CONVO 2021: The Grand Bazaar Experience

To build a 1-hour live virtual experience at Grand Bazaar. The content would engage the audience with shop keepers’ conversations which contains training aspects for sales & marketing – so what we now call an “destination-based learning experience”

1. Program would have to be 100% live. Considering the time difference between USA and Turkey it was planned to be on at 6 pm Istanbul time. In normal days the Grand Bazaar closes at 7 pm. However just a week before the event day, new Covid restrictions took place and the Grand Bazaar shops were closing at 5 pm. And also a national curfew was instated at 7 pm for all citizens.
2. While the shopkeepers are expert salesmen very accustomed to talking about their culture and products, they aren’t used to talking about their techniques. Right people had to be carefully picked & trained in such a discussion.

1. We applied for special permission from Governor’s offices to keep the Grand Bazaar (roof top & shops) open until the program is finished. We also got the special permission to be out on the streets in order us the team & all  the shop keepers to get back to home during curfew.
2. We spent weeks scouring the bazaar for the right expert shopkeepers who would perform well in front of the camera and participate in this skill-sharing experience. We trained them and made sure they were ready to answer questions on the spot.

“Amazing job MEP team!!!!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!!!  You all nailed it.

This was one of my favourite events we have ever done! THANK YOU!!!!!

MEP! Constantly impressed with your professionalism and execution! It’s incredible seeing it all come to life from our initial experience design meetings! BRAVO!

yes, MEP team, you NAILED this and we know it was a crazy lift to get these permits!

And kudos to take a challenge like the Grand Bazaar closing to get a VIP exclusive experience – very special to see how empty it was and we had access to it!”