Interview with Rob Pace, President, i4D Enterprise Services Group
During the HPE Discover event from November 27th to 29th of 2018 at IFEMA, the President of the company pointed out the keys to the success of a meeting that brings together thousands of people from different parts of the world. A challenge of logistics, but also of commitment and future of the brand and, of course, a great event for the destination: Madrid.
What is the main objective of HPE Discover?
The main objective of HPE Discover varies greatly according to different audiences. But what really defines the event is that we bring together many influential people, customers and partners within the ecosystem around HPE, and we try to give them exactly what they need during the time they are here.
What do you look for when selecting a place and a destination?
When we study locations for Hewlett Packard Enterprise Discover, it is very important to find a space that fits the size and complexity of HPE Discover. In addition, it has to be an attractive destination and, therefore, we look for cities that are not necessarily a place where people go frequently.
What made IFEMA MADRID and Madrid a good choice?
When we were analyzing the cities in which to celebrate the event last year, Madrid had two really important components. One was IFEMA MADRID, where the experience is carried out. We needed a place that had the versatility of spaces that would adapt to us. The second was to offer a city rich in culture and history such as Madrid, with its museums, its gastronomy. It is incredibly attractive for us and equally important for the place. And the combination of all this made Madrid a unique and ideal city for us.
What does HPE Discover mean for the positioning of the HP brand?
The event is important for HPE because Discover defines the brand of many of our campaigns, represented in the event. In addition, we have our own team that gives life to the culture of the company. It is an immersive experience that the Hewlett Packard Enterprise brand offers to our customers, but also to our partners.
What do they do to keep the participants active throughout the day?
There are so many things that make an event like this succeed. When you have 8,000 or more people, you should make sure they have time to take a break, pause and update. It is important that they have time for breakfast, lunch with tranquility, which increases the productivity of the attendees. The surveys we conducted after the event corroborate it.
What is the experience you want the participants to have here? How to present the product in a way which reinforces this experience?
We designed a space to create an experience. When guests arrive, they are greeted with a large amount of digital and personal signage. We have many hosts who are here to make them feel welcome in a very personal way. From the first moment, we want attendees to feel that it will be a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the brand.
We see that the corporate message in this event is very important. How do you take that message home for attendees?
Within HPE Discover, we have several types of messages and brands. At the top is the element, which really is the symbol that represents the whole company and our culture in a very simple format. Below that, we move very specific messages in which we want people to come in and realize what HPE can offer them.