Festival of Amway 2025
Up, up and Amway: world-first moments, curated by Encore Event Technologies
Amway China Leadership Seminar wrapped up in Melbourne last week, with the event hosting nearly 16,000 delegates; making the ‘Festival of Amway’ the largest incentive to ever be held in Australia, and one of the largest incentive events from China.
Amway China’s top sellers arrived from Mainland China, in waves of 2,500 to 3,000 people, each experiencing five days and four nights of business seminars, tours, and a gala dinner extravaganza curated by Encore Event Technologies at the Melbourne Showgrounds. The Festival of Amway incentive generated $100 million in economic impact for the State.
For Encore, the planning and delivery of the events spread over a 12-month period, from pitch in May 2024, to briefing in August, with six months to design and deliver full creative until delivery for the April 2025 events.
Between 1 to 30 April 2025, Encore delivered more than 11,000 hours of labour to curate a mammoth production for the Festival of Amway, ranging from engineering to entertainment and choreography, staging, lighting, audio-visual and pyrotechnics. They drew on their in-house heavyweight creatives, production and technology experts to deliver a brand-defining set of ‘moments that matter’ for a truly personalised experience.
The experience started the moment delegates landed in Australia, as Encore Event Technologies staged branded welcome installations in the foyers of each of the 8 Hotels. The business and entertainment program was full to the brim, including a 2.5 hour business conference, a cocktail party accompanied by non-stop entertainment, a gala dinner featuring projections, entertainment and pyrotechnics. The events were delivered in Mandarin, with English speech translation.
The gala dinner featured a 3-course dinner, catered by Melbourne Showgrounds, serving 4.5 tonnes of beef wagyu, 11,000 lobsters, and 16,000 jars of branded lollies as an accompaniment to dessert.
Encore delivered over 2,500sqm LED screens, 190 metres of projection surface, immersing the audience in light, soundscape and visuals. But it was the world-first 35-metre-tall hot air balloon that stole the show, lifting 30m off the ground, with 3D projection mapping in time to a customised soundtrack.
The Festival of Amway’s entertainment program paid homage to some of the incredible destinations Amway China has visited, tapping into the emotion and memories made in global destinations across three decades.
The show opened with Amway’s flower of Total Wellness brought to life, followed by a journey through eight continents including South-East Asia, the Middle East, Spain, Paris, NYC, LA, Las Vegas and Melbourne.
The action-packed, non-stop 15 minute opener featured top echelon artists and entertainers from Melbourne and around the world including: Vietnamese dancers, Arabian belly dancers, Opera singer, ballet dancers and a flash mob cast; Flamenco guitarist, World champion Latin dancers, 40 can-can dancers, 25 dancing gents, LA Showgirls, ‘Elvis’, roller-skaters and BMX riders from global sensation Nitro Circus. A custom-made 3-metre cube gift box shot confetti and dandelion flowers on cue, wrapping up the opening segment. Additional touches included 3D glasses, adding an extra dimension to visuals, a commemorative programme booklet including a collectible magnet opening to reveal the program and performers’ bios.
“Delivering the largest incentive event ever held in Australia was not just a milestone for Amway China — it was a defining moment for Encore,” said Scott Nodsle, CEO of Encore Event Technologies APAC. “From concept to execution, we brought together creativity, precision and scale to craft an experience that was not only unforgettable, but truly world-class.”, he added.
Guests will soon return home, taking the memories, energy, and spectacle of an experience filled with technological wizardry and heart-pumping entertainment.
The successful bid for the ‘Festival of Amway’ was a collaboration between Melbourne Royal, Melbourne Convention Bureau, and the Victorian State Government, which was secured in 2023, after competing in a national and international competitive bid.
Encore has a long history of delivering experiences for Amway, the direct selling business, having devised similar trips for delegations from Taiwan, Vietnam, Hong Kong, South Korea and Russia over the past 18 years in addition to other events for international clients.
About Encore
Encore creates memorable experiences that engage and transform organisations. As the global leader for event technology and production services, Encore’s team of creators, innovators and experts deliver real results through strategy and creative, advanced technology, digital, environmental, staging, and digital solutions. Encore operates in more than 20 countries throughout Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and across the SE Asia North, plus locations in America, Europe and the Middle East.
Encore is the trusted partner of choice for leading hotels and venues worldwide and has been awarded the Meetings and Events Australia (MEA) Special Event of the Year Award and Incentive Event of the Year on multiple occasions. The company is headquartered in Sydney for the APAC region.