Corporate conventions and conferences in Marseille

Convention, conference, seminar: what’s the difference?

A seminar brings a team together to work, often fewer than 100 people. A convention gathers an entire company or network to share a strategy, results and momentum: the goal is to mobilise. A conference brings together members of a profession or an association around a scientific or technical programme, with external speakers and sometimes a partner exhibition. What they have in common: a plenary session, parallel sessions and welcome logistics on a large scale.

How does a convention day run?

1. 8am, welcome: badge collection, coffee, welcome screens showing the programme.
2. 9am, opening plenary: introductory video, speech by the managing director, guest speaker.
3. 10.30am, break: 30 minutes for a large group, otherwise the restart runs late.
4. 11am, panel discussion: 4 speakers, a moderator, microphones for questions from the floor.
5. 12.30pm, lunch: a buffet or standing lunch, quicker than a seated meal for 300 people.
6. 2pm, parallel workshops: breakout rooms each equipped with a screen and a microphone.
7. 4.30pm, closing plenary: summary of the workshops, awards, announcement of the next edition.
8. 7.30pm, evening event: cocktail reception with food or dinner, DJ, entertainment.

What technical budget for a convention?

Venue hire and catering make up the largest share of a convention budget. The technical side is priced according to the size of the room, the number of parallel sessions and the duration. Our benchmarks, per day:

Which venue for a convention or conference in Marseille?

For the largest formats, the Parc Chanot, near the Prado, hosts trade fairs and conferences in its halls and its convention centre. The Palais du Pharo, facing the entrance to the Old Port, has a conference centre with sea views. The Mucem offers a 329-seat auditorium and workshop rooms. The Orange Vélodrome opens its reception spaces to companies. For the evening, people often change setting: a terrace, a boat or a country estate.

What entertainment around a convention?

• A smartphone quiz with BlindZi to wake up the afternoon plenary.
• Interactive walls in the break or exhibition area.
• A photo booth with a PicShot gallery at the evening event.
• A gala dinner or an evening at sea to close the convention.

What mistakes should you avoid?

• A programme with no slack: every plenary overruns by 10 minutes, so plan for them.
• Workshops in unequipped rooms: each room needs its own screen and microphone.
• No signage: 300 people looking for their room means 15 minutes lost.
• Forgetting accessibility: ramps, reserved seats in the plenary, an accessible microphone for questions.

What does ADJM Événementiel take care of?

We handle the stage, screens and video, the sound system for the plenary and workshops, photography and video, the closing party and on-the-day coordination. Registration and accommodation are generally managed by your team or by the venue; we fit in with their organisation.