The challenge: Forward-thinking companies like Dropbox listen to their staff, and when it was decided a bit of a knees-up was in order, they got in touch with the team at Because to throw a summer party like no other. Their brief was that it had to be creative, unconventional, and memorable, but most importantly, it had to be a whole lot of fun. Skip the boring conference venues, tired themes, and bog-standard employee engagement plans – this had to break the corporate mould and offer something innovative and inspiring. It had to be a party that celebrated what, and more importantly, who Dropbox is.

The idea: The Because team created a whole new fresh-air world of whimsy and wonder called ‘Xanadu’, a one-of-a-kind summer barbeque at a spectacular outdoor venue in Dublin. The team pulled out the stops to transform the popular file hosting company’s annual bash into a twisting, tumbling celebration of crazy, colourful experiences. It catered for the whole family with smart attractions for both the little ones and the adults, and most of the staff dressed up for the occasion. From petting zoos, face painting, flame breathers, and magicians through to live music, DJs, dance parties, slick cocktails, and even beer pong for the late-night revellers.

The solution: This creative take on community building and staff celebration did more than create a positive brand association and hike up employee engagement; it helped all the employees and their families feel inclusive and rewarded. Everyone felt part of a brand that’s progressive and creative, and which puts their employees first. Most importantly, they all just had a day of fun, which is exactly what the brief required.

The staff also spent this relaxed and fun downtime getting to know their colleagues and family members better. That provided a better return on team building and office culture than any corporate event or workshop could provide.

Dialling up the success: Staff conferences, corporate events, and even brand communications don’t have to always follow the same old formulas and event templates to be successful. While sharing the company’s vision and goals is essential, brands are more likely to achieve more of their goals by creating one-off creative experiences. And sometimes it’s cool, given us humans are emotional beings, just to do something different. Bottom line: employee engagement is highly personal, and corporate events need to be tailored to your audience to hit the mark. And, occasionally, it just pays to reward and inspire your employees with pure fun.

If you’d like to add some unforgettable fun to your annual staff event or turn the volume up on your employee engagement, get in touch with us. We’ll work with you to create your own bespoke Xanadu, and the result: you’ll have happier, more inspired, and crucially, more productive employees.

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