When asked to create a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience for a high-end incentive group, Sydney-based event management company Events With Moore didn’t hold back. In fact, they secured tickets to one of the most exclusive events in the world, The Grammys.

In January 2020, right before the pandemic took hold, a group of 50 high achievers from the computer and technology industry were treated to a money-can’t-buy incentive program in Los Angeles.

Events With Moore were responsible for managing all components of the week-long program, which was two years in the making.

Here, the team shares the highlights, challenges and outcomes of the major incentive event.

The brief

Having a long-standing relationship with the client, Events With Moore was tasked with managing the entirety of the program, excluding the target-based qualification process.

The key factor in choosing The Grammys over other events was the its exclusivity — only invited guests or members of the academy can attend. This provided a truly unique experience and something guests would be unable to achieve on their own.

Due to the nature of The Grammys, the tickets were purchased two years in advance and the event had a long planning phase and a short registration period, with the winners being announced just six weeks out from the date of the event.

Events With Moore was responsible for all components of the incentive including registration, international flight bookings, accommodation, local logistics including activities, tours, transfers and importantly the key ticketed event attendance to The Grammy Awards.

Events With Moore also accompanied the incentive group to ensure the delivery and execution of the event was seamless for guests and the client.

Highlights

While there were many highlights of the event, The Grammy Awards was undoubtedly the most memorable part.

On the morning of The Grammys, guests were given pamper treatments, hair and make-up and tuxedo hire, before boarding their limousines to enjoy a lavish lunch ahead of evening event.

To top off the experience, due to Events With Moore’s close partnership with a local ground operator, the organisers were able to upgrade the group to a press box for a true money-can’t-buy experience.

The night ended with exclusive access to The Grammys after-party for guests to let their hair down!

Other highlights included a fast-paced driving experience at the Porsche Experience Centre, where the group got behind the wheel for a bit of healthy competition, which was a great opportunity for guests to build new partnerships.

The group stayed at the SLS Beverly Hills, a luxury boutique hotel near the famed Rodeo Drive.

Challenges

Due to the lead-time of The Grammy’s, tickets and flights had to be pre-purchased two years in advance.

Given the timeline of the campaign and the announcement of winners, ports and number of guests varied over this period. Events With Moore worked closely with suppliers to manage attrition of these components to mitigate penalties to the client.

As with any international event, currency and exchange rates also had to be managed carefully. The currency over the two-year period decreased significantly affecting the event budget, so the team worked alongside the client to manage payments at beneficial times based on the exchange rate.

Feedback

Following the event, the client said they received the best feedback they’d ever had from an incentive program, setting a new standard for their future events.

Among the positive feedback, attendees described the program as “a once-in-a-lifetime reward”, “one of the most amazing experiences of my life” and that it made them feel “a little bit rockstar”.