The latest edition of the annual People Awards gala once again surprised with its format!
The People Awards is an annual internal event organized by Ringier Axel Springer Polska. It is a gathering aimed at collectively recognizing and awarding the best employees, teams, and projects. And afterward, it’s time for a shared celebration.
In the past, this event, with its long history, has taken on various forms: both in-person, held in dedicated event spaces, and online. Each time, participants’ impressions raise the bar for the organizers even higher.
The client decided to host the latest edition in the office. This posed an additional challenge for the agency—not only in terms of adapting the space but also in creating the atmosphere of a special evening among the employees. Therefore, we needed extra measures to bring a sense of uniqueness, both in terms of the program and the overall organization.
The key goal for this year’s edition was to expand the agenda, so that beyond the gala itself, additional elements were included:
- a space for the management to present strategic plans
- integration with educational components focused on individual brands.
The organizational challenge was to plan the event in office spaces in a way that captured the festive spirit while providing as many opportunities as possible for spending time together, despite the lack of sufficient event space to accommodate all employees at once. Importantly, aside from its headquarters in Warsaw, the company also has a second (slightly smaller) office in Kraków and regional branches.
SPACE
The center of the event in Warsaw was the largest office space, capable of accommodating around 200 people. This is where the main stage and set design were placed. However, to ensure that all employees could watch, small meeting rooms throughout the office were transformed into mini "fan zones." There were about 30 in total, each featuring appropriate decor and catering, with screens broadcasting the main event. Teams gathered in these rooms to celebrate together and cheer for their colleagues. The entire office was decorated that day with scenic, branded, and communicative elements related to the event, sharing interesting facts about the company, brands, and management—so that from the entrance and on every floor, the spirit of the event could be felt. A similar setup was organized in the Kraków office. Multiple live connections were made between the two main stages (Warsaw and Kraków) to emphasize the shared experience.
Part 1 – Future of RAS – Strategic Presentation by the Management
In recent months, the company has undergone many changes, starting with a change in the CEO position, followed by macroeconomic changes that had consequences within the company. Therefore, in the management's view, these were too significant circumstances to overlook at such an event, and although strategic topics were usually not given much space during the People Awards galas, at PA '22, the management decided to start with this. In their live-streamed presentations, they summarized the past months and focused on the vision and directions for the future, both for the entire industry and their organization. Viewers watched them live from the studio in Warsaw, as well as through broadcasts in the "fan zones" and in the Kraków office.
PART 2 – FUTURE OF RAS – TELEQUIZ: RAS Two US
The idea of combining integration with knowledge-based elements was a new company quiz show. Organizationally, it consisted of several rounds styled after the most popular television quiz shows: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, The Great Game, Family Feud, 1 Out of 10, What’s That Tune?, and Wheel of Fortune, I Love You, Poland.
The quiz shows took place simultaneously in the offices in Warsaw and Kraków. They were hosted by Szymon Majewski and Alan Pakosz, respectively, accompanied by appropriate audio elements (jingles, music tracks characteristic of each program) and costumes (the hosts dressed up live as charismatic quiz show hosts).
The theme of the quiz shows centered around information about the company and its brands. This was a special element as it allowed for the exchange of knowledge about different brands within the organization (employees typically have little awareness of what is happening in other parts of the organization). Additionally, "commercials" for each brand were prepared and displayed during the "commercial breaks" between rounds of the quiz shows. These commercials humorously highlighted the most important updates regarding various titles from the publisher.
Importantly, the main quiz was preceded by eliminations, with about twenty teams of participants, totaling over 90 people! This was the result of internal communication efforts leading up to the main project and fostering engagement over a longer period. The eliminations provided a taste of the main event.
PART 3 – People Awards '22 Recognition Gala: Be the Change You Want to See
The gala focused on the award presentation in eight categories: Moneymaker, Innovator, Changemaker, The Team, The Leader, Storyteller, Grand Prix, and The Colleague. The winners were employees, teams, and projects. This year's gala enjoyed a record number of nominations.
The guiding motto of the gala was: Be the Change You Want to See. Therefore, the trophy, reflecting the colors, represented the "many faces" of RAS. The gala lasted about two hours and marked the culmination of another year of work, honoring successes and recognizing contributions. The awards were presented simultaneously at both locations (Warsaw and Kraków), depending on where the winner was located.
After the gala, the unofficial part began, transforming the entire office into a space for shared celebration. At the heart of this celebration was a space with a stage, where—at both locations—a party with a DJ took place. Employees could move between rooms and continue the celebration in any groups they wished.
Summary
The event began at 2:00 PM and was divided into three parts. To ensure everyone could participate, the office was completely transformed for the day. The entire online broadcast, which combined signals from both locations, lasted from 2:00 PM to nearly 9:00 PM.
A novelty in this year's edition was the combination of online and offline formats, though not in the form of a "typical" hybrid event. Employees participated in person at the event, but the complex execution of the broadcast elevated the event's status, making it more innovative and modern.
The dispersion of the entire event across multiple spaces with broadcasts allowed for greater flexibility in how attendees spent their time.
An important element was the expansion of the event's storyline to include strategic presentations and, in contrast, the subsequent original quiz show, which was not only a test of knowledge but also, in a humorous and comedic atmosphere, a source of joy and fantastic group energy.
Approximately 1,100 people participated in the event, maintaining the annual attendance of the gala.
In a survey assessing the main elements of the event, employees rated it highly.
PEOPLE AWARDS '22 in Numbers:
#1100 participants (Warsaw – 700 people, Kraków – 400 people)
#2 locations – simultaneously at the RAS Poland office in Warsaw and Kraków
#31 nominated individuals and teams in the #PeopleAwards2022 competition,
#11 award-winning individuals and projects,
#100 participants in the quiz show eliminations
#40 participants in the finals of the quiz show #RASdwaMY
#19 awards in individual and team competitions!
