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We'll help you find inspiration
in unexpected places
What insights can an airline like Virgin Atlantic gather about better sleep from
the mattress experts
at Casper?
How can an excursion
to a bouldering gym help
a pet food company like Purina experience how to bring the outdoors inside?
What inspiration can
a beverage brand like
Coca-Cola gather about trust and safety from
a cryotherapy center?
How can a micro-housing startup help a home improvement brand like Lowe's envision the future of eco-friendly homes?
Check out some of our past
EXPERIENTIAL TEAM OFF-SITES
COCA-COLA
Los Angeles served as the site for the Scientific & Regulatory Affairs team during a three-day journey focused on "Trust and Safety"—one of many projects we have executed with the brand. Our itinerary challenged conventional thinking with parallel inspiration from cryogenic clinics, artsy cannabis dispensaries, and EVinnovation labs. By engaging with these diverse environments, the team deconstructed how safety and consumer confidence are being redefined across disparate industries.
"An instant classic! A very big thank you for the thoughtful choice of locations and experiences, considerate introductions to our multiple hosts and overall attentive organization, plus a lot of fun.
What a treat!"
Eva Hurt / VP, Scientific & Regulatory Affairs / The Coca-Cola Company
NESTLÉ
New York became a living laboratory for the New Business Ventures group during a two-day Insight Immersion. We visualized the "Future of Food and Beverage" by analyzing parallel categories like 15-minute delivery logistics and the evolution of ghost kitchens. Engaging with entrepreneurs across every stop gave the team a primary-source understanding of radical shifts in consumer behavior.
"Now Plus One led our team on an eye-opening Insight Immersion that delivered above and beyond expectations. Not only did the experience open our eyes to new opportunities for growth, it brought a deeper connection to our team that we've all been yearning for. It's too easy for the day-to-day stuff to get in the way and this was a great reminder on how important these experiences are to keep consumers front and center."
Doug Munk / Senior Director, New Business Ventures / Nestlé
HERSHEY
We moved the Design team beyond the studio for a three-day journey through Austin focused on "Surprise and Delight." We pushed creative boundaries through parallel disciplines like the neuroscience of trust, improv storytelling, and collaborative songwriting. Participating in these unexpected experieces built the rapport and emotional resonance necessary for world-class design work.
"The concept of the Insight Immersion sold me immediately, and getting Stephan to help plan it was the brightest idea I ever had! He developed such a deep and rich program that inspired us, helped everyone get out of their comfort zone, and helped us built the rapport that we needed."
Tracy Malkowski / Senior Director, Design / The Hershey Company
NEWELL BRANDS
"Play" and "Escapism" served as the central themes for the Sharpie Brand team during a three-day Insight Immersion in New York. The team pushed professional boundaries by finding inspiration in parallel worlds ranging from parkour and virtual gaming to a "sip n' sculpt" session. This collective engagement across all activities provided the raw material and cross-category insights for an energy-filled Idea Lab.
Randee Keating / Director, Consumer Marketing Insights / Newell Brands
“Now Plus One guided me along the way and organized every detail of our Insight Immersion. Everything we did was not only relevant to our theme, but also pushed us to grow as a team,
and have purposeful fun. Overall this was a fantastic experience!”
PURINA
Authenticity took center stage as the Brand team joined us in San Francisco for a three-day deep dive into "Realness." We sought inspiration in physical spaces through urban honey harvesting, bouldering, contemporary dance, and bonfire storytelling. These sensory, hands-on encounters redefined the team’s understanding of "real," offering a fresh perspective to anchor the brand in authentic consumer behavior.
“Now Plus One's thoughtful planning and insight definitely shows. Our Insight Immersion was a great experience and the possibilities of where the output can take us are many."
Katy Laciny / Brand Director / Nestlé Purina Petcare
INTERBRAND
For the C Space Global Executive team, we condensed a masterclass on "High-Performance Teams" into a high-octane day in New York. We gained exclusive access to environments like Grand Central’s control room and an acrobatic school to study synchronization under pressure. By observing the discipline of the army and elite debate teams, global officers returned with a blueprint for high-level collaboration.
“Now Plus One’s work exceeded our expectations! The day after our Insight Immersion, our team of fifty Global Officers was buzzing with energy and insight. Now Plus One did a great job of making this a memorable and unique part of our annual planning meeting.”
Charles Trevail / Global CEO / Interbrand
INTUIT
"Disruptive Innovation" came to life for the Business Model and Monetization team during a three-day journey in Chicago, one of the high-impact programs we designed for the company. The immersion bypassed corporate boardrooms to find parallel inspiration at the 1871 tech incubator, a thriving Black-owned bookstore, and leading-edge cannabis dispensaries. Studying the agility of these diverse innovation hubs allowed the team to identify new frameworks for solving complex customer problems.
"Now Plus One carefully curated an offsite that blended authentic team building activities and thought provoking sessions with local companies and subject matter experts to help us think about our business problems and potential solutions in new ways completely outside of our industry. It was such an incredible experience and I couldn't be happier with what the team was able to take away so we can work even better together as we solve the biggest problems our customers face."
Kelly Elmore / Director, Business Model & Monetization / Intuit
FAIRLIFE
In Chicago, the R&D and Sustainability teams explored the cutting edge of environmental stewardship. Our immersion included investigating circular economy initiatives at Loyola University and waste-to-energy innovations at Green Era. Complemented by a LEGO Serious Play workshop, we pushed the teams to rethink sustainable design through the lens of cross-industry innovation.
"I would definitely recommend to all teams to work with Now Plus One. You will be surprised; you will do things that you've never done before; you will be pushed on some of the limits of your comfort zone in a good way; and you're going to come back with new way that you are seeing the world than before."
Autumne Stuart / Senior Engineer, Team Leader / Fairlife
PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASSOCIATION
To tackle "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion," we guided the Executive Board team through a two-day immersion in Nashville. Our itinerary included the Martin Luther King Library, a center for homeless LGBTQ+ youth, and social enterprises supporting survivors. By engaging with such organizations, the board gained a visceral understanding of diverse community needs that translate directly to the future of library services.
LOWE'S
As one of multiple programs, we curated a two-day Austin immersion for the C-Suite team, focused on "Environmental and Social Sustainability." We toured diverse locations, including an aquaponics startup and a design-forward micro-home community for the formerly homeless. By analyzing how these parallel organizations integrate ecological goals with social impact, the leadership team uncovered unexpected business opportunities for the retail landscape.
"Our yearly executive Insight Immersion exposes us to the multiple ways culture is evolving. We try to go into our immersions with an incredibly open mind so that we can uncover unexpected business opportunities and lead the company forward."
Jennifer Weber / Chief Human Resources Officer / Lowe’s
PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE
We executed four intensive half-day immersions for the Editorial teams in New York to decode "The Future of Wellness." The journey sought parallel inspiration from CBD boutiques and ASMR studios to breakup bootcamps and digital detox retreats. By experiencing these cultural shifts firsthand, the team gained the foresight needed to lead the wellness category.
“Now Plus One delivered an impactful day filled with experiences that defied expectations and challenged our thinking while growing stronger as a company. Our team of marketers and publishers left the day feeling inspired, driven, and refreshed.”
Sanyu Dillon / Chief Marketing Officer / Penguin Random House
PEPSICO
As part of several programs developed for the brand, we led the Global Leadership team through a two-day investigation into "Modern Masculinity" in New York. We navigated the spaces where today’s man defines himself, including minimalist Japanese butcher shops, luxury lifestyle boutiques, and hipster barbershops. These targeted cultural visits provided the ethnographic foundation and parallel category insights for a successful Idea Lab.
"Our Insight Immersion with Now Plus One was inspirational and mind-opening. Their team is dynamic, insightful, and equipped with tons of great ideas. As a result, creating unexpected consumer experiences has become one of my main criteria in terms of my daily work in product innovation and brand campaign development!"
Jacky Wang / Marketing Director / PepsiCo
GREYSTAR
We designed nine simultaneous half-day immersions in Nashville to accommodate 180 participants from the Marketing team. Exploring "Community," our visits included social-mission skateboard makers and creative makerspaces. By engaging with these ethically-minded parallel brands, the team learned how to build living environments that foster genuine human connection and brand loyalty.
Greg Benson / Director, US Strategic Property Marketing / Greystar
"This was a really great opportunity to learn about some very unique and different businesses and step outside of our normal world to understand how to interact with customers on very different levels. We brought back inspiration, energy and enthusiasm into wanting to create experiences as part of the living environments that we nurture for our customers.”
KELLOGG'S
The Brand Innovation team joined us for a two-day "Energy" immersion in New York. We mapped the landscape by visiting diverse spaces like nap pod salons, mood-enhancing perfumers, and energy healers. This journey through parallel categories of physiological and spiritual vitality allowed the team to unlock bold new product territories that traditional research methods often miss.
"Our Insight Immersion delivered huge benefits to our project and the team. We unlocked some bold new territories that mainstream consumers would never have volunteered using traditional methods. The effects on the team have been refreshing as well. Two days with Now Plus One has made a few more leading-edge thinkers at Kellogg's. I would recommend this retreat to any company except our competitors!"
Andy Scheurer / Director, Pipeline Innovation / The Kellogg Company
SONOCO
We curated a three-day New York exploration of the "Luxury of Less" concept for the Executive and R&D teams. We analyzed how brand value is built through simplicity at affordable luxury eyewear brands and mindfulness studios. By visiting VR creators and experiential theaters, the team explored the intersection of minimalism and premium consumer experiences through a cross-category lens.
“Thought provoking, inspiring, emotional experiences that shook us to our core. The experiences Now Plus One curated were worth every minute. From our R&D team to our executive team everyone left our Insight Immersion with the tank full. We really appreciate you!”
Becky Skipper / Manager, Global Marketing / Sonoco
VIRGIN ATLANTIC
We focused on "The Future of Travel" during a day-long New York immersion for the Customer Experience team. We engaged with experts in sleep science, storytelling, and constructed environments to redefine the passenger journey via parallel inspiration. By immersing the team in various wellness practices, we provided the creative spark needed to translate global hospitality trends into actionable service solutions.
BEAM SUNTORY
In Chicago, we led the Hornitos Brand team through a day-long exploration of "Premiumization." By visiting third-wave coffee roasters and organic juiceries, we deconstructed how everyday categories are elevated through strategic positioning. The day included an interactive session with top mixologists, giving the team a direct look at the craftsmanship required to maintain a premium edge.
"I was blown away by the insight that can be gleaned from getting an inside look at some visionary companies. Now Plus One did a great job scouting and organizing the sessions, and made sure that we got the most benefit out of each visit, leading the team with insightful questions and observations. I would highly recommend them!"
Belinda Reiser / Director, Insights / Beam Suntory
MARS WRIGLEY
We engineered a high-energy virtual Team Energizer to unite the Global Packaging team across borders. Through a series of expert-led creative exercises and empathy-centered activities, we focused on the core concept of "Belonging." This digital immersion used parallel disciplines to break down silos and empower the remote team to better understand their collective strengths.
"Stephan has an exceptional ability to create environments that empower people to come out of their shell and have meaningful interactions. Now Plus One produced a remote Team Energizer full of meaningful engagements that helped our team better understand our strengths."
Autumne Stuart / Senior Engineer, Packaging / Mars Wrigley
DSM
The Executive Leadership team joined us in New York for a two-day deep dive into the "Natural" movement. Our itinerary moved through a variety of spaces, including curated herb shops, natural wine stores, eco-friendly beauty emporiums, and farm-to-people subscription services. By exploring these diverse parallel categories, the team gathered the cross-industry insights necessary to align their portfolio with the accelerating global demand for transparency.
“Our Insight Immersion with Now Plus One got the executive committee to think about how our products and services can better fit with what’s going on in the world, and how we can best accelerate innovation.”
Tobe Cohen / President / DSM Nutrition
FRITO-LAY
We curated a day-long New York immersion for a group of health influencers to track the "Future of Snacking." We visited ethnic food trucks, artisanal candy makers, and eco-friendly bakeshops to observe emerging flavor profiles. This tactical journey through parallel culinary movements helped the team connect the dots between grassroots trends and mass-market innovation.
"Now Plus One mapped out a perfect Insight Immersion agenda that was a balance of stretch within our own category and beyond. We gained a sense of innovative spirit from looking at the world through a different lens.”
Alison Payne / VP, Snacks Innovation / Frito-Lay
YOUTUBE
We led the Global Insights team through a New York immersion dedicated to "Storytelling." We learned narrative structure from the masters at The Moth and explored identity at gender-fluid concept stores and experiential toy shops. Collectively, these experiences provided the team with fresh perspectives on how users engage with digital content through the power of participatory narrative.
"Thank you so much for the inspiring day! This was a successful day, especially around the team bonding aspect. The participatory experiences were the overall standout for the team. Thank you for pushing for more of those!"
Cheryl Corbin / Global Insights & Measurement Leader / YouTube
PACIFIC RETAIL CAPITAL PARTNERS
Rethinking the "Shopping Mall of the Future" was the challenge for the Marketing and Operations teams during day-long immersions in Tampa and Los Angeles. We found parallel inspiration at e-sports academies and tech-driven colleges of medicine to visualize destination-place making. These visits provided the collective inspiration for an Idea Lab focused on converting traditional retail spaces into multifaceted cultural hubs.
"Inspiration happens in the most unexpected places! My team and I visited a variety of unique places, met many knowledgeable experts in different industries and looked at destination place making—and the use of space—from a different point of view. Thank you Now Plus One for the thoughtfully curated insight immersions!"
Najla Kayyem / Executive VP, Marketing / Pacific Retail Capital Partners
SIEMENS ENERGY
"Ignition" served as the theme for the Executive Leadership team during a high-impact immersion in Orlando as part of their annual meeting. We explored the psychology of fear at an alligator farm and the discipline of courage with a SWAT team. Visiting a space institute and an axe-throwing facility allowed the team to engage with parallel concepts of exploration and mindfulness to spark internal drive.
MAESTRO HEALTH
Bridging the gap in a remote environment, our two-week virtual Team Energizer supported the Finance team in exploring "Belonging." Through expert-led sessions on parallel disciplines like personal narratives and empathy rituals, we deepened team connections. This program allowed the finance team to build a foundation of trust and emotional intelligence that improved their collaborative output.
"Now Plus showed awesome organization skills in putting together our first remote Team Energizer. We learned a lot about each other, our expectations, and our emotions. It was a very satisfactory experience, and I would really recommend this to bring remote teams together."
Florian Bezault / Chief Financial Officer / Maestro Health
KETCHUM
The evolving male identity was the focus for the Global Practices team during a day-long immersion into "Modern Masculinity" in Brooklyn—one of many projects we have partnered on with the agency. We explored parallel spaces like artisan barbershops, bootcamp gyms, surf shops, and art collectives. These targeted visits allowed the team to collect the cultural data points necessary to advise clients on how to authentically communicate with today’s men.
"What a fantastic day! I learned so much and felt more inspired with ideas than I have in a long time. Getting out into the field is key and your team really created a thoughtful and provoking day for us. Thank you!"
Alisa Feinstein / SVP, Head of West Coast Brand Marketing Practice / Ketchum
BODEN
Finding "Moments of Retail Delight" led the Insights team through a day-long hunt across New York’s most innovative storefronts. We visited interactive digital agencies and experiential sneaker concept stores to see how tech meets touch in parallel markets. Exploring secret parfumeries and high-tech showrooms gave the team firsthand insight into the strategies required to create memorable modern retail experiences.
SIMON
PROPERTY GROUP
The Marketing team explored the "Future of Shopping Destinations" during a two-day immersion in Chicago. We investigated interactive technologies, experiential art installations, and social sustainability initiatives in parallel industries. By visiting local enterprises that prioritize community engagement, the team identified new ways to integrate social value into the next generation of Simon property destinations.
"Thank you for this amazing and highly curated experience. The entire team left inspired, energized and eager to implement what we saw and learned. I highly recommend Stephan and his team to build custom programs for any organization!"
Enna Allen / VP, Marketing / Simon Property Group
PET VALU
"Emotional Connections" served as the anchor for a four-day off-site where the C-Suite team explored Nashville's social landscape. We visited organizations tackling food scarcity and social injustice to find parallel inspiration for empathetic business solutions. By engaging with these diverse community models, the leadership team gained a visceral understanding of support and resilience that directly influenced how they approach the lifelong bond between pets and their owners.
"Hats off to Stephan for organizing an insightful, fun, and immersive experience across many aspects of commercial and social entrepreneurship. The team has already adopted new language and thought patterns that emerged from the exploration as well as incorporated insights into our work and certain experiences brought us closer together as a high-performing team."
Richard Maltsbarger / President & CEO / Pet Valu
CLOROX
Expanding perspectives on "Food Safety" led the Global Insights team through two days of parallel category exploration in San Francisco. We found inspiration in unexpected places, including infectious disease clinics, doggie daycares, and sexuality boutiques. Engaging with experts such as butchers and food truck owners allowed the team to uncover insights that pushed their thinking beyond traditional sanitation and into new innovation territories.
"Our Insight Immersion experience was pivotal in expanding our perspectives by illuminating the bigger picture. Stephan and his team are creative guides with great connections. Corporate leaders were impressed with the experience and are now staunch supporters of this experiential retreat for innovation projects."
Ann-Marie Allison / Associate Director, Global Insights / Clorox