When an Executive Leadership team event stretches across three days, dozens of sessions and hundreds of touchpoints, the challenge isn’t necessarily volume. It’s coherence. You need everything to belong in the same world, especially when timelines are tight, expectations are high and most of the audience were there last year.
From the outside, this kind of project can look effortless: cinematic, confident and clean. Up close, however, it’s layered and deeply human. Which basically means a small group of very skilled people holding a lot of moving parts at once.
We saw this first-hand on a recent Odyssey-themed Executive Leadership event for a long-standing client of ours. This time, that coherence came from two inseparable forces: a strong, enabling theme, and the way we used AI to expand creative exploration and build at scale.
Granted, AI didn’t make Odyssey happen overnight, but it helped us explore faster, go further and keep the whole three-day experience feeling like one joined-up world.
Turning scale into story
The brief was to deliver a consistent experience across three days that felt intentional, connected and genuinely different for a returning audience. Less your typical conference, more stepping into another world.
Sure enough, world building emerged as a defining idea. Design soon moved beyond individual assets and began to imagine a complete, coherent world that unfolded over the three days. AI stepped up as a creative tool to support that narrative and scale.
That concept then evolved into a journey, or Odyssey, spanning three distinct environments. Early visual thinking drew loosely from fantasy world maps (think Lord of the Rings), where colour, terrain and geography signal progression. It established spatial storytelling from the start and clarified the three stages, helping the audience instinctively understand where they were in the story without over-explaining.
AI as a sketchbook, craft as the finish
When it came to mapping the narrative and distinct environments for each day, generative image exploration became our sketchbook. What started as vast landscapes, dramatic light and architecture emerging from rock progressed into a metaphorical acropolis for day one, dense green mountains for day two and an open water horizon for day three.
This is the bit that can sound magical when you summarise it. In reality, it’s iterative. You explore, refine, test… and then go again. Small prompts don’t always translate to small changes, so creative judgement is a must every step of the way.
Once we had strong direction, we shifted from exploration to build. That meant retouching, rebuilding, extending canvases, correcting light and adjusting perspective, sometimes merging multiple outputs to achieve a workable result. This is the unseen part that requires making the right call: do we regenerate or rebuild? Does that particular imperfection add character, or break the illusion?
An early stylistic decision shaped everything. Rather than aiming for photorealism, we leaned into a stylised, gamified aesthetic, closer to Avatar or a high-end video game world. That choice freed us from being hyper-real and made every design element feel intentional.
Continuity is where it counts
For Odyssey to feel truly immersive, each of our environments had to feel distinct yet undeniably part of the same universe. Otherwise, you don’t have a world; you have three separate backdrops.
The navigators were central to that consistency. As guides through the journey, they had to feel like they belonged inside it. Built as hybrids, we used real client imagery to anchor each character, while generative visuals pushed the world and wardrobe. Here, AI captured the Jumanji-esque vibe we were going for… just not the person. Turns out, ‘generic adventurer’ is easy; ‘recognisable speaker’ less so. Human design skills were very much key to rebuilding and refining each profile until the team was unmistakably themselves.
While AI supported scripting and visuals, the voiceover was intentionally human. A trusted voice actor anchored the story inside those otherworldly environments. Music was selected early with different tracks for each day, so the voiceover was recorded to music. That meant pacing and emotional rhythm were locked in from the outset.
Essentially, the tools helped us explore a bigger playground. The craft is what allowed us to piece it all together into a story with staying power.
So… does AI make it quicker and cheaper?
Onto the golden question: if you’re using AI, doesn’t that automatically mean faster and cheaper? Well, not necessarily.
On Odyssey, it became clear early on that AI wouldn’t reduce the work, but it could raise the ceiling of possibility. The real difference was how much we could build within the time we had, and how quickly we could test ambitious ideas before committing to a final route.
And that’s not to say that the process was seamless. Like any large-scale event, the journey to fruition was still intensive and iterative, with a constant need for creative judgement and control.
That’s the big win with AI. Not speed for its own sake, but what it unlocks: ideas you wouldn’t reach as quickly otherwise, and a broader creative horizon to explore. The output still depends on those talented humans you’ve always trusted making the calls.
If you’re looking for the people who can shape the work, keep it coherent at scale and bring the best ideas to life, let’s talk.
Live events are a high-pressure environment.
You’ve invested months in planning the stand, aligning the messaging, getting the team there, building something you’re proud of. Then the doors open… and suddenly everything is happening at once: overlapping conversations, competitors playing who can shout the loudest—all whilst attention is short and everything’s moving on fast forward.
And in that reality, the brands that come out on top aren’t always the ones with the biggest presence; they’re the ones that can respond in real time. Those that can capture what’s happening and share it while it’s still fresh.
The real advantage here isn’t size, it’s agility—on-site congress content that’s filmed, edited and live before the day is even done.
The problem: great stands can still get missed
Even the best exhibition experience can get swallowed up if it isn’t captured and shared as it’s actually happening.
Your team might be delivering brilliant demos, hosting meaningful discussions, running symposia… but if nobody outside that immediate moment sees it, the impact is always going to be limited.
And nope, it’s not enough to post a polished recap two weeks later. By then, the moment has passed.
Congress content needs to work both on the floor and off it. It needs to be built for speed, quality and brand control in a live setting.
Quick-turnaround content drives footfall while the event is underway
One of the biggest missed opportunities at congress is waiting too long to communicate what’s happening on your stand.
Fast, professionally edited on-site video captures activity as it unfolds, turning live moments into real-time invitations.
At EASD, for example, we created a same-day video for mylife Diabetes Care that invited delegates to experience their stand first-hand. Showcasing live demos, hands-on interaction and the energy around their evolving diabetes management solutions, it was posted while the congress was still in full swing, prompting attendees to come and see it for themselves!
Short-form video, optimised for platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, X and TikTok, creates momentum and visibility while the event is still in motion.
Content that flexes
Live environments need modular content that can work across the event lifecycle.
That might look like:
Built as a system rather than a one-off, this approach keeps your message relevant from the first rig day to long after the stand is packed away.
Maximising the value of your exhibition investment
A congress is a serious investment, where all the different elements (not to mention the coffee!) really add up. So the question becomes: are you getting the full return?
On-site content transforms stand activity into marketing assets that continue working long after the event ends, extending the value of what you’ve already built.
Instead of one intense week of activity, you gain weeks or months of content supporting brand presence, follow-up campaigns, internal comms and future planning.
How do we know? At ESICM, we supported a global medtech leader with live congress content that brought their presence to life. Filmed and edited on-site, the videos showcased the expertise behind the brand and the diversity of the team delivering it, even engaging audiences in their native languages. Shared while the event was still underway, they extended the reach of their stand beyond the congress hall.
Built for the pace and pressure you’re under
We understand the pace organisations like yours work under. Live congress environments demand agility, consistency and creative that’s informed by what’s possible in the moment.
That’s why we create congress content designed for real-time impact—driving footfall, capturing authenticity and making your stand unmissable. Because at a congress, the brands that stand out aren’t just present. They’re impossible to ignore.
Molly has been promoted from Senior Account Executive to Account Manager, a step that feels both well timed and well deserved.
Over the past two years, she’s become a strong and steady presence within Client Services. Capable, collaborative and always willing to roll her sleeves up, Molly brings a can-do attitude that lifts the team around her.
As John shared, she’s ‘a living, breathing example of our values, wrapped up in a professional, can-do attitude’. Corinne echoed that pride, recognising this milestone and looking forward to seeing her continue to grow as an Account Manager.
This promotion reflects the impact she’s already having. We’re excited to see her build on it in the months ahead.
It’s a progression that feels both natural and deserved. We’re looking forward to seeing her continue to grow in the role.
“She is a living, breathing example of our values, wrapped up in a professional, can-do attitude. Having Molly as part of Outlook Creative for the last two years has been a delight and we look forward to seeing her career develop.”
John Lloyd, Joint Managing Director
“So pleased Molly has hit this milestone. Capable, collaborative and team-orientated, I’m looking forward to seeing her fly as an Account Manager.”
Corinne Kavaz, Client Services Director
Alex has been promoted from Senior Account Executive to Account Manager, a move that reflects the consistency and care she brings to her role every day.
Over the past two years, she’s grown steadily into someone clients and colleagues rely on. Calm, organised and thoughtful in her approach. She’s put the work in, taken on more responsibility and proved she’s ready for this next step.
As John said, she’s ‘a dream to work with’, recognising the conscientious effort she’s made to reach this point. Corinne also highlights her calm, mature professionalism and the well-earned nature of this promotion.
It’s a progression that feels both natural and deserved. We’re looking forward to seeing her continue to grow in the role.
“Calm, considered and accurate, combined with her diligent attitude, makes Alex a dream to work with. Over the last two years Alex has worked conscientiously towards this step in her career and I have no doubt that she will continue to shine on the path ahead of her.”
John Lloyd, Joint Managing Director
“Uber-organised and methodical, Alex brings a calm, mature professionalism to everything she does. I’m delighted she’s gained this well-earned recognition.”
Corinne Kavaz, Client Services Director
Most clients don’t come to an agency asking for ‘a theme’.
They come because the event has to do something that really matters, and it can’t afford to wobble. The leadership team needs to leave aligned, the message needs to be clear, and any change needs to feel compelling enough for people to actually buy into it.
And yet, when an event starts to feel messy, it’s rarely because the agenda itself is weak. It’s because everything is pulling in slightly different directions. Sessions make sense in isolation, but not as a whole. Stakeholders add ‘just one more thing’ and the content grows, the room feels busier, and the audience leaves with different versions of the story.
That’s when a theme stops being a creative nicety and becomes a practical tool.
A strong theme gives you one shared frame to hold the message. It helps people take in what they’re hearing—but more importantly, it helps them to carry it forwards.
Odyssey—turning three days into one story
We saw this first-hand on a three-day Executive Leadership team event for a global healthcare client in Athens. They’d run a similar event the year before, so expectations were already high. The brief was direct: raise the bar and make sure the message is unmissable.
The stakes were real. Big changes were coming, and if this group didn’t leave aligned, the organisation wouldn’t be either.
We landed on Odyssey. It emerged as a way of thinking about the event as a journey rather than a schedule—a narrative that could hold everything together across the three days. This structure became the story we would take them on.
Here’s what the theme did:
It gave the whole experience coherence at scale. The narrative spine ensured everything worked in the same direction: design built environments, motion moved through them and copy charted the overall progression.
It gave the client a decision-making filter. When new content appeared, we had a way to test it. Does it serve the journey? Does it move us forward? That clarity saved hours of back-and-forth and stopped the event from sprawling.
It also gave the audience a thread to follow. Leaders became ‘navigators’ and sessions became ‘waypoints’ in our journey. Transitions reinforced momentum instead of resetting the room. Films played like game-style cutscenes, so the content felt more like chapters than another presentation. Even the heavy stuff—finance, compliance, operational updates—landed differently because of the context. People knew where they were in the story and why it mattered.
If you’re planning a high-stakes event, a strong theme is about so much more than making your event feel more ‘creative’.
When we discover the right theme, a world of opportunity opens up. Because when we move through a story together and emotionally engage in the narrative, our brains release neurotransmitters that enhance our ability to recall memories. We don’t just remember the facts—we remember how we felt, where we were in the journey and what it meant for us. Which is exactly the difference between information and impact.
We help you find the throughline early, shape it into a theme that can fully hold the message, then design the experience so every moment builds on it. That’s Transforming Creative into Reality—and how your audience leaves not just informed, but aligned.
For nearly a decade, we’ve been helping CBRE make its mark at MAPIC, the annual global meeting place for retail and property players. Held each year in Cannes, the 2025 edition marked the event’s 30th anniversary, and it remains the place where big ideas, big deals and even bigger conversations happen.
For CBRE, it’s a real focal point of the retail calendar—an unmissable opportunity to connect with clients and prospects, and to showcase their world-leading expertise.
But what exactly does it take to nurture a partnership that’s spanned nine years (and counting)? Let’s rewind to 2016, when a simple PowerPoint deck turned out to be the spark for something much bigger.
That first project might have been small, but it set something exciting in motion. CBRE saw in us a creative team with a lot more to offer; in particular, the potential to help bring their brand to life in new, imaginative ways.
And as luck would have it, MAPIC—that major event for CBRE—was just around the corner. The team needed a creative partner they could trust with all their exhibition needs, so up we stepped.
And the rest? Well, you know how the saying goes.
Since that first event, our role at MAPIC has grown and evolved year on year. The brief might stay the same (to design, build and deliver a stand that’s enticing, functional and unmistakably CBRE) but how we transform it into reality is always in motion.
Each year brings a new challenge: how do we make it even better than last time? It’s less about reinventing the wheel and more about evolving it with purpose.
That first year, it was all about striking artwork. The next, we introduced a natural world-inspired theme with lightboxes and LED strips to bring the outside in. Later designs embraced a sleeker, more minimalist look and feel.
As CBRE’s brand has developed, the stand has evolved right alongside it. Each new design captures the story of where the brand is at that moment, creating a space that looks great, feels inviting and, most importantly, functions as a dynamic meeting place.
Over the years, our relationship with CBRE has become about much more than design. We’re not just creating a stand; we’re delivering a complete event experience from start to finish. Each year, we take the brief and run with it, handling everything from initial sketches and specifications to build management and venue logistics.
We even have an event producer on site, working behind the scenes to keep everything running like clockwork. Need a quick fix or a lighting tweak? We’re already on it.
That kind of dependability builds real trust. CBRE know they can count on us to get things done, anticipating challenges before they arise and delivering the same high standard time after time.
Fast-forward to today, and we’ve just wrapped on MAPIC 2025. This year’s design built on everything we’ve created so far, adding a new layer of personality that reflects where the brand is heading.
After eight years (and soon to be nine) of collaboration, it’s more exciting than ever to see what’s next. Because for us, yes, MAPIC is an event, but it’s also proof of what long-term creative partnership can achieve.
So here’s to keeping things fresh, exploring new ideas and getting the job done—reliably, and with just the right amount of flair.
When our client, Vestergaard, came to us with an animation brief, we knew there was potential to do things a bit differently without compromising on production value or creativity.
The challenge was compelling from the get-go: bring to life the powerful impact long-lasting insecticide-treated nets have on the fight against malaria. It was immediately clear that the story needed to be told with impact—something rich in colour, texture and emotion to match the gravity of the message.
But the big question was: what was the best way to get there?
Creative challenges rarely come with just one solution. But by bringing AI on as a partner, we knew we’d be able to dramatically boost production value and creative quality. We’ve chatted before about how AI isn’t about replacing the human touch but rather giving you more choice—and our approach to this project was a case in point.
So we let our curiosity take the reins and ran a little test. Two versions, side by side: one made the traditional way, and another where we let AI lead the way. That way, the Vestergaard team had the freedom to decide which version best fitted their brief.
We started by testing the animation side of an AI platform, quickly finding that the results were inconsistent, mismatched and not up to scratch.
What they did do, though, was give us heaps of inspiration. While the animation was lacking, one of the early outputs sparked a strong visual direction. So we shifted focus, using the AI platform to generate imagery before handing it back to the humans to refine and animate with their irreplaceable flair.
The final workflow was roughly 80% handmade design and animation, with 20% AI input. This hybrid approach wasn’t about speed or budget, but flexibility. By using the best of both worlds, we could test ideas, iterate and respond to the Vestergaard team’s feedback without having to go back to square one each time.
Voiceover-wise, the team went with an AI-generated performance. Capturing an authentic accent, however, proved tricky, but we got there with a bit of finetuning, using voice changing which we then refined with AI. Once again, it came down to finding the right balance: AI kicked things off, and the human touch made it shine.
Many people think working with AI means clicking a button and getting a perfect output. In reality, it’s almost never that simple.
There’s also the idea that AI should automatically make things cheaper because it speeds everything up. While that can sometimes true, it’s not a given. Really, it boils down to cost versus value. AI doesn’t always bring down the price tag, but it can unlock value in ways traditional methods can’t.
It can also give us the chance to be even more creative (more on that here). AI is especially helpful in the early stages of the creative process, giving us more space to explore illustration styles, colour palettes and the like. In this case, it gave us chance to layer in more depth, texture and colour, and move through creative iterations far more quickly than if we’d ploughed on without. And the Vestergaard team thought so too.
When we presented both versions—one produced traditionally, the other enhanced with AI— Vestergaard chose the latter, and were genuinely delighted with the quality of the finished animation.
But the thing is, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach. No two projects are ever the same, and with AI evolving so quickly, every workflow ends up looking a little different too. That’s all part of the fun—tweaking and adjusting until we reach the best solution for each brief.
For us, AI isn’t a shortcut. It’s about balance. We’re still learning, and always will be. But one thing’s certain: the real magic still lies in the balance between human creativity and smart technology.
That’s what makes the work worth watching.
AI voiceovers are advancing at a rate of knots, and it’s easy to see why. They’re practical, efficient and can save serious time, especially when used in the right context.
What’s clear is that they’re a valuable addition to the creative process. An addition that means we have more tools in our toolkit than ever before. But rather than replacing what already works, AI voiceovers simply expand the options available.
For some projects, a human voice will be the natural choice; for others, AI may prove the smarter option—and often, a blend of the two can work marvellously. Our role in all of this is to help you work out which approach delivers the best results for your audience, timeline and budget.
…That’s the theory. Now for the practice.
We wanted to explore just how far AI voice tech has come. So we used our enterprise AI models to build a simple demo using a non-actor’s voice: one script, two reads—first by the human, then by an AI clone of the same voice. The example switches seamlessly between them.
What do you think?
Note: we used a fictional diabetes product script to show how AI handles medical terms. Any likeness to real products is purely coincidental.
This isn’t about replacing human voiceovers or picking sides. It’s about giving you more choice. We audition and sample both human and AI reads on your script so you can hear the difference for yourself.
Sometimes a human voice carries instinct, emotion or nuance that just clicks. Other times, technology can surprise you with speed, consistency and unexpected flow. Often, the magic happens somewhere in between.
Of course, AI isn’t flawless. Longer reads can get tricky, clones can shift between sessions, and technical language or names need a careful touch. Rights and transparency matter too—check out the EU AI Act for more on this.
But that’s where we come in: building glossaries, setting pronunciation guides, running quality checks and making sure that every voice is used with clear consent. By handling these details, we keep AI reliable, consistent and safe to use so you can make the most of what’s possible.
We’re here to remove faff and add value. Great work doesn’t come from tools alone; it comes from the choices we make. Our job is to help you make the right ones for your project, every time.
Michael has been promoted to Junior Producer for the Moving Image team, recognising the organisation, capability and enthusiasm he brings to every project.
Over the past year, he’s taken on more complex and demanding work, consistently stepping up and making his mark. His growth has been clear to see, and his contribution is making a real impact across the team.
As Shauna says, this promotion is a well-earned reflection of the progress Michael has made, and there’s plenty more to come. John agrees, describing his development as “a joy to witness.”
We’re excited to see what he achieves next.
“Michael’s development has been a joy to witness, and I’m certain that every single one of his colleagues will confirm it’s a well-deserved promotion. Well done.”
John Lloyd, Joint Managing Director
“Over the past year, Michael has truly come into his own—consistently stepping up to take on more complex and demanding projects with his trademark organisation and capability. His promotion is a well-earned reflection of the growth we’ve seen, and I’m genuinely excited to watch him continue to evolve and stretch his producing muscles even further.”
Shauna Swift, Senior Production Manager – Moving Image
We’re in the business of ideas, and ideas have impact. But that impact shouldn’t leave a heavy footprint on the world around us.
From the first spark to the final delivery, every choice we make together creates a ripple. So we ask the big questions early in the process, finding the lighter path wherever we can. Because creativity that harms the world it lives in just isn’t creative enough.
When you work with us, sustainability isn’t an afterthought—it’s baked in.
Together, we look for ways to reduce impact without losing ambition, so you can be confident that your project isn’t just hitting the brief, but treading lightly where it counts.
That could mean exploring different materials, rethinking travel plans or finding new life for preloved kit. Whatever it is, we’ll work through those decisions together, so the result makes a difference in both the work we deliver and its impact on the world we share.
We’ve picked up a few stamps of approval on our journey so far:
These aren’t just badges; they’re milestones that continue to keep us and our work accountable.
Sustainability isn’t a tick box, it’s a challenge to keep getting better. We start every brief with some planet-friendly questions to spark ideas and explore options:
If the answer shrinks our impact, we’ll go for it. If it doesn’t yet, we’ll keep asking until it does. This is how we work. With creativity, collaboration and a commitment to make each project kinder to the planet.
We believe great creative should leave nothing but a positive impression. If you do too, let’s talk. We’d love to create work that looks good, feels good—and does good.