Thule Management Conference in Dublin

Background information

When Thule gathered its managers from around the world for a three-day management conference in Dublin in 2025, the goal was clear: talk about the future, present new products, and welcome a new company into the Thule family—an Australian manufacturer of mobile phone holders for bicycles.

But just as important was strengthening the culture and cohesion within the organization. Thule wanted to create opportunities for colleagues to get to know each other, exchange experiences, and feel pride in the brand they represent.

Contrast was tasked with bringing everything together – combining locations, meals, and activities into an experience that embodies Thule.

Challenge

When participants travel in from all over the world, a location that is both easily accessible and inspiring is required. Dublin became the natural gathering point, but for a brand like Thule—with its roots in outdoor life—the environment also needed to reflect the spirit of the company.

The challenge was to create an experience that feels genuinely outdoor in a country where that culture is not as established.

Finding the right location for the activity day proved more difficult than expected. Many Irish organizers suggested grassy areas next to restaurants, which did not fit with Thule's brand, which requires a real nature and outdoor feel.

Solution

We built the conference structure around three days:

• Day 1 – Welcome evening: An initial gathering focused on community and meetings between colleagues from around the world.

• Day 2 – Conference: Held at the Guinness Storehouse – an iconic venue equipped with the right technology, filming facilities, and a product exhibition in adjacent premises. A great deal of logistics was required to get Thule's products, displays, and visual expressions in place.

• Day 3 – Thule Camp: The activity day that became the heart of the entire conference.

In the mountainous region Wicklow Mountains we built our own Thule Camp, a temporary outdoor oasis with food, tents, products, and activities. Participants could choose between hiking, downhill mountain biking and trail running, all in an environment that embodied Thule's brand values.

For us, it was about conveying the feeling of Thule, not just showcasing the products. Getting the right feeling required persistence. We insisted on details (yes, sheepskins on the logs, fleece blankets are not acceptable) to create a genuine feeling of nature. 

Outcome

The conference was a holistic experience that combined business objectives with brand identity.

Participants appreciated the balance between the conference content and the shared nature experience. In the evaluations, the conference received consistently high ratings for content, logistics, and atmosphere.

Thule organizes outdoor activities at every conference, but this time everything was gathered in one place. This created a special sense of community and cohesion, allowing participants to share the entire experience together, from conversation to activity.

“The best activity day we’ve ever had!”