THE HELSINKI METHOD
FOR MEETINGS AND EVENTS
Ghost Company worked with Helsinki Marketing to help everyone create open and inclusive virtual encounters with impact
WHAT IS THE HELSINKI METHOD?
The Helsinki Method For Meetings And Events is a concept and toolkit for virtual, real-world and hybrid encounters.
It’s designed for event professionals, meeting planners and designers.
It’s free, it’s online and it’s open to everyone around the world.
You get concrete tools and guidance to help plan engaging virtual meetings and events.
The Method was developed in April 2020 by Helsinki Marketing, Bright and Ghost Company.
Anyone can access the online tutorial here, anytime >
WHAT DO YOU GET IN THE TOOLBOX?
The toolbox offers guides and printable canvases to help you plan. At the heart of the method is the focus on “who” and identifying and understanding the needs of the community of event participants.
There’s also a focus on clarifying and documenting the goal and purpose of the event to ensure you select the right format, content and partners.
The Helsinki Method is shared in the form of an online tutorial where you get to familiarise yourself with virtual event planning, practice using the method and download the toolbox.
WELCOME TO THE NEW NORMAL
At the end of March 2020, the City of Helsinki, like organisations around the world, faced tumultuous change. The pandemic caused businesses and services to shut and people were forced to stay at home.
The event industry was heavily and immediately affected. Corporate events, seminars, summits and sales meetings could not continue. This was a shock for the whole event industry and the companies they serve.
The City of Helsinki relied on face-to-face events to stimulate trade, investment and tourism, but also for citizen engagement.
THE AGILE CITY
How could a city react to such unprecedented pace of change? To solve the challenge of pandemic era encounters, Helsinki Marketing put together a team with Bright, the leading Finnish event technology company, and Ghost Company, for their expertise in facilitation and hybrid event content. It was a lightning project from genesis to implementation, all in April 2020.
“It's important to be agile. We had to act quickly to benefit the entire City organisation, our citizens and our city’s profile with stakeholders internationally.”
Leena Lassila, Director, Global Sales, Helsinki Marketing
THE FAIR CITY
Events rely on content, but who creates that content? Finland is one of the most equal societies in the world, and in Helsinki we value equal opportunities. We are all different, we celebrate diversity and it’s important that anyone can make an impact on any scale.
How can we design hybrid events and virtual encounters that are people-centric and give everyone a voice?
Celebrating diversity and treating guests as participants, rather than attendees, are important aspects of the Helsinki Method.
Leena Lassila
Director, Global Sales
Helsinki Marketing
“We wanted our style at the core and to give something to our network and partners in this difficult situation. Even if they are working with an event elsewhere, they remember Helsinki, our positive approach, the positive feeling and the experience. We are always here for them.”
THE OPEN CITY
In the new normal of the pandemic, people want and need to get together and share ideas. The people of Helsinki and the City’s organisations support an open and diverse culture that makes it easy for people to get together.
It’s connected to the City’s strategy: to provide opportunities for people, encounters and actions that make an impact.
“COVID-19 hit the meetings industry perhaps more than any other business. In Helsinki, we believe in open innovation and collaboration. That’s why we are sharing the Helsinki Method with you. It’s open and inclusive, just like Helsinki.” Leena Lassila, Director, Global Sales, Helsinki Marketing
THE HELSINKI METHOD IN ACTION
CLIMATE COLLEGE HYBRID EVENT
Helsinki Design Week Climate College used the Helsinki Method and Howspace for collecting and sharing information. The event had a lot of interaction, even in the breaks, with facilitated networking for people, both on-site and online.
“We had a full-day event in the lobby of Helsinki City Hall, created using the Helsinki Method. Climate College is a great example as there are many different target groups with different potential goals."
Tiina Latva, Vice President, Grafia Ry
Antti Lumiainen
Acc Mgr, Congresses and Meetings Helsinki Marketing
“We use the Helsinki Method for our partner meetings, to help turn them into hybrid events with online workshops integrated throughout. We've had great feedback. People participate and don’t just passively listen. A participant even said it was the best online tutorial they had ever participated in."
HELSINGIN TEKIJAT
Helsingin Tekijat (Helsinki Makers) is the network of companies interested in City marketing. The aim for the network is to encourage new connections and get new ideas on how they can support each other and market Helsinki abroad.
INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL CITY EVENTS
The Helsinki Method is used as a resource for all kinds of City internal events, partner events and networking events.
Greetings from Tel Aviv!
“This year, we are celebrating the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Finland and Israel. Education as one of the main themes for the anniversary year. I participated in the Helsinki Method introductory session. Now, we plan to hold a mass co-creation event, using the Helsinki Method. The aim is to bring a diverse group of people together, think of creative solutions and challenge their thinking on issues related to sustainable development and future education.”
Ruut-Lea Zaban, Adviser, Culture, Communications, Public Diplomacy, Finnish Embassy, Tel Aviv
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GHOST
WHAT'S IT LIKE TO WORK WITH GHOST?
Jussi and Miikka were heavily involved in the creation of the Helsinki Method from concept to execution. You can see plenty of Jussi in the instruction videos and Miikka’s fingerprints are all over the engaging online toolbox.
“We worked with Ghost online and didn’t meet face-to-face for 2 months. We shared common ideas and insight. They made everything feel like Helsinki and understood our approach and our strategy.”
Leena Lassila, Director, Global Sales,
Helsinki Marketing
IN COOPERATION WITH HOWSPACE
The Helsinki Method online tutorial is delivered via the Howspace online collaboration platform. Helsinki events also regularly use Howspace as a workshop collaboration tool and for polls, discussions and sharing.
“I like Howspace because you can do so many things with it, I've had very good feedback. Participants find it very engaging and more than just something you have to read. That’s what we want to give to the world.”
Antti Lumiainen, Acc Mgr, Congresses and Meetings,
Helsinki Marketing
EXPLORE MORE GHOST METHODS
Get to know our toolbox of books, canvases, workshops and training sessions.
SEE MORE METHODS