Gekko Entertainment

Gekko Entertainment specialises in sourcing bespoke or off-the-shelf entertainers with an extra twist. It currently boasts 80 preferred artistes on its books, from dutch surrealist theatre to Brazilian jazz players to Middle Eastern belly dancers and cornish stilt walkers.

MD Magnuson enthuses: "We source acts locally, nationally and internationally. This isn't about just offering man on stilts, it's about bringing the brand and the audience together interactively, creatively and imaginatively."

Guinness called on Gekko when it was unable to find suitable regional acts for its sales staff conference, held in Malaysia earlier this year. Crucially, the event had to communicate the brand's three core value's: boldness, passion and indulgence, to a 1,000-strong audience. The answer was a collage of performances from theatre company Incandescence, which included such acts as Man on the Pole Richard Durford and acrobalance duo Tuyo.

Magnuson says: "The only shared culture was Guinness as these people meet just once a year. The entertainment created a special message that bridged any cultural gaps."