Motorola launches at Ritz-Carlton

Challenges
The event was originally scheduled for June but postponed due to schedule clashes. The original venue was not the Portman but a marquee in Pudong, across the city, says
Roger Sansom, director of Roger Sansom Productions (RSP).

RSP had to work around several modifications. “There were changes to the list of celebrities on
the invitation list almost everyday,” says Sansom.

“The event was tailored to the stars, so any change meant a change in the event details. The
list was, at first, dominated by male celebrities, so we had chosen entertainment programmes we thought would be of more interest to males. But this was completely changed later on.”
In addition to the challenge of putting up the canopy on the eighth-floor rooftop in strong
winds, the weather caused other surprises. “There was a big storm on the morning of the event and we thought the canopy would be blown away,” says Sansom.

Execution
A canopy was set up over the rooftop outdoor area while the swimming pool was covered and
turned into a stage. The indoor pool was transformed into a VIP lounge complete with a chandelier in the swimming pool. “The look was fun and funky,” says Sansom.

The evening kicked off with displays of the new telephone and a presentation on the phone’s
creation. Celebrities were then invited on stage for a photo shoot and demonstration, with
special guest Davis presented with a V9 phone.

The launch party ended after midnight, following performances by dancers, an all-male Brazilian drum band, body-painting and an amazing act by a German acrobat who performed in a 1.8m-diameter wine glass. A Hong Kong DJ supplied the soundtrack.

Verdict
“It was great,” says Sansom. “The venue was a real plus and the guests liked it. People were
fascinated by what we did with it and we had great feedback from the clients.”
A media guest from CNET.com claimed it was “a hot night in more ways than one”.

Lim Hui Sin