The greek subsidiary of a world-wide cosmetics and personal care products company requested an internal team-building event, in order to help new employees assimilate corporate mentality and to communicate corporate messages to the new teams that were formed.

 The CnC International Group of Companies team undertook the design and organisation of the whole event, from concept development to scripts, video producing and catering, creating an original successful event for 100 people under the title: "Take your place in the team".

Since the main goal of the event was team building, ie, better knowing and understanding each other, collaboration, communication etc, CnC further developed the concept of becoming part of a team with the use of a multi-seat bicycle metaphor. The metaphor was successful in that

• it created a strong unique identity for the event
• it emphasised the notions of common direction and tight structure while maintaining the idea of individuality (each passenger has its own seat, but it takes the efforts of all to move the vehicle to the desired direction)
• it communicated the idea of a dynamic management, as there is only one who steers the bicycle

 The invitation

The invitation to the event had a sketch with the multi-seated bicycle with an empty seat. The invitation read: "Take your place in the team"

The hall were the event took place was decorated with bicycles and an enormous oblong poster that went around the room and featured a multi-seat bicycle with 100 seats. Each bicycler was realistically drawn on the poster (the sketches were made from photos of the actual employees), complete with clothes and accessories. The head of the bicyclers were missing.

Upon arrival, the employees were greeted with a welcome non-alcoholic drink and a file containing their respective head sketch. They were then asked to locate their body on the poster and stick the sketch of their head on it, a fun activity that created the opportunity for increased involvement of the employees with the main event concept as well as a distraction and conversation topic before the corporate presentations begun.

For each department's presentation a short film was devised and produced by CnC, presenting the department's day-to-day activities and inside jokes. The films helped alleviate the corporate atmosphere of the presentations and goal setting, and facilitate understanding between departments and the incorporation of newcomers into the company.

A dinner and DJ party followed the presentations, highlighted by the drawing of a bicycle for one lucky employee.

The event was deemed a success by both management and the employees, and was discussed around the water cooler for days to come!