Janet Traphagen, President and Melissa Van Dyke, SVP, Integrated Marketing & Innovation“Our focus on experiences that help people thrive versus solely ‘meeting and event logistics’ enables clients to tell their story in new and different ways. We understand the why behind an event and have the ability to bring the wow while telling a brand story,” says Janet Traphagen, president, Creative Group.
Creative Group started its journey back in 1970 as the creators of business-changing experiences designed to help people thrive. As a performance improvement company, they specialize in sales and channel incentives, plus reward and recognition programs, and end-to-end event management. The company has changed and adapted over the years and as a full-service agency, they currently provide integrated support for all event needs, including experience strategy, design, sourcing and contracting, air travel ticketing, event management (planning), engagement communications/campaigns, on-site production and content management. It has been honored with multiple SITE Crystal Awards and the CMI 25 Award, which recognizes the top 25 most influential meeting and incentive management companies in the U.S.
Deep Understanding of Customer Needs
Through its proprietary i|xperience® design methodology, Creative Group ensures that every event leaves a lasting impact on participants. Grounded in behavioral science, it is built on the core principles of inspiration, intrigue, influence, impression, interruption, and immersion.
By integrating these elements into its event designs, the company creates engaging narratives that inspire, entertain, educate, and drive behavioral change.
Its participant journey framework begins with a deep understanding of event strategy and audience profiles. This holistic approach ensures that every touchpoint, from pre-event engagement to post-event follow-up, maximizes impact, spend, and ROI. The company boasts advanced technology infrastructure, including proprietary air record creation, event registration, and incentive systems, which streamline processes and enhance the participant experience. In response to today’s evolving market needs, Creative Group has doubled down on its commitment to innovation. By expanding operations teams and creative bench, it is better equipped to meet the demand for immersive and personalized event experiences.
“The past few years have been marked by unprecedented upheaval, with the COVID-19 pandemic reshaping industries and redefining norms,” says Melissa Van Dyke, SVP. “In the face of adversity, our commitment to prioritizing experiences has emerged as a guiding light.” Central to Creative Group’s approach is the recognition that experiences are not merely transactional but transformative. By fostering synergy among diverse stakeholders and aligning their efforts toward a shared vision, the company enables businesses to transcend fragmented narratives and forge cohesive, immersive experiences that captivate and inspire.
“Post-pandemic, our core strength has flourished through the development of an in-house, integrated toolbox that encompasses strategy, design, production, motivation, and travel logistics expertise. This helps businesses tell a more powerful experience story to move the people who move their business,” says Van Dyke.
Post pandemic, our core strength has flourished through the development of an in-house, integrated toolbox that encompasses design, production, motivation, and event management expertise. This helps businesses tell a more powerful experience story to move the people who move their business
Innovative New Corporate Gifting Solution
In 2023, Creative Group helped over 135 clients tell their brand and organizational story through over 440 experiences in 40 countries, translating to over 170,000 people. For instance, the company assisted a multinational food company that manufactures frozen potato products used in most bars in the U.S. create “Buzz Boxes” and local events to drive pick-up of their product in local bars and restaurants.
In another example, it moved a client’s 500-person top performer program from a resort that caught on fire to a new one in a few weeks while maintaining full branding, including a 100 ft. recognition wall with all of the top club earners' pictures.
2023 also witnessed the launch of Creative Group’s innovative new corporate gifting solution. It empowers businesses to build brand value, show gratitude, and create connections and trust with ease. The gifting solution’s unique blend of top-brand merchandise and travel experiences sets it apart, allowing recipients to choose what they want based on their interests and lifestyle.
Expanding Engagement Communications
Creative Group was recognized by Event Marketer with a Bronze Award for Best Overall B2B Environment for its 2023 Raising Cane's Timeless Horizon event. Raising Cane's, an American fast-food restaurant company with over 600 stores specializing in fried chicken finger meals, was looking to create an extra special event for their 2,000+ store leaders.
After being unable to host an annual conference for years due to the pandemic, this event required exceptional design and planning. Instilling brand pride is a huge part of their culture, and one of their goals was to create a fully immersive brand experience for employees focused on education, fun, and celebration. Along with building advocacy, Raising Cane's was focused on building momentum for future growth and reenergizing their team. Creative Group led the collaboration to design a successful experience that wove Raising Cane's unique brand identity into every activation. The brand expo environment included stand-out elements like four-foot-tall chicken fingers and a 25-foot-tall Raising Cane's dog inflatable.
Within the 42,000-sq. ft. general session space, Creative Group built a 150-ft long custom-designed LED wall with over 300 individual panels, enabling all attendees to have a direct sight line to the important information being shared. The hotel was painted red with can't-miss Raising Cane's Timeless Horizon branding. These elements are just the highlights of why Creative Group was recognized by Event Marketer as one of the best design-driven solutions that added richer, deeper elements to an event space.
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Our focus on “experiences that help people thrive” versus solely “event logistics” enables clients to tell their story in new and different ways. We understand “the why” behind an event and have the ability to bring “the wow” while telling a brand story
Instances of client success like this inspire Creative Group to double its growth as well as expand engagement communications, production, creative and design services.
A Competent Team at the Front
Creative Group currently has over 200 employees in five offices globally and a bench that extends to hundreds more. The company will continue to strategically expand its physical footprint.
Creative Group follows the formula for an individual's overall success based on the 49/51 model. As per this model, 49 percent of an individual's success depends on the technical aspects of their job. This pertains to the specific functional skills and knowledge required to perform their role effectively.
However, and perhaps more critically, 51 percent of success is attributed to what might broadly be categorized as emotional intelligence (EQ). This encompasses self-awareness and the recognition of the impact one's actions have on colleagues and, importantly, clients. The company believes that every interaction with a client leaves a lasting impression, and through its training, it extensively covers the 49/51 approach, emphasizing not just the technical skills but also the cultivation of meaningful relationships and the building of trust with others.
