In recent years, I've been invited to the Godó a few times but, lo and behold, I haven't managed to see any tennis match. In fact, now that I think about it, I haven't even seen the courts of the Real Club de Tenis. The same thing always happens to me: from the drink and canapé at the village I go directly to the dining room, coffee always drags on, and by the time I realize it, I'm already late for somewhere and have to rush off. Well, I'm not the only one it happens to, am I?
The Godó is full of beautiful people taking photos for Instagram who couldn't care less about tennis, but they create atmosphere. There are also plenty of gentlemen in ties and ladies in suit jackets doing business, also ignoring the two guys in shorts who, a few meters away, are hitting the ball with their rackets. At these types of events, you always find interesting or, at least, picturesque people. On one occasion, I was seated next to Jaime de Marichalar. During the first course, we exchanged some pleasantries, but when a plastic surgeon who had just given a celebrity a new face and with whom we also shared a table alerted him, half-jokingly, that I was a journalist, Don Jaime suddenly fell silent.
[subscribe_newsletter_esp]Without really knowing why, I've ended up being part of this troupe that, more or less regularly, wanders among trays of canapés and queues at the gin-tonic bar at inaugurations, presentations, charity galas... Sometimes, I have the feeling that it's always the same people, even if it's not entirely true. In 2016, Massimo Dutti opened its flagship store in Casa Ramon Casas on Paseo de Gracia ---to be clear, where Vinçon used to be---. We go there: models, TV people, elite athletes... Everyone very well dressed and coiffed. Class. Now a glass of champagne, now a piece of Jabugo, now a shrimp... A wonderful evening, really.
Everyone very well dressed and coiffed. Class. Now a glass of champagne, now a piece of Jabugo, now a shrimp....Shortly after, H&M also opened a mega-store on Paseo de Gracia and, of course, also organized a mega-party. We go there, too. I remember that, unlike Massimo Dutti, here I was surprised not to know practically anyone. They were all very young boys and girls, completely anonymous to me, who wouldn't stop takingselfies. They reminded me of the characters from "La Bola de Cristal", with their tracksuits, makeup, and 80s hairstyles. The next day I read in the press that they were some of theinfluencers most important in the world, with millions of followers, and I thought I was getting older and that, at thattroupe, it painted nothing.
Barcelona, like any big city, has an annual calendar of events in which the MWC occupies a very prominent place. During the congress days, the big telephone companies compete to see which one organizes the most lavish event in the most emblematic place for their thousands of guests. Also important is the 080 Barcelona Fashion and all the parties organized by fashion brands coinciding with this show.
However, the big event of the year is the Gala People in Red organized by the Fight against AIDS Foundation of Dr. Bonaventura Clotet to raise funds for HIV research and which brings together an exceptionally high number of celebrities per square meter for Barcelona. In what is popularly known as the AIDS Gala, you see the true canapé professionals. People who know how to go through a photocall without looking like they are in front of a firing squad and who look good in all photos, even if, at the moment of the click, they are eating a toast with a quail egg with sobrasada that drips.
Undoubtedly, in Barcelona, we are very skilled at organizing this type of event. We have specialized agencies such as Paco Caro's Equipo Singular, XXL, Interprofit or Mahala, to name just a few, that make them work with the precision of a Swiss watch. Because in the organization of a small or large format event, every detail must be taken care of: atmosphere, decoration, gastronomy, music, merchandising, PR, communication... Only in this way will they become memorable evenings at the service of the interests of companies and institutions. In these events, their reputation is at stake, and for a brand, it is everything.
Undoubtedly, in Barcelona, we are very skilled at organizing this type of eventWhen we talk about the world of events, we talk about thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of euros in turnover. But also about a way of doingnetworking which can hardly be replaced by non-presential formats. For all these reasons, in these turbulent times of virtual conferences and Zoom presentations, I wanted to write a column in defense of the canapé.
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