BTC 70 years – setting the pace

Presenting the business messages of BTC’s anniversary story and the company’s vision of the future in an artistic environment demanded a creative crossover approach. A classical, well-defined traditional space was transformed using modern lighting effects, stage techniques (rotating stages, flying structures, gymnastics rings, a floor-mounted movable stage tower, enlarged visual presentation on LED screens, etc.) and musical touches to produce a completely unique production, tailored to BTC’s story. The event included 80 performers and live orchestral accompaniment. The form of an opera-theatre production was preserved and enhanced with various contemporary touches. In a venue that usually hosts opera and ballet productions, a professional and experienced team staged a corporate story in three acts based on the principles of space and time: the Overture, Act 1 (past), Act 2 (present), Act 3 (future) and the Grand finale. In this way, we stimulated the audience’s senses on a higher level.

Innovativeness is one of BTC’s core values, one that the company has pursued for 70 years in all aspects of its business operations. BTC has also been a long-standing supporter of culture and the arts. In creating the gala event, we remained faithful to these principles. To celebrate the anniversary, we took to the stage and created our own theatrical production. This was not a matter of traditional drama, but told the powerful story of BTC featuring the company’s stakeholders and friends as the protagonists. With an innovative approach, we managed to adapt the content and programme of the event, all performers included, to fit the laws of operatic dramaturgy. We chose the performers (pop opera soloists, classical and modern dancers, and an orchestra) and the individual songs accordingly.

Due to the complexity of the event’s organisation and execution, the months-long preparation required regular coordination and clear roles and responsibilities of all participants. The event project team consisted of innovative, responsible and experienced professionals working in event organisation, direction, stage design, costume design and production. The same goes for subcontractors (catering, photography, filming). Due to adapting the event programme to classical opera production and equipment, communication between the client, the technical venue team, the technical event contractor team and other subcontractors was crucial. The large number of participants (80 performers, stage technicians, costume design and production staff, make-up, VJ, lighting, construction, LED screens, set design and event assistant), demanded clear instructions, with discipline and execution kept at the highest level. Regular weekly meetings of the core project team were crucial to resolve outstanding issues and adapt quickly to emerging situations. The event was aligned with BTC’s corporate visual identity, specially adapted for the anniversary campaign.

The event was executed without fault. Guests were treated to an exclusive ambient experience and a programme of the highest quality, as well as superb cuisine. Afterward, we received an overwhelmingly positive response from attendees, both in person and in writing. The guests shared with us their excitement and gratitude for having experienced such an outstanding evening. We received over 100 messages of thanks and congratulations through different channels and at different levels within the company. Audience feedback suggested that the event succeeded in showcasing BTC’s inspiring story by focusing on partnership and friendship with a wide range of stakeholders, as well as a vision for the future, thereby achieving the project’s purpose. With this anniversary gala event, BTC has set the bar high for future corporate events. It confirmed that BTC pursues courage, innovation and difference, not only in the corporate world but also in other areas of its activities. The event cost over EUR 200,000, staying within the planned budget.

BTC is celebrating its anniversary through a series of internal and external communication activities throughout 2024. For this purpose, an integrated communication strategy was prepared under the slogan Setting the pace for 70 years, which includes the anniversary gala event. The long-term communication objectives of the anniversary campaign are to strengthen BTC’s corporate reputation as a successful, innovative, sustainable and socially responsible company. A written invitation was sent to select business partners and other stakeholders a month before the event. Registrations for the event were handled through an online app, which allowed us to monitor the response on a regular basis and enabled full transparency. Afterward, we shared a post about the event on LinkedIn, together with an image gallery.

BTC is committed to sustainability throughout its business strategy, including event organisation. In the case of the anniversary gala event, the following sustainable practices were taken into account: - in line with their sustainable business practices, Jezeršek Catering planned the quantity of food according to the number of confirmed participants, minimising post-event food waste; - glasses and ceramic plates were used to serve the guests, generating zero plastic waste; - for the stage materials, as many available existing materials were used as possible, adapted to fit our needs; - for stage costumes, a combination of new and existing costumes was used, limiting the use of new materials; - invitations to the event were sent electronically rather than on paper.