Event Peugeot 508 launch
Venue Hotel Fort Canning
Organiser Procon Events & Marketing
Group size 300
Date May 25

The brief
Peugeot wanted to host a launch event for both prospective customers and those who had pre-booked its new 508 model. The global tagline was “Quality Time,” and the event needed to incorporate this in a way that was tailored for a Singapore audience.

Challenges
“We saw ‘Quality Time’ as finding tranquility in the midst of the city and the venue needed to reflect this,” says Christian See, manager – accounts and operations at Procon. “We looked at the Botanical Gardens, but the venue there is quite a distance from the entrance and parking was also an issue. We also looked at the Fort Canning Green area but it was too big, and in the areas around Marina Bay there were too many restrictions. We chose Hotel Fort Canning  because it met our objectives and the terrace is not usually rented for events, so we had ample time to set-up.

“The hotel staff wanted the best possible event, and any difficulties we had were related to achieving this,” he says. “If we requested something that may compromise the quality of service delivery, we worked together to resolve it.”

Execution
The terrace was transformed into a busy train station platform with a fully costumed stationmaster checking “tickets” at the entrance, a long wall of LED screens showing trains rushing by and flashing interesting transport statistics, a ticking departures board overhead, railway benches and an ambiant noise soundtrack.

Digital Kitchen Studios was brought on board to develop CGI trains for the LED screens, as the stock footage available was unsuitable and official permits are required for any live filming of Singapore trains.

“Pre-launch, we wanted the space to be a standard transport hub as well as a standard launch event, so canapés, beer and wine were served in a fairly chaotic environment,” says See. “Once the cars were launched, the space transitioned into a calm, comfortable environment with live stations serving pasta and roast beef, and moscato being served instead of the traditional champagne. There was plenty of food and drink, Nolina Salim performed on stage, and the crowd could relax and check out the cars.”

Guests were encouraged to leave their worries behind by sketching them for a doodlemaster, who then transformed them into a positive thought. “One guest was feeling down about the rain earlier in the day and so drew a thundercloud, rain and someone getting drenched,” says See. “The doodlemaster transformed this into a man enjoying a glass of beer after work.”

Comment
“The Palm Terrace at Hotel Fort Canning gave us a good space, plenty of parking and with full catering facilities right underneath,” says See. “Being on the second floor gave us a good view of the city skyline, which reinforced the “Quality Time” tagline – a tranquil space in the heart of the city.”