On April 24, 2024, Stagwell took a daring leap at Cannes, creating a sports-centered environment aimed at facilitating engagement. Through sports-themed discussions and workshops, they transformed the usual formal networking scene into something unique and exciting.
The core motive was to harness the power of sports—an influence that cuts across cultures and demographics. Beth Sidhu, the company’s Brand and Communications Officer, expressed her belief in sports as a global unifying platform, ideal for creating meaningful connections.
The event, known as Sport Beach, faced some skepticism, but the final turnout of over 5,200 attendees far exceeded the expected 1,600, proving its resounding success.
Activities at Sport Beach were not limited to athletics. Athletes such as Maria Sharapova and Carmelo Anthony shared personal narratives, had panel discussions about their business careers, and gave speeches on subjects like mental health and social media. This rich content served as inspiration for the next generation of sports personalities.
The purpose of Sport Beach was two-fold: ramping up brand awareness and opening new business opportunities.
Stagwell’s success at Sport-centered Cannes event
Its immense popularity boosted Stagwell’s reputation, as it became the third most searched Cannes-related topic, following two Spotify concerts.
The success of Sport Beach extended to the participating athletes as well, yielding national sponsorships and contractual prospects. Stagwell’s innovation proved that conference dynamics could be reshaped for greater interactivity and engagement. The payoffs from this standout approach were considerable, not only for Stagwell but also the athletes, as the platform boosted their careers and status significantly.
In conclusion, Sport Beach has set a new bar for industry events, merging athletic activity with serious business networking and creating major business opportunity escalations. This brand-boosting success story leaves us speculating about future interactions in such spaces, opening up discussions about the ongoing evolution of these platforms.
