The Brief
For the fifth instalment of Paradigms, Frontify’s annual brand marketing summit, the team wanted to build on the success of the previous year while creating an experience that felt completely different. After the Paradigms 2025 summit sold out, the ambition was to smash it out of the park again, with a brand-new destination and plenty of surprises to ensure no two Paradigms events ever feel the same.
Taking Paradigms to Croatia for the first time, AOK Events brought together 210 global brand experts, creatives and leaders for another immersive few days of content, connection and unforgettable experiences.
The programme combined two days of expert-led talks with energising morning activities and networking, followed by destination dining and authentic evening experiences.
Following ten months of planning, the AOK Events team worked closely with Frontify at every step to bring their vision and creative direction for Paradigms 2026 to life through trusted suppliers and partners. Hosting the event on a private island in Croatia gave us the opportunity to push the experience even further, creating another standout edition whilst continuing to evolve the future of Paradigms.
What we did
- Full event management including pre-event logistics in the year leading up to the event, culminating with a full team of 7 on-site
- Liaised with Obonjan Island to ensure event details, rooming lists and guest dietaries were communicated across 3 different bedroom categories
- Oversaw AV & production within both the Pavillion & Amphitheatre including a 9.54m LED screen with staging, full sound & lighting control, LED directional signage, personalised secured Wi-Fi, full video coverage of all sessions & much more
- Contracted, briefed & coordinated on-site photographers and videographers
- Worked with our trusted branding partner to fully brand the entirety of Obonjan Island with large print format including a bespoke 15m arch wrap to the conference entrance, Hollywood style ‘Paradigms’ lettering for guest arrivals, vinyl to all windows within the venue, bespoke dock & walkway flags, floating pontoons & branded deckchairs
- Smaller print formats included individual personalised maps, standalone wooden signs, basketball courts & personalised luggage tags
- Booked, briefed & coordinated 2 onsite DJs
- Arranged a private boat for a sunset Happy Hour on the final evening
- Coordinated all land & sea transfers for arrivals & departures, aligning with all guests individual flight times
- Contracted a trusted furniture supplier within Croatia to deliver a range of furniture for the conference spaces & catering spaces, as well as atmospheric lighting for the walkways
- Worked with our supplier from the UK to provide branded smores, branded cocktails/mocktails & barista coffee
- Delivered personalised room drops to all 210 bedrooms for their arrival & every evening
The Welcome Reception
The Paradigms experience began before guests had even set foot on Obonjan Island. Every journey was planned around individual flight times, with the AOK Events team adapting land and sea transfers as arrival times changed throughout the day.
Once checked in, guests could settle into island life at the beach bar, with time to relax and begin meeting the people they would be sharing the next few days with.
Morning Activities
Guests could choose how they wanted to start the day. The morning lineup included yoga, a sound bath, a 5K run & HIIT class and a guided kayaking tour around Obonjan Island.
The Brand Marketing Summit
The conference programme ran across two days, beginning in the Pavilion before moving to the island’s open-air Amphitheatre for the afternoon sessions. An LED screen, bespoke staging and full sound, video and lighting production transformed the Pavilion, while the Amphitheatre gave the later talks the most unique setting for a conference.
Across 16 sessions, speakers explored the ideas shaping branding, creativity, leadership and technology. Sessions included voices from JKR, JPMorgan, NotReal, YETI, COLLINS, The Wall Street Journal, Studio DRAMA, IN GOOD CO, Design Bridge and Partners, Lloyds Banking Group, OpenAI and NASA.
Regular breaks gave guests time to continue the conversations away from the stage, with barista coffee and homemade pastries available throughout both days.
The Dinners - South Beach & The Pool Party
For night one, dinner was served beneath a canopy of fairy lights at South Beach, where guests sat down together for the evening. Our team brought the entire setting to life, from bespoke tablescapes and branded DJ booths to stargazing with an Astronomer.
For night two, guests returned to the Pool Restaurant for the final dinner, followed by a pool party to close Paradigms 2026. When a thunderstorm arrived, the AOK Events team and suppliers managed the changing conditions and multiple power cuts behind the scenes!
Stargazing, S'mores & Sunset Happy Hour
After the first full day of conference sessions, we planned a relaxed evening of stargazing and branded s’mores. It was a way to unwind after a day packed full of content.
At the end of the second conference day, we changed the scenery. A privately chartered boat took guests out for a sunset happy hour before dinner, giving everyone the chance to see Obonjan Island from the water and celebrate the final evening together.
The Results
Paradigms 2026 sold out following the success of the previous year, bringing 210 global brand and creative leaders together on Obonjan Island. Guests told the team that we had somehow topped Marrakech and delivered the best Paradigms yet.
We delivered an unforgettable experience around a programme that brought complex logistics, last-minute requests, a thunderstorm and multiple power cuts. Our team handled each challenge behind the scenes, allowing guests to experience four days of talks, activities, dinners, and parties without seeing what it took to keep everything moving.
CMO Jay Curley Discusses Brand Bravery
Jay Curley, CMO at Ben & Jerry’s, opened the programme with a look at what it means for a brand to stand behind its values when doing so carries real consequences.
Drawing on Ben & Jerry’s long history of supporting social movements, Jay explored the power businesses hold in society and why creativity must be matched by courage if a brand wants to create meaningful change.
The Buzz on Social Media
The wider reaction echoed the feedback received on the island: Paradigms 2026 had retained everything guests valued about the summit while becoming an entirely new experience in Croatia.
Thank you for showing us what great hosting feels like.” – Alex Athanasiou
“Thank you, #Paradigms2026 community…and all the incredible staff and speakers who made it so memorable.” – David Rager
“Wow, Paradigms 2026! You outdid yourself…An event like no other, bringing together some seriously talented, curious and generous people.” – Jason Wood
“I had anticipated that the event would be amazing, but it far exceeded my expectations…The little touches throughout your stay which arrive just at the right time.” – Vishal Kapoor
Reigniting An Icon: Lisa Smith & Jason Wood Transforming BT
Lisa Smith, Global Chief Design Officer at Uncommon Creative Studio, and Jason Wood, Group Head of Brand at BT Group, shared the story behind BT’s transformation from a brand at risk of becoming invisible to one with a renewed sense of purpose, optimism and distinctiveness.
Shannon Jager answers questions about the speed of intelligence
How do you build a coherent and trusted brand when the technology behind it evolves from one week to the next?
Shannon Jager shared lessons from OpenAI’s rebrand and explored the challenge of protecting trust, consistency and craft inside systems that never stop moving.
NASA's Creative Director on shaping an interstellar human brand
NASA Creative Director David Rager closed the keynote programme with a session on creative legacy, returning to the Moon, and shaping a brand that belongs to humanity.
The talk explored the role of creativity within one of the world’s most recognisable organisations, and how the brand identity can feel so historic and future-oriented at the same time. A big finish to the Paradigms 2026 stage!
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AOK Events Limited
The Engine Rooms
150a Falcon Rd
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