Thule Management Conference in Dublin

Background

When Thule brought together its managers from all over the world for a three-day management conference in Dublin in 2025, the goal was clear: to discuss the future, present product news and welcome a new company into the Thule family – an Australian manufacturer of mobile bike holders.

But no less important was to strengthen the culture and cohesion within the organization. Thule wanted to create meetings where colleagues could get to know each other, exchange experiences, and feel proud of the brand they represent.

Contrast was tasked with keeping the whole thing together – stitching together the places, meals, and activities into an experience that breathes Thule.

Challenge

When participants travel from all over the world, a place that is both accessible and inspiring is required. Dublin became the natural meeting point, but for a brand like Thule – with its roots in outdoor activities – the environment also needed to reflect the company’s soul.

The challenge was to create an experience that feels genuine. outdoor in a country where that culture is not as established.

Finding the right location for the activity day turned out to be more difficult than expected. Many Irish organizers suggested grassy areas next to restaurants, and that doesn’t at all suit Thule’s brand, which requires a genuine sense of nature and outdoor activities.

Solution

We built the structure of the conference around three days:

• Day 1 – Welcome Night: A first gathering focused on community and meetings between colleagues from all over the world.

• Day 2 – Conference: Held at the Guinness Storehouse – an iconic environment filled with the right technology, filming, and a product exhibition in adjacent premises. A lot of logistics was required to get Thule’s products, displays, and visual expressions in place.

• Day 3 – Thule Camp: The activity day that became the heart of the entire conference.

In the mountain area Wicklow Mountains we built one of our own Thule Camp, a temporary outdoor area with food, tents, products and activities. Participants could choose between hiking, mountain bike downhill and trail running, All this in an environment that breathed the Thule brand values.

For us, it was about creating a character. The feeling of Thule, It wasn’t just about showing off the products; getting the right feel required persistence. We set strict standards for details (yes, sheepskin is required on the stools; fleece blankets are not an option) to create a genuine natural feel.

Results

The conference became a holistic experience that combined business goals with brand identity.

The participants appreciated the balance between the conference content and the shared nature experience. In the evaluations, the conference consistently received high ratings, both for the content, logistics, and atmosphere.

Thule conducts outdoor activities at every conference, but this time everything was gathered in one place. This created a special atmosphere. sense of community and cohesion, and enabled the participants to share the entire experience together, from conversation to activity.

“The best day of activities we’ve ever had!”