Event Design Ideas From C2 Montréal 2019

C2 Montréal stands out as one of the most innovative and dynamic business events today that breaks away from the mold of the standard conference. Combining commerce and creativity, C2 Montréal is a 3-day conference from May 22nd to the 24th featuring speakers and performances dedicated to aligning business with societal change. With the theme of “Tomorrow,” this year’s conference is the eighth installment of C2 Montréal, and its popularity is still growing, which is evident by the switch in venue from the Arsenal to the spacious 200,000-square-foot Grandé Studios.

Known for its hands-on approach and artistic activations, C2 Montréal reimagines the concept of a conference by delivering interactive experiences that expertly engages learning through entertainment, which explains why it was named the best conference four years in a row. Any marketers searching for new design ideas should take note of the most successful activations present at this year’s event and incorporate them into your company’s future function. Let’s explore some of the best design ideas featured at this year’s C2 Montréal conference:

Reinforce Your Event’s Message

Following in the creative footsteps of this year’s C2MTL conference, marketers should consider tying the overall message of the event into the basic design. According to Genifere Legrand, the chief creative officer at C2, “[‘Tomorrow’] really guided us in building this year’s program. We invited a lot of speakers to talk about how we can make our society better, especially regarding the environmental challenges we’re facing and the technology issues we might face.”

In keeping with the conference’s theme of “Tomorrow,” guests were reminded to be environmentally conscious at every turn with the incorporation of nature into various activations and labs at the conference. Richard St-Pierre, the president of the C2 conference, commented that one of the main platforms, a 360-degree stage known as the Agora, was coated in sand to highlight C2 Montréal’s dedication to sustainability. Guests were taught about body mechanics during Pivot, one of the principal labs at the conference, within a space designed to look like a forest, which featured live trees.

Not only did C2 Montréal 2019 encourage guests to be environmentally friendly by incorporating nature into the design, but the event itself actively showed participants how to practice environmental consciousness on a daily basis. Straws and plastic bottles were banned from the event to reduce plastic waste, guest badges were made to be recycled, and less than 40% of the machines used in the development of the event were fossil fuel-powered, all in the pursuit of actively embodying the conference’s message of preserving the environment and decreasing the event’s carbon footprint.

A Nod to the Venue’s History

Grandé Studios, the location of this year’s C2 Montréal conference, had such historical significance to the city of Montréal that the conference felt the need to pay tribute to it in the form of a unique activation. An ensemble of aerialists called the Spirits descended from the ceiling during the conference adorned in 19th-century industrial clothing in order to promote the rich history of Grandé Studios, which was once the site of the Grand Trunk Railway yards, the largest train repair shop in Canada dating back to the 1850s.

If your company chooses a venue that has made a significant mark in history, you might want to consider featuring it directly within the design of your event. Highlighting your venue’s history will bring your guests a memorable and original experience that your competition can’t duplicate while honoring the history of the city and the surrounding culture where your event is taking place.

Utilize the Latest Technology

Marketers should utilize all of the tools at their disposal in order to engage the interest of attendees at their next event and one of the most effective tools that will attract consumers is the latest technology. Other than furthering environmental awareness, C2 Montréal set out this year with the initiative of opening a dialogue about the current challenges facing technology and the prospects of its future. One of the more innovative methods implemented during C2 was how the conference encouraged the guests to learn more about the latest technological advancements being made in space exploration through the use of technology.

Developed by the Phi Centre, guests were invited to explore three separate virtual reality adventures located in the Loft. One of these VR experiences, “Space Explorers: Taking Flight,” took attendees on a 25-minute-long journey exploring NASA’s current developments and future plans for deep space exploration. Not only did this activation reinforce the event’s message, but it also encouraged the guests to actively participate in NASA’s proposal rather than to be delivered the information in the form of a lecture or speaking engagement.

Shape Personal Growth Through Participatory Activities

Throughout the C2 Montréal conference, there were various participatory activities that engaged attendees on a deeper, more personal level. One of these activations was the Alter Ego lab, an exercise that placed participants into a hall of mirrors where they were challenged to desert all former perceptions of themselves and develop an alternate personality. The guests who took part drew their new persona on the mirror and fitted the character with a separate set of personal traits. The activity not only allowed participants to get creative and to breakdown preconceived notions about themselves, but it also aimed to build self-confidence and foster more assertive decision-making.

Activities of this kind that encourage your guests to participate in an introspective, motivational task are a perfect exercise for a corporate event. Incorporating a participatory activity at your company’s next social event will motivate your employees to take their individual goals into consideration and align them with the ambitions of the company. Giving your guests the opportunity for personal growth lets them know that your company cares about your employees’ careers and aspirations, and will work with them to achieve those goals as a member of the corporate community.

One consistent accomplishment that the C2 Montréal conference continues to achieve even in its eighth year is the feat of drawing in guests and holding their attention in exiting and unique new ways. No matter what type of event your company is throwing, whether it be a corporate function or a business event geared towards selling a product, try any of these activities at your next event to engage your attendees in both an educational and entertaining experience.

[Originally produced for an event management company associated with Marketing Insider Group in June 2019]