How to Personalise a Team Building Scavenger Hunt to Your Brand

Corporate team building has evolved. Today’s employees expect more than generic icebreakers or predictable away-day activities. HR managers and event planners are under pressure to deliver experiences that are not only enjoyable, but meaningful, strategic and aligned with company identity.

That’s where a personalised scavenger hunt stands apart.

At The Big Smoke Events, we design fully bespoke, branded experiences that transform a simple activity into a powerful brand engagement tool. A well-executed branded scavenger hunt doesn’t just entertain – it reinforces values, strengthens culture, improves retention of key messages and creates lasting memories.

In this guide, we’ll break down exactly how to personalise a team building scavenger hunt to your brand, why it matters in today’s corporate landscape, and how it can deliver measurable impact for your organisation.

Why Personalisation Is Now Essential in Corporate Events

The broader events industry has seen a dramatic shift toward hyper-personalised experiences. According to industry research from EventMB and global event technology leader Cvent, attendee engagement increases significantly when experiences are tailored to participants’ identities, goals and interests.

This trend is driven by several factors:

• Hybrid and remote working reducing organic team bonding
• Increased focus on employee engagement and retention
• Stronger emphasis on brand storytelling internally
• Growing expectation of immersive, Instagram-worthy experiences
• Demand for ROI-driven corporate events

Employees don’t just want to attend an activity. They want to feel that it was designed for them.

A generic scavenger hunt might create short-term fun.
A personalised scavenger hunt, designed around your story, culture and strategy, creates long-term value.

What Makes a Branded Scavenger Hunt Different?

A branded scavenger hunt is not simply adding your logo to a leaderboard.

It is about embedding your:

• Values
• Industry
• Milestones
• Strategic messaging
• Culture
• Visual identity
• CSR initiatives

Into the fabric of the experience.

At The Big Smoke Events, personalisation happens across four core areas – each one intentionally designed to align with your brand.

1. Fully Bespoke Start & Finish Locations

The start and finish locations set the tone.

Rather than using fixed routes, we design the journey around your event objectives.

Examples of Strategic Start/Finish Planning:

• Starting at your offices to reinforce ownership and pride
• Beginning at a conference venue for seamless agenda integration
• Finishing at a private dining space for awards and networking
• Concluding at a partner venue linked to your charity or brand theme

For architecture practice Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM), we designed a route incorporating buildings they had personally designed – turning the city into a living portfolio.

For finance-led organisations operating in London, we can design routes that move through historic financial districts, subtly reinforcing industry heritage and credibility.

This level of intentional design transforms the experience from a city walk into a brand narrative.

2. Route Locations That Reflect Your Industry

Relevance drives engagement.

When participants encounter locations that connect to their profession, the activity feels purposeful rather than random.

Industry-Led Route Examples

Architecture & Design Firms
Teams visit buildings they’ve contributed to, innovative design landmarks, or hidden architectural features.

Retail & Consumer Brands
Challenges may involve visual merchandising tasks or creative brand-related photo missions. Inspired by brands like Tesco, we once designed a body-letter challenge where teams had to spell the company name using only themselves in front of a Tesco store – producing hilarious, high-energy results.

Finance & Professional Services
Routes incorporate historic trading locations, stock exchange landmarks, or heritage financial institutions.

Construction & Engineering
Teams locate cranes, structural features, safety equipment or urban infrastructure elements that reflect their daily work.

When employees see their world reflected in the hunt, the experience becomes personal – and that’s where emotional connection forms.

3. Brand-Connected “Find” Challenges

A powerful personalised scavenger hunt uses objects and challenges to subtly reinforce brand identity.

We often incorporate:

• Your founding year hidden within architecture
• Numbers matching employee count
• Objects in brand colours
• Symbols reflecting your mission
• Industry-relevant equipment
• Local features tied to company milestones

For example:

• A company founded in 1998 might search for “98” displayed in unexpected places.
• A business with 250 employees might need to collectively create the number “250” in a creative team photo.
• A sustainability-focused organisation might locate eco-initiatives around the city.

These moments spark conversation and reinforce pride in company heritage.

4. Custom Puzzles & Company Trivia

This is where a branded scavenger hunt becomes a strategic communication tool.

We embed:

• Leadership facts
• Product knowledge
• Mission statements
• Strategic priorities
• Internal campaigns
• Anniversary milestones

Into clue design.

For example:

• Solving a question about your latest product launch reveals what3words coordinates.
• Correctly answering a trivia question about company values unlocks the next destination.
• Identifying leadership team facts leads to a brand-relevant challenge.

Rather than presenting this information in a slide deck, employees actively engage with it.

Active participation increases memory retention – making this ideal for onboarding events, rebrands, or strategic alignment days.

5. Aligning With Your Strategic Objectives

Every corporate event should have a purpose.

A personalised scavenger hunt can support:

🎯 Onboarding

New hires learn company history in an immersive way.

🎯 Brand Refresh or Rebrand

Teams internalise new messaging through interactive tasks.

🎯 Post-Merger Integration

Mixed teams collaborate while discovering shared milestones.

🎯 Leadership Away Days

Senior teams solve strategic puzzles requiring communication and trust.

🎯 Sales Kick-Off Events

Challenges incorporate product knowledge and competitive thinking.

This is where a branded scavenger hunt moves from “fun activity” to “strategic engagement tool.”

6. Integrating Charity Partnerships & CSR Themes

Modern employees care deeply about purpose.

A personalised scavenger hunt can include:

• Visits connected to your charity partner
• Challenges highlighting sustainability
• Donation-triggered tasks
• Eco-conscious route planning

This aligns team building with ESG objectives and corporate responsibility.

When employees feel their company’s purpose reflected in the experience, engagement deepens.

7. Strengthening Company Culture Through Play

Play is powerful.

Psychological research consistently shows that collaborative problem-solving:

• Increases trust
• Improves communication
• Reduces hierarchy barriers
• Encourages creativity

Unlike indoor workshops, a city-based branded scavenger hunt naturally:

• Breaks down departmental silos
• Encourages cross-team collaboration
• Energises introverts and extroverts alike
• Creates natural conversation moments

Shared laughter and problem-solving build bonds faster than structured networking sessions.

8. Creating Shareable Internal & External Content

A well-designed personalised scavenger hunt generates high-quality content:

• Branded team photos
• Creative challenge videos
• Social-ready moments
• Internal newsletter features

These assets extend the ROI beyond the event day.

HR teams often use event content for:

• Employer branding
• LinkedIn engagement
• Recruitment marketing
• Internal comms campaigns

A branded scavenger hunt becomes both a team building experience and a content engine.

Real Case Studies & Results

We’ve delivered bespoke experiences across industries including architecture, retail, finance, construction, tech and professional services.

Explore real-world examples of how companies have used personalised scavenger hunts to achieve strategic objectives here:

👉 https://www.thebigsmokeevents.com/case-studies/

Each case study demonstrates how tailored design transforms engagement outcomes.

Why Choose The Big Smoke Events?

Unlike template-driven providers, we design every experience from scratch.

We don’t retrofit your logo onto a standard route.

We:

• Build fully bespoke routes
• Write custom clues
• Integrate your internal knowledge
• Align with your event objectives
• Ensure seamless facilitation

If you’re planning an in-person team building experience, explore our full offering here:

👉 https://www.thebigsmokeevents.com/our-events/in-person-events/in-person-scavenger-hunt/

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a personalised scavenger hunt take?

Typically 2–3 hours.

Can it work for large teams?

Yes. We regularly design branded scavenger hunts for groups ranging from 20 to 400+ participants.

Do you operate outside London?

Absolutely. While London is a popular location, routes can be designed nationwide.

How much company input is required?

Minimal time investment – we gather everything through a short booking form and strategic questions.

Final Thoughts: From Activity to Brand Experience

A team building event should do more than fill an afternoon slot.

A personalised scavenger hunt turns your city into a storytelling platform.
A branded scavenger hunt transforms your company identity into an interactive experience.

When employees see their values, milestones and culture embedded into the activity, engagement becomes authentic – not forced.

That’s the difference between generic entertainment and strategic impact.

If you’re an HR manager, team leader or event planner searching for something unique, brand-aligned and genuinely memorable, The Big Smoke Events can design an experience built entirely around you.

Because the best team building doesn’t just bring people together.
It brings your brand to life.