The Marketing Manager's Yearbook 2006
Creating a Splash - The Work of the ISES
Richard Groves, Managing Director
Create Food and Party Design
The big bash, a hooley or a bit of a do! Whatever you wish to call it, any hospitality is an important event for both the organiser and the guest. The inherent aims of a social gathering are conviviality and sharing of an atmosphere and a desire to entertain. It can be extravagant - a pantechnican full of lighting, an aspirational venue and a trendy caterer. Alternatively, it might be a more modest affair with none of the excesses – just good food and wine.
The International Special Events Society (ISES) is an organisation of over 4,000 members in 20 countries dedicated to the enhancing the process of hospitality through events. There are nearly 200 members in the UK representing all disciplines in the events business, including buyers.
An international focus
The difference between ISES and other industry societies are twofold. Firstly: we are a truly international society and secondly we are a predominately creative membership. How does this work for the British members? Not everyone in the UK does business in the United States and Europe, but it would be a very arrogant, (or insular) individual who believes that they cannot learn from other event specialists from around the world.
As a member of ISES for eight years, I have attended seminars and trade shows in American cities as diverse as Las Vegas where my company Create Food and Party Design won a global catering award, to Minneapolis. My colleagues and I have exchanged ideas with events professionals from Australia, Germany, China, Canada and the United States. The value of talking with your peer group in other markets and countries cannot be exaggerated, as this is the source from which creative ideas, solutions and additional expertise spring from.
The value of expertise and experience
Two recent British successes come to mind when discussing the value of joining a society such as ISES. Philip Hughes, Managing Director of the Ice Box, utilised his ISES European connections when he was planning the logistics of building two 4m tall, 100m2 bungalows as part of a marketing campaign for a German bank. The Ice Box worked with London-based ISES member JVP, to light these immensely complicated structures and employed German contacts for advice and on site support. The opportunity to call on experts and friendly resources like this is invaluable.
The second most recent and impressive use of ISES effectiveness comes from The Special Event Company. Managing Director Sally Webb, is a founding member of ISES UK and has held many board posts in this country and the US. Her company, based in Chelmsford, Essex has recently won a major contract to manage and produce conferences and events across seven European countries for an American pharmaceutical company.
Working with ISES members over the past ten years has helped The Special Event Company to compile a portfolio of contracts and resources necessary to successfully pitch and win multi-national projects. The experiences and business practices learned by working in both the US and European markets has enabled her to have an appreciation and understanding for the similarities and differences associated with global client prospecting. Sally now has offices in Los Angeles and North Carolina to support the UK head office. This truly is using the ISES ‘family’.
ISES also has an active lobbying and educational function. There are many issues in the event industry that the strength and perspicacity of its members can address and, with good fortune, make a difference. A couple of years ago, we lobbied Parliament for the tax threshold on Christmas parties to be raised from £75.00 plus VAT per member of staff. This, we argued, had been the limit for many years without any adjustment due to inflation. The Treasury subsequently raised the threshold to £150.00!
Our next lobbying aim is to get the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to address the relevance of the new licensing awards to the events industry. How do we make a law relevant that does not mention the size of events in the locations that we occupy?
We also have a generous sponsor – Insurex, who we will be working closely with to offer insurance packages to our members as a benefit. ISES – the International Special Event Society, alternatively ISES – Innovation, Support, Experience, Service.
What you get out of ISES will be determined by what you put in. Get involved and have a great time!
Richard Groves
Biography
After a peripatetic career in hotels, bars and a stint as a chef, Richard worked for caterer Party Ingredients until 1988 when he set up Richard Groves Catering & Events. Following the merger with The Ultimate Experience and Business Pursuits in 1999, R G C & E was re-named create food and party design in May 2001. Richard has ensured that the principles of imaginative food, a unique design service and exclusive glassware and cutlery have been adhered to as the company has grown exponentially to an annual turnover in excess of £5.5 million. Richard is President Elect of ISES UK/EMEA, a global network of event and catering specialists, and is a Visit London/London Business Tourism Champion.