For the past six years, Toshiba has featured a traditional Japanese sake ceremony at its event, selected because of its focus on honoring guests. Dawn Cooper, Toshiba's corporate events manager, is charged with ensuring that it remains unique each year.
Toshiba's ceremony consists of two parts. The first half tells the story of the sake ritual. In the second, the company invites four or five cu



tomers, dubbed “luminaries,” to the stage to participate in the ceremony itself.

Relaying the history of the sake ceremony is tricky because many guests are repeat attendees. Gathering more then 1,900 international customers at Chicago's Navy Pier last November, Toshiba challenged itself with producing the sake ceremony differently than it had been done before, in a way that everyone—regardless of their language or nationality—would understand.

In past years, Cooper has had the story projected through a water wall, invited a Geisha dancer to entertain attendees, used shadow dancing and told the story of sabers in Japanese history.

In the second part of the event, the customers participating at center stage appear in traditional Japanese attire and are each presented with a hammer to break open, a sake barrel. They are toasted with sake, then the audience is honored and invited to share in the toasts.

The ceremony takes about 20 minutes, and afterward the “luminary” customers move to smaller stages around the room. Members of the audience—each with their own personal cedar sake cup made in Japan—traveled around the room having their cups signed by each luminary.

Though the event is populated with Toshiba salespeople, the goal of the event is not about increasing sales but rather about developing the customers' connection to the company.
And the investment in customers has paid off. The event has easily become one of the hottest tickets in town. It has grown every year and, though they do not survey attendees.
The sales team appreciates the opportunity to build relationships with their customers in a different way as well.





about increasing sales but rather about developing the customers' connection to the company.
And the investment in customers has paid off. The event has easily become one of the hottest tickets in town. It has grown every year and, though they do not survey attendees.
The sales team appreciates the opportunity to build relationships with their customers in a different way as well.