Anniversaries are momentous occasions. They remind us how far we’ve come and encourage us to reflect on where we are going next.
If you have been given the opportunity to lead a company anniversary celebration, that is something to celebrate in itself. Congratulations on YOUR big milestone! But now comes the hard work of defining what your company milestone anniversary means and how you will use this moment to propel your company forward into a new era.
Seizing your company milestone anniversary
A company milestone anniversary is a historic occasion for any business. This is possibly one of the most important events in your company’s lifetime.
Your company anniversary celebration is more than a mere reminder of your existence. Milestone anniversaries are about celebrating how far you’ve come. It’s about building a lasting legacy and cementing your prominence in the industry.
This event signifies that you are on an upward trajectory. Surely that is something worth making noise about. After all, studies show that few businesses make it past 18 years. If your company has made it to 25 or beyond, that is surely significant. Recognizing this occasion inspires confidence in your company’s future and sends the message that you are strong, successful, a positive contributor to society, and poised for growth.
As Judith Rodin, President of the Rockefeller Foundation during its centennial, once wrote in the Harvard Business Review:
“The pride and unity it inspires makes it an ideal time to ask people to think together about why their work matters and how it should move forward.”
Anniversaries are not to be wasted. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to send a singularly focused, purely positive company anniversary message to all stakeholders at the same time. Focus on the future – where do you want to take your organization? For a brief moment, all eyes are on you.
The “Anniversary Effect”
Anniversaries are rare occasions that evoke purely positive emotions. They spark the best creative thinking, inspire the finest strategic planning, and act as a catalyst for collaboration like you have never seen before.
Your company milestone is a tremendous opportunity to garner earned media and take your brand to the next level. You will be amazed at how stakeholders from both sides of the coin – internal and external – will eagerly respond to your call to action.
Think of the moments in your life when you jumped at the opportunity to be a part of a special moment — wedding anniversaries, class reunions, graduation ceremonies. These are moments that we have socialized to recognize and celebrate. Company milestone anniversaries are not different.
People will show up when asked and you will be delighted! Your customers, partners, the media, and everyone else you can think of are likely to respond positively. So don’t be shy in asking for people’s time, attention, or generosity. Lisa Alonge, Founder of Anniversary University, calls this the “Anniversary Effect.” It is a phenomenon that will blow you away.
Here are a few examples of how the “Anniversary Effect” inspired organizations to amplify their milestone celebrations and create partnership opportunities:
- The U.S. National Parks was featured by Good Morning America for a week-long segment when the National Parks pitched the idea to their producers.
- Motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson enhanced its 100th Anniversary and offset costs by inviting Ford Motor, Little Tykes, and Budweiser to sponsor events. A win-win for all.
- In honor of its 75th Anniversary, 7-Eleven asked icons such as Oprah Winfrey and Nelson Mandela to join the board of a new public charity called “Education is Freedom” and they wholeheartedly agreed!
- Twitter created an emoji for the National Parks’ Centennial simply because they asked.
The “Anniversary Effect” makes employees, partners, and sponsors want to be part of your company anniversary, so don’t be shy in your requests. Be bold!
Anniversaries can be a catalyst for change
Longstanding organizations are no strangers to scrutiny. It’s easy to assume that the longer you exist, the less relevant you become. Milestone anniversaries can be prime opportunities to squash that perception.
Is your industry undergoing a disruption? Do your customers perceive your brand as old or outdated? Consider your milestone anniversary as an opportune moment to change your company’s trajectory and propel it forward into a new era.
I want everything to change except your partner and kids.” That’s what Samsung’s CEO told his direct reports in advance of the 50th anniversary of the multinational electronics corporation.
Of course, transformation can occur at any time. But linking to a milestone anniversary is a strategic way to amplify that narrative and draw more attention to the “new you.”
Consider these ideas for a milestone company anniversary:
Saint-Gobain used its 350th anniversary year to open a new “green” North American headquarters. According to their CEO, the occasion helped to “demonstrate the power our products have to improve the quality of people’s lives.”
Similarly, anniversaries can help accelerate transformation by adding a level of positivity or change a potentially negative perception of your brand when announced within the context of your history.
Nestlé, on their 150th anniversary year, held a special open house on the site where Henri Nestlé established his first factory in 1866 near Lake Geneva. The old bakery, historic villa, and first factory were restored as a special way to revisit Nestlé’s history while addressing the challenges surrounding food production in the world today and exploring a vision of nutrition.
Your company anniversary can also be used to test new values and behaviors — such as being more innovative, flexible, collaborative, and open — designed to move the business forward.
Take the San Diego Zoo, for example. This organization used their 100th anniversary to reposition itself as a conservation center with a new audacious vision to lead the fight to end extinction. The initiative launched in 2016 and is still ongoing today.
Your company anniversary year will undoubtedly inspire deep discussions about your past, present and, most importantly, future direction. You can use this strategic moment to disrupt the current narrative and enhance your reputation.
Remember, anniversaries are not to be wasted!
The company milestone anniversary is a pivotal moment for your brand; a powerful tool that can propel the business forward for years to come.
Few communications professionals are given the honor of heading such an occasion. Use these 12 months strategically and make it a defining moment for your company and for your career.
Take your anniversary planning to the next level with Anniversary University. Become a member today and gain access to over 30 best practice presentations given by Milestone Masters at previous Anniversary Forums.
Lisa Alonge, Founder of Anniversary University® and author of Milestone Anniversary Planning, has pioneered the field of milestone anniversary planning. She equips senior communications, marketing, and brand executives with a proven blueprint for planning a milestone anniversary with great success. Lisa’s expertise helps organizations like Southwest Airlines, College of Charleston, Opry Entertainment, Shriners Hospitals, World Vision, and Duke University turn milestone moments into strategic growth opportunities.
Lisa Alonge, Founder of Anniversary University® and author of Milestone Anniversary Planning, has pioneered the field of milestone anniversary planning. She equips senior communications, marketing, and brand executives with a proven blueprint for planning a milestone anniversary with great success. Lisa’s expertise helps organizations like Southwest Airlines, College of Charleston, Opry Entertainment, Shriners Hospitals, World Vision, and Duke University turn milestone moments into strategic growth opportunities.