uk_mice_micd by I love Denmark

english

MEET IN COPENHAGEN/DENMARK WINTER 2004/2005

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The Best of Danish Design

Copenhagen s New Opera House On 15 January 2005, Denmark s new Opera House on the Copenhagen waterfront will open its doors to the public for the first time. Donated to the Danish people by the A.P. Møller and Chastine Mc-Kinney Møller Foundation back in 2000, the building has been designed by Danish architect Henning Larsen as part of a DKK 2.5 billion project. A number of Danish artists have contributed to the décor, including internationally acclaimed Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson famous for his

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Weather Project at Tate Modern in London - who has created three light sculptures. The Copenhagen Opera House is the perfect venue for pre-performance private functions or dinners seating up to 220. Refreshments will also be served during the intermission and after curtain fall.

www.operahus.dk www.kgl-teater.dk

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Contents 4 When were you last involved in a Conference? Interview with Ib Ravn, Learning Lab Denmark 6 Aalborg Serves Up More Delights 7 Interactive Solutions Read about the developments within the Danish meetings industry 13 SAS Update 14 Hans Christian Andersen 2005

Welcome to Copenhagen/ Denmark Welcome once again to Meet in Copenhagen/Denmark magazine.

16 Hot in the city 18 The Danish Experience

This year we have been telling you about the Bicentenary of Hans Christian Andersen s birth in 2005 and the many events which are taking place then. More information on the year, what will be happening and who is involved can be found on the official homepage www.hca.com. This issue of the magazine focuses on the future of meetings. We have an interview with Ib Ravn, who is Reserarch Group Director at Learning Lab Denmark, and an article on the interesting developments within the meetings industry. In addition, on page six we have some ideas for events in the Aalborg area of North Jutland and page 13 we tell you about developments within SAS Scandinavian Airlines. As always, we enjoy hearing from you and feature some of your feedback on page 18. Please feel free to contact Denmark s MICE professionals around the world (see back cover for details of your local representative) to tell us about your experiences of organising or attending events in Denmark, or for further information or assistance with planning conferences, events or incentive travel. Let us help you get the most out of your trip. We look forward to hearing from you. Your MICE team

PUBLISHED BY VISITDENMARK AND WONDERFUL COPENHAGEN EDITORIAL DEADLINE 1ST NOVEMBER 2004 GRAPHIC DESIGN & PRODUCTION: GBZ PHOTOS: VISITDENMARK WONDERFUL COPENHAGEN AND VENUES LISTED IN THE MAGAZINE CEES VAN ROEDEN DGI JACOB FRIBERG JETTE JØRS LARS SCHMIDT SAS SKT. PETRI TED FAHN WEBER SHANDWICK PRINTED BY TRYKBUREAUET, DENMARK WITHOUT RESPONSIBILITY FOR ERRORS AND CHANGES

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Interview with Ib Ravn, Learning Lab Denmark.

When Were You last involved in a Conference? Ib Ravn is Research Group Director at Learning Lab Denmark. He heads a group that does research on and develops tools for knowledge sharing in organisations. He has been involved in the project regarding Future Meetings and The Learning Conference (see pages 7-12). He has a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. Meet in Copenhagen/Denmark caught up with him to get his views on some of the issues relating to meeting planners of today, and how we plan and run meetings and conferences. How did you get involved with the meetings industry? I don t have a background from the meetings industry but have been working as a consultant on projects relating to social systems and human resource management. I was approached by the organisers of the Future of Meetings project group who wanted expert input from someone involved in learning theory and practice. I was interested in working in the field, since it is obvious that very little actual learning takes place at confer4

ences although people say they attend to learn new stuff. So much money is spent on conferences and events and for the organisers to get their message across, but only little thought is given to how this is done.

What is your opinion of the way traditional conferences are held? Typically, conferences are based on one-way communication. There is a series of PowerPoint presentations, six or eight or ten a day, with brief intervals for questions and answers. One hotel may have a swimming pool and the other a discoteque, but the professional content is always delivered as if it were a Prussian auditorium in 1870: the professor talks and obedient students listen or fall asleep. What our group at Learning Lab is doing is to look at processes between people at conferences. The hoteliers and venues know everything about seating and food and logistics, but we want to help them become more proactive and propose new meeting formats to their customers. For example, the hotel chain Comwell has trained so-called Meeting Designers who can not only help you with the usual requirements such as meeting facilities and

AV-equipment but will also go deeper into what you are trying to convey and will come up with different ways of delivering the message.

What can you do to make conference sessions more interesting for delegates? Ask every speaker to break his 45-minute presentation in two and have the audience digest what they heard in the break. Have people turn to their neighbour and share their thoughts for five or ten minutes. Or ask people to spend three minutes in complete silence, right there in the auditorium, jotting down the two most important points they heard. Then ask five or ten of them to speak up and share a point with the rest of the audience. Have people sit at five-person tables instead of theatre-style. Seated in straight rows nobody sees anybody else s face; this is a very controlling and authoritarian way of seating people. If you only have 30 people, put them in a circle with no tables. This is good for conversations in pairs and in plenary. Seat a hundred people in three nested circles with a section open for short presentations.

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LEARNING LAB DENMARK Established by the Danish Government in 2001, Learning Lab Denmark is a centre for research on learning, competence development and knowledge creation in organisations. Affiliated with the Danish University of Education, the lab employs some 80 researchers and other staff. www.lld.dk

Run a Knowledge Exchange, as we call it, where 30 strangers seated in a circle get a minute each to present what excites them professionally. Then they pick out the people they like to chat with, which they do in six five-minute periods, exchanging business cards as they please. Excellent for professional networking

What trends do you see in the way meetings are held? I don t care about trends. What s important is to do the right thing, no matter where the rest of the world is going. If your business is meet-

ings, the right thing to do is to make them more participative, interactive, learning and inspiring for everyone.

And how do you see Denmark s role here? Denmark is ideally suited for developing meetings that don t rely on authoritarian oneway communication. We have a two-hundredyear history of democratic schooling and an extremely well-educated workforce. Lifelong learning is accepted by all. Unlike citizens from more traditional societies, all Danes know how to speak their minds in a circle.

We learned this in kindergarten when others were taught to obey their elders. Our business culture is informal, managers are keen to delegate, the peaceful Danish model for labour-management negotiations is internationally admired. Our meetings industry has many highly visionary leaders who will know how to capitalize on our cultural advantages and make Denmark the place to go if you want your conference to motivate and excite your delegates and help them learn and grow and become more productive members of their organisations.

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Aalborg Serves Up More Delights With the intimate charm of a small town but the buzzing atmosphere and cultural repertoire of a big city, Aalborg offers visitors the best of both worlds. The shops and cafés lining the pedestrianised streets entertain by day, and at night the international bar and restaurant scene comes alive. Aalborg attracts a lot of international conferences and congresses as the city is home to a range of first class facilities. We have reviewed many of these before in MiCD so in this issue we are bringing you news of the latest developments from Hotel Hvide Hus

Cutting edge design meets state of the art cuisine Amongst food lovers and professional gourmets alike, Mortens Kro enjoys wide acclaim as one of the finest eateries in Denmark. And having recently moved to new premises in the historic city centre, Mortens Kro can now accommodate up to 150 guests for dinner, earning the restaurant a well deserved place at the top of the list of sought after event venues. The ambience is as eclectic as the menu with head-chef Morten Nielsen serving up innovative modern Danish-European cuisine in an atmosphere that sees a rustic New York vibe meet the latest in Scandinavian design. The open kitchen theatre allows diners to watch their food being prepared and the Champagne bar adds a touch of Parisian elegance. After dinner, most guests adjourn to the comfy sofas or the open fire to enjoy their

and also focusing on some ideas for combining business with some of Denmark s finest culinary delights. One of the most exciting hotels in the region, the Hotel Hvide Hus, has recently extended its conference facilities to accommodate up to 400 people in its main conference hall. Kitted out with the latest Scandinavian design and offering beautiful views of Kilde Park from its floor to ceiling windows, the newly improved facilities have served to enhance the Hvide Hus status as one of the premier hotels in the area.

coffee, or more cocktails, as the DJ continues to play a carefully selected range of tunes into the night. Weather permitting, it s worth taking the opportunity to have a drink outside by the fountain. www.mortenskro.com

Gourmet warehouse Occupying a converted warehouse on the harbour front, Rosdahls is a unique combination of restaurant, wine shop and delicious fresh food market. The restaurant can accommodate up to 200 guests for conferences or dinner, and they also arrange bespoke events such as teambuilding courses with a gastronomic theme. www.rosdahls.dk

A meeting to really break the ice

The 198 room hotel also offers magnificent views of the city from its panoramic restaurant on the 15th floor. And as if the beautiful setting and latest technical facilities (such as wireless Internet throughout the hotel) weren t enough, the knowledge and competence of the staff ensure the professional execution of every event hosted there. www.hotelhvidehus.dk

www.visitaalborg.com

workshop, aquavit lounge and museum. It offers meeting and dinner facilities for up to 60 people but to really take advantage of the opportunities on offer, it s best to hire the whole vessel for a unique and memorable dining experience. www.isbryderen-elbjorn.dk

New microbrewery August 2004 saw the diversification of Aalborg s bar and restaurant scene continue with the opening of the Soegaard Brewery right in the city centre. The brewery adds an innovative theme to any informal meeting or event (up to 200 guests) and has proved particularly popular for product launches and of course the beer tasting sessions also go down quite well. www.soegaardsbryghus.dk

An ice-breaking vessel dating back to 1954, Isbryderen Elbjorn has recently been converted into a restaurant, glass blower s

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Interactive Solutions

The very nature of the fact that the average conference or congress attendee is a highly educated expert in their own field means that planners and organisers really have their work cut out for them as they strive to create ever more innovative events. The question of how to make meetings fun is one to which there are no easy answers. But on the positive side, there are plenty of opportunities and people to help you find your own interesting solution.

Interactive Solutions

Creating a stimulating environment for learning is a challenge that teachers have faced on a daily basis for many years. To be fair, schools are somewhat constrained by educational rules and regulations. However, despite huge changes in society and technology, the format of classroom learning has altered relatively little. WeÂ&#x2019;ve all heard of studies saying that focused learning only lasts for about 30 minutes and yet we expect children to Â&#x2018;learnÂ&#x2019; in classrooms all day. We know that listening passively for hours on end is not the most effective way to absorb ideas and yet as a society we still insist that the majority of our learning is conducted in this way. visitdenmark.com

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The old school format naturally became a template for business learning. Granted we have slide shows and PowerPoint presentations in lieu of chalk and blackboards but these have not really revolutionised learning style. Conference halls still tend to resemble classrooms and keynote speakers the teachers. And a row of uncomfortable chairs, raising your hand to speak, doesn t bring back great memories for most. The social programme is one way to liven up a conference agenda. Amazing dinners,

champagne cocktails and fantastic sightseeing trips by plane, train and automobile are all well and good but a conference should be memorable not just for the parties but for the valuable information imparted and the contacts made. The MICE market in Denmark has recently made great strides towards addressing this issue. Copenhagen is the fifth biggest congress city in the world but competition in the international meetings industry remains tough and it is important for the city, as well as the rest of the country, to maintain and even improve its ranking. There is a growing demand for innovative and creative solutions and with this in mind, Denmark s meetings industry as a whole are taking a truly collaborative approach and really working together to remain at the cutting edge. Eight Danish companies (Comwell a/s, DGI-byen, Hilton Copenhagen Airport, Hotel Legoland, Odense Congress Center, Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Nyborg Strand and Øksnehallen) joined forces with Wonderful Copenhagen, VisitDenmark and Learning Lab Denmark in a research and development project called Future Meeting Concepts . This is something of an unusual venture, being the first time competitors have come together in 8

close co-operation over product development. They hope to steer the market away from large-volume standardised packages towards tailor-made events. By re-evaluating the traditional meeting, they aim to increase customer return on investment and create more genuinely educational events. Perhaps the first step in this process refers back to the fact that conference participants are a wealth of knowledge in their own right and therefore interaction is key. The potential

knowledge pool sitting (inactively) in rows of chairs at any conference centre is huge, but this opportunity for sharing is all too often wasted. Poul Jacobsen, Director of Hotel Nyborg Strand, explained: One of the challenges for the future of the meetings industry is to create further education and interaction, to support the strategic goals of the meeting. It is no longer enough to meet and listen. Participants now want to

interact, exchange knowledge and network, and still get their work done. Future Meeting Concepts is an ongoing project and many hotels and meeting facilities in Copenhagen and Denmark are now re-educating their staff, to offer expertise in setting up new frameworks and unconventional ways of conducting meetings, and marketing these new ideas to their clients.

Rethink Your Meeting

The traditional conference set-up of the old school classroom is giving way to informal arrangements with space for participant involvement. When Microsoft called Hilton Copenhagen Airport Hotel to book facilities for a product launch called Rethink they were asked if they wanted to rethink the style of their meeting too. So a few months later, 150 participants turned up for a very different breakfast meeting with pizza and dance lessons followed by energy drinks and fruit smoothies during the coffee break. The point is that conferences should be more entertaining - but not just fun per se. Research over the last 50 years shows that lectures and

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presentations are the worst way to learn anything. We need to participate actively to remember information and everyone wants to have fun. Boring meetings do nothing for anybody - and are therefore a waste of money.

Tune Your Senses

The Hilton Copenhagen Airport is just one example of a hotel offering a wide range of creative solutions. Their August 2004 launch of Â&#x2019;Tune your SensesÂ&#x2019; was based on the principle that you have five (or even six!) senses so why focus solely on audio/visual arrangements. We remember things a lot better and are more creative when we use all our senses, not just sight and sound. Tune Your Senses comes up with ideas that provoke participants to see things with a different perspective: a sushi course, beer-tasting sessions, dancing or painting lessons, mind mapping, a holistic massage workshop, or a brainstorm in the pool using laminated note sheets. These are just a few of their recent suggestions but the Hilton tailors programmes to complement the content and objective of the meeting in hand. visitdenmark.com

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dag et område med populære fortausMeeting kafeer og restauranter, så vel som huset hans i nærheten av Carlsberg bryggeri. Designers Eller du kan stikke innom hans gamle Du kan besøke huset hans i Nyhavn, i

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Some Key Ingredients There is no particular recipe for the perfect conference or congress. In fact, this would go against they very way the market is moving towards more individually tailored programmes and not off-the-shelf packages. But there are still some key ingredients that get overlooked but are worth considering to make an event more interactive:

 And finally, if there s an important football championship on, let participants watch during the breaks or keep them updated with scores. There s nothing more distracting than people wondering how their team is doing on the pitch or Chinese whispers throughout the room when someone receives a text saying that Beckham has scored .

 Are you sitting comfortably? Then I ll begin This is the most important factor affecting concentration. If the seats aren t very comfy, breaks are an essential way to stimulate blood flow.  Fixed seats are the most uncomfortable so allow sufficient time for extra breaks. If they can be moved, move them. This helps to create the best forum for discussions and can be used as a tool mid-way through a session to change group dynamics.  Effective lighting enhances mood, so don t forget to alter it during the day to suit the activity. Bright lights first thing in the morning can be a rude awakening but could be used later to liven people up for an activity.  Colour also affects mood. It is perhaps obvious that red causes aggression but did you know that grey encourages negativity, pink is calming, blue is positive and perhaps most interestingly yellow increases focus?  Expert speakers are often key but allocate time during the talk for some question sessions and don t leave it all until the end. Or allow time for participants to discuss issues with their neighbour.  Wallpaper break-out rooms with white sheets of paper to encourage thought sharing and physical movement as everyone writes up their ideas.  Networking is key so allocate time for meeting new people and provide suitable mingle zones where people feel comfortable chatting.  Beanbags and low tables can create a relaxing environment during breaks.  Encourage networking by changing or allocating groups for lunch. If it s a buffet, give people numbers or colours to direct groups to different areas.  A final drink before home allows people to discuss the event and what they got out of it. Filling in questionnaires and feedback forms can give direction even if they are not collected back in or the results not used.

Innovative Technology

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Even though it is sometimes perceived as diminishing human contact, technology within the MICE industry can be used to improve interaction. Take for example the Internet based system Powermingle, which allows you to set up meetings beforehand with the people you d like to talk to at an event. It is a networking tool hosted on the congress website. Participants enter their job profile and fields of interest, then Powermingle processes the information to come up with a list of people of potential interest. It is then up to the delegate to make contact via email and arrange to meet during the event. Meeting face to face is a often cited as one of the main reasons why people attend events and tools such as this can save time and increase the chance of coming away with productive contacts. Powermingle is also a useful tool for the organiser, as with a profile of participants before the event, the programme can be fine tuned. www.powermingle.com

www.dgi-byen.dk www.hilton.com www.nyborgstrand.dk www.comwell.com www.occ.dk www.radissonsas.com www.oeksnehallen.dk www.lego.com/hotel

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Suits You - Newly Tailored SAS The idea of business and economy class is a well established concept in the airline industry. However, consumer preferences have been changing recently since low cost airlines entered the market, challenging this existing structure with their no frills product and economical prices. Now, in what could almost be considered a reversal of this trend or a reaction against overly basic products, market research suggests that not all travellers consider low prices to be paramount and there is demand for certain levels of service or product benefits (such as flexibility) as well. SAS Scandinavian Airlines recently decided to meet the changing face of air travel head on with a revitalized new product offering on its European routes. Based on extensive market research in eight countries, the new fare structure has products tailored to meet the needs of distinct customer types, as identified by their main priorities when travelling.

for all needs, especially greater cost effectiveness and efficiency which are increasingly the focus of business travellers today.

SAS is also updating its website, refurbishing the lounges and improving its EuroBonus frequent flyer program. www.scandinavian.net

A simple product for the price sensitive Customers whose main concern is price will be offered a simple Economy fare. Focussed on self-service and competitive pricing, it echoes a now widely accepted concept where meals and refreshments are available for purchase on board.

Flexibility and extra efficiency for time-savers For those whose priority is efficient travel, Economy Flex gives greater flexibility including free rebooking and refunds, priority checkin, fast lane security in Copenhagen and Stockholm, advance seat reservation, dedicated seating and a complimentary meal and beverages.

Eight new routes out of Copenhagen

Better service for comfort seekers

SAS has opened eight new routes out of Copenhagen, strengthening the airport s position as the leading air traffic hub in Northern Europe.

Customers desiring a high level of comfort will be offered the best of SAS. In addition to all the benefits of Economy Flex, Business passengers will be seated in rows with the centre seat empty, extra legroom, an excellent meal and the convenience of lounge access. We recognise that business travellers have different preferences, says Per Møller Jensen, Vice President for Europe, Middle East & Africa. The new product allows us to cater

The move is the result of an agreement with Cimber Air, which will fly the routes for SAS with its CRJ200LR 50-passenger jet aircraft. The new destinations are Newcastle and Aberdeen (UK), Dresden and Cologne (Germany) Szczecin (Poland), Kleipéda (Lithuania), Lyon (France) and Vesterås (Sweden). SAS now has routes between Copenhagen and 71 destinations in Denmark, the rest of Scandinavia, Europe, USA and Asia.

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Hans Christian Andersen 2005

We have described some of the festivities taking place during the International celebration of Hans Christian Andersen s bicentenary in former issues of the magazines. However, we feel that we should remind you of some of these events, starting on his birthday, 2nd April, with an opening ceremony in Copenhagen, broadcast live on television to millions of people around the world. The following eight months will see Denmark transformed by an amazing array of cultural events open-air concerts, parades, flower festivals, exhibitions, ballet, music, theatre and film to name but a few. The fairytale comes to an end on 6th December 2005, marking the day when Hans Christian Andersen returned to his hometown as a citizen of honour. For more information, see the official website

www.hca2005.com

COPENHAGEN HIGHLIGHTS: 2nd April: Once Upon a Time Hans Christian Andersen 2005 Gala Opening Kick-off of the worldwide celebrations of the bicentenary marked by an official opening gala show in Parken. The ceremony will be broadcast live around the world.

2nd April-31st August: Hans Christian Andersen The Greatest Fairytale International exhibition on the life, fairytales and art of Hans Christian Andersen at the 600 m2 exhibition pavilion shaped like a two-storey book in the forecourt of Rosenborg Castle.

12th February-12th June: Exhibtion, National Gallery The Danish National Gallery, Statens Museum for Kunst, is home to a major exhibition portraying the young Andersen s first journey to Italy. The Gallery will also be hosting a number of activities related to the exhibition, including readings, ballet, lectures and much more.

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14th May - 25th September: A Tivoli Fairytale

1st February - 31st December: Hearts of Andersen

26th August - December: Tribute to Hans Christian Andersen

A Tivoli Fairytale is a spectacular performance best described as an extravaganza of puppets, lights and special effects. After dark, 5 metre tall glowing puppets are dancing in the air, accompanied by music especially composed for the show. Every night, except Fridays.

A journey through the author s stories for children. At Fyrtøjet (The Tinder Box) in Odense

At the art museum ARoS in Århus. 30 International artists pay tribute to the writer by means of a string of magical works created especially for this exhibition. Furthermore, the exhibition will include Andy Warhol s 66 silk screens of Hans Christian Andersen, which have never been exhibited before.

14th July - 1st September: Thumbelina Thumbelina is a ballet created for the Pantomime Theatre in Tivoli by HRH Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, who is responsible for stage sets and costumes, and Dinna Bjørn who has choreographed and directed the ballet.

THE REST OF DENMARK: All Year: Den Gamle By (The Old Town) The Old Town in Århus celebrates the life of Hans Christian Andersen. An entire town from the time Andersen lived, including the re-erection of a building from his childhood.

May: Beijing Opera - The Wild Swans The Beijing Opera s interpretation of the fairytale The Wild Swans about the stepmother who poisons the beautiful princess and turns her brothers into wild swans. Musikhuset Esbjerg 27th May Aalborg Kongres & Kultur Center 23rd May

Fairytales in Sand

6th December: Closing Ceremony The day Hans Christian Andersen returned to his hometown of Odense. Closing ceremony, which will be as spectacular as the opening ceremony.

12 of Andersen s fairytales built in giant sand sculptures. In five Danish cities from May to October: Copenhagen 28th May-16th October Odense 14th May-28th August Blokhus 30th June-12 September Rømø 3rd July-12th September Søndervig 19th June-12th September

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Hot in the City Hotel Skt. Petri

Arp-Hansen Hotel Group

On 1st January 2005, Hotel Skt. Petri in Copenhagen will become the first and only Danish member of Design Hotels. Design Hotels comprises 120 unique hotels in 37 countries, which are all characterised by their unique design and comprehensive approach to providing hospitality. Says General Manager of the hotel Michael Telling: Naturally, we are very proud of becoming a member of Design Hotels. The association represents the ultimate within the world of exclusive hotels regarding lifestyle, design, and unique experience. In addition, Design Hotels represents a very competent partner in promoting the awareness of Hotel Skt. Petri not only in Denmark and the rest of Scandinavia but to the wide world . Hotel Skt. Petri opened in July 2003 and offers 268 rooms in modern, yet classic style, as well as conference facilities.

The privately-owned Arp-Hansen Hotel Group has taken over the 4-star Hotel Imperial. The hotel has 164 rooms as well as conference facilities and will, over the next few years, be extended to provide 300 bedrooms. The Square, the chain s newest hotel, on the Town Hall Square, is also extending and will provide a total of 268 rooms by summer 2005. On top of the above, the Hotel group will begin work on its 10th hotel, the Copenhagen Island, in 2005. The Hotel will be built on an artificial island in Copenhagen Harbour. The Copenhagen Island will be a 4-star hotel with 300 rooms, meeting facilities and a restaurant, in exquisite design, offering superb views over the harbour. The first guests will cross the gangway to the new hotel in the summer of 2006.

No Smoking hotel lights up Copenhagen Great news for non smokers: Copenhagen opened its first smoke-free hotel in November. Choice Hotels has decided to make one of their hotels, Comfort Hotel Esplanaden, a 100% smoke-free zone. The hotel will meet the increasing demand for a smoke-free environment. 70% of the hotel s guests are business and leisure tourists travelling from countries where smoke-free hotels are standard. Choice Hotels reckon that more than 50% of their guests prefer a non-smoking room and predict that, in the long run, it won t suffice to only offer smoke-free rooms, as guests are also bothered by smoke in the elevators, reception area and breakfast restaurants. Choice Hotels are considering making more of their hotels entirely smoke-free. Can it be long before some hotels will carry a health warning?

www.arp-hansen.dk www.choicehotels.dk

www.hotelsktpetri.com 16

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The Danish Experience MiCD is always keen to learn about your experiences of organising or attending conferences and events in Denmark. In this issue, we hear about the launch of the new Siemens mobile phone.

The latest mobile phone from Siemens, the SF65 1.3 mega pixel camera phone, was launched in Copenhagen this Autumn to over 150 media from around the world. The launch event for Siemens was jointly handled by PR agency Weber Shandwick and The Competitive Edge. Journalists flew in from all across Europe from 14-15 September for the launch, which took place at the Danish Design Centre (DDC). The Danish Design Centre is host to many exhibitions of modern design and furniture and therefore lent itself very well to the launch of this ultra-modern design phone. Siemens positioning for their mobile phone handsets, Designed for Life was reflected in the organisation of the event. Following presentations from key Siemens executives at the DDC, journalists were divided into two large groups and smaller sub-groups for the launch. Whilst one group conducted interviews and had a chance to view the exhibition and relax, the other group went on to experience photographic tours of the city, themed around Design and Life . 18

The aim of the tour was to give each journalist the opportunity to be among the first to test the photographic functionalities and quality of the new SF65, in a fun and innovative way. Each group was accompanied by a photographic student to help them make the most of the photographic opportunities in the city using the SF65. The Design Tour gave the delegates an opportunity to take a closer look at some of the most impressive works of Danish architecture, taken from a canal boat. Venues on the route included the new Opera House, the Royal library also called The Black Diamond as well as the Holmen area, which is the old naval base. The Life Tour was conducted by foot and instead of focusing on the obvious attractions, the journalists were taken to some of the quirkier parts of Copenhagen. The narrow streets around the main shopping street where design shops, second hand shops and fashion boutiques make up the Latin Quarter formed the main focus. The tour ended up at the more traditional Nyhavn area.

The best of the photographs taken by the journalists on the tours were used to create a work of lasting value, a coffee table style photography book, the Book of Expressions . Edited by Danish photographer, Jan Grarup, a copy of the book was sent to each of the attending journalists. In the evening there was a gala dinner at Marketenderiet. All the photos from the afternoon s sightseeing trip had been collated in montages and some were even projected onto the wall when guests arrived for this stylish event. After the gala dinner everybody went back to their hotel, the city s newest 5-star hotel, the Skt Petri, which is to become a member of Design Hotels as from 1st January 2005. The hotel, with its stylish interior and design was another important part of the experience and everybody partied late into the night, dancing to the music provided by a world-renowned DJ. www.webershandwick.com www.tce.uk.net www.siemens.com

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CONTACTS: BELGIUM/NETHERLANDS Diana Andersen VisitDenmark c/o Top of the Continent Avenue Tervueren 35 B 1040 Brussels Tel: +32 2 282 0376 E-mail: toc@aalborg.be

ITALY Dorte Jensen VisitDenmark Via Cappuccio, 11 I 20 123 Milan Tel: +39 02 72022323 E-mail: duj@visitdenmark.com

UK & IRELAND Jonathan Cohen VisitDenmark 55 Sloane Street London SW1X 9SY Tel: +44 20 7259 5958 E-mail: jc@visitdenmark.com

GERMANY/AUSTRIA/ SWITZERLAND Pia Riget Nielsen VisitDenmark Glockengieβerwall 2 D 20095 Hamburg Tel: +49 40 32 02 11 42 E-mail: prn@visitdenmark.com

NORWAY Sara de la Cour VisitDenmark Tollbugaten 27 PB 406 Sentrum N 0103 Oslo Tel: +47 22 00 76 30 E-mail: sdc@visitdenmark.com

Lene Corgan Meetingplace Wonderful Copenhagen 55 Sloane Street London SW1X 9SY Tel: +44 20 7201 3985 E-mail: lc@visitdenmark.com

Markus Diefenbach Copenhagen/Øresund c/o VisitDenmark Tel. +49 89 454 698 70 E-mail: md@visitdenmark.com

SWEDEN Martin Theorin VisitDenmark Box 5524 S - 114 85 Stockholm Tel: +46 8 440 5410 E-mail: martin.theorin@visitdenmark.com

USA Christian Woller VisitDenmark 655 Third Avenue, 18th Floor New York, NY 10017 Tel. +1 212 885 9727 E-mail: cw@visitdenmark.com

DENMARK/Head Office Bente Nørskov VisitDenmark Islands Brygge 43 DK 2300 Copenhagen S Tel: +45 3288 9923 E-mail: bnj@visitdenmark.com

Erin C. Tierney Meetingplace Wonderful Copenhagen 655 Third Avenue, 18th Floor New York, NY 10017 Tel: +1 212 885 9772 E-mail: ect@visitdenmark.com

WONDERFUL COPENHAGEN Wonderful Copenhagen Gammel Kongevej 1 DK 1610 Copenhagen V Denmark Tel: +45 3325 7400

NORWAY Bettina Reventlow-Mourier Tel: +45 3355 7459 E-mail: brm@woco.dk

GERMANY & SWITZERLAND Carsten Lüth Tel: +45 3355 7425 E-mail: clu@woco.dk

SWEDEN Ida Salicath Tel: +45 3355 7426 E-mail: isa@woco.dk

UK, IRELAND & SOUTHERN EUROPE Anne Grethe Dong Jensen Tel: +45 3355 7427 E-mail: adj@woco.dk USA & BELGIUM Søren Damstrup Tel: +45 3355 7430 E-mail: sda@woco.dk

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