Diabetes Canada / CSEM Professional Conference and Annual Meetings

"Our team was able to execute a five-day installation without last-minute stress, even accommodating additional client requests onsite."

The Client

Diabetes Canada and CSEM host an annual national conference that brings together 1,500 delegates and 40 exhibitors from the medical and pharmaceutical sectors. In 2024, the event took place at the Halifax Convention Centre (HCC), with Toronto and Vancouver scheduled to host in 2025 and 2026.

The Challenge

The organizing team, Road Ahead Meetings & Events and Diabetes Canada, wanted to raise the bar for exhibitors and sponsors in 2024. Their goals included:

Introducing turnkey booth packages to provide exhibitors with a consistent, professional look.
Expanding branding opportunities beyond the physical limitations of the venue.
Designing unique lounge and activation spaces to enhance the attendee experience.

Meeting these goals required coordinating more than 86 branding locations, 29 custom booths, and numerous signage elements. Tight timelines added to the complexity, with initial planning starting in December 2023 and promotional material needed by March 2024.

The Solution

Global collaborated closely with the client and HCC team to deliver a seamless experience. Our approach included:

Providing turnkey exhibitor booth packages at scale.
Building custom brandable walls with our hardwall system, creating additional sponsor visibility and revenue.
Designing and producing specialty areas, including the IDEA Lounge, Clinical Conversation Theatre, Braindate Lounge, E-Poster Area, DC/CSEM Booth, and a custom coat check.
Streamlining sponsor artwork through our Graphics Submission Portal, with a dedicated proofing and tracking system managed by our branding and print team.
Managing all logistics, including setup and teardown, branding, signage, advanced warehousing, material handling, electrical coordination, exhibitor services, and custom booth design.

With extended access provided by the HCC, our team was able to execute a five-day installation without last-minute stress, even accommodating additional client requests onsite.

The Results

Record-breaking branding: Largest volume of sponsor branding ever completed on the HCC convention level.

Social media buzz: Branding photos shared by the HCC sales team received wide attention and inspired future clients.

Smooth delivery: Zero crises during installation and the flexibility to adapt to last-minute changes.

Client satisfaction: Positive feedback from organizers, exhibitors, and sponsors, with many citing this event as a benchmark for what is possible at HCC.