As corporate meeting planners, we are often tasked with coordinating annual awards and recognition events for top performers. Not only do we need to get the event logistics just right, but also create engaging and memorable experiences for the special honorees and their guests. The team at Veritas hit that sweet spot recently by incorporating a diamond experience into a top performers awards dinner.
Upon arrival, servers greeted the 600 attendees—winners and their guests—with a glass of champagne. Every glass had a “cheers” stirrer stick, but to recognize the winners’ guests, their stirrers were flanked with a pair of sparkling earrings. All the earrings appeared to be diamonds, but during opening remarks at the dinner, attendees learned that most of the settings held cubic zirconia stones. However, for three, random lucky guests, the stirrers displayed valuable, 1 carat diamond studs. The anticipation built as the crowd learned that certified diamond gemologists would visit each guest to uncover the lucky winners. The winners were announced as part of the formal awards ceremony following dinner.
This unique experience required creative pre-planning and flawless execution, led by the meeting planning team. The hotel staff was instrumental in helping to deliver each glass and keep track of the genuine diamonds, while four certified gemologists were on hand to inspect the stones. Designated staff members were assigned to watch each real diamond, as it was critical to keep eyes on the gems for security and liability reasons.
“A well thought out plan and synergistic approach amongst all teams made the experience for the attendees a success,” said Brittani Waldman, account director for Enterprise Events Group, Veritas’s planning partner for the event. Creative pre-planning details included the ideation of the cheers stirrer stick as the presentation tool for the earrings, securing the diamond gemologists from the local area, purchasing three sets of real diamond earrings and over 300 sets of comparable CZ earrings, and, designing the evening’s diamond-focused décor.
If you are looking for a unique way to infuse excitement and celebration into your next awards function, consider adding a diamond experience. The bling can be earrings, like we used, a diamond ring dropped into the champagne, or even a diamond necklace. The options are endless, as are reoccurring awards dinners!
Ashely Muntan-King, CMP, is a senior event marketing manager at Veritas where she leads the Corporate Events Team and manages the strategic marketing events.
