360 Degrees Production House has been one of the frontrunners for hybrid and virtual events planning in JO. One of the reasons why we like them is they’re adaptable and can produce events for clients based anywhere in the world. 

This kind of flexibility makes their services ideal for corporate conferences, product launches, and exhibitions. They use advanced event tech like 3D virtual sets, data mining, and real-time engagements to execute a “mixed reality” experience. 

By that, we mean that delegates or participants watching from their screens will enjoy the event as if they’re really there. 

However, virtual and hybrid event planning aren’t their only strengths. They also do awards ceremonies, gala banquets, and brand activations with the option to include live entertainment, hotel and venue booking, and risk assessment. 

Their projects are mostly tailored to large-scale events and functions though. Small businesses can still benefit from their service plans, especially the content curation, brand design, and video production services for small activations. 

The team behind the success of Johannesburg’s biggest stadiums (Loftus Versfield, FNB Stadium, Dobsonville Stadium, and Orlando Stadium) is SAIL Sports and Lifestyle. 

The sports and entertainment events company specialises in exclusive sports and lifestyle sponsorships, rights management, stadium commercialisation, licensing, and brand advertising. 

Their services are mainly tailored for sports events, and their clients and partners include sports brands, teams, broadcasters, and government institutions such as PGA Oakhill, the South African Football Association, and Jabra, to name a few. 

While we enjoy attending national games, watching our favourite teams as VIPs adds an extra thrill. SAIL offers VIP and hospitality services, including private box seating and premium drinks, enhancing the experience.

If you need to get your brand out there, they also offer merchandise and licensing services that are protected by rights policies. 

Those uninterested in sports may overlook SAIL’s offerings, yet they do have a corporate events planning branch tailored to assist clients in forging networks and securing sponsorships.

If you love podcasts, talks, and summits related to business, entrepreneurship, and finance, one of the best event companies we recommend is Arena Events. 

Being a subsidiary of Arena Holdings, among Africa’s largest news publishers, ensures access to audiences across business and lifestyle sectors, both in print and online. 

Notable events include SME Business Day Summits, Business Day Dialogues, and Sunday Times Connect, which are closely linked with South Africa’s premier publishing and broadcasting networks.

This is one of the reasons why getting them to plan your event is a good idea, especially if you’re looking to build a network among the country’s news platforms. 

Arena Events also provides pre-event marketing, post-event communications, and on-the-day event management for virtual, hybrid, and in-person functions. 

They’re not huge on concerts, live entertainment, and awards shows, but their services are ideal for small to medium enterprises that want to get their brand talked about! 

Outlandish Events is a top choice for newly engaged couples in Johannesburg, as they specialise in luxury weddings. They provide exclusive event planning services such as set styling, on-the-day management, and consulting.

Although they’re known for their luxury wedding management, they also extend their services to brand, store, or product launches, complete with styling, live entertainment, speaker selection, venue sourcing, and vendor coordination. 

Their work has been showcased on leading platforms and websites like the Sunday Times, Africa Business Communities, the Sun, and Metro, to name a few. 

With their background in entertainment events management, they can also help you source catering and hospitality vendors such as mobile bars, transport services, and even photographers and videographers for event documentation.

Safe to say, their portfolio is limited to in-person parties, wedding-related functions, and entertainment events, but if you need to impress some high-profile people in your guest list, Outlandish Events is a company we recommend. 

Events Guys, led by Wynand Lombard and Paul Firbank, has a team with 15 years of industry experience, having completed 250 projects and served 150 clients. 

They handle everything from setup to on-the-day coordination, from small exhibitions to large-scale outdoor functions.

The team supervises and sources vendors for audiovisual equipment, and they also provide and manage technicians, staff members, and even artists for live entertainment events. 

Events Guys also provides LED screens, lighting, mobile bars, and event stage designs for clients aiming for fun and creative events like brand launches and art expos.

Their standout service includes Bedouin and stretch tents, commonly seen at outdoor concerts and festivals, offering vibrant shelter for attendees and artists. 

These trendy tents are not only an alternative hospitality add-on but also convenient for outdoor events.

Unfortunately, these standout offerings mainly apply to outdoor events, as Events Guys aren’t big on virtual events and conferences.