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MMM Goes Mega for Virgin
Live communication specialists MMM conceived and organised a fast-paced, high quality two day incentive event for 140 Virgin Megastores managers in Marbella, Spain. It was the first time Virgin Megastores has ever staged an overseas event, and it was also the first project that MMM conceived and delivered for them, after pitching and winning the business in February.
MMM – renowned for its innovative ideas and communications strategies – was asked by the client to organise an event with two main objectives. The first was to celebrate a breakthrough in the last year’s sales figures – overtaking their main competitor sales for the first time - in an exceptionally tough marketplace. Simultaneously, to get store managers to buy into Virgins Business Strategy up to Christmas 2007.
The atmosphere had to be lively, up-tempo and contain exactly the right mix of business and fun. The location had to be exclusive, beguiling and well serviced with a good network of low cost airlines to major UK and Irish cities. Marbella was chosen because it ticked all the right boxes – including good weather.
MMM’s team took care of everything from booking the flights to arranging local transport at both ends, locating and booking the hotel and other venues – with the help of a ground agent, staging the presentations, catering, plus arranging all the sporting and extra curricular activities for the delegates’ ‘down’ time.
The challenge was the short turnaround time between getting the green light and activating the plan. In that time all the flights had to be booked – and brought in on budget – activities had to be sourced and the production logistics had to be seamlessly managed and delivered with.
The Andalucía Plaza hotel met all requirements; it came complete with full conference facilities and an amazing setting right on the harbour front at Pueto Banus.
Delegates arrived on Monday afternoon for a tapas lunch which was followed by the start of the two-hour conference at 4 p.m. After this, they enjoyed an informal evening complete with Andalucían buffet … and were then free to walk the short distance into town, explore and sample the local colour! The town is action packed with several clubs and casinos and excellent shopping.
The next day, activities included shopping in old Marbella and a series of sporting orientated options including paint balling, golf, go-carting, tennis and beach activities. Various spa and beauty treatments were also available, but with 80% guests being male, the sport during the day proved the biggest hits.
At the end of the day, they returned to the hotel for pre-dinner drinks before being whisked off to La Meridiana, an amazing restaurant and nightclub set in the mountains, for a gala dinner and awards ceremony.
“It was the best conference to date and a useful motivational tool for the company,” says Paul Johnson, head of PR, events and local marketing for Virgin Megastores Store Managers Conference.
26th June 2006
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