About the Client
Our client is one of America’s leading food service distributors for restaurants, the healthcare industry, and more.
The Challenge
For nearly two decades, our client has been motivating their employees in unique and memorable ways. They came to Creative Group for assistance with creating a reward experience to “wow” their top-achieving sales associates with an exclusive President’s Club trip.
Collaborating closely with the client’s team, a destination was chosen that would inspire their top achievers to give it everything they had. The destination: Edinburgh, Scotland for 460 participants.
As they would soon discover, this would be a trip unlike any other – a memorable, Insta-worthy experience filled with unique activities, brand infusion, and great personal connections.
The Solution
We began our experience design from the bottom up, with a focus on the brand. After determining unique brand touchpoints, we worked the identity into all décor and collateral during pre-trip promotion and on-site activities, building unity and brand pride. With those building blocks in place, we set out to design exclusive, memorable moments throughout the entire trip experience.
Exclusive Activities
- Golfing at legendary St. Andrews, the most iconic golf course in the world.
- A 5-course “white glove” dining experience aboard the Royal Family’s yacht.
- Whiskey tasting at Glenkinchie Distillery, home of Johnnie Walker lowland blend.
- Private exploration of the famed Edinburgh Castle with an underground tour.
Unique & Memorable Moments
- All guests were fitted for custom kilts and sashes for the gala dinner.
- Everyone became a “Lord” or “Lady” with a deed for one square foot of Scottish land.
- We embraced tradition with a customized tartan design for Scotland’s Tartan Registry and were presented with tartan scarves as gifts.
- A local artisan “gift market” was created with “Craft Cash” for all to spend.
- Research and genealogy stations helped attendees learn about their family lineage.
- A traditional ceremony presented Scotland’s most famous food, along with Haggis and a whiskey toast.
- Dinner was served by an official caterer of the Royal Family.
- Entertainment was provided by the Red Hot Chili Pipers – bagpipes and drums with a Glasgow attitude.
- We even staged a lively, medieval “fight” in the courtyard, plus an official farewell.
Unforgettable Surprise & Delight
As a symbol of “family”, a custom corporate crest was designed to go on all event décor, banners, room gifts, luggage tags, and more. At a dinner event, we revealed two enormous, beautifully designed banners containing our winners’ names. And we kept everyone on the trip connected through a custom app that enabled notifications and encouraged them to share their fun travel photos.
Covid Considerations
Problem-Solving During A Pandemic – As you might imagine, hosting a 460-participant program in an international destination during the Coronavirus pandemic brought many logistical complexities. However, Creative Group worked seamlessly with our client and local suppliers to resolve every issue that arose.
Postponement – The trip moved from May 2021 to May 2022, which required a rework of the entire program and communications.
Covid restrictions – Each country’s rules and restrictions changed constantly. We remained in close communication with the UK government to keep participants and stakeholders in-the-know, every step of the way.
Covid management (on-site) – Mandatory testing areas were established and several guests tested positive for Covid. We discreetly handled the results and prioritized the comfort, health, and security of those affected. This included extending stays, shopping for toiletries, coordinating virtual doctor visits, rearranging flights, daily communication, and more.
Flight disruptions – As borders and travel began to re-open, many people experienced major flight delays and cancellations. This required new travel arrangements for a large number of people – including other airport arrivals and train arrangements, along with providing fully staffed meet-and-greet experiences with drinks and snacks.
Printing and shipping – While we shipped all collateral with ample time, there were still carrier and customs delays. To make up for missing elements, we had a local printer on standby to produce items in Scotland. Once our items arrived, we swiftly incorporated them into the event and around the premises as planned.
Transporting the President’s Cup Trophy – As precious as the NHL Stanley Cup, our client’s coveted President’s Cup trophy (300 lbs. with the winners’ names engraved on it) had to be shipped to Edinburgh for the event. It shipped extra early to ensure a grand entrance at the celebration. Photo op, galore!
The Outcome
Overall, truly unique incentive reward experiences are deeply worthwhile investments – and this program was no exception in proving that.
Post-program survey results showed 70% of these top achievers reported the President’s Cup incentive heavily influenced their sales tactics and their willingness to reach this achievement.
Finally, it also carries retention benefits; 65% of survey respondents said the President’s Cup contributes to their staying with the organization. A win for all!
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Scotland Incentive Experience Proves a Solid ROI
