Corporate Event Planning: Cape Town vs Johannesburg
Corporate Event planning might be universally challenging, stressful and all-consuming, but there are some key differences in the habits of event planners in the Mother City and those in Jozi. In this blog, we’ll look at various aspects of the event planning process and see just how Cape Tonian event planners differ from their Gaunteng counterparts.
Creating guest lists
CT: Cape Tonians are known for their flakiness and their inability to stick to plans. As a result, anyone in the event planning industry in the Mother City must compile not just one, but several guest lists to simply guarantee that there’ll be anyone at the event.
JHB: Joburgers, on the other hand, are punctual and meticulous when it comes to engagements. Once they’ve committed to something, there’s no question of them flaking out at the last minute. An event planner in Joburg will only need to compile one guest list, as they’ll be certain that people who RSVP “yes” will turn up.
Choosing a venue:
CT: The beauty of the surrounding landscapes outside the city is too much of a temptation for Cape Town’s event planners. Chances are an event will be located on a wine estate an hour’s (or more) drive away.
JHB: Joburg might not have been blessed with stunning scenery, but its event planners certainly keep convenience in mind. Any event venue is likely to be located centrally so that guests who live scattered across its sprawling mass can minimise time spent sitting in traffic.
What a typical workday is like:
CT: Relative lack of traffic in Cape Town buys the average person back an extra two hours a day. No surprise then that Capetonian event planners spend them topping up their tan in Camp’s Bay.
JHB: An event planner wouldn’t dream of wasting hours spent in Joburg gridlock. Instead, they’re on their phones whilst driving between important meetings.
How they organise brainstorming sessions:
CT: Nothing encourages creativity more than nature, or so the Capetonians believe. Don’t be surprised to encounter event planners taking a hike through Newlands Forest for their event planning brainstorm sessions.
JHB: The closest your Jozi event planner gets to hikes in the forest is a sweaty session at the gym. Event planners march side by side on treadmills as they brainstorm – they believe creativity comes through endorphins.
The first thing they do in the morning:
CT: Nothing gets the day going better for the Capetonian event planner than a fresh green juice and an organic gluten-free muffin enjoyed at a Bree Street café.
JHB: There’s no time for juicing or breakfast in Joburg. Instead, a quickly knocked-back double espresso – as they check emails on their phone – must suffice until their next caffeine hit at 9am.
How they manage stress:
CT: The “stress” of event planning is counteracted with a morning surf in Noordhoek before work and then a Bikram yoga session in the evening.
JHB: It’s high-octane spinning classes and weight training at Virgin Active for Joburg event planners and the occasional honking of car horns during peak traffic times.
What they post on Instagram:
CT: Cape Town provides no end of Instagram-able attractions. Expect pictures of tastings at wine farms, snap shots of their dinners at hip eateries, sunsets at Clifton and and Lion’s Head at Full Moon.
JHB: The Joburg event planner’s daily Instagram feed will be filled with bumper-to-bumper traffic jams, their newest gym outfit and what they’ve bought on their latest designer shopping spree.
A typical voicemail message:
CT: “Hi, I’m on a five day silent retreat. Namaste.”
JHB: “Hi, I’m in a client meeting. You can email me, tweet me, fax me or call my PA. I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.”
Their pet hates:
CT: The South Easter.
JHB: Traffic and being late.
What RSVP stands for:
CT: Reply sometime to verify presence
JHB: Reply soonest to verify presence W
hat does RSVP actually stand for? We’d love to hear your opinions in the comment section below the blog.
Whether you’re in Cape Town or Johannesburg, Event Management Software can help you automate and streamline the event planning process. Contact us to learn more about how you can use Event Management Software to boost your next event.
