A business partnership that has thrived for over two decades must by definition be creating great mutual business value. And to create that value year after year, the relationship must also be built on a foundation of strategic alignment, creativity, and innovation.

One stellar example of that strategic alignment, creativity and innovation was Cisco Rio 2016: Casa Cisco at the 2016 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Working to further Cisco’s relationships with their prospects, customers, partners and local dignitaries in an authentically Brazilian way, GPJ and fellow Project Worldwide agency Spinifex partnered with Cisco to create an exclusive brand experience that connected Cisco’s key stakeholders to the Olympic Games, the story of Cisco’s role in powering the Olympic experience, and Cisco’s history in Brazil.

Multiple GPJ offices, working side by side with Cisco Senior Director, Global Events, Nancy Neipp, brought the themes of culture, connectivity, business, and community to life in a multi-faceted, invitation-only experience. Designed and built into a beautifully renovated beachfront military officers club and community center known as “Circulo Militar,” the structure was transformed into “Casa Cisco” for the entire Olympic and Paralympic games.

Set on the background of the beautiful Red Beach, with the iconic Sugarloaf Mountain in the distance, the design gave the experience an upscale club-like feel; a place where Cisco could do business without looking like a sterile business office.

In total, Casa Cisco hosted over 4,000 VIPs and earned a satisfaction rating of 4.7 out of 5 – its own version of Olympic success. As importantly, Cisco was able to provide the community with a fully renovated and substantially improved local community center, a true legacy that will have a positive impact for many years to come.

Since then, the experience has garnered six creative awards, including Brand Experience of the Year, Overall Design, Corporate Identity, Marketing Campaign: Branding, and Best Special Event from the BizBash Event Style Awards, Marcom Awards, Stevie Awards, Hermes Awards and Communicator Awards.

We’re looking forward to breaking new experiential boundaries and getting even bigger results for Cisco in the future!