Case studies
1) Reinforcing key messages at a conference (Microsoft)
Microsoft wanted to reinforce the key messages from the two-day sales training program for their business partners.
Outcome:
Drawing on key outcomes from the sales training as lyrical inspiration, the 200 BP’s had 90 minutes (and a world class band) to write and record an original song. Groups of 10 brainstormed and penned potential lyrics for the verses. The larger group then regathered to collectively put together the music and lyrics. After the song was rehearsed and guitar leads perfected, the final masterpiece was recorded live.
The exact same process can be used for groups of 100 or 10 000.
Everyone is involved in creatively processing the ideas of the conference into a collective and unforgettable soundtrack.
_______________________
2) Externalizing a work issue (Major Multinational Beverage Company)
A major multi-national recently merged a distribution and production facility. For the first time, management from both divisions attended the same annual planning session. Song Division’s services were called upon to help improve the relationships between the formerly disparate groups in order to maximize co-operation during the planning session.
Outcome:
Song Division used its business knowledge and musicianship to identify and externalize the issue. The songwriters quickly discovered that the cause of icy relations between the two management teams was the forced merger of the production and distribution facilities. So the subject of the song became a Johnny Cash-styled tune about the ‘arranged marriage’ of the two teams. Song Division took the managers out of their regular office space and into a creative place where they could talk openly about the issue, get to know their new colleagues and have some fun at the same time.
The merged management team was now much closer as a unit after working through an issue together and sharing some laughs, and as a result were much more upbeat and efficient in the planning session that followed.
_______________________
3) A workout for the neglected creative muscles of senior management (Global Bank)
The steering committee of a leading global financial institution are responsible for keeping their company ahead of its competitors, and to do this they need to always be thinking creatively. Creativity and innovation are inside all of us, but often those muscles are neglected as a result of hectic schedules and a world of processes.
Outcome:
A few eyes rolled when this very senior group learned that they were to write and record a song together. However it was approximately three and a half minutes before earnest discussions of Joplin vs. Sabbath and the need for a ‘heavier middle eight’ replaced the scepticism. No executive team likes surprises, but Song Division gave them one and we couldn’t get them out of the studio! It was a creative injection and a once-in-a-lifetime experience that they shared and took back to the work environment, refreshed and energized.
_______________________
4) Mentoring Program (ING)
Executives from ING called upon Song Division to inject creativity and fun into its mentoring program for kids with cerebral palsy. They wanted an activity that was not based on physical prowess, was gender neutral, and could bridge the gap between the executives and the younger boys and girls they were mentoring.
Outcome:
Song Division helped them write a ‘rockabilly’ song that listed the beautiful qualities of each of the kids as seen by their mentors.
The generation gap was dissolved by music and the relationships were strengthened, allowing for a deeper mutual respect. This in turn magnified the benefits of future mentoring topics aimed to help people who live with a disability, from ‘bullying in the schoolyard’ to ‘career guidance’. Based on the success of the session, Song Division has now become and annual highlight of the mentoring program.
_______________________
5) Inject creativity into a planning session (Optus)
A senior executive at one of Australia’s largest public companies wanted a unique place to hold their quarterly planning session. After attending a Song Division session as a guest of one of his business partners, he knew that a state-of-the-art recording studio and ACDC’s world headquarters was the place to do it! The planning session was run in the morning followed by a Song Division session in the afternoon.
Outcome:
The unique venue fuelled the creative juices of the team and made for a vibrant and constructive planning session. The Song Division session in the afternoon doubled as a ‘thank you’ from the executive to his team for a great year.
_______________________
6) Improve communication between business units (Leading Global Management Consultancy)
The managing director of a prominent global consultancy was concerned that communication amongst his executive team was too formal and infrequent. As a result, co-operation between the different business units was not as efficient as it could be and multi-industry opportunities were not being identified and profits missed.
Outcome:
Song Division took the executive team into a world-class recording studio where they were able to interact with their colleagues in an informal and creative way. They discovered colleagues’ hidden talents and shared their love of music, resulting in closer relationships between the heads of the business units, and in turn greater effectiveness for their customers.
_______________________
7) A reward for top performers (National Australia Bank)
A leading corporate events company came to Song Division for an exciting and original reward for the top performers of one of Australia’s largest public companies.
Outcome:
With groups of up to 150 people at a time and in four different cities, Song Division turned these corporate warriors into rock stars for a day. With the help of the amazing Song Division band they were crowd surfing to the track they wrote and recorded together in only three hours! It was a truly memorable ‘thank you’ for these over-achievers.
_______________________
8) Motivation (Global Telecommunications Company)
The management team at a global telco were all original members when the company launched. Although still an extremely tight team, they felt that some of the original fire had been lost.
Outcome:
Song Division explored what made them all so passionate about their business in the first place, why it had lost some of its intensity and how they could get it back. The result was a great song that was written, recorded, and filmed by the management team. The session successfully helped them tap back into the creative energy and enthusiasm they needed to rekindle.
_______________________
9) Integrate a multi-national team (PwC)
After forming a New York-based team consisting of specialists from all corners of the globe, this ‘big four’ manager needed the team to hit the ground running.
Outcome:
Song Division took the team into one of Manhattan’s premier recording studios, frequented by the likes of Madonna, Miles Davis and Eric Clapton. With the help of the amazing band (credits include Aretha Franklin, Sheryl Crow, Alice Cooper) they wrote and recorded a rocking track with each verse dedicated to members’ experience of leaving home and coming to New York. This collaborative and unforgettable experience outside the work place resulted in a cohesion and understanding between the new team that would normally take months if not years to cultivate.
_______________________
10) Creative Expression for Cross Cultural Gen Y’ers (KPMG)
Ho Chi Minh City was the destination to incentivize, motivate and connect 150 KPMG Senior Team Leaders from across the Azpec region. To meet KPMG’s value of supporting vulnerable communities, the group undertook volunteer work for numerous Vietnamese charities and Song Division was asked to help the group express their experiences in a creative way. The objective was to write and record 5 distinct songs reflecting their adventures, which would be performed at the Gala dinner that night.
Outcome:
Song Division split the group into 5 teams and assigned each group a songwriter. Even though English was not the first language for many delegates, the universal nature of music enabled everyone to feel comfortable and express themselves in a creative and non-threatening way. Cultures were shared, new relationships were made and the experiences and messages were captured through music. The emotive performances at the Gala dinner further reinforced the power of the song writing process and proved that music has no boundaries and touches people across all generations and cultures. The participants provided their own, unforgettable entertainment, then they packed the dance floor and got down as the amazing Song Division band played two very sweaty party sets!
______________________
11) Interactive Entertainment to break up a Conference (Public Retail Chain)
To keep up momentum during a 4 day conference, Song Division was asked to help energize 44 employees and get them interacting.
Outcome:
They produced two very funny, very cheeky songs related to their core business objectives. A panel of judges light heartedly rated the performances and the competition certainly meant everyone gave it their best performance!
______________________
12) A new experience for the Experiential Marketers! (Experiential Marketing Expo)
Can 180 experiential marketers who don’t know each other collaborate to write a song in 45 minutes? They sure can!
Outcome:
Following a brilliant morning of interesting speakers, Song Division had the task of keeping everyone awake and engaged after lunch. In just 45 minutes, we were able to get these creative types to show what they’re made of and write a song about polygamy! Sound strange? It was… We have never seen a group produce so many inventive and imaginative verses in just 6 minutes. They were a cynical crowd initially, but by the end of it, they were screaming for more!
______________________
13) Music brings Corporate Values to Life (Public Bank)
Who can help 250 delegates and their partners intermingle and also embody new corporate values? Song Division!
Outcome:
Despite it being an early morning session, the delegates were inspired by the first-class Song Division production and embraced the challenge. Wigs and blow up instruments helped unite everyone and gave them extra confidence. The song managed to put a comic twist on what would normally be a fairly dry topic.
______________________
14) Rock n Roll Reward (Global Recruitment Firm)
What better way to reward key personnel than by taking them out for the day and throwing them a party? This included getting them into a recording studio to unleash their inner rock god and have some serious fun.
Outcome:
This small group of 15 had 4 hours, the world-class Song Division band and a recording studio all to themselves! The only challenge was trying to get the team to commit to their hundreds of ideas! They just wanted to keep on going. Creativity and extroversion were in big supply with this group and it was clear they all needed to let off a bit of steam and demonstrate exactly how much fun can be had in just one afternoon. It was huge success and the results far exceeded the expectations.
______________________
15) Bachelorette/Hens party for 34 Chicks!
As couples are getting married later in life, many of the conventional wedding traditions are being discarded. Discerning bridesmaids have been engaging Song Division for an alternative to embarrassing strippers and the very tired girls-lunch-with-penis-straws!
Outcome:
Victoria D’Alisa recently organised a Hen’s day for 35 girls in Sydney’s Woollahra. It’s a big job in itself, made significantly harder due to the fact Victoria resides in Switzerland. “The experience was so easy to organise! We had such a fantastic time and Song Division really made the bride-to-be’s day. She was very touched so it was just perfect. The musicians were great fun and knew how to get the party started! All the girls were raving about it for the rest of the night.” The session helped people to get to know each other, capture the memories of the day for all, made the bride feel very special and even appealed to the mother-in-law!
