All of VO Event was on deck for a world-class incentive for Alter Domus

1,350 employees from 30 countries leave for a three-day trip to a mystery destination… On 21, 22 and 23 September, VO Event conducted its largest incentive project ever, for the 15th anniversary of the Luxembourg company Alter Domus.

To ensure that this experience with colleagues was truly unforgettable, the VO Event incentive team led by Denis de Wagheneire put together an original concept that immersed all the participants in an atmosphere worthy of the top fashion shows.

Having been launched in May, this original incentive gradually led Alter Domus employees on a series of collaborative challenges. And for additional motivation, the team with the most points would see their charity of choice receive a €10,000 donation!

Step 1: Warm-up

How to help colleagues who are often over 30,000 km apart, work more effectively together : this was the ambitious logistical challenge facing VO Event which, in conjunction with the digital team from Voice Agency, created a collaborative platform enabling everyone to exchange ideas and opinions from anywhere on the planet. 

Coached by 30 professional stylists, the participants were split into online groups of 15 so that they could work together on the creation of a 'fashion look' made from 100%-recycled materials. The results also had to reflect their values, temperament and motivation, with the aim of the challenge being to collect a maximum number of points to support the charity of their choice.

Step 2: Game on

Encompassing Australia, China, Europe and the United States, the challenge was not an easy one for VO Event, as it involved bringing 1,350 employees together in one location at the same time! This was a painstaking task which required excellent coordination by the whole VO team! What with flight reservations, aircraft chartering, visa management, etc., this was a significant and cumbersome phase that was further complicated by the need to keep the final destination a secret and maintain the element of surprise!

Once they arrived in Genoa (Italy) after five months of virtual work, the guests finally met their fellow team members in person during a 'meet & greet' at the Genoa Convention Centre. For three hours, they conducted activities that immersed them in the world of fashion, such as fitting their creation on professional models, collages based on recycled fabric swatches and magazines, the creation of accessories, a photo-shoot, etc.

The challenges also continued and the hunt for points was still on, the teams' latest mission being to come up with a logo and a business plan to promote their creations.

The guests then boarded a ship for a cruise to an unknown destination....which turned out to be Marseilles. For their arrival, the terminal was decked out like a catwalk! Once on dry land, the guests were immersed in a fully-fledged fashion show featuring their own designs. This magnificent parade was followed by the gala event during which the winners of the competition were revealed!

Step 3: Keep in touch

Back on board, the passengers were then able to relax for a while. Then later that evening, they celebrated this wonderful adventure at a party that rocked to the vibrant beats of renowned DJ Henri PFR. 

On arriving back in Italy, the guests were able to relax for a little while before their departure, the Genoa Convention Centre having been transformed into a large lounge area for the occasion.

And as the icing on the cake, in a month’s time, they will be able to view the pictures from their trip in a virtual magazine inspired by the world’s leading fashion magazines.

With this extraordinary event, VO Event has really raised the bar for incentives and confirmed the added value of having an event agency organize customised, large-scale events that require complex coordination. 

Denis de Wagheneire, Client Services Director for VO Event: "Seeing a project come to a successful conclusion after two years of preparation! Seeing my colleagues and our teams working their hardest with unrivalled enthusiasm. Seeing the amazement on the guests' faces throughout each stage of the programme. And seeing the emotion in our client's eyes. That’s the event industry! VO Event can be truly proud of having taken on this bold challenge and successfully accomplished our mission for this project unique within Europe and even beyond."

The event in numbers:

• 3 days
• 1,350 guests from 30 countries
• 91 teams and 30 stylists
• 50 nationalities
• 406 organisers
• One 16-deck ship
• 100,000 m² travelled