In-person conferences were key to corporate networking before the COVID-19 pandemic threw a spanner in the works, forcing us all to rethink the way we organised events and to trade in the real world for the digital one. Does this mean that we have to say goodbye to in-person conferences for good? Not necessarily. This case study outlines how hybrid events are shaping the future of networking events, including conferences, by striking the perfect balance between physical and virtual interaction.
The Biennial Conference of the Malta Institute of Accountants (MIA) was a one-day event that brought together major stakeholders within the accounting industry, providing a platform for discussions revolving around the theme of A New Mindset: Reduce, Reuse, Report. Co-hosted at the InterContinental Hotel in St. Julians and online on the 22nd of September 2021, the conference was attended by 30 local and international speakers, who participated in panels about sustainability in accounting, tackling everything from climate change and sustainable finance to corporate sustainability reporting and Environmental, Social and Governance initiatives.
Due to the current situation, several delegates were unable to be physically present at the conference, ruling out an in-person conference. On the other hand, keeping attendees engaged online for an entire day had its own challenges, so an entirely virtual conference wouldn’t cut it either. In this case, the solution was clear: a hybrid conference; hosting a physical event for members of the audience who could attend in person while also offering the possibility of online attendance for participants who could not or preferred not to travel.
Engagement is the essential ingredient for any corporate event, so we wanted to ensure that the experience would be of the same high quality for all attendees, regardless of their choice of attendance.
The objectives for the MIA Biennial Conference were:
· To use technology to facilitate participation between the live audience and the virtual audience: A premium audio-visual, single-screen set-up optimised for live streaming was designed for the conference. The visuals, lighting, audio and filming of the event were taken care of by our team of event planning and AV experts.
· To put live and virtual audiences on the same level by creating an experience which caters to their respective modes of attendance: A lot of effort is put into planning the event experience for in-person attendees, so the same effort should be applied to creating an equally engaging experience for your virtual audience through interactive panels, keynote addresses, executive presentations and breakout sessions. We ensured that all speakers could interact with one another in real-time and delivered a first-class live experience to every attendee. Our event coordinator also managed to fit a quick fitness session into the conference schedule to keep all attendees on their toes.
· To stay within budget: A hybrid event doesn’t need to break the bank. In fact, offering attendees the option to attend a conference virtually might be more cost-effective, as certain expenses associated with in-person corporate events, including catering, venue and transportation costs, will be reduced. Whether you’re interested in organising a webinar, streaming pre-recorded video presentations, live streaming your event or going a step further and creating a virtual world, here at Jugs we offer a variety of setups and virtual component options to fit every budget.
Hybrid events are allowing us to engage with one another once again in this new, changed world, and it won’t be long before hybrid events become the go-to option for companies of any size. With the right technologies and professional event planners by your side, you too can organise engaging and accessible events which deliver excellent results without going over budget.
If you’d like to explore this option, get in touch with our event planning experts here to see how we can work together to ensure a successful outcome for your next corporate event.
When it comes to M.Demajo Group, their corporate events motto is pretty much “go big or go home”. So when they approached us to organise their end-of-year awards ceremony and Christmas bash … we went BIG!
With a festival theme and custom-designed impressive backdrop, this event left a lasting impression. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how it all came together.
What did the client have to say?
”Our people have always been essential to our organisation. They provide inspiration, creativity, vision and motivation that keeps our organisation able to push boundaries year after year. It is of massive importance to us at M. Demajo Group to show our colleagues our appreciation for their hard work and to celebrate a fantastic year. This is not the first time we engaged Jugs to assist us in implementing our vision for the party of the year! No idea or task is impossible for Jugs. They are a highly-skilled, professional and precise team of individuals and we thoroughly enjoy working with them to put together our highly anticipated audiovisual experience with the perfect good feel vibe.” – JJ Miceli Demajo, Director, M.Demajo Group
Give us a shout if you’re looking for a tailor-made theme for your next corporate event.
Business Leaders Malta marked their 10th anniversary with a show-stopping conference at the historical Teatru Manoel: Europe’s oldest working theatre. We managed to pin Gianni down for a couple of minutes to share some tips on how to throw the ultimate conference.
“If I may say so myself … Chapeau team Jugs!” – Gianni Zammit, Jugs & BLM Director
Give us a shout for more tips on how to put on a show-stopping conference.
Alberta Group is as awesome as they are talented in keeping us safe, and that element of safety is extended from their products and services to their own team. They invest in their staff as much as they do their equipment, keeping teams entertained with biannual staff parties, weekly ‘każinata’ nights, health awareness days, and other social events.
One fine, warm, summer day, we got the team rolling in laughter and having heaps of fun while at the same time achieving some amazing goals.
The client’s brief: organise a teambuilding event which gives employees a break from the office and the opportunity to let off some steam. What did they set out to achieve? Team cohesiveness, spur communication, getting to know people from different departments, improved team inclusion especially with the new foreign members of the team, making everyone feel involved and ultimately promoting individual commitment to a group effort, i.e. teamwork
Participants were grouped into teams of 8-10 people. Each team participated in a series of games, including the three-legged egg race, the inheritance relay and the pram race together with water games, football and tug of war. There was something for everyone, irrespective of their age or ability!
We then ended the day with a chilled BBQ by the sea, a chance for them to unwind, get back into their ‘safe zone’ and laugh about the days’ events with colleagues, whilst enjoying some tasty food and a cold drink.
Once the over-enthusiastic team members’ sore muscles had been nursed, the laughter settled, and everyone was back at the office, we asked Alberta to list the outcome and impact this event had on their team:
“Jugs are very creative, organised, and have extremely good coordination. They have a charismatic team who are not only professional but also friendly and fun to work with. There were many team members on the day of the event and the JUGS team managed a group of more than 250 employees very well. The games were mixed, appealing to different characters and physical abilities – whether active or non-active, everyone could participate in their own way. It was a long day but the Jugs team was hyped throughout and kept everyone in an energetic mood. After the activities,we moved to a set-up on the beach with mats, cushions and low tables – the perfect ending to a long day! This was also set up by them and we were very happy with the outcome. We’ll definitely be working with JUGS again due to such a successful result and positive feedback from all our employees.” – Deborah Azzopardi | HR Executive, Alberta Group
Our Whacky Olympics are a blast. If this is just what your team needs, give us a shout today.
In 2019, we were entrusted with the launch event of Qatar Airways as they began flying to the Maltese Islands daily. The series of events culminated in a VIP dinner for local and overseas dignitaries, including H.E. Mr Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways and H.E. the President of Malta, Dr George Vella. Needless to say, we handled it all with class, from pre-planning to final execution.
Qatar Airways provides nothing short of a 5-star service and so we wanted to match this standard with our event setup. Working hand in hand with our sister company The Venues Box, we offered a one-stop-shop for the different events, conferences and activities that took place. We planned, branded and put together everything from props to signage, backdrops, audiovisual setups, screen setups, staging, lighting, and everything in between.
To end it all, a celebration gala dinner had the guests surprised and wowed. A custom-made entrance to the venue created the feel of entering a theatrical performance, and during the night we put on a number of live performances. The mood was set by a live saxophone player, followed by a series of live performances including a ballet show accompanying renowned pianist Sonja Park who brought an oriental touch, to the main act of the night, Malta’s Cultural Ambassador: Tenor Joseph Calleja, who captivated the audience with his operatic performance.
No matter your destination, we seek to elevate your brand’s journey and expectations.
Give us a shout if you’re ready to trust us with organising your next event or conference.
Autumn, winter, spring, summer… whatever the season, we love creating team events that scream fun, ooze team spirit, and leave an aftermath of motivation. We absolutely loved combining all those elements into Blexr’s office summer party, where we splashed them with the most unexpected company day out by the pool, brimming with activities that got them singing to their favourite tunes.
From adrenaline-pumping teambuilding activities to more relaxed poolside games, to themed venue setup, the sizzling sound of a BBQ, an open bar, and a live DJ. We’re bursting with a whole load of ideas to share with you that will please everyone, exceed expectations, and offer a unique experience for your guests.
Our event with Blexr included these awesome elements:
Ready for your team’s summer staff party? Leave it to us, and all you have to do is show up ready to have a blast!
What an event! More than just a football tournament, the IFR Championship Cup has its own IFR Village and numerous networking opportunities. In a nutshell, it’s a FUNtastic sporting event raising funds for a great cause. In just two years, it raided €22,000 for charity – impressive and just the kind of things we love to support.
The client’s brief: give the event a wow factor and entertain participants and guests, whatever their age and capabilities.
In this vein, we retrace the fun and challenging games, fierce competition and team spirit that went down in September 2019, as we explore the 4 most important highlights of IFR as voted by the JUGS crew.
It was fun, mad, crazy yet our creative juices came to life in order to transform a not-so-typical conference venue – a car showroom – into an opening ceremony event fit for a panel of speakers and a number of guests. The checklist included backdrop, stages, screens, comfort monitors, audio, lighting … and of course, an after-party: all of which we set up within a 24-hour timeframe!
This is one of the best parts of our job – getting a crowd to network and have fun. And if a glass of Prosecco is known to get the party started, then what would a whole wall of it do? Our prosecco wall brought a unique touch to the event and is a perfect example of our creativity. We combined this with live entertainment and violinists who played in sync with a live DJ – bringing a unique touch of fun and class to the event.
Time flies when you’re testing your strength and balance, and trying to remain the last one standing on our gladiator inflatable joust. While the football tournament took place, we had a whole lotta inflatable fun set up for the entire family: from a Human Table Soccer, Giant Dart Board, Gladiator Ring, Soccer Dart, an 8-metre Climbing Wall, Giant Connect 4, Draughts Table, Table Tennis, and more. The aim: ensuring buzz endorphins could be felt from whichever side you were on – participating and spectating. May we add that all this was set up in the only blistering rainy & windy week of summer … and of course, we made it happen.
Not all of us are Ronaldo’s that can run for hours without experiencing a mini-heart attack! What puts this event above others is the extra unique touches that it provides, such as the chillout area. Instead of the usual tables, chairs and bar, we put together a combination of plants, sofas, bean bags and virtual reality games to give guests the ultimate way to wind down, wander off and forget their pains and troubles.
Exceeding expectations is something we love to do and it’s safe to say this event was one for the books. It ultimately boils down to careful planning and organisational skills, so if you want to create an event that’s just as memorable, think no more and give us a shout.
