MULTI-LAYERED EXPERIENCES IN CORPORATE CULTURE & PLANNING

VIBE Organizes 5-Day Strategy and Brand Retreat for Shiseido

Case Study

In Person Event

Shiseido corporate strategy meeting in Japan with attendees viewing presentation organized by The Vibe Agency

One of the key ways to ensure shared vision across a multinational brand is to host regular gatherings that immerse (or re-immerse) employees and leadership in activities and encounters that reflect the spirit of the brand. Shiseido, the world’s oldest cosmetic brand, wished to do exactly this for their 2018 annual corporate meeting – held in the brand’s birthplace of Japan.

THE ASK

In this particular year, Shiseido would be unveiling a number of digital strategies and technological advances. At the same time, the brand didn’t want to lose touch with its heritage rooted in historic Japanese culture. VIBE needed to create experiences that balanced these two sides of the company and energized attendees for the upcoming year, as well as the long-term future for the brand as a global digital enterprise.

THE ANSWER

VIBE ensured that the digital town hall presentation, as well as tools for breakout rooms and smaller sessions all seamlessly integrated technology into each experience. Culture was highlighted through a series of excursions around Japan – from Kyoto to Tokyo – and included a traditional tea ceremony, Zen meditation at a 6th-century temple, a Buddhist-Shinto waterfall wish-making ritual, dinner at a classic tempura restaurant, and Geisha performance. Décor and thematic elements united the two different sides of the 5-day conference, creating a cohesive brand image that flawlessly balanced the old and the new.

THE VIBE

mosaic of pictures from Shiseido corporate strategy meeting
“Legacy brands are often challenged by the desire to be ultra-modern,” says Valerie Bihet, founder of VIBE. “In the desire to be relevant and not considered old-fashioned, many incredible brands begin to forget their culture and, in the process, lose what makes them unique. It is always better to find ways to make important pillars of a brand and its culture fresh, exciting, and meaningful to today’s audiences by blending modern and traditional into an enhanced vision.”

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Legacy brands can embrace digital strategy without losing their heritage by blending modern and traditional elements in one program.
  • Technology-led sessions such as a digital town hall can be balanced with cultural experiences like a tea ceremony, Zen meditation and a Geisha performance.
  • Holding the annual meeting in Japan, the brand’s birthplace, re-immersed employees and leadership in the spirit of the brand.
  • Consistent décor and thematic elements tie very different program elements into one cohesive brand image across a five-day conference.

CLIENT TESTIMONIAL

Direct and to the point; The Vibe Agency has done an excellent job pulling together all the essential components of execution into one place. I wish I had met this agency earlier!

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