Luka 2 Bled
Main category
B2C
Sub-category
3. Product or Service Launch, 7. Sports Event
Watch the event video
Event Description and Key Objectives
On 16 September 2023, we were witness to a basketball spectacle at, or more accurately in, Lake Bled. The focus was on the presentation of the new basketball shoe LUKA 2 LAKE BLED, developed in cooperation between Luka Dončić and the legendary Jordan brand. A 3x3 basketball tournament was also held on a floating court in the middle of Lake Bled.
Key challenges
The key obstacle was fitting the floating court onto the lake according to the sustainable practices and guidelines of the Slovenian Water Agency and the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia (IPCHS). The court could not be fixed to the bottom of the lake but tied down to the shore of the lake.
One of the main challenges when organizing the event at Bled is the traffic. The place with 8000 residents has been facing traffic challenges for many decades, a situation we are actively working to improve. Therefore, we offered free train and bus transportation for ticket holders and the option of parking at Lesce Airport with a shuttle bus connecting the airport with Bled Lake.
The whole event was organized with security risks in mind since, until the very last moment, we did not know whether Luka Dončić would attend.
Basic information about the event
Name of the organiser
Bled Tourist Board
Location
Bled, Slovenia
Event duration
16. 9. 2023
Client
n/a
VOTING LINK
Event results
Creativity
Choosing a location on the lake, with a fairy-tale-like backdrop, to present the new basketball shoe LUKA 2 LAKE BLED on a floating court. that technically met nature conservation requirements. The event was limited to 5,000 participants who received a free ticket, and in this way, we also directed visitors to an otherwise tiny place.
Innovation
The floating court needed to technically meet nature conservation requirements. It was the very first time that we limited the number of attendees to the 5,000 participants who received a free ticket, and in this way, we also directed visitors to an otherwise tiny place. Additional parking space was provided at the Lesce Airport.
Execution
The event was a fantastic mixture of sports, culture, and natural beauty. It provided both Bled and Slovenia with a unique opportunity to elevate the country's visibility as a tourist destination, bolster national pride, promote sports and a healthy lifestyle, and gain tangible economic benefits, such as increased tourist visits.
From an organizer's side, the only downer was that Luka did not attend the event after all.
Measurable results
All the partners (Slovenian Tourist Board, Bled Tourist Board, Jordan, and Grosbasket) invested 350,000 euros for the event. The media exposure resulted in a 4,7 MIO value of published articles and other media content.
Communication
The event was communicated in an omnichannel manner. Since many partners were involved in the event organization, we could reshare and supplement all the posts and content from each other and overflow the social media channels with the event and shoe launch for a more extended period.
Sustainable practices
The event was held in a zero-waste manner, as sustainable tourism is the main communication point and a way of handling tourism at the destination. Attendees and guests arrived at the destination with sustainable mobility of their choice—with an event pass, free train rides from Ljubljana to Bled and vice versa were available, as were shuttle bus rides from Lesce Airport to Bled.
As Bled Lake is a sensitive ecosystem, the floating court was tied to the shore of the lake according to the sustainable practices and guidelines of the Slovenian Water Agency and the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia.
The only vessels used while preparing and hosting the event were eclectic and classic rowing boats, and event tickets were paperless.
