Leadership Offsite for A Global Brand in the Cotswolds

Objective

As a consumer packaged goods company operating on a global scale from five business units, our client recognises the importance of bringing teams together to connect more meaningfully, strengthen working relationships, encourage collaboration and identify new opportunities to be better than ever. This annual event, the first in which MGN events has been involved, was intended to reinforce the important role one particular team has to play in the company’s growth.

The Brief

We were asked to design, plan and manage a four-day event for this leadership offsite for a global brand and 80 of their senior leaders, delivering an engaging, inspiring interactive and immersive experience beyond the norms of a traditional annual conference. It would be our first project with this global brand but not with our client, who had used us at a previous company and knew our capabilities.

What we did

Hosted in the UK, we looked for a ubiquitous English setting and our venue search led us to The Cotswolds and De Vere’s amazing venue near Cirencester. With multiple versatile spaces available, both inside and out, the venue was perfect both for the event itself and as an impressive hotel in which guests would enjoy a very comfortable stay.

Day 1 was all about welcoming the guests to the venue, getting settled and making them aware of what was to come. An informal barbecue that evening allowed colleagues to connect with each other in a relaxed atmosphere ahead of getting down to business.

Kicking off the conference the following day, the opening session was all about leadership. Run by several external speakers, it was an inspiring start that challenged preconceptions about how effective leadership looks. Breaking for lunch in the restaurant, we had an hour in which to transform the space from a cabaret-style set up to theatre seating for a business update. Next, it was time to get everyone moving and working together – we had organised several fun team-building activities, including raft building and a high ropes course, which also allowed us to take advantage of the venue’s stunning grounds and lake. It was also the perfect setting for an alfresco dinner that evening, where we served street food and installed a pop-up bar beneath a stretch tent.

An unusual start on day 3 saw guests getting creative with Lego! The session began with a display and explanation of Lego models that represented different areas of the business. Having set the scene, guests were then presented with sets of Lego and, working in groups of 10, challenged to build their own models that would symbolise how internal departmental/business challenges could be resolved or improved. Working against the clock, it was fun, frantic and, ultimately, a very useful exercise. The session was recorded and relayed on screen so that everyone could see the final models as they were presented.

Whilst many might have expected that to be the highlight of the day, we had more fun in store. After lunch, guests enjoyed a fully immersive experience – a cleverly planned AI journey all within the space of one room. Utilising two 5M double-sided display walls, we created three AI-generated ‘rooms’. Starting with a Costa Coffee bar, guests then entered a London Underground station and, finally, an office setting where a 30-minute workshop took place.

Returning to the main plenary space, guests now found themselves in a version of the TV show Dragons’ Den. Here was the opportunity for each group to pitch their workshopped ideas to four ‘dragons’ and receive feedback. Continuing the TV theme, the next session was based on the ever popular Britain’s Got Talent, complete with theme tune, indoor spark machines and lots of props, from inflatable guitars to wigs, glasses and feather boas. Groups were given 45 minutes in which to devise a performance that encapsulated their takeaways from the session. A challenge for participants and a challenge for the MGN events production team who were on hand to support the groups with presentations, visuals, music samples, anything they needed to enhance their acts. Time up, we laid on snacks and drinks to enjoy during the performances and voting for the winning act.

That evening guests were treated to a BritPop-style festival party. We transformed the venue’s permanent marquee space with bunting, lighting, straw bales, picnic benches, fire pits and lanterns. A bandeoke band performed and soon had guests up singing with them. And for those less keen on sharing their vocals, there was alternative fun to be had with a rodeo bottle and pub games.

The final day was all about wellness, sharing insights about effective management skills and how to balance mental and physical wellbeing. We then quickly changed the room set up for a speed networking session, followed by a wrap-up session before everyone departed with grab’n’go lunches.

The results

This was a demanding event, requiring ever changing set ups in the various event spaces – something that our team is so good at doing behind the scenes. We also delivered a fully branded experience – from ensuring no competitor brands were on site to creating branded graphics, signage, presentations and lanyards – so that guests were fully immersed in the event. And, as ever, our production team supported throughout with all the technical wizardry needed to ensure every single session was a success.

Feedback was positive, with guests describing the event as memorable, a great opportunity to collaborate with colleagues, an exciting vision of the future, “an education from start to finish” and “a great, great event”.

And all that Lego? Our client kindly donated it to schools and charities near to their London office.