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Business Connections
Connect with Australia China businesses through our online marketplace. Job Connections
A new way for Australians and Chinese to find employment in each others countries.
Events Connections
Click images below for the many EVENTS in China and Australia
Book Connections
The site to find the many books on China.
Back Issues
| Party time | | Print | |
| May / June 2008 | |||
 Australian companies not already involved in the Olympic Games in Beijing are still finding ways to be part of the action. As Sophie Loras reports, one of those areas is the provision of Australian-style event management expertise. The decision by Australian event management company Off Site Connections to open an office in China before the Olympic Games is paying off in a big way. The company, which has been organizing events, conferences and incentives from its offices in Brisbane, Sydney, Cairns and the Gold Coast since 1995, made the decision to open in Shanghai in 2005 following large scale events with clients already based in Asia including Amway and Cathay Pacific. In 2007 a second Asian office was opened in Singapore. "Timings and QA is the biggest initial hurdle in China," says Off Site Connections greater China general manager Anna Patterson who had the challenging task of building the company's China operations from the ground up. Starting from the basics, Patterson spent six months researching and sourcing the best in the business, including technical and lighting specialists, stage builders and construction companies. "In Australia we would already have had a pool of preferred suppliers and have been able to obtain what we needed easily, China has presented a different set of challenges," says Patterson. Off Site Connections has already secured two major Olympic contracts - the first - a series of high-end cultural events for the Seven Network Australia's VIP hospitality program. "We've been very strategic about sourcing exceptional venues that are not usually used by corporate clients so as to find a unique experience for our guests," says Patterson. Where possible, Patterson has kept the Australian link. Food and beverages being served at functions will retain an Australian theme, including Australian beer, gourmet barbeques, Pavlovas and mini lamingtons. Pitching against another renowned Australian event management group, Patterson believes Off Site Connections won the contract in large part because the company was already on the ground in China with established suppliers. An integral part of the client's decision was based on Off Site's ability to walk the client physically thru the event onsite in Beijing face to face. The second Olympic contract is for the Welcoming Ceremony for the Australian team and their families on August 7. Off Site Connections will co-ordinate all aspects of the ceremony, including venue and entertainment for the 1,500 invitees which will be telecast to Australia and include a yet to be announced live performance from a special ‘Australian' guest. For both events, Patterson's biggest concern is the transport logistics as BOCOG is yet to release information on how traffic will be regulated during the Olympic period. "Traffic is one thing we will have no control over," she concedes. Obtaining a licence for a special Australian entertainer has also been complex and involves seeking approval from the China Culture Bureau. The performer's photo, videos of previous performances and song lyrics must all be submitted as part of the application. Off Site Connections has also planned to include specialist Chinese acrobats at the event but under Chinese regulations, the acrobats have been termed as entertainers and cannot be locked in until two months before the Games - the worry being that prices could go up by as much as 800 percent by that time. "I know it will be beautiful when everything comes into place in the critical pre-production phase," says Patterson who likes to compare organising events to being in the military. "You bump in and you bump out," she says, "It's all about military precision and timing with a bit of creative magic." Another Australian events company using the Olympics to launch its profile in China is ABT Creative. The company has been working with Snickers to target Chinese male youths through a ‘street' style event marketing campaign to raise awareness of the Snickers brand and their Olympic sponsorship. The main project, Snickers Street Games, was held in April. VIPs from BOCOG, the media and sports celebrities joined with online gamers to promote the Snickers brand through a series of sports activities dubbed the Snickers Street Olympics. The strategy and concept saw ABT Creative designing an interactive program which gave traditional sports a twist. From human Foosball (a human scale version of the popular table soccer game), to Bassoccer (a street style soccer game that combines basketball and soccer), to Streetminton (a mix of badminton combined with street dancing). There was even a Snickers long jump, where competitors could see how many Snickers bars they could jump over. "We wanted to appeal to the creative energy of young males to be different. The on-line street games were used to let them experience the games and attract them to the live event" says Peter Grose, Executive Creative Director for ABT Creative. ABT have also been busy planning and designing the hospitality spaces for the Australian Trade Commission's Business Club Australia. The first BCA was successfully held at the Sydney Games with the aim of increasing business networking opportunities between Australian and international companies. BCA now conducts networking events at worldwide sporting events. "The aim of the BCA program in Beijing will be to facilitate business networking opportunities between Australian and Chinese businesses" says Adam Charles, Project Director for ABT Creative. ABT Creative are creating the brand environments by refitting the entire third floor of the Hilton Hotel in Beijing (where the event will be based), providing digital media content and logistically managing the food and hospitality of the event for BCA and sponsor partners. "The brand experience for BCA is about creating Australian network environments that celebrate Australian/China business stories" says Charles. Charles, who has been based in China since September 2007, says managing branding events in China is still very different from the way events work in Australia. "It's very different both culturally and from a brand point of view," says Charles. "But they are keen to learn and understand the importance of bringing brands alive, in the minds and actions of their staff and through brand marketing events." Austrade Olympics trade commissioner Ivan Kinsella says Australian companies bring imagination and an understanding of business needs. the Tender requirement for the BCA contract was for Australian companies already with a presence in China. "This is about doing something special and not just managing an event but creating an experience."
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