Training event – GTE Mercedes Benz

With the Global Training Experience (GTE) 2018 for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class in Ibiza and the GTE for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter in Porto, Portugal, the Stuttgart-based carmaker has entrusted Artlife with the equipment construction for two parallel product training courses. Mercedes-Benz is thus once again relying on Artlife’s extensive experience in the structural implementation of complex set structures for major events.

The Düsseldorf-based agency STAGG & FRIENDS was the lead agency for both events, responsible for conception, planning, implementation and training content.

On the Balearic island of Ibiza, the GTE focused on the new generation of the Mercedes–Benz A–Class. More than 15,000 participants from 50 countries met for two–day product training courses over the period from February to April 2018. In addition to the new A–Class, the training programme also included other model series as well as new features in terms of content.

For this purpose, Artlife has expanded and converted 32 interactive workshop and presentation rooms as well as lounges spread over five training and presentation locations as consistently declined Mercedes–Benz brand and product worlds.

The centre of the training event and the venue for the staging of the Mercedes–Benz A–Class and the opening and closing presentations was the FECOEV exhibition grounds. To this end, Artlife transformed the hall into a 3,600 m² Mercedes–Benz A–Class brand space. Two–storey room-in–room installations served as training rooms. The roofs, which were converted into terrace lounges, also provided the best view of the campus.

The Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza for the Mercedes-Benz X-Class and the Ushuaia Ibiza Beach Hotel for the Mercedes–Benz C–Class and CLS models were also used. In addition, the driving stations were also equipped with pavilions and training workshops.

Artlife was also responsible for the construction of the AMG Performance Lab. The design of the 600 sqm showroom in an exclusive tent building was based on the architecture of the company‘s headquarters in Affalterbach. A high level of recognition was guaranteed by the cross–storey steel façade element with LED lighting.

Sprinter GTE on the Douro

The GTE Sprinter in the Portuguese coastal city of Porto is all about the newly launched van from the Mercedes–Benz VAN division. To this end, Artlife has expanded both the outdoor and indoor areas of the Alfândega do Porto convention center into a brand–appropriate training campus with an area of 7,500 square meters. By May, a total of 6,700 international participants had been trained on the new vans. 16 rooms for interactive training courses, workshops and presentations were built for this purpose and designed according to the topic and product features.

A particularly attractive contrast in the columned hall of the old customs building was formed by eight glass workshop modules. The specially manufactured glass/steel constructions with an area of 40 sqm and 56 sqm were precisely integrated between the closely spaced columns.

The visual starting point of the training event was the opening staging of the Sprinter, in which virtuality and reality merged into an almost lifelike live image. In a multimedia spatial experience, the participants experienced the van “live” on the road, in the city or on the country road. A 90 m² rear projection and a 15 x 9 m floor projection screen with an integrated turntable formed the staging area. An individually designed grandstand with passage offered standing room for 250 people.

Taken together, the production teams installed 32 trailers with material for the two events. The built-up indoor training areas in Ibiza and Porto alone covered around 12,200 square meters.