Situation

Bupa has bold ambitions: to become the world's most customer-centric healthcare company. The Group Brand and External communications team sit right at the heart of that. They're the people who need to bring that future to life for customers, for colleagues, and for the world outside. Big visions have a habit of staying abstract until you start to unpack them. And an anxious, uncertain team can't build a future they can't feel.

The brief: design an offsite that helps the team think, plan and upskill in readiness for the future, using 2040 as our destination. Not a conference. Not a strategy day. Something immersive that left the team slightly uncomfortable, cautiously optimistic and excited to take on what lies ahead.

Shift

What followed was a fabulous blend of creativity and optimism. We kicked things off by grounding everyone in how far both the team and Bupa have already come, rewinding back to 2010 with a healthy dose of nostalgia (think Lady Gaga meat dress, the launch of the iPad and peplum tops). From there, we catapulted the group into 2040.

Participants were introduced to their future selves through personalised lanyards showing what they might look like and a discussion about how their roles could evolve. They held conversations with their future selves via carefully programmed AI agents, built their fantasy future teams and read one another's fortunes using bespoke Bupa tarot cards (draw the 100-year life card and suddenly you're asking very different questions about healthcare, longevity and responsibility).

Paired with brilliant guest speakers, including Henry Coutinho-Mason and June Sarpong, the experience left the team informed about changing consumer behaviours and ready to face what the future has in store for them.

Impact

We tracked sentiment across both days in real time. Running the same AI analysis at the end of each day, so we could see exactly how the room was shifting. Day one: informed, but nervous. Day two: energised, excited and motivated. A future that suddenly felt hopeful and tangible rather than abstract – that’s the shift.

If you're thinking about how to get your own team ready for what's coming, this is one way to start.

The journey

Starting with progress

We began by showing the team how much had changed for Bupa since 2010, using nostalgia to build confidence and momentum before asking them to look forward.

A future aligned agenda

We split the offsite into four clear sections: future you, future team, future Bupa and future customer. Each one pulled the group into the skills, mindsets and choices they’ll need to reach their 2040 ambition

Bringing the outside, in

Expert speakers, Henry Coutinho-Mason and June Sarpong, brought game-changing industry insights into the room. Leaving the team informed about changing consumer behaviours and future trends. and leaders. We then refined.

Activating with AI

From aged lanyards to AI future selves, and a live sentiment tracker that surfaced what people were really feeling, we used technology to make the agenda feel truly future-focused.

Using ‘fun’ as an enabler

With exercises like tarot cards, a future fantasy team, persona quiz and painting, we turned a daunting topic into a hopeful, inspiring and energising experience.