INVNT Delivers ‘Coachella For Accountants’ Again In 2019

INVNT, the global live brand storytelling agency, joined forces with Xero, the global small business platform, to design and produce the award-winning Xerocon Brisbane from September 4-5, as the event celebrated its tenth anniversary.

Held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (BCEC), it welcomed more than 3,000 guests.

This year Xero’s objectives were to create opportunities for networking, inspiration and education in a fun, consumer-focused environment, all underpinned by Xerocon’s Communities of Purpose theme.

“With this in mind our big question was: how do you show something that can’t be seen? We set about strategising the ways we could help Xero to tell its Communities of Purpose story in a tangible and relatable way. We called on our local and global teams and after some intense brainstorming, worked with Xero to devise the underlying creative idea of ‘bringing the community in,’ which focused on inclusiveness and accountants’ purpose within the local community,” explains INVNT APAC ECD Adam Harriden.

The resulting Communities Zone featured five festival-inspired activations that spoke to a different Communities of Purpose pillar. They invited attendees to get hands on, bond and network across a range of fun, educational and creatively-led experiences.

It featured:

• The Board Room – This orange hued space included a custom-built skate ramp with pro skaters, attendees could customise their own skateboard with the guidance of Xerocon’s artist in residence Mulga, and add their artistic flair to his wall length mural.
• The Parlour – The pink themed space invited guests to go for a trim at the barbers or get glammed up at the nail salon.
• The Park – This green zone invited visitors to re-discover their inner child with a game of totem tennis, they could create their own beverages on blender bikes, and re-fuel at the gelato van.
• The Sweet Shop – The insta-worthy, yellow themed space encouraged visitors to reward themselves with an assortment of sweet treats and a game of table tennis.
• The Wellness Sphere – A dedicated spot for attendees to find their inner zen, the blue colour blocked area hosted yoga classes every 10 minutes during breaks, along with stress checks.

INVNT interlaced a colour blocking technique throughout these zones and their corresponding breakout stages, which spoke to the same pillars – a move that was designed to enhance the community feel and ensure a seamless customer journey.

An integral part of the overall experience, the themes of community, as well as ‘bringing the outside in’ were woven throughout the keynote theatre. “Inspired by a parkland space, an important feature of any local community, the keynote theatre featured a 15m long thrust which meandered down to the audience at different levels – much like the sloping hills of a park – and took the speaker into the centre of the room, creating an intimate vibe. Speakers made their way onto the stage via a ‘red carpet’ made of astroturf, and a pared back, wooden curved backdrop complemented the stage’s three LED screens, which ensured content was displayed in a clear, crisp, and engaging way,” recalls INVNT APAC MD Laura Roberts.

On conclusion of day two guests headed to Brisbane’s newest entertainment and lifestyle destination, Howard Smith Wharves for the Xerocon Festival, a highly shareable wrap party experience which paid homage to the much-loved boutique food and beverage festival format.

Reflecting on Xerocon Brisbane 2019 at Xero head of events Cara Weers said: “Xerocon Brisbane 2019 was a powerful event where our community came together to be educated on the latest industry trends and to hear some incredible human stories from world class and Xero speakers on important issues. We’re absolutely over the moon with the success which garnered significant social and media traction, and attendee feedback has been incredibly positive across the board.

“The INVNT team approached our brief in a highly strategic and creative way, resulting in an unforgettable experience that lived up to our ‘Coachella for accountants’ reputation and provided delegates with a platform to connect, participate and learn in ways that are wholly unique to the typical accounting conference.”