With the Eventex 2024 Global Awards just around the corner, "Project Playground: 23 Choices" is emerging as one of the frontrunners with no fewer than five nominations. John Linssen, Sales Manager at SugarFactory and one of the strategic partners behind this out-of-the-box event, gives us a glimpse behind the scenes.
The reason for the event
Looking back at what inspired the event, John points to the recovery phase of the events industry after the pandemic. With venues closing and professionals forced to look for new jobs, there was an urgent need to shake up the industry. "We wanted to make a statement," says John, "to show our resilience and our willingness to take the industry by storm together with our preferred partners."
Taking on the challenge with creativity and collaboration
During the planning phase, the team encountered its first obstacles, and John recalls a crucial realization: "We were our own customers." He explains that it was necessary to wear different hats and hire an event manager to streamline activities. Timing also played a crucial role. John refers to the question they asked themselves: "How do you get as many people from the event industry as possible together on one specific date and how do you entice them in such a way that they want to spend seven hours with us?"
Central to the success of the event was a culture of creativity and collaboration. "We are all super creative and allowed ourselves the freedom to create without limits," John continues. To provide structure, tasks were divided among the team, such as communication, creation, finances, etc.
Where fantasy and reality meet
The event's distinctive character lies in its ability to provoke a new way of thinking and challenge guests to ask themselves questions that we sometimes prefer to sweep under the rug. By magnifying reality in unusual ways, sometimes absurd or even slightly shocking. "Project Playground: 23 Choices" has created a niche for itself.
More than just a nomination
The nominations represent more than just accolades; they symbolize the affirmation of a collective vision and joint efforts. John feels "proud to be part of this creative team" and points out that SugarFactory as a location embodied everything the event stood for: a creative playground.
In the broader context of the Eventex Awards, Project Playground: 23 Choices is proof of what can happen when collaboration between different parties is exemplary.
When asked which nomination category John is most proud of, he answers "Positive Change." "We really wanted to shake things up," he explains, emphasizing Project Playground's ambition to spark dialogue about pressing issues in the industry.
Choose adventure!
Finally, Linssen thanks all partners and in particular Charlot Enneking of Central Station Events for her central role in coordinating the event. When asked about the possibility of organizing the event again, John concludes: We are a creative bunch, so repeating the same thing is not really in our vocabulary… that said, there are still so many ideas that didn't make it into this edition, but are worth exploring…
About the awards
Since the Eventex Awards were established in 2009 to celebrate creativity, innovation, and effectiveness in the industry, they have become the most coveted and recognizable competition in the events world—a symbol of top performance and excellence.
The 2024 finalists were selected from a total of 1,207 entries from 62 countries worldwide.
The categories in which "Project Playground: 23 Choices" has been nominated are:
- Positive change event
- Kick ass experience
- Immersive experience
- Experiential event
- Partner engagement
The winners will be announced on May 7, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. (CET).
About Project Playground: 23 Choices
On Tuesday, August 29, 2023, de SugarFactory, on the outskirts of Amsterdam, welcomed 270 event professionals for the second edition of "Project Playground: 23 Choices." Together with creative partners Boozed, Hete Peper, Plugged Live Shows, The Fireflies, and Bazelmans AV, they created a unique and inspiring experience that focused on awareness and making choices.
You can view more photos of Project Playground: 23 Choices here.
