Winner Details:
Award: Most Creative Solution Deployed at a Time of Crisis
Winner: Creative Group
Program Name: Club and Club V (Higher Tier)
Destination: From Sydney, Australia to Multiple Locations
Client: Anonymous
About the Club and Club V (Higher Tier):
The client is a leader in the technology industry, providing cloud computing and virtualization software and services. Creative Group originally collaborated with them in planning their group incentive, due to take place in May 2020 in Sydney, Australia, for two waves of 300 people each. The audience included top achievers with the expectation of a high-touch, uniquely curated travel program. All was going well and according to plan until the arrival of COVID 19.
In early March, like so many others, the client decided to postpone the incentive trip to Australia. But how were the winners to be recognised in a timely manner with an equally valuable award? How could they ensure the rewards were both as prestigious and experiential as the incentive trip? Creative Group had the solution.
In just 3.5 weeks, Creative Group managed to outline a new solution, get client buy-in, communicate to all participants, and launch an entirely new and bespoke individual rewards platform. The platform delivered high-end, curated travel experiences that were unique and varied, giving winners a wide array of individual travel packages AND the option to redeem them for up to 36 months.
Through solid industry relationships and strong negotiation skills, Creative Group re-contracted the group for the same hotel in 2022, mitigating all the cancellation costs. These cost-savings were then used to offset the initial set-up costs associated with the building of the individual rewards platform.
Programme Successes:
Working closely with trusted suppliers and partners, the individual travel experiences offered addressed the client’s goal of being promotable and memorable. The curated choices included locations and activities that would be difficult, if not impossible, for participants to achieve on their own. Hundreds of options included unique experiences such NASCAR driving packages, a European castle stay, a deluxe food-and-wine tour in Rome, and prestigious tickets to sporting events like Wimbledon. Entertainment events like the GRAMMYs were also in the offering.
The client and the qualifiers were thrilled with the quick pivot and creative thinking involved in bringing this alternative solution to life in such a short time-frame.
Quotation:
“I was so proud of our internal associates and client’s collaboration. The way they quickly pivoted to a new solution during a time of crisis was nothing short of amazing.”
Janet Traphagen, President of Creative Group
For further details, please contact: Wendy Wallace at wwallace@creativegroupinc.com
About the SITE Crystal Awards Recognition Program:
Since 1980, the annual SITE Crystal Awards Recognition Program has provided industry acclaim for world-class organizations that excel in the design of unique, memorable group travel experiences that deliver measurable benefits for their clients. Today, the awards serve as a benchmark for incentive travel programs and are regarded as the highest honor in the motivational events and incentive travel industry. The Crystal Awards Program is sponsored by IMEX Group, the worldwide exhibitions for incentive travel, meetings and events.
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