dinner show with awards and music entertainment.

Results

After several years with similar approaches, the challenge was to continue the upward trend and not create a letdown. The solution was to retain the positive elements as a reassuring factor, while we focused even more on unexpected elements and further emphasized highlighting the employees, regardless of where in Sweden or Denmark they work.

The party, the social interaction, and the meeting with the suppliers were also perceived as equally successful and uplifting as in previous years. The 2020 conference and supplier fair was the second of three in a series of internal themes that will continue until 2021. The final conference in the series will be digital under the current circumstances. But at Contrast we see it as an exciting challenge that takes delivery to new heights with pride and festive spirit this time as well!