Team GB | Flagship and Signature Events

Team GB and GES #BringontheGreat at Kitting Out for Rio 2016

The Kitting Out experience for Team GB, held at The NEC, is a unique event that is held before a Summer and Winter Olympic Games. It brings British athletes together to collect their uniform before heading out to compete worldwide.

After working with Team GB on a hugely successful Kitting Out for Baku 2015, they wanted the same level of service for Kitting Out- Rio 2016, but on a much more ‘Olympic’ scale.

What were the key client objectives for the event?

To provide a similar feel that Baku 2015 Kitting Out offered

To promote the #BringontheGreat Olympics social campaign for Team GB throughout the event

For the look and feel of the event to tie in with the headline sponsors; Aldi, Adidas, Simon Jersey, Nissan, Panasonic, DFS and Kelloggs.

The event was to be a structured journey going from the main area to briefing room, through the various sponsor areas. The Simon Jersey sponsor area (where the athletes collect their formal attire), to the changing areas, footwear room, Adidas room and Aldi checkout area.

Deliver it all ahead of schedule, if possible.

The nuts and bolts of the build:

We designed, supplied and printed all of the event graphics for the event, as well as the design and build of the walling. The event took up the whole of Pavilion 1 and 2 at the NEC as well as the meeting rooms upstairs. We built the structure through a mix of shell and trade walling systems,

Graphics were printed on a variety of materials including curtains, reboard, foamex, vinyl, desk with acrylic and lights.

“For Baku we kitted out around 250 people across 10 days, for Rio we’ve had just over 800 people coming through for a 3 and half week period. We kitted out over 400 people in just the opening 6 days. The kit packages and everything else we delivered (for this Kitting Out) is a lot larger in comparison.”

Joe Divall, Games Services Manager, Team GB

Watch the Video

Working with the client:

An event of this scale can only go well through client collaboration from start to finish. Several of the key design aspects at the event were produced through face-to-face meetings, phone calls, swapping 3D and 2D design renders and brainstorming sessions in the build-up to the event. This included the impressive entrance doors and archway LED-lit lion, to the ingenious running track placed in the footwear changing room.

What did the client think:

“It’s a collaborative process, we come up with the initial plan of what we are trying to achieve. When it comes to technical aspects of the build or getting advice on how the process is flowing, what is possible, how the build can help the process, we definitely take the lead from GES, and we allow your team to run with it.” Joe Divall, Games Services Manager, Team GB

Feedback from the event:

The success of this event went viral online and across social media. Check out the amazing highlights video from the official TeamGB Youtube account (or watch it Above).

“We’ve received some fantastic feedback so far, we’ve had quite a few emails from athletes, there’s been things posted on YouTube and across social media and it’s all been really positive about the event.” Joe Divall, Games Services Manager, Team GB