In the dynamic world of annual corporate events, creating an experience that transcends expectations requires more than just meticulous planning; it demands creativity and innovation.
For the fourth consecutive year, we had the honor of helping Winnebago Industries produce a Leadership Summit – a 2-day planning and vision meeting of key leaders across the organization. From concept to execution, we interacted with vendors and internal teams across the enterprise to create an immersive experience that celebrated their premium outdoor brands, inspired key leaders and embraced the theme of unity: “Together We Rise”.
As attendees entered the Lowes Minneapolis Hotel convention space in downtown Minneapolis, they were greeted by a lively atmosphere infused with the dynamic spirit of our northern lights-inspired art direction. Visual displays carried the event theme and brought the outdoors in, while lighting design mimicked the natural ebb and flow of the aurora borealis.
DKY worked closely with the enterprise leadership team to orchestrate a pre-summit assembly, where the presidents of each brand collaborated on a high-energy kick-off that celebrated enterprise achievements, highlighted the importance of teamwork and teased a surprise location for the leadership recognition awards ceremony.
After a day of engaging presentations and guest-speakers, we welcomed Winnebago Industries leaders to Target Center, home of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves, making it feel like a natural extension of the event with enterprise branding and the “Together We Rise” theme displayed on all the digital billboards in the arena, including the 4,300 square foot jumbotron.
The evening of celebration and connection included a “pre-game warmup” shootaround, dinner and awards ceremony that left the entire team feeling appreciated and energized. Target Center staff was also impressed with the high-quality production, stating “it was the best branding of a corporate event we’ve seen.”
Beyond the visual direction and atmosphere design, DKY created 9 videos to support enterprise storytelling over the course of the three-day event, including a recap that was captured and produced on site in time for the closing remarks. We also managed vendors and on-site production teams, coordinated logistics and resources for guest-speakers, and curated gifts for attendees. Flawless execution wasn’t just the goal; it was the standard that instilled confidence in our agency within the enterprise team.
“Thank you to DKY, not only for being great partners, but also good friends.”
In the end, our vision of the northern lights, with its ever-changing and collaborative dance, brought an ethereal quality to the event, underscoring the transformative power of unity. As the lights faded on the 2023 Leadership Summit, CEO Mike Happe recognized the impact of our united efforts. “Thank you to DKY, not only for being great partners, but also good friends.” A true testament to the fact that when we rise together, success becomes a radiant, shared experience.