Creative Group
Creative Group is a Schaumburg, Illinois-based event experience and incentive travel agency, subsidiary of Direct Travel, that designs corporate meetings, brand activations, and incentive programs for Fortune 500 enterprises using its proprietary i|xperience methodology and EventAPP mobile platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersSchaumburg, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Creative Group does
Creative Group, Inc. is a Schaumburg, Illinois-based event experience and incentive travel agency that designs and produces corporate meetings, conferences, brand activations, and reward-and-recognition programs for Fortune 500 and other large enterprises. The company is a privately held subsidiary of Direct Travel (corporate travel management company) and has been on the MeetingsNet CMI 25 list of Largest U.S. Meeting and Incentive Travel Companies for 18 consecutive years as of 2024. It claims global delivery capability — including a 20+ year relationship with a major beverage retailer operating in 60 countries — and serves named customers across luxury automotive, biotech, beverage retail, and insurance.
The company's service delivery is built around three solution lines: Brand Activations, Meetings & Events, and Incentives, supported by capabilities in strategy and creative, experience design and production, and event/meeting management (operations, logistics, group travel, attendee registration). Proprietary assets include the i|xperience methodology (a six-component behavioral-science-driven approach to participant journey design), EventAPP (a mobile application launched in 2018 for incentive program lifecycle engagement), and a portfolio of registered trademarks (CREATIVEEDGE, THRIVABLITY, LET'S THRIVE). EventAPP is the closest productized technology asset, with the remainder of the offering delivered through professional services.
Creative Group generates revenue primarily through professional services fees for event planning, management, and production, plus incentive travel program design and brand activation execution. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; the go-to-market motion is direct enterprise field sales initiated via discovery calls, targeting large corporations and channel partner networks. The firm employs 101-250 people and operates offices in Schaumburg (headquarters) and Buffalo Grove, Illinois, with additional footprint in Canada (TICO #2031590) and India. The company expanded via the January 2022 acquisition of Strategic Meetings and Incentives.
Creative Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Creative Group
- Legal name
- Creative Group, Inc.
- Website
- https://creativegroupinc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Creative Group is a Schaumburg, Illinois-based event experience and incentive travel agency, subsidiary of Direct Travel, that designs corporate meetings, brand activations, and incentive programs for Fortune 500 enterprises using its proprietary i|xperience methodology and EventAPP mobile platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Creative Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Event Management and Experiential Marketing Services
- NAICS
- Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Creative & Brand Campaign Development (BPAFAAAB)
Keywords
Where Creative Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Schaumburg
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Creative Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Event Planning and Management Services: Full-service event experience agency providing strategic gatherings, meetings, conferences, and exhibitions design and execution. Revenue generated through professional services fees for event planning, management, and production.
- Incentive Travel Programs: Design and execution of reward and recognition strategy programs that drive performance and loyalty. Includes incentive travel destinations, recognition programs, and motivational experiences for sales teams and employees.
- Brand Activations: Experience design and production services that turn attention into connection for brand-focused events and activations.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Creative Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Creative Group is a full-service event experience agency that designs and executes corporate meetings, conferences, incentive travel programs, and brand activations for Fortune 500 and large enterprise clients. The firm delivers strategic event design, experience design and production, and comprehensive event and meeting management including operations, logistics, group travel, and attendee registration. Service delivery is supported by proprietary tools including the i|xperience methodology (behavioral-science-based participant journey design) and the EventAPP mobile application.
Product overview
Creative Group is an event experience and incentive travel agency offering a unified portfolio of services organized around three core solution areas: Brand Activations (experiential marketing experiences that turn attention into connection), Meetings & Events (strategic gatherings designed to inform, inspire, and align), and Incentives (reward and recognition strategy that drives performance and loyalty). The company supports its service delivery through proprietary approaches and tools including the i|xperience methodology (which focuses on enhancing participant journeys through six key components that converge to drive behavioral change), EventAPP (a mobile event application spanning the program lifecycle), and Thrivability (a branded concept aligned with their mission to help people thrive). Capabilities span strategy and creative, experience design and production, and event and meeting management including operations, logistics, group travel, and attendee registration.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- i|xperience: Proprietary approach focusing on enhancing the participant journey and creating immersive experiences for meetings and events.
- EventAPP
Products and services
- i|xperience A proprietary methodology focusing on enhancing the participant journey through immersive experiences designed to drive behavioral change and strategic action. Based on six key components that converge to create memorable, impactful event experiences for enterprise clients.
- EventAPP A mobile event application providing touchpoints throughout the entire lifecycle of an incentive program — during qualification, throughout the incentive trip, and beyond. Used as a supporting tool for Creative Group's incentive travel and meeting engagements.
- Brand Activations Experiential marketing services that turn attention into connection through experience design and production for brand-focused events and activations. Targeted at enterprise clients seeking to differentiate through unique brand experiences.
- Meetings & Events Strategic gatherings including corporate meetings, conferences, and exhibitions designed to inform, inspire, and align enterprise audiences. Includes full-service design and execution from concept to completion.
- Incentive Travel Programs Reward and recognition strategy programs that drive sales performance and loyalty through incentive travel destinations, recognition programs, and motivational experiences for sales teams, employees, and channel partners.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 90% participant satisfaction rate on major programs
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Creative Group
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Creative Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Creative Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Direct TravelcoreCreative Group, Inc. is a subsidiary of Direct Travel, operating as part of the parent company's portfolio of travel and event management services. Direct Travel is a travel management company that provides corporate travel services, and Creative Group serves as the events and incentive travel division.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Creative Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BCD Meetings & Events: BCD Meetings & Events is a global meetings, incentives, and events agency serving large enterprise clients with strategic event management and incentive travel programs — directly comparable to Creative Group's core offerings. Both are part of larger corporate travel ecosystems (BCD Travel for BCD M&E).
- Maritz Global Events: Maritz is one of the largest North American incentive travel and meeting management agencies, serving Fortune 500 clients with motivational experiences and incentive programs. Directly comparable to Creative Group in service mix, customer base, and incentive travel specialization.
- CWT Meetings & Events: CWT M&E is the meetings and events division of CWT, a major corporate travel management company. The corporate-travel-parent structure mirrors Creative Group's relationship with Direct Travel, making it a structural and operational peer.
- CSI International: CSI International is a U.S.-based corporate event management and incentive travel agency serving enterprise clients. Direct competitor in the meetings and incentives space with similar Fortune 500 client mix.
- ITA Group: ITA Group is an engagement and incentive solutions provider that designs customer, employee, and sales incentive programs. Comparable to Creative Group's incentive travel and recognition business with a focus on measurable engagement outcomes.
- George P. Johnson Experience Marketing: George P. Johnson is a leading experience marketing agency producing brand activations, experiential events, and corporate events for enterprise brands. Directly comparable to Creative Group's brand activation offering and serves many of the same Fortune 500 clients.
Broad incumbents
- MGM Resorts Events: MGM Resorts operates large-scale corporate meetings, incentive events, and conventions across its Las Vegas and regional properties. While venue-based rather than agency-based, it competes for the same enterprise incentive travel and large meeting budgets.
Emerging players
- Cvent: Cvent is a leading event management technology platform providing registration, venue sourcing, and event software used by corporate event planners. Adjacent technology competitor that increasingly bundles event management services, competing with parts of Creative Group's EventAPP-style offering.
- Bizzabo: Bizzabo is an event experience platform offering registration, attendee engagement, and analytics software for corporate events and conferences. Competes with Creative Group's EventAPP and digital engagement capabilities on the technology layer.
Others
- HelmsBriscoe: HelmsBriscoe is a venue sourcing and meeting procurement firm that handles hotel and venue contracting for corporate meetings. Operates as an ecosystem partner and partial substitute for some of Creative Group's meeting management services.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Creative Group social profiles
Digital presenceCreative Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Creative Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Creative Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Creative Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Creative Group
What does Creative Group do?
Creative Group is a full-service event experience agency that designs and executes corporate meetings, conferences, incentive travel programs, and brand activations for Fortune 500 and large enterprise clients. The firm delivers strategic event design, experience design and production, and comprehensive event and meeting management including operations, logistics, group travel, and attendee registration. Service delivery is supported by proprietary tools including the i|xperience methodology (behavioral-science-based participant journey design) and the EventAPP mobile application.
Is Creative Group a public or private company?
Creative Group is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Creative Group founded?
Creative Group was founded in 2006. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Creative Group based?
Creative Group is headquartered in Schaumburg, United States, in the North America region.
How does Creative Group make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Event Planning and Management Services are the primary driver. The others are incentive Travel Programs and brand Activations.
Who are Creative Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BCD Meetings & Events, Maritz Global Events, CWT Meetings & Events, CSI International, ITA Group and George P. Johnson Experience Marketing. MGM Resorts Events is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are Cvent and Bizzabo. HelmsBriscoe is listed as an others.
Does Creative Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Creative Group.
What industry is Creative Group in?
Creative Group's product category is Event Management and Experiential Marketing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFAAAB, Creative & Brand Campaign Development. Its NAICS code is 56192 and its SIC code is 7311.