We are the new era of live events

The brief

• In 2023, Dubai Chambers, the engine of Dubai’s economic development and business growth, sought to further elevate their status by hosting a world-leading, must-attend Dubai Business Forum that would attract international audiences, secure new investment and place Dubai at the epicentre of global business.​
• Identity was asked to create this flagship business networking summit as part of our wider partnership with the membership organisation to reimagine their business vision and brand. ​
• The event needed to be an immersive experience that would create ‘wow’ moments, brand recognition and lasting memories for both new and existing audiences, cementing Dubai’s position as a leading global hub for business, trade and investment.

Identity partnered with Mubadala one of the highest profile and respected sovereign wealth funds of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to deliver their pavilion located in the Decarbonisation area of the Green Zone at COP28.  Mubadala’s significant presence at COP28 was pivotal to their continued support of a sustainable future. With the opportunity to showcase their successes across multiple platforms, they requested a highly creative solution to their COP28 offering – memorable, meaningful, impactful & sustainable. 

The challenge  

The client brief outline the requirement to deliver a sustainable event Pavilion design & Activations complimented by immersive interactive showcases using natural materials, ensuring the showcase venues are sustainable with reusable assets post event. All installations and furniture must be repurposed and re-used after the event – either through installation in Mubadala offices or donation to charity, schools, universities, or repurposed for other events – rental of existing structures was considered key for sustainability purposes 

The sustainability footprint extended to the all-digital creations which were required to be re-usable at Mubadala offices and future events. Our brief was to ensure all interior design, art and technology elements within the Mubadala showcase spaces were re-usable and repurposed either for donation or for permanent installation in Mubadala offices. Also included as part of our response were details of the sustainable materials proposed, sustainable best practices Identity follow, sustainable supply and value chain, and the Identity methodology for creating a net zero experiential showcase space.  

A key element of the pavilion design was the requirement to showcase Mubadala portfolio company brands CEPSA, Yahsat, Strata, Tabreed, Tata renewables, Masdar City to showcase the decarbonisation, energy transition, and innovative climate solutions themes 

The solution 

Identity’s Future Forest response ensured we oversaw all operational aspects of the Mubadala sectors in both the green (and blue) zone for the duration of COP28. The 450sqm pavilion showcase spaces featured interactive and engaging display for Mubadala Foundation partners (Emirates Nature WWF, MBZ Nature Fund & Khalifa University climate research) alongside shared meeting rooms and cross functional areas for shared activations.  

Identity conceived and designed an immersive, engaging journey through a stunning physical environment, a real living rainforest, rich with growth which then evolves into a breath-taking digital forest containing twelve zones full of content and surprising experiential moments. Attendees and delegates could select a journey to navigate, whilst using the dwell spaces to pause, listen and make connections. Our creative and environmental designs highlighted socio-economic growth and Mubadala’s focus on fostering and contributing to Abu Dhabi’s transformation into a globally recognised and diversified economy. 

The shared common / reception space catered for open events/ and gatherings and welcomed schools and university competitions, Mubadala Youth activations in the middle of all the portfolio company showcase spaces and adjacent to the Mubadala Foundation showcase space to educate the generation in the importance of pledging a commitment to climate change and the initiatives that support them.  

Facts 

• 967 Plants used for the stand 100% re-housed 
• 450sqm Sustainable pavilion build in the Green Zone of COP28 
• 3 LED Screens 
• 4 Interactive tables 
• 3 LED Screens 
• 1 Meeting room  
• 1 Majlis 
• 7 Portfolio Company Pods (with screen and content) 
• 4 Digital experiences (cultural hub, forest of dreams, area c, interactive tables) 

On behalf of Innovation Norway, the Norway Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, showcased how technology can address marine environmental challenges. We worked in close collaboration with brand accelerator, Gyro, as creative production partners for the pavilion. We were responsible for creating a seamless user journey, which we achieved through the application of branding across different mediums.

31^st October – 13^th November (plus Pre-Sessionals, 25^th – 30^th October) 

Engaging with the world whilst showcasing Glasgow on the global stage, COP26 brought together delegates for one shared goal, to tackle climate change, in the most well-attended COP in history, and the largest international summit to ever take place in the UK, broadcast on the world stage, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. After 13 days of intense negotiations, COP26 concluded with every Party at COP26 – representing almost 200 countries – agreeing the Glasgow Climate Pact.

To ensure success, COP26 would need to engage with audiences in person and with participants across the world and across time zones, to build a sense of unity and amplify key themes; and every element of event design and delivery would need to support the coming together of this disparate audience of in-person attendees, virtual attendees, and people watching at home.

Identity’s role as sole production partner was to underpin the event with responsibility for creating a unified, inclusive and sustainable design and for flawless delivery on an unprecedented scale.

Deliverables

Identity took ownership of all infrastructure, facilities, overlay, production services and host broadcast/media services and virtual conference offering, working closely with FCDO, Cabinet Office and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to ensure the smooth delivery of this extremely important event.

With just under eight months to deliver, Identity convened a hand-picked and highly skilled team of event experts to plan and produce this event; our team comprising over 4000 event experts and experienced event delivery crew, plus 1000 volunteers.

The scope of our brief encompassed the design of every space at COP, and a key consideration was putting Glasgow on the map, for which we developed a treatment that would work expansively and tie COP26 into the city with a tonal range of events, vibrant and engaging where they needed to be, others calm and reflective, all cohesive and inclusive.

COP26 was vast, taking place across two separate zones, one for delegations, and one for public attendees, comprising the entire SEC campus in Glasgow and a public ticketed zone across the river Clyde at the Glasgow Science Centre. The footprint covered more than two square kilometres and saw the installation of 78,000 square metres of temporary structures – in effect designing and building a town within a town – to support over 30 meeting rooms, lounges, bilateral rooms, secure delegation offices, pavilions, a media centre and press conference rooms, stand uppers and broadcast platforms. All underpinned by exemplary project management, stakeholder engagement, supply chain resilience, and sound budget management for the public purse.

London’s New Year’s Eve celebrations were open to the public for the first time in two years, and it was certainly a night to remember.

Organised by the Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority, Identity helped ring in the new year with an incredible show of light, colour, sound, and the all-important fireworks!

Our creative expertise enabled us to deliver an exceptional and memorable event. We explored how we could champion the New Year’s Eve show and the glorious London skyline to bring the vibrant city to life. We wanted to inspire an atmosphere of joy and nostalgia through reflecting on some of the key events of 2022, as well as celebrating new beginnings.

We used modern drone technology and storytelling to celebrate the late Queen Elizabeth II through the creation of images in the sky. The choreography of the drones championed the Queen’s service to her country and honoured his majesty, King Charles III. The display was supported by voice clips from Mayor Sadiq Khan, and Paddington Bear, as well as a powerful message from Peter Tatchell from the Gay Liberation Front.

The event highlighted the Lionesses’ Euro 2022 victory, 50 years of London Pride, as well as solidarity with Ukraine. The unforgettable performance saw industry leading names across lighting, music, and pyrotechnics, united in delivering one exceptional experience for the city. The iconic London Eye was at the heart of the show as the events unfolded along the Embankment.

The soundtrack of the event was inspired by the rhythm of the city and was carefully timed with the lightshow. Championing London through the international language of music, the night showcased globally recognised and emerging London talent. The music enabled each stage of the night to flow seamlessly, building up the suspense before the midnight moment.