About The Client
Our client partner is a major automotive company with sales of more than 2.75 million vehicles annually. Creative Group has partnered with this client on a wide range of programs since 2010, notably, this prestigious President’s Club incentive award trip, delighting 15 dealers and their guests.
The Challenge
Creative Group was tasked with creating an incentive travel program that would provide a one-of-a-kind experience for a very well-traveled group of participants. This program honored the company’s very best dealers and their guests.
Because this audience had the financial wherewithal for high-end travel, creating a truly unique experience to surpass anything they could create on their own was the main challenge. The program was set in Rome, where local venues can present significant “red tape” hurdles, creating additional challenges.
The Solution
The unique events offered to guests included a Coliseum underground tour, the difficult-to-get-into Borghese gallery tour and a trip to a countryside winery. The winery offered a sampling of the local vineyard’s wine in the family country home, and a cooking class led by the engaging matriarch of the family. One evening, the group was treated to a private event at La Pergola – a three-star Michelin restaurant – where they enjoyed pre-dinner cocktails and a custom tasting menu on the patio overlooking the historic city as the sun set over the cathedrals below. At the end of the evening, they received a signed copy of the chef’s book.
One afternoon the group enjoyed a private gourmet walking tour of Rome with a stop for the best coffee in Rome and delicious homemade pizza. After the tour, they enjoyed a private tasting lunch where the chef provided a history of Italian cuisine.
During a day trip to Florence, the group experienced more unique and customized activities. They traveled via private train car aboard the bullet train to Florence. There, they had the option to take a private walking city tour, visit two wineries, or enjoy a fashion tour featuring high-end designer, Jennifer Tattanelli. The fashion tour gave guests an understanding of the painstaking process that goes into high-end leather production, during an exclusive leather factory tour. The designer herself welcomed the group for lunch at her family’s restaurant that annexed her boutique. Following lunch, guests received a store credit at the boutique for any designer item of their choice while personal shoppers were on-hand for assistance.
The highlight of any Rome trip would certainly include the Vatican museums and this group had unique access to many areas not normally accessible, thanks to the diligence of the planning team. The guests enjoyed a private tour of the Vatican museums, including a tour of the Sistine Chapel where permission for photography was granted. Special approval was also received for dinner to be held in a beautiful, intimate “behind the curtain” room within the Vatican museums, where the group sipped wine and listened to the Vatican choir, led by the famous choir director, Monsignor Colino. The evening was capped off with an exclusive performance by an opera-caliber tenor and soprano. A truly amazing evening!
The Outcome
Participants gave rave reviews at the conclusion of the program that were especially meaningful given the well-traveled audience. The Creative Group account manager, received especially high marks for her tenacity in working with suppliers to cut through red tape – especially in working with the Vatican museums – to deliver a once-in-a-lifetime experience these winners have come to expect.
As our client said, “These types of trips do not just happen without a great team, including our DMC, who performed tremendously while walking the tight wire on several moving parts. But I would like to call special attention to our account manager and her outstanding performance on this program. I watched yesterday as she personally oversaw each participant’s departure. And each and every person hugged her and gave her their personal, genuine, thanks for the program. That’s pretty good!”
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The Italian Job
