Phoenix Group
Lego-Themed ‘Unconference’
Project Overview
We were tasked to help them with everything from AV production and management to teambuilding activities to help Phoenix bring the vision of their unique ‘unconference’ to life.
We were excited to get stuck in to the design of this conference and even more so when we heard that there was going to be LEGO© theme!
The Challenge
The team at Phoenix wanted to do something a little bit different to allow their conference to be more delegate-centric, opposed to a traditional conference.
The team at Maximillion Events worked closely with Phoenix Group to establish their main aims and objectives which were quickly identified, leading to the term ‘UnConference’ being banded around and agreed on.
If you are not familiar with the format of an unconference, in its simplest terms, it is ‘a participant driven meeting / conference where the delegates create the agenda’.
We were tasked to help them with everything from AV production and management to teambuilding activities to help Pheonix bring the vision of their unique ‘unconference’ to life.
Our Solution
We were excited to get stuck in to the design of this conference and even more so when we heard that there was going to be a LEGO© theme!
AV & Production
The Ballroom in the Grand Hotel, Birmingham is a beautiful space which does not lend itself well to a central stage, however, this was the brief so we made it happen.
A 4m x 4m stage was installed with an on brand, aubergine, carpet and bespoke stage valance to create the illusion that the stage was being held up using LEGO bricks.
The stage was encapsulated by a 6m x 6m x 5m truss cube which created a striking image when delegates walked through the main doors. The sight line of the delegates and making sure they could see all presentations and speakers at the same time was extremely important to the client so four 85” screens were installed on the truss along with an additional two 82” screens. A lighting package and sound package was also installed to create both stage wash and thematic lighting around the room.
Maximillion also created bespoke UnConference Breakout spaces which included 65” plasma screens which were ‘built in’ to LEGO walls. We also printed bespoke and on brand whiteboards for each breakout space as well as unique seating for delegates. Beanbags, exercise balls and cubes were all used.
Speaker & Management
Using external speakers to gain knowledge from out-with the organisation is something that is important to Phoenix Group.
Maximillion put forward a number of speakers that were known for their expertise in each of the three areas that the conference focused on: Strategy, Culture and Structure. The planning team within Phoenix Group managed to narrow the list of 11 speakers down to 3 and then selected their favourite speaker – Flavilla Fongang. Flavilla’s CV and credentials list are huge and definitely something to brag about. She is a natural storyteller, knows how to give actionable insights, industry-specific case studies and personal anecdotes.
Theming
Theming a conference, or UnConference, is the best part, right!?
From bespoke LEGO namebadges to ‘Build your Own Figurine’ stations and LEGO Flower Table Centres we had so much bringing the LEGO theme to life.
Teambuilding
Teambuilding was a key area that the planning team wanted to make sure they nailed!
We engaged with a company who specialise in a teambuilding product known as ‘Serious Play’. This is a LEGO based product which takes delegates and teams on an experiential journey used to prompt dialogue and encourage reflection as well as develop problem solving skills and use their imagination. All using LEGO – how cool!? There were certainly some sceptical faces in the audience, however, after 10 minutes, the atmosphere in the room was amazing, the creativity was through the roof and most importantly, the conversations were flowing.
Evening Entertainment
A relaxed evening with the opportunity for guests to have fun, chat, mingle and get to know each other was the brief and we certainly delivered.
Five food stalls were created to include build and branding, each served a different street food from around the world. The Grand Hotel catering team did a wonderful job here. The food was outstanding.
We installed arcade games for delegates to challenge each other on which included a dance machine, table football, table tennis amongst others. The car racing simulators were certainly the most popular activity though with guests competing on these all night.
Whilst the brief was to allow delegates to catch up and chat, it was also important to have a band performing. A main stage act wouldn’t have worked as they would have created to much noise so we opted for a wandering band (complete with real LEGO bowties). The three piece band, made up of a guitarist & vocalist, saxophonist and guitarist, wandered around the room performing acoustically to small groups of delegates. A really striking and subtle way to entertain your guests.
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