GCR Eventos & Comunicación

30 years of events and communiaction with soul

With three decades of experience in the world of communication and events, Gloria Carasquilla has managed to turn her passion into a solid, creative agency with its own hallmark. From her beginnings in radio to leading international projects, in this interview she shares with us the challenges, lessons learned and dreams for the future that continue to drive GCR Comunicación y Eventos.

1. How did your passion for events and communication start?

My passion for events came later, but it all started with communication. I have always been very interested in the world of journalism, keeping up to date, telling stories… and in fact, I trained in this sector.

I started working in radio – a stage that marked me – and in one of the radio stations where I worked, there was also a small agency. It was there that I discovered the ‘behind the scenes’ of many communication actions, from merchandising to event organisation… and I got hooked. Everything evolved little by little, naturally, until it became my own project.

2. This year marks the agency’s 30th anniversary. What does this anniversary mean for you and for the agency?

The truth is that celebrating the 30th anniversary makes me very excited. It’s not something I’ve been thinking about every day, but suddenly you realise… 30 years have gone by! And the feeling is that they have been intense, exciting, very productive and, above all, fun years. They have flown by. So I’m happy, grateful and looking forward to celebrating another 30.

3. Looking back, what have been the company’s major milestones over the years?

30 years is a long time, no doubt. If I had to highlight our greatest milestones, I would say that they have been our ability to adapt and our resilience in the face of all the challenges that have arisen. Throughout these three decades we have experienced many changes: from helping major international brands to make their way into the Spanish market, to moments as complex as the pandemic, which disrupted everyone’s lives. But thanks to this flexibility and a committed team, we have always known how to move forward.

4. What event do you remember that was the driving force for the entire trajectory of the agency?

I think we have always been lucky enough to do very different, very original events, and at the same time, quite complete and complex. From the beginning, we’ve liked to think outside the box and go a bit outside from the conventional. Each project is unique, and that’s what motivates us to keep innovating and giving the best of ourselves.

One of the first great moments was when we created what we called ‘Rutas de Sol’. It was a crazy idea and at the same time a lot of fun: we travelled all over Spain doing roadshows in the trendiest places, taking convoys with 4×4 signs, lots of merchandise, super charismatic hostesses, and, of course, good music and a positive vibe. It was quite a show! It was a resounding success because we connected with people in a very authentic way. These kinds of events allowed us to see difference from the very beginning.

5. If you could relive an event organised by the agency, which one would you choose and why?

Ugh, there are so many! And the best thing is that they have all been very good and, above all, hilarious. But there are a couple that always bring a smile to my face when I remember them.

One was when we replicated Mission Impossible in an event version… but in a big way! We took it all over Spain as a roadshow with a super Hollywood-style staging. We had helicopters, zip lines, routes through wild terrain on quads… basically everything you see in the film, but taken to the real world. It was pure adrenaline, and people experienced it as if they were part of the cast.

And another one we loved (and which was pure fantasy) was when we recreated the Harry Potter universe. It was also in roadshow format and we took it to incredible locations, very much in line with the aesthetics of the saga. We had wizards, spectacular sets, and we even had the attendees participate in scenes. It was an event with a lot of soul, very immersive and, as many who experienced it say… truly magical.

6. How has the events and communication sector evolved since the agency started?

The truth is that the events sector has nothing to do with how it was when we started. It has changed a lot. Everything has gone hand in hand with the growth and openness of many companies, which have gradually understood the real value of communicating through experiences.

And if we take it to a personal level, something that we have always valued very much is having had the support of great clients from the beginning. This has allowed us, even in small events, to come up with more creative ideas, develop parallel activities and do things that really make an impact. In the end, the important thing is not just to execute well, but to surprise, excite and leave a mark on each project.

7. What were the biggest challenges the company has faced over the last three decades?

Well, you could say that the outside world is a challenge in itself. When you look back, you realise that in the beginning the road is quite lonely. And that makes it all seem slower: you go step by step, building, establishing yourself. But with time you start to surround yourself with a team, to add talent, and that gives you the strength to move forward with more confidence and at a different pace. That’s where the real evolution begins.

More recently, one of the great challenges was the pandemic. It marked a brutal before and after. And being a small agency, another great challenge has been to compete with the big ones. There is no other option than to use ingenuity, dedication and take care of every detail. We have always strived to offer a point of differentiation, quality and exclusivity. I think that, without a doubt, these two moments have been the great challenges of these years.

8. What would you say is the hallmark of GCR Eventos? What sets you apart from the rest?

In this part I can’t avoid talking about what moves us from the beginning to do things well, to dedicate ourselves to this, which is a world of creativity, illusion, fiction, passion and a lot of love.

The differentiating point, as I call it, is that ‘extra mile’ in everything we do, always with the utmost affection and respect and with a lot of love in everything we do, as this is what is reflected to the end client, creating authentic, memorable experiences, full of emotion.

9. After 30 years of history, what does the future hold for GCR Eventos?

The future is really very uncertain, but it is real, we already have AI here and all of this will make the way easier for us and help us to grow in a million possibilities, we can probably do more striking events, bigger events, there may be many possibilities that we don’t know about right now.

But what is clear to me is that we will always try to do it in the best way we can, to adapt to the changes and means and if time allows us we can diversify and dedicate ourselves to more personal events as well as corporate events.

10. What advice would you give to someone who is starting out in this sector?

Personally I am not one to give a lot of advice, but if I had to think of one specific piece of advice I would tell anyone starting out in any sector I would tell them to follow their instinct, follow their passion and follow what makes them very happy as that is what they are going to spend most of their life doing, for me this business is my life and passion and I know it may sound very fairytale like, but for me on many occasions it doesn’t feel like work and I am very proud of that.

11. Where would you like to see the company in another 30 years?

I would love to see the company expand globally. In the end, growing and moving forward is the natural path of any project, and at GCR we have in our DNA that ambition to continue creating unique experiences. We are very focused on bespoke events and 360 productions, so it would be logical to cross borders.

We are very excited about the idea of opening up to new markets, of taking our work beyond Europe and connecting with other cultures. We dream of crossing the pond, of leaving our mark in different corners of the world. Because if there is one thing we know for sure, it is that there is still a lot to explore… and many stories to tell. So why not?