Unitron: Unite loyalty program launch
Venues: Guthrie Theater; Seven, The Steakhouse
Attendees: 90 Unitron customers and employees

Unitron, a hearing aid manufacturer, wanted its core customers—hearing professionals—to get better acquainted with the company and its U.S. headquarters in Plymouth, while they learned about Unite, the company’s new loyalty program. Unitron strived to treat guests to the best of the Twin Cities, planning a Meet Minneapolis evening and reserving rooms at the W Minneapolis hotel in the Foshay Tower.

The main mission of the two-day conference was deepening the bond between the company and its hearing-professional customers. Starting with an opening reception in the W’s Living Room lounge, guests could mingle and sample appetizers. The next day, they went to Unitron’s offices for a kick-off conference and a trade show. Guests said that they appreciated a daylong event that wasn’t “death by PowerPoint,” notes Maria Cabrera, event planner for Unitron.

The second evening’s festivities, a Meet Minneapolis tour and dinner, were designed to showcase some of the city’s highlights. At the Stone Arch Bridge spanning the Mississippi River, guests were met by two actors playing Ole and Lena, who spoke about the history of Minneapolis, milling, and the river. Later at the Guthrie Theater, the group had drinks and appetizers.

Next they moved on to the Seven restaurant on Hennepin Avenue. Many of the visitors decided to walk, giving Unitron hosts the chance to show off the statue of Mary Tyler Moore and other downtown sights. Upon arrival, they headed up to Seven’s rooftop deck.

Guests took in views of the downtown Minneapolis skyline while enjoying sushi and cocktails, including a Minne-apple-tini. Unitron leaders raised a glass to their guests, whom they call Unitron Heroes. “These hearing professionals are our heroes because they help people hear better, and they do heroic work with their customers,” Cabrera says. Dinner in the restaurant included food and wine pairings, featuring several dishes prepared with local ingredients.

The small guest list and the variety of programming made the event a winner for Unitron and its customers. The trade show at company headquarters gave guests first-hand experience with new products and services from Unitron and other vendors. The company also introduced its new loyalty program, Unite, to offer enhanced products and services to its core customers. “Unite was uniting us as a provider with them as hearing professionals, and the products and services we have to offer,” Cabrera says. “By getting to know us and Minneapolis better, they got to know what Unitron is about.”

The attendees responded positively to the event. “Overall, what they liked was that our conference was interactive. They weren’t immediately driven from the airport to the hotel and train, train, train,” Cabrera says. “It was well received because they saw we cared about giving them education and a great experience here in Minnesota.”