Business boutique

What is it that makes d’Events different to other event management companies in Dubai?

One of the main differences is that we have an in-house PR division – d’PR – so there is a synergy there that works well for a lot of our clients. Often they would have the same person dealing with the PR and the event side of things – there are cost-savings there for the client.

We are very brand focused as a company and we really try to incorporate brand strategy into the events that we deliver. We don’t just focus on the operations and the logistics.

What that shows at the events is that people walk away and remember who it was that put the event on, as opposed to it just being another event.

We get into their heads as much as we can; we try to understand their brand strategies, their marketing strategies and their objectives for the event. There are a lot of companies out there that can deliver an event but I think what we can try to do is be brand managers ourselves.

How is the demand for new technology evolving in the world of events?

There are some of events where it is just the attention to detail and the branding that the clients wants and there are others where it is appropriate to have lots of technology and when it is we will recommend it.

Unfortunately there is a lack of this modern technology in Dubai, so we look internationally to see what we can source and it is not unheard of that we ship things from as far as America, Asia or Australia.

The industry is developing and maturing and clients are definitely demanding more in terms of a brand experience, which we are finding very exciting because that is what we see ourselves delivering in the market place.

Because they are seeing the value they are increasing their marketing spend so more of the share of investment is going into events now.

Naturally with more budget and with more opportunities it is leading to the industry developing, so companies from other countries are looking at the UAE and seeing the opportunities here.

So meeting and event spend is not decreasing in the region?

We feel as a company that there is incredible optimism in Dubai in terms of the events industry not being affected by a lot of these outside influences and the sense that there are more opportunities as every day goes by with more companies moving here.

There is more investment being ploughed into Dubai every day so this is a really exciting time for events.

There is also a real competitive nature in Dubai between clients that we thrive on. They are desperate to stand out from their competitors and one of the top things on their agenda is how to stay memorable and how to stand-out and the impact that they are looking for.

That is top of our agenda as well. We spend a lot of time brain-storming and thinking of new ideas. As a company we would never dream of delivering the same solution twice.

How is competition hotting up among event management companies?

There are more event management companies opening up but there is also more work. We pitch a lot and we have a really high success rate but we are not feeling the increased competition.

There are a lot of good creative companies out there and they all have their unique selling points, but we very much have a bit of a niche in the market.

We see ourselves as a boutique agency; we don’t appeal to all clients and we are fine with that. We are very lucky in that we don’t have to proactively get new business. We get new business if they come to us and that is great because it demonstrated the reputation of the company in the market.

We are very honest in our approach in that if we think we don’t have the resources to deliver a job to our standards, we won’t take it and if we don’t have the skills and experience – which doesn’t happen often but it has – we won’t take it. We are 100% committed to client servicing so that is really how you have to do it.

What trends have you noticed in the client base?

One thing I have noticed is that there is a real issue with having the same people at the same events. One thing I think is fantastic about d’Events is the way we target the right people.

We are focused with clients on exactly who they want at their events. We have our own in-house database that we have pulled together in the years that we have been in operation. A lot of the time the clients look to you for that.

We are very meticulous about out invitation and RSVP management, which I don’t feel a lot of clients or companies are. That is something we have led and now the clients are demanding more from their events – for example the people that would buy their product or service.

If a company is moving into a new sector or launching a new product, they don’t have a database of the right people a lot of the time.

Clients would love to see return on investment on events – unfortunately there are no specific measures for that. In other countries it is more developed in terms of research methodology and getting qualative research back.

We realise that brand managers and marketing managers have to justify to their managers why they should do an event versus spending x amount on the media when you can get this much exposure. That is a very measurable field.

It’s a good thing that clients are demanding that more because it is challenging agencies.

Who are the people that come to you as clients – what are their job titles?

We tend to get approached by someone from the marketing team, whether it is the marketing manager, the brand manager or the communications manager.

If it is a small company we will often get approached by the CEO. More and more we are also getting approached by the business development team.

What other issues affect you as a boutique agency?

Venue availability, that’s a huge thing. There is a real lack in the range of venues. If you look at London, you have anything from an opera house to a theatre or a sports stadium, a traditional hotel or an art gallery. Here you are really limited.

I think it will get better – initiatives like Sports City, Atlantis and The Palm for example will really open doors. There are lots of exciting ideas and venues coming through.

You can be as creative as you like, but ultimately you are transforming a space into an event, whether it is an indoor space or an outdoor space.

Another issue is the clutter. There are so many events – so you have to deal with the clutter when achieving a stand-out event for the client.