Accent On Performance Sample Program

Themed Time Travel

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Company: Viacom Television Stations Group

Programs: Sales
Program Types: Travel

Objective: The Viacom Television Stations Group turned to Incentive Travel to create a program that would motivate CBS and UPN television stations’ top advertisers to increase their budgets and expenditures from January to June 2001. Viacom was seeking a program that was truly unique and would reward advertisers as well as station managers and sales directors.

Relying heavily on advertising revenue and contracts to maintain programming excellence, Viacom knew they needed a special program to combat diminishing business due to the soft economy and failing technology sector. Utilizing the concept of “Themed Time Travel,” Incentive Travel created a program for Viacom that built business with its top advertisers while creating a "once in a lifetime" travel experience even among a well- traveled audience.

In order to motivate and recognize top advertisers while building long-term loyalty and trust, Incentive Travel designed a travel experience that other broadcast competitors could not match. As a result, Viacom showed its appreciation to top performers and partners with a six-day, five-night, all-inclusive excursion to Gleneagles, Scotland that would literally transport its guests to another time and place.

With exclusive use of the Gleneagles resort including all the amenities to suit the lifestyle of Scottish gentry — world-class golf, falconry, hunting and spa — just less than 400 guests were treated to a travel event that they would remember forever and never be able to duplicate on their own.

As part of the "time traveling" theme, the Gleneagles visit included hotel amenities complete with a Scottish piper walking the halls to announce dinner. Dining experiences included a welcome buffet of Scottish cuisine and entertainment, "Braveheart Night" with a medieval banquet at Stirling Castle, and the Gala Scotsman Awards Ball where men wore custom-fitted kilts and ladies traditional Scottish sashes. Complete with a four-course meal, including the Address to a Haggis, Scottish pipe music, whisky toasts, and dancing to a big band, Viacom’s guests were free to form stronger personal and business relationships. A highlight of the trip, as recorded in guests’ surveys, was the traditional costumes at the Gala Ball. Memories of this event resulted in many guests rating the evening a "six" on a scale of one to five.

Supplier: Incentive Travel, LLC (San Diego, CA)

Results: Originally planned to take place in October 2001, the Gleneagles trip was rescheduled for Spring 2002 due to travel concerns resulting from September 11. Despite rescheduling, the event was implemented flawlessly, met all set objectives, and motivated all qualifiers to beat their previous advertising expenditures despite a very competitive marketplace.

Exceeding the client’s goals, the Gleneagles, Scotland trip succeeded in building brand loyalty and generated an 18 percent increase in advertising revenue, despite a very challenging economic and competitive landscape. Viacom left its most valued guests with a time travel experience that they will remember and share for a lifetime.