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Task: The Ultimate Corporate Holiday Party
Challenge: A large retailer wanted to celebrate a prosperous year by hosting a holiday event for all 4,500 employees in a unique venue — an airplane hanger at SFO. As a special reward, the organizers decided to bring in a popular rock band to give a surprise concert for employees.
The challenge was to overcome the security and logistics hurdles of bussing 4,500 people into a private airplane hanger during busy commute hours, while keeping the band’s appearance top-secret until show time.
Outcome: The hanger was transformed into a sleek red-carpet airport lounge. Gift shops were re-created, and featured original copies of newspapers and magazines touting the company’s recent annual accomplishments. The wait staff wore vintage airline pilot and attendant attire, and served cocktails from a moving bar on wheels. Employees were photographed in the company jet that was parked inside the hanger, and the band rocked the house to an insanely excited audience.
The party is still talked about by employees as the most extraordinarily successful and unforgettable event in the company’s history.