Event Jabra Asia Pacific Partner Conference 2011
Agency Uniplan Shanghai
Venue InterContinental Asiana Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City
Group size 120
Date February 14-16
 


The brief
Jabra is a Danish designer and manufacturer of headset solutions for offices and contact centres, with its Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore. Its new management team in Asia Pacific decided to host its first Asia Pacific channel partner conference in 2011.
 
The programme needed to make a lasting impact on its channel partners, setting the tone for a new style of collaboration. To deliver its message, it engaged Uniplan Shanghai to help develop the creative concept, select the destination and execute the event.
 
Challenges
The management team wanted to communicate a new beginning for the working relationship with its partners. A theme of “Joining Forces: 1+1=3” reinforced the idea that together, Jabra and its partners could take a qualitative and quantitative leap towards mutual success. This theme cascaded through all of the elements of the event, from the invitations to on-site branding, and in the presentations themselves.
 
For the destination, Jabra was looking for a cost-effective location that would still provide a high level of service as well as the right image for their event. It decided the InterContinental Asiana Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam had the best fit.
 
With the client in Singapore, the agency in Shanghai and the destination in Ho Chi Minh, communication was essential. Uniplan Shanghai set up a schedule of weekly calls and key site visits to ensure that planning was smooth.
 
Execution
On the first evening, guests attended a welcome reception held poolside at the hotel with Vietnamese music and traditional food. A day of conferences followed, opening with a resounding wake-up call by four traditional drummers followed by a welcome address from Jabra’s APAC president, Mark Leigh. After a morning of presentations, all of the guests assembled for a souvenir group photo. Following lunch, guests were off to experience one of three tours highlighting Vietnam’s culture. Guests could choose a city tour, a visit to the famed Cu Chi tunnels or a spa experience.
 
A gala award dinner was the highlight of the event. The evening featured an opener of traditional dance followed by an Ao Dai fashion show. Capping the evening was the awards ceremony, which recognised all the attendees’ achievements to date while inspiring them to aim higher in the future. On the final day, guests assembled for morning plenary and afternoon discussion meetings by country before departing for the airport.
 
Comment
Christopher Tan, Jabra’s head of marketing and alliances, says: “Fantastic job by the entire team. Overall, it was a very successful event. I have received very positive feedback from partners and my management team.”