Historically, rewards and recognition programs go a long way in encouraging employees achieve business goals and objectives. While small organizations prefer to award their clients with monetary incentives larger corporate houses are promoting the culture of organizing incentive travel events to provide their employees an often much needed relief, a casual environment and to better communicate as a team. Here are 6 interesting tips to nail your next incentive travel event- 1- Determine Objectives In Advance Every incentive travel event has an objective behind it, establishing these goals and objectives before the incentive campaign begins goes a long way in better managing such events. “Is it 10 percent growth over last year? Is it launching a new product? Or is it a team building trip?” These questions need to be dealt with and interesting concepts of engaging activities can then be designed to cater to the demands of the employees. 2- Decide on a budget How much is the organization willing to spend on the incentive program. In addition to the award trip or event itself, the budget also needs to cover the communication, and engagement strategies leading up to it. Organizers need to have teasers and keep unveiling information at regular intervals to keep people excited. Also, determining the budget in advance can help you book a destination of travel much ahead when can lead to huge savings on advance bookings. Not only budget clarity helps you in better organizing the event but it also helps in efficiently curbing the expenses to make the employer happy as well. 3- Have a Theme Themed incentive travels generate more anxiousness in employees than a regular get away. Interesting themes like king and queens, royalty of Jaipur and Beach Bonaza are the most trending options recently. Also the theme of incentive travel can be decided through an option of voting though the employees themselves. This opportunity will make the employees decide on how they want to be treated at the event and also help in generating more curiosity about it. 4- Focus on the Target Group Select the target group for the program. This could be management, employees, salespeople, or anyone else. Discover what the target’s values, interests and preferences through paper surveys or interviews. Then browse our corporate incentives guide to match up preferences with available packages in your budget range. Once you have the target group in mind, careful fabrication on team building games, relaxation techniques and networking opportunities need to be done to help resolve the issues in the team, if any and help others realize the contribution of every member in the organization 5- Entertain and Not Strain Most agencies in an attempt to outdo their competition and expectations by employers organize some out of the box activities to engage the employees on incentive travel events. These activities range from incredibly difficult obstacle courses to competitive games and adventure sports. In most cases as a result of these activities are injured and strained employees who instead of going happily to their workplace land up in the nearest hospital instead. The motive of incentive travel is to entertain the participants through mutual discussions and activities that build them up as a team and hence the activities at such events need to be light on mood yet enjoyable from every perspective. 6- Evaluation The end of an incentive travel should always measure the success of the program based on the original goals and objectives. At this stage financial and behavioral metrics both need to be considered. Surveying employees can help an agency realize you what was the most memorable part of the event? Did it was motivate them? The evaluation is a great tool for an agency to learn better from their current endeavor and help them to better manage upcoming events like these.
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An important aspect of an event planners job is make sure that the attendees of his/her event are thoroughly engaged with the proceedings of event and interact with the experience being presented. Hence finding unique and interactive ways to make the attendees interact at your event is a must. An increased level of attendee interaction not only adds life to the overall ambience of the event but at the same makes the job of an event planner a lot easier. This time at EE we list down 5 cool ways to increase attendee interaction at events. 1-Create Anxiety Creating anxiety among your attendees is a first step towards attendee engagement and interaction. Keeping your guests anxious about things to come sustains the interest of the attendees and leaves them wanting a little more of the event. To create anxiety and sustain it throughout the event it is very important to not give away the entire run-through of event to your attendees. Always have surprising elements to your events and design new elements of the basis of the audience demand at the event itself. Also designing networking activities and fun games at smaller events always works wonder at events. When you take the audience by surprise it gives them a moment worth cherishing for. 2-Integrate Social Media Social media is indispensable during events today. Organizers can use hashtags, handles, and even event specific apps to build an online community around your event. This also provides a chance to participate from anywhere in the world, which is particularly nice for guests who can’t physically attend. During your event you can provide your events Twitter handles, create event specific hashtags, and promote the sponsors, vendors or charities through social media. Another important highlight of integrating social media is that it helps you generate the required buzz about the event even before it has started. 3-Build Networking Groups No event can ever be successful if the attendees do not connect and network with each other. While most people hesitate to participate in large groups at events a smart event organizer can take way the hesitation by creating small or medium size networking groups and allow the attendees to proceed with the interaction. Through group based and team building activities at such events not does the awkwardness among unfamiliar guests wears off but also it provides them with a reason to happy about the event. 4-Host a Happy Hour Happy Hour does not necessarily mean to have free drinks at the alcohol section of your event but to give the audiences an hour from the total event run time wherein they can reduce the formality and celebrate the fun of being at a vivacious event. Happy Hour can always include fun filled activities such a very simple photo booth with props, or a doodle making competition or an integrated element of technology. Through Happy Hours the audience gets the much needed opportunity to unwind itself and network better in the absence of a formal environment. 5-Desiging Networking Friendly Ambience It is often seen at events that the entire venue has a monotonous seating arrangement with the same décor everywhere. Changing this routine element can be a goldmine for event organizers. Having contrasting elements at the events decoration and most importantly having a designated seating space for only networking activities can truly lead to establishment of life long relations from an event. Other ways of creating networking friendly ambience are a no photography zone, separate coffee booth seating, a corporate work station and others.
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In a first of its kind innovation for shoppers, DEN Snapdeal TV-Shop has unveiled “Haseeki Deal”, Laugh while you Strike a Deal. Jeeveshu Ahluwalia, a stand-up comedian known for his wit and humour, will entertain the audience even as they look for that great bargain on DENSnapdeal TV-Shop. “The idea is to break the monotony of TV shopping with some scintillating humour in the form of one-minute entertainment breaks with Jeevesh,” said ManeeshGoel, the CEO of DENSnapdeal TV-Shop.”We are confident our audience will appreciate this innovation and will turn Haseeki Deal into a roaring success.” The entertainment breaks with Jeeveshu’s comic themes will appear through multiple time slots at prime time on the 24-hour DEN Snapdeal TV-Shop. The “Haseeki Deal” campaign has just broken. Here are the links to some of the teasers of the comic breaks which are now appearing on the channel: Promo 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoGMawsgR6A Promo 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMzMHgb9sto
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Global Consumer Products Pvt ltd is a FMCG start up by Mr. A. Mahendran (Former MD, Godrej Consumer Products) which was Incepted in 2014, with an equity commitment of INR 3150 million (appx US$50 million) from Goldman Sachs, a leading global investment bank, and Mitsui Global Investment (MGI); the company had hired veteran FMCG professionals over the last one year to form its core management team. They have now entered the market in full force with their first brand- LuvIt , a new range of chocolates. The clutter-breaking commercial turns the conventional logic of sharing on its head. The LuvIt TVC through its tagline “If someone shares, ushaar!” captures the essence of the brand. Initially launched only for the Southern states on Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerela and Union territory Puducherry, the campaign will be for a period of 2 months and will be supported aggressively on television, out-of-home, digital, on-ground malls and hangouts, radio – in short everywhere that youth is at. As a means to add an experiential leg to its overall marketing initiatives LuvIt is planning both mall activation and digital activations to promote not only its products but brand as well. Under the digital activation, LuvIt will drive traffic to its FB page through the ushaar test. Apart from these experience driven ventures Luvit also plan to have product sampling done across 1 million people across the five states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Hyderabad, Telangana, Karnataka and Kochi.
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With the number of new fashion weeks cropping up each year, the fashion industry is clearly pacing rapidly and has no dearth of investors who are willing to spend big. With the recently organized Lakme Fashion Week, the season of fashion shows has officially begun and what follows for the models is a string of opportunities to gain exposure and a considerable income. But what really is it like being a model in India? EE caught up with Sony Kaur, Sheela Tiruchi, Parul Duggal, Aakshi Khari and Pooja Bhamrah who are often termed as the “next big thing” in the fashion industry today. These women spoke exclusively to EE and shared their experiences. “I had actually never given so much thought into becoming a model”, says Parul Duggal. Born and brought up in Bhopal, Parul was a runner up in Miss India Universe and has also represented India internationally. “I actually went to Delhi to pursue my course in fashion design and there I was spotted by a fashion choreographer who encouraged me to walk the ramp. After initial hesitation I agreed as it was a good way to earn some extra pocket money but after walking the ramp for Lakme Fashion Week where I was among the top 5 models and was heavily applauded by judges I decided to participate in I Am She”. When asked upon how do such fashion shows provide a platform for young women? Parul responds by saying that these events are the best way to get noticed. “I do not want to pursue acting for now as I am having an amazing experience here. There are institute fashion shows coming up next where I will be walking the ramp again and apart from that I have my own business that keeps me busy”, says Parul as she discusses her future plans. Sony Kaur, born and brought up in Hyderabad, is also one of the major upcoming names in the fashion industry today who recently walked the ramp for Lakme Fashion Week. “For me modeling happened in college as my friend’s sister was a model and they needed one more for a show and the money offered was good. Today I have more than 5 years of experience in the industry and the profession gets more exciting with every passing day”-says Sony when asked about the start of her career. But is there a piece of advice that she would love to share with all the aspiring models? Sony says- “Just be confident about your looks and carry what you wear. Also, do not think too much and have immense confidence in yourself.” Sony will next been seen walking the ramp for the Amazon India Fashion Week scheduled to start today. Sheela Tiruchi an Indian origin model was born and brought up in Germany and moved to India to be a dance choreographer. “I was modeling in Germany too but when I moved to India my main focus was to become a choreographer but then modeling just sort of happened.” So what are the major differences between the models in India and Germany? Sheela responds by saying-“In India, we as models need to have a lot of face value as that matters a lot here. But in Germany you need to be very skinny, be at least 5’11 inches of height and need to have a lot of attitude in your walk. Looks are not that important there as the models are not very pretty.” Speaking on the challenges for a model in the Indian fashion industry Sheela says,”It is very easy to get it touch with people here but sustaining yourself in the market is very difficult as new models are coming up every day. I feel it’s a very safe profession for girls to be in contrary to the myths prevailing.” Pooja Bhamra, an actor and model, who stormed the audience recently with her walk at the Lakme Fashion Week did not have a conventional start to her modeling career. “I always wanted to participate in Miss India but as I belong to a protected family my parents always refused. So being an obedient kid I continued my engineering and was preparing for MBA when I participated in Miss Queen pageant that I eventually won.” “Today you have to be bold and standout among the rest to sustain in the industry. If I was to give an advice to young models I would say come prepared and don’t be disappointed with rejections as preparation and patience are the key words to survive here” -says Pooja as she completes her stance. Aakshi Khari who was born and brought up in Delhi has established herself as the one of the most versatile models of her time as she walked for all major fashion weeks of the country today. “I started my career as a model when I was 21 at a show in Panipath. Though the show was not of a huge magnitude by my circumstances had me walking the ramp for money. Even when I was in Delhi I regularly visited Malviya Nagar to search for photographers and models but after 6 months of struggle there I moved to Mumbai and decided to establish myself here”- says Aakshi when asked upon her choice of modeling as a career. “In Mumbai, I met Achala Sachdev, Shakhir Sheikh and Utsav Dholakia who became my mentors and taught me everything about the industry from scratch.”- she completes. When asked to give a piece of advice to the aspiring models Askshi says- “Don’t believe in anyone randomly and always remember to be yourself as it will go a long way in helping you.”
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Also known as the home of great ideas, Cannes Lions is perhaps the highest honor forcreative excellence in advertising, each year inspiringa global community of brands, visionaries and advertising specialists. This year at the 62nd Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity,117 Lions were awardedfrom a total of 3,196 entries in the Promo & Activation category.Wetake a closer look and chronicle the reasons behind the success of some of these experiential campaigns. One of the biggest wins of Cannes Lions this year was The Grand Prix being bagged by Grey London for Volvo UK for their product, “Lifepaint” which, as per Jury President Matt Eastwood, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer of J. Walter Thompson, had not only raised the bar creatively, but also made a positive contribution to humanity. Eastwood said, “It reinforces a life-long commitment to a strategy of safety and then elegantly turns that to a guiding purpose not just for the cars, but for all of society. It’s a simple, easy to apply solution that will genuinely save lives.” As established from the promo this highly reflective spray paint was developed to extend the brand’s commitment to safety, helping to make cyclists easier for drivers to spot on the roads at night. One of the main highlights of the campaign was not only of how it was designed but also because how it was executed. The thought process of coming up with something that promotes safety on the roads for passionate cyclists is indeed a noble idea but the cheery on the cake is how the promo begins with cyclists describing the problems that they face on the roads and the constant fear of an accident always lurking around the corner. With the sentiments of cyclists driving the qualities of the product, this campaign was bound to win all the accolades it received. Another big winner from the night was the Burger King Proud Whopper campaign which took home a Gold.The experiential campaign was all about how brands with small initiatives can make huge differences. Raising the issue of homosexuality and delivering a powerful sentimental message with such ease was something that has never been attempted by any other brand before. It is a classic example of sometimes how too little becomes too much and how a brand has the power of positively influencing the society with a simple sincere thought. This one is certain to go down in the memory lane as one of the simplest yet most effective experiential campaign ever. Nivea Doll for Nivea in Brazil, was another experiential campaign which bagged the Gold Lion for its innovative thinking and execution. The experience designed by FCB Brazil reminded kids of the reasons for applying sunscreen through a smartly thought of doll activity. An important message which was simplified for kids and taught to them in the manner they would easily understand and deliver for life. This campaign was already in the news for enhancing the sales figure for Nivea as a brand in Brazil and the simplicity and uniqueness of the campaign makes it a worthy winner of the coveted honor. Further worthy and world-enhancing Gold winners included Mexican Red Cross’ SOS SMS, an alarming campaign to motivate and instigate safety among people by the Red Cross society of Mexico. The campaign proved to be a big success as it makes the best use of technology that we all take for granted. The execution was crucial as it needed active participation from the citizens however this campaign proved that you can never go wrong if a sincere efforts are made to bring social awareness to the masses.
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A decade ago, festivals were considered simply a household ritual, but the last decade has seen the events industry heavily capitalizing on such festivals to organize some of their best events. The idea behind is simple, life is incredibly exhausting already, hence why slave over preparations for these celebrations when you can join the latest Holi party or Garba Dandiya event that is already organized and also features your favorite celebrities, interactive activities, food, friends and so much more. But overtime, it seems monotony has caught up making it difficult to tell one event from the next. Heres some inspiration with this list of cultural festivals from around the globe that offer a generous dose of quirk- 1- Dragon Boat Festival, China The Dragon Boat festival, also known as the Dwanwu Festival has been celebrated in China for more than 25,000 years. The main festivities in this festival are drinking realgar wine and dragon boat racing. Dragon boats are giant sized boats painted attractively and embellished with a dragon head and tail. The race begins with the rowing of boats to the rhythm of pounding drums. Once the night falls the breath-taking Dragon Lanterns and brightly lit creations come alive and truly steal the show. 2- Burning Man, Nevada Burning Man is a weeklong annual art, music and everything-else festival held in the middle of Black Rock desert, Nevada. It usually takes place between August 27 and September 3. The festival means it’s a City of Art; the motto is ‘No Spectators’ and everybody has to contribute something to that year’s theme. This very special event which started with 8 people on a San Francisco beach in 1986 has grown to a huge art festival where hundreds of artists come and build art installations, sculptures, art cars and make performances. With lot of talented and skilled professions in the country just imagine the success of a festival like this if organized in India. 3- Lantern Floating Festival, Hawaii Held annually on Memorial Day on Oʻahu’s south shore, Lantern Floating Hawaii brings together over 40,000 people on the beach, joined by thousands around the world via live streaming and telecast for an evening of honoring loved ones and generating collective hope toward the future. Lantern Floating Hawaii is a ceremony where all can come together for a personal and collective moment of remembrance, reflection, and offering gratitude to those who have gone before us. The concept behind the festival is that we are strengthened as a community as we reach out to support others and build understanding of our common values and experiences. 4- Roswell UFO Festival The Roswell UFO incident, also known as Roswell, was a report of an object that crashed near Roswell, New Mexico, in June or July 1947, allegedly an extra-terrestrial spacecraft and its alien occupants. To celebrate their belief that aliens have landed on earth, there is an annual parade where patrons can dress up in alien-like costumes and attend brief conferences given by alien experts and authors. However, these alien activists don’t discriminate. Non-believers of the alien theory are also welcome to enjoy the festivities and dress up. 5- The Songkran festival Every April, to celebrate New Year, the world’s largest water gun fight takes place in the country of Thailand. And no, it’s not just some small isolated village. We’re talking about an entire country drowning itself with super soakers. But the fun isn’t limited to water guns, as some people prefer buckets or even elephants. Though in India, holi is organized in a similar format but an exclusive water gun fight festival in our country is bound to be a massive crowd churner. 6- La Tomatina What started as something of a street fight between teenagers using tomatoes from nearby vegetable stalls has turned into the largest tomato fight in the world. It happens every year in the small Spanish town of Bunyol and over the course of about 1 hour the town gets so covered in tomatos that the fire department has to come in and spray everything down. This particular festival is already a craze in India with many Indian films showcasing it over the years and several cities having hosted mini versions of it; but a collective large tomato-lunging fest would be oh so spectacular. 7- Cheese Rolling Festival Every year near Gloucester, England hundreds of people gather to watch as locals chase a huge cheese off the top of Cooper’s Hill and tumble a couple hundred yards to the bottom where they are almost inevitably scooped up by paramedics and taken to the hospital. Supposedly if you cross the finish line at the bottom first though, you win the cheese. Being a festival majorly catering towards those with an enthusiasm for sports this one has ‘fun’ written all over it.
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Known as one of the pioneers of international dance in India, Ashley Lobo, Indian Australian choreographer has recently started India’s first repertory dance theatre company Navdhara, thus adding another feather to the cap of the choreographer post DanceWorx which has over 5000 students. With the aim to put India on the Globe in terms of dance theatre, the USP of Navdhaara lies in its abstract format. The audience can draw their own conclusions about the dance and the performance will be followed by an interactive session where the audience can share their own perspective at the end of the show. With their theatrical productions ‘Amaara’ scheduled to be premiered in Mumbai on March 26, followed by shows in Delhi and USA in the next 3 months; EE spoke to the choreographer about their latest production, its concept and other integrating elements. “International Dance Theater as an art is very new in India, the dance form is very abstract in comparison to Indian contemporary art forms which have a story so the idea behind the setting up of Navdhaara India Dance Theater (NDIT) was to bring something new in the country.”- says Lobo, as he explains the idea behind the setting up of NDIT. When asked upon what separates International Dance Theater from other forms of dance, Ashley Lobo responds by saying, “The movement style of this form of theater are very abstract. With most dance performances in India being hugely scaled with multiple highlights the international dance theater symbolizes minimalism, so just like modern art you also have modern dance.” Producing theatrical productions is a costly affair so how does NDIT manage upon the return on investment? To this Ashley Lobo says- “The return on investment here is that we are carving a way for others to follow. Our main aim through Amaara is to go out and do dance better and bring the industry to a different level as far as Dance Theater is concerned.” “In India currently most dancer performances rely on tricks and their main aim is wowing the audience rather than engaging them in dance. In the international world that is looked down upon, so we are trying to go to the international space and it’s a big experiment even for us as the Indian audience is used to being wowed. But through NDIT we aspire to bring in India an international dance form and to elevate the level of dance in the country.”- completes Lobo.
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