Ping Pong Anyone???

And so it was on the 2^nd of February 2012, DG Global hosted the first ever of our Summer Ping Pong BBQ Sessions.

With our upstairs bar complete, our good friends from Epicure on hand with their yummo food, and some willing competitors from MCVB, the mood was set for a great night!

 

True to DG form, the night didn’t disappoint and it did indeed become apparent that the competitive spirit is alive and well in the offices of MCVB, Epicure and DG Global. 

An epic battle was fought, with honourable mentions going to MCVB’s

Tracey Christian and Epicure’s James Gilham. They put in a hell of a fight, but in the end it was David McCarthy from MCVB and our very own Scott Thompson, who prevailed.

Yes, it is true that Scott spent most of the night umpiring the rounds, though I am told in no uncertain terms, this had no impact whatsoever on the outcome of the game. It was won fair and square!!!

So thanks again to all who made it such a fun night. Stay tuned out there, as this is no doubt the first instalment of many fun times we’ll be reporting from the Ping Pong table!

Its all about COURAGE!

I just returned from the Christmas break and had the most amazing trip of a life time and fulfilled a life long dream of surfing the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii where we ( my wife Kathryn, 8 year old daughter Jazmin and from the band Stand & Deliver drummer Nick Cunneen) rented a house on the beach at Banzai Pipeline.

I gazed out the backyard every day at the Courage and ability of these mostly professional surfers paddling into monster waves on a very shallow threatening reef and getting either smashed or the ride of their life, there is only one word to describe and that is sheer COURAGE !!

“ Everyone brings their COURAGE to the North Shore”

JD Haliewa surf school and Broadcast Director Triple Crown surf contest webcast and Filming

I use to wake up early every day to hear the pounding of the ocean 100mt from our back door and wonder if we were going to end up with collateral damage to ourselves or get the wave of our life, luckily no injuries and yes we did get some amazing waves that will never be forgotten, until the next trip anyway.

I began to think where does courage come from and how it comes in many different forms, an example is that we have clients that find the courage to say yes when we have pitched the most out there concept on an event that may shock them, however they get the COURAGE to say yes lets do it !  I too have had the Courage to even suggest the idea or one of the DG team has.

There is courage in starting your own business or booking an act you haven’t seen ( usually advise against that one) creating a different layout to the way you have had the room set up for the last 6 Gala Dinners and on it goes, there is courage in every aspect of business and life.

Recently working on the Australian Open we saw that amazing courage and determination from Nadal & Djokovic which did great things for the game and there are too many stories in every form of sport to go into.

“What Djokovic and Nadal did last night for Tennis can’t be measured.  Take that sort of fight into any walk of life, the possibilities endless”
Ken Sutcliffe Ch 9 Sport tweet

So I guess the philosophy to this story is we all find the courage in sport, business or day to day life, sit back sometime and think about the times you had the courage and I guarantee there will be numerous times as courage is in all of us, some a little more like the big wave surfers on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii.

If you can do what they do you can do anything in life especially business!!!

MD
Dave Green

An experience for everyone...

Here's a guest blog from ex-DG'er Brad Cocks who now works as Functions Manager for the Australian Open

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Where does one start when asked about Australian Open 2012. It’s a massive event, the largest in the country actually, so its impossible to describe the entire two weeks as it will take the next twelve months to hear only some of the stories and experiences the four and half thousand strong staff had working on the event.

What I do know, is that each and everyone of those team members dedicated themselves to “event life” for at least two weeks, most longer, to deliver in number terms the most successful Australian Open in history.

680,000 plus punters through the gates, the longest grand slam men’s final in history and the same match delivering the longest Australian Open match in history.

This was my second Australian Open (AO) from the inside. Year one was a learning experience, watch and oversee it roll out, take as many notes as possible. End year one and the list is long – but one of the biggest learning’s I have had in the last twelve months is you cannot change the world overnight, but you can make a difference where it counts and where it is welcomed.

Our process was simple on all accounts – what is the best offering we can give our guests - Assess their needs and wants, develop the offering to be primarily about the guest, align the AO brand, and get the best people to deliver the result.

AO2012 launched in October 2011 we were fortunate enough for the event to receive coverage across the globe and from here we were up and away; there was no turning back…..

I have been lucky enough in the past working with DG global to meet and work with some extraordinarily talented people around the world, hence as we instigated so much change for AO 2012, there was no question to engage these people (including the current DG team) who live “event life” 24/7 to deliver. And deliver they did, by the bucket load. A day at the Australian Open is not standard, it is generally a minimum of 15 hours and you need to tie them together, back to back, for weeks on end. The team needs to be dedicated day in day out, which I believe is something you cannot learn, it’s a passion and dedication inside you that makes you want to be involved and make a difference, particular when the results come.

It’s the tens to hundreds of people involved in producing each event that should be commended. Most of all, it is always a fun time and great laugh working with each of them – particularly when Johnno (Austin) starts telling stories of past tours on the road - I’m sure some of our team are now scarred for life!

For me, AO 2012, will be remembered for all of the above, but there is one experience I will never forget…

2012 provided the opportunity to develop new pre-final entertainment. 100 years of Men’s singles champions gave us the perfect reason to bring to Australia all nine living Australian, Australian Open champions. These are the greats – Rosewall, Laver, Emerson, Newcombe, just to name a few. I love the theatre and this was AO’s moment to provide an emotional theatrical experience. And so a ceremonial show was developed with all nine men. Something I am sure will never be seen again.

The moment I knew what this little show meant was when Frank Sedgman walked off centre court post show in tears and shook my hand followed by Ken Rosewall who gave me a pat on the back and said a simple “thankyou”.

We are in the business of producing shows and experiences and for that small moment and experience in MY life, I am thankful to all who were part of and made Australian Open 2012. 

Surviving the post holiday blues!

Not long now......for most of us holidays are just around the corner!

With all the festive cheer, copious amounts of delectable food & alcohol, balmy nights spent by the pool with your nearest & dearest and ample beach time - it’s not hard to see why returning to work can be accompanied by a case of ‘post holiday blues’.  
Never fear, you’re not alone. Some 30% of the population suffer form what psychologists recognise as ‘post holiday depression’.

Essentially it’s a period of readjusting to work life, surviving the day without a midday siesta, longing for back yard cricket, coping with less alcohol and trying to motivate ones self to resume/commence an exercise regime to work off the over induldgence from the past couple of weeks!

Whilst I think we’re lucky in Australia to have the summer weather to pep us up, it can still be a time of little motivation and a general feeling of blah blah and more blah.

So...... to ensure your transition into the new work year is as smooth and joyful as possible, I have gathered some advice from friends and family which you can take with you to avoid being blue when you head back to the office.

1) Don’t holiday anywhere too exotic and exciting, this way returning to work will be less of a shock to the system. ( Try caravaning in wodonga for a less than satisfying holiday)

2) Take a long road trip in an un-airconditioned pre 1980’s automobile with your 5yr old and 8yr old. Before long the safe haven of instant coffee and that office cubicle will be beckoning.

3) Try and spend at least the last 2 days of your break with family members you’re not particularly fond off. This way you will be looking forward to work and glad to be rid of uncle George and his nail clippings.

4) Once back in the office have a ‘left over’ turkey (or ham) sandwich, washed down with a mojito every day for lunch. It is recommended you do this for at least the 1st week. The reality of going cold turkey can be a harsh one – figuratively speaking.

5) Substitute your office chair for a deck chair and wear board shorts.

6) Stay in the office, don’t take holidays. Take a whole lot of (passive-aggressive) satisfaction in being the only one without 700 unread emails. Put cute signs up all over the office about how policies have changed...send hundreds of pointless emails to your colleagues about action items on their return, watch the entire cricket or stream the entire series of Glee, all in the comfort of the boardroom.  It may just be the holiday you need!

7) Lastly, if all else fails get a job at DG global....never a dull moment here!

Merry Christmas people and an even better 2012!
Claud xo

Have yourself a merry little christmas party...

With the holiday season definitely in full swing, Christmas parties are rife amongst colleagues, friends and family… they are also generally rife with totally inappropriate (aka totes inappropes) behavior which generally ends embarrassingly for the person in question! Take a look below at a few do’s and don’ts for the annual Christmas party which should leave you having just as many friends after Christmas as before (if not more!) 

1.    DO ensure you arrive at an appropriate time – not too early and not too late – early folk look desperate, lake folk look like they don’t care

2.    DON’T rock up already drunk – most Christmas parties have free booze, save your money instead! ;-)

3.    DO try to get around and talk to everyone, including the dodgy uncle or geeky accounts teams!

4.    DON’T hook up with a colleague (or a cousin – this isn’t Tasmania, unless you’re reading this from Tasmania, in which case, as you were!)

5.    DO eat something and space your drinks with water

6.    DON’T tell someone who you got for Secret Santa. Secret Santa is called so because its meant to stay a secret. This is a pet hate of mine!

7.    DO arrange a skipper if you have a few too many ‘mulled wines’, it wont be fun spending Christmas in lock up – trust me!

8.    DON’T ask for a pay rise, tell your aunt you hate the gift she brought you, do karaoke when you’re not in a karaoke bar or be a sad sack – just because its Christmas does not mean you’ll get away with any of these!

9.    DO ensure you rock up to every party that you’ve RSVP’d too – nothing worse then a no show!

10. DON’T put reindeer ears and Rudolf’s ‘nose’ on your car – seriously, its stupid!

 Now I may not be the most suitable person to be dishing out etiquette advice (lets face it, I could do with some myself) but I am more then happy to preach to the choir and dish it out even when I’m totally aware that I’ll break every rule this holiday season and have a hoot doing it – after all, it is Christmas!!! J

All in all, Christmas is about having fun with those you love, and being nice to those you don’t – so suck it up, have a beer, crack a smile and spread some Christmas cheer!

Merry Christmas x