Renault Group UK hosted their annual conference right here at Victoria Warehouse this summer. Our team loved working with Rapier group to plan and deliver this spectacular, immersive automotive event.
The client: Renault Group UK
The agency: Rapiergroup
The event space: The Cotton Sheds
The concept:
Renault Group UK Conference held at Victoria Warehouse brought together car dealers from the Renault Group network all over the UK & Ireland to give an update on brand performance and celebrate successes from the past twelve months.
The brief:
Renault Group UK were bringing their teams together for 24 hours in the city of Manchester to include a conference with a wow factor for 250 people.
The theme throughout the conference revolved around ‘transformation’ as a way to motivate, engage and set delegates up for the next chapter of the business. Of course, the cars had to be a part of the show, with different models on display, as well as a special reveal of one new car which hadn’t yet been launched.
Our venue team worked with Rapiergroup, who undertook the management of the event to include delegate logistics, production and branding of the convention.
The experience:
On entering The Cotton Sheds, attendees started with an experiential welcome point where they walked through a specially crafted tunnel of light and sound, with the idea to replicate the chevrons of the Renault emblem. As guests were guided through the tunnel, they entered the main conference space, discovering a pop-up merchandise shop along the way.
The main event space showcased the latest products and presentations from the Renault, Dacia, LCV and Alpine brands. Running with the ‘transformation’ theme, inspirational and sought-after business speaker Jim Lawless took to the stage to deliver a keynote speech.
The event content, led by the client, was impactful, with light displays and a big car reveal as a focal point. The Renault Group team worked with our trusted partner, Sterling Event Group, to manage all the AV, lighting and digital branding across the venue. Three cars were on the stage as part of the show, with another six other cars on the event space floor.
In terms of food & drink for the event, the client chose a daytime conference package to include a buffet lunch with lots of energising menu items such as salads, grains, pasta, focaccia rolls, with tea, coffee and healthy snacks available throughout the day.
Why Victoria Warehouse?
Rapiergroup were briefed to look at venues throughout the UK, including Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and London. Manchester was then chosen as an exciting, central, and cost-efficient destination for the event.
The client knew they wanted something a bit different to what they had done in the past. They loved the creative opportunity, blank canvas space with the brick walls and the industrial feel, along with the flexibility and creativeness the venue team could bring.
With only four months to plan the event, Rapiergroup came to view Victoria Warehouse and started working with Tom (Group General Manager) and Amy (Events Production & Project Planner) in February.
Amy and Tom were both involved in the planning, advising on the guest experience and best use of the venue for an automotive event. The client mentioned how impressed they were with the team, and the level of flexibility, touching on how accommodating they had been on the ever-changing venue brief.
On the day of the conference, Mark (Event Manager) and Claire (Event Manager) took care of all the operations, looking after the agent and the client throughout the day, and ensuring every part of the event ran smoothly.
The verdict?
“The venue was superb! Feedback about the event was extremely positive, partners who had been with the brands for 20-30 years claiming it as one of the best Renault Group conferences they’ve been to.” – Renault Group
“Victoria Warehouse, Manchester was the perfect industrial blank canvas for us to create a truly immersive brand experience for Renault Group.” – Rapiergroup
