SPARK THINKING is a global events and communications agency that helps brands create unforgettable experiences that change audience behaviour. By looking for insights and unexplored ideas, SPARK THINKING develops new opportunities to create more engaging live event and communication strategies.

The agency – the sister brand of global healthcare specialist, Ashfield Meetings & Events (part of UDG Healthcare PLC) – has been shortlisted in three categories at the Event Technology Awards for its delivery of Jaguar Land Rover’s Graduate and Apprentice Induction week.

Shortlisted for Best use of Technology for Engagement & Interaction, Best use of Technology for Audience Participation and Best use of Technology at a Brand Event, this follows SPARK THINKING’s reappointment for the third consecutive year by the iconic automotive brand, as its apprentice and graduate induction week gains a reputation for being one of the most innovative and highly-regarded events in its calendar.

“The event app set the tone for the exciting careers the participants were embarking on and was hugely successful, playing a key role in helping to meet client objectives for the programme,” explains Dan Walker, Head of Live Events for SPARK THINKING. “Our aim for these events is to build on the graduates’ and apprentices’ enthusiasm for both the company and their new roles, so being shortlisted by these respected awards is an enormous achievement, as we pride ourselves on creating emotive experiences that truly capture an audience’s imagination.”

This year’s week-long induction took place at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry between 3 – 7 September. Around 320 graduates and 205 apprentices took part in the programme, which introduced them to the company’s values, history and heritage, key figures from within the organisation and gave them the opportunity to get hands-on with the company’s pioneering and innovative vehicles, including the Formula E and the brand’s most recent launch, the Jaguar E-PACE.

The graduates had the opportunity to meet with their managers for the first time and visit the nearby manufacturing plants. This year, they also got to take part in a driving experience at Solihull. Here they learned various vehicle controls, drove up steep inclines, descents, side slopes and through streams, and saw how to manoeuvre the vehicles through obstacles while learning how to assess different environments.

Dan Walker adds: “Having the opportunity to design and deliver this event for the third year running, particularly for such a forward-thinking, iconic brand as Jaguar Land Rover, is a real privilege and recent breakthroughs in experience design and technology will enable us to really showcase our capabilities for our client. The ETA recognition is truly the icing on the cake for our team.”

Adam Parry
Author: Adam Parry

Adam is the co-founder and editor of www.eventindustrynews.com Adam, a technology evangelist also organises Event Tech Live, Europe’s only show dedicated to event technology and the Event Technology Awards. Both events take place in November, London.