The sun (and humidity) is out. The corn is taller than knee-high. It’s mid-July and hundreds of motorhomes and travel trailers are rolling into Forest City, Iowa – the birthplace of Winnebago RVs. Owners from all corners of North America are gearing up for a “Welcome Home” celebration of all things Winnebago.
This 50+ year summer celebration includes tours of the factory, a customer service area, owner meetups, manufacturer and vendor educational seminars, Winnebago new products on display, and customer feedback workshops to name a few. In addition to the standard events at this annual gathering there was a desire to enhance and increase attendee events and experiences.
In 2023, DKY was charged to help create more opportunities and experiences for attendees to come together in community, in turn increasing the activities at the event by 50% over previous events. Over 50 new ideas were generated and shared with our client, Winnebago.
Out of the brainstorming, the new theme emerged: Camp Winnebago. The goal was to recreate the magic and memories of summer camp, with a focus on friendship, shared experiences, and fun. A few anchor experiences of Camp Winnebago included:
Camp Canteen – a gathering space for “canteen-like” games and a photobooth, daily coffee hour, daily happy hour, and special events
Campfire Jamboree – including favorites like campfires, a group buffet meal, drinks, s’mores, and a professional storyteller
Outdoor Movie – presenting Winnebago-featured films “Escape to Witch Mountain” and “Independence Day” with branded Camp Winnebago popcorn boxes
It was fun to experience the increased attendance and engagement at the newly formed events. Seeing Winnebago owners interacting, learning from, and connecting with other owners in the community, and their strong affinity to the Winnebago brand is what Camp Winnebago was all about.
We are fortunate to have a long-standing history of this event and look forward to getting feedback from attendees and continuing our partnership with Winnebago to improve the Camp Winnebago event for years to come.