To celebrate its 40th anniversary, Charlotte-based advertising, marketing, and PR agency, Luquire, took an unusual path to partnering with their clients – surprise improv. The agency tapped a well-known improvisational comedy guru to lead a company-wide session during the anniversary party. And to invite their key clients they sprung the concept on several CMOs over a Zoom call.
This week the firm released a video capturing the hijinx. Entitled, “Emotional Support Waiver,” the short film captures “attorney” Billy Rainey, co-creator of Punk’d and friend of the agency, inviting and warning clients that before they could attend, he needed to review a lengthy waiver form that ensured they were up for the task at hand. The two-minute spot features several Luquire clients including in a series of one-on-one Zoom meetings, as Rainey and Luquire CEO, Brooks Luquire, walk them through the emotional trauma liability waiver.
The waiver outlines that partygoers might be required to perform such improvisations as put forward by the improvisational coach. These might include but are not limited to:
- 1a. Gelatinous substances: Acting as though you are made of materials such as Jell-O and/or various puddings.
- 1b. Fictional characters: Performing such that you are interpreting characters reminiscent of waste management employee, doctor, fairy godmother, or literary figure such as Tom Thumb or Maverick.
- 1c. Representing social stereotypes such as a parent, overworked employee, revolutionary leader or confused stoner.
The video coalesces to show confused brand leaders answering questions such as, “Do you know how to use an eyewash station,” and “Would you mind showing me what a stoner looks like and does?” Luquire chose improve as the theme of its 40th-anniversary party to experience something uncomfortable together with clients, because improv breaks down barriers, lowers defenses, and promotes unity.
The goal was to deepen trust and camaraderie with clients, reinforcing that, with Luquire, we can all reach our uncomfortably ambitious goals.
“The challenge for us was to get clients to overcome the inhibitions they might feel about participating in doing something as potentially uncomfortable as performing improv exercises in front of the entire agency. This ‘emotional trauma waiver’ was a tongue-in-cheek way to set the stage and get clients excited to join,” said Brooks Luquire, CEO of Luquire. “One of our key beliefs is the power of being uncomfortably ambitious, and our clients leaned into that theme to deliver on a super fun, super beneficial experience to celebrate our anniversary.”
