The three-day event format ran for over three weeks, during which invited delegates were treated to a variety of experiences with the new cars being central to the presentation throughout. "Essentially," said Stage One’s Simon Wood, "the first day consisted of three distinct areas where delegates were treated to different aspects of the vehicles and entertained along the way."
The first of these was the Plenary area, where the company’s logo was displayed on the back wall behind a stage area with two lectern positions, all built by Stage One. The walls and fascias were given a mock concrete appearance to match the fabric of the venue itself. Delegates were seated at desk units, 34 of which had been built by Stage One to match the desks already in situ. "That sort of thing’s all in a day’s work for us," said Wood.
Following the Plenary session, delegates were invited to pre-dinner cocktails in the Hemisferic, where Stage One had built two elevated, sloping glass-topped plinths to display GME’s new models in all their splendour. To complete the display, Stage One built four structures that mimicked the architecture of the building and were used as lighting towers. Cocktails over, dinner was served in the Calle Mayor which had eight ‘food stations’, four ‘drinks stations’ and a variety of platforms for performers to entertain delegates while they enjoyed their meal. Each catering position was effectively two stories high and an additional eight platforms were built for dancers to perform. These had access treads to two sides and a castor system with brakes for ease of movement. To round off the performing areas, Stage One built two trucks with wheels; one for an opera singer and one for a guitarist and DJ. Both trucks had elevated platforms for the performers.
Day 2 saw delegates back at the venue to visit the Mervia Communication area and Mervia Ride and Drive. Delegates congregated in a holding area made up of walling built by Stage One that included a car plinth and three projection screens showing images of the Mervia, Opel/Vauxhall’s new MPV. Delegates then moved to Area 1 where, from the seating rostra at the rear they watched a live show based around a revolving Perspex model of the new Mervia. Stage One provided a digitally printed image of the ride and drive route on a curved wall, along with a scenic drape as a backdrop to the model.
On Day 3, another three-part show. From the holding area where Stage One built walling, speakers podium and a large Signum logo, delegates moved through a corridor to ‘Signum Area 1’. Here, Stage One had provided the gloss white laminate floor, bum rails and walling with digitally printed images of Signum vehicles with a painted gauze to the front. To the rear a flown gauze covered panel with a car silhouette lifted to reveal a real Signum on a revolve.
‘Signum Area 2’ had painted walls, floor and ceiling with raised areas on both sides upon which car seats were mounted. In the final Signum area, Stage One provided star cloth walls and ceiling with a raised floor and integral lighting. The area had lean rails and a front projection screen with exits either side. The Signum Ride and Drive took the delegates to Valessa de Mandor, an old winery that had been transformed by Stage One into a Vectra Wagon Communications area. A steel structure covered in gauze with a white gloss laminate floor created a suitable modern environment for a series of interactive displays. To display Opel’s strategy for future body styling, and maintain the old winery image, Stage One created display walling consisting of barrel ends, through which light box gra
