Sony Pictures sent staff on a quest to unlock the code of their benefits package as part of a communications initiative designed to tie in with its film release Angels and Demons.
The strategy, created in conjunction with Buck Consultants, preceded the film’s UK launch in May. The firm’s 400 UK staff were given a cryptex and a map of Rome, similar to that used by Tom Hanks’ character in the film. Staff used the cryptex to find the co-ordinates to benefits, which were located beneath key landmarks. For example, under the Statue of the Dying Gaul panel was information about enhanced sick pay. More details about benefits, including the firm’s pension, health screening, and season tickets loans, were on the back of the map.
The firm also staged a special presentation in its London office’s on-site cinema. There, staff were told about a competition that required them to decipher a message from letters they could obtain by locating their benefits on the map. Prizes included a one-off £250 contribution into the pension plan and two days’ extra holiday. Roger Fairhead, Sony Pictures’ head of international compensation and benefits, said: “A lot of staff were engaged in promoting the film, so we thought we should link communication to it.”