What’s the impetus behind launching ESG Incentives?
RS: ESG has produced conferences, trade shows, road shows and incentive programs for 16 years. We’ve been asked by many clients to build brand awareness through these incentives, and there’s a huge market. It’s a beast of its own.
What are you setting out to change in the industry?
JM: The modern version [of incentives] has been around for about 30 years. In the past 10 years though, it’s become a little formulaic. We want to bring experiential marketing event strategy to clients and their brands. Essentially, when you have an incentive program, it becomes your brand.
RS: There’s a lot more to it than simply reaching your goal and going on a trip. [You have to think of incentives] as a way to incentivize your people.
What market trends do you plan on incorporating into your new venture?
JM: B2B marketing is becoming more B2C behaviors in a B2B marketing environment. We’re all consumers and we have specific ways we’re [used to being] marketed to. Our clients are thinking about how they’re marketing to their end users in a completely different way. We’re amplifying their brand, increasing their sales and product adoption. [The right incentive program] creates loyalty and allegiance.
RS: We don’t want to create a program where [clients] never leave the resort. We want them to be immersed in the culture of a destination and feel the flavor of where they are—although sitting on a beach is also very necessary.
Do millennials want different things out of incentives?
RS: Millennials are changing the face of incentives. Back in the day, a program was maybe a city tour and then golf. Millennials want a range of experiences and choices. We are creating curated experiences people can’t readily see on their own. That [creates] loyalty to the company, and there’s a measurable way to show experiential [programs] drive clients.
Why do incentive planners need to think differently now?
JM: For some time, clients have been getting incentives in a box. We [as a company] must have great institutional knowledge of incredibly unique destinations all over the world. We have to have our ear on the ground to what’s new and relevant and truly bring that to the client.
