Award-Winning Advocacy: How Coupa Built a Global Customer Awards Program

When Coupa set out to launch its first-ever Global Spendsetters Awards, the stakes were high. The program had to be global in reach, seamless in execution, and strategically aligned with Coupa’s vision of customer-centricity. With Captivate Collective as a partner, Coupa delivered an awards program that not only celebrated customer excellence but also generated powerful new stories, amplified executive narratives, and set the standard for recognition at scale. The result: an advocacy initiative that became a lasting engine for engagement and influence.

‍

Summary

First Impressions Matter: A flawless debut established credibility and set the foundation for long-term success.
Global Vision, Local Nuance: The Spendsetters Awards balanced global consistency with regional needs across major Inspire events.
Awards as Advocacy Engines: Recognition became a strategic driver of customer stories, content, and ongoing engagement.
Executive Alignment Elevates Impact: Coupa’s leaders used award-winning stories to reinforce the company’s customer-first ethos.
Expert Partnership Delivers Confidence: Captivate Collective ensured flawless execution and strategic alignment at every stage.

Coupa is a global leader in Business Spend Management (BSM), empowering organizations to maximize the value of every dollar they spend. With a unified platform that connects procurement, payments, and supply chain, Coupa helps companies gain greater visibility and control over their business spend while driving measurable outcomes.

For companies focused on customer advocacy, launching a customer awards program isn't just about recognizing excellence, it's about strategically amplifying customer voices and building deeper relationships. Coupa's recent experience highlights exactly this: a high-impact, globally executed awards program designed in collaboration with Captivate Collective.

A Global Vision, Strategically Executed

Launching Coupa's Global Spendsetters Awards presented unique challenges. Charlotte Liley, Coupa's Customer Marketing leader, shared the complex considerations behind the scenes:

"One of the nuances at Coupa is that we have regional teams and regional marketing teams, yet we knew we wanted the Spendsetters awards to be truly global."

Coupa hosts two major Inspire conferences - one in North America and another in EMEA. Aligning awards across these geographically diverse events required thoughtful strategy, from cultural considerations and venue selection to keynote alignment.

"After a lot of back and forth, we ended up with a really tight global program," Charlotte explained. "Now we've seen it and executed it successfully. We have a clear model for the future."

Making a First Impression That Lasts

The first rollout of the Spendsetters awards was critical, not just operationally but strategically. Charlotte emphasized:

"You only get one chance to make a first impression. With this new program highly visible across stakeholders and customers, it was extremely important that it go perfectly."

With strategic guidance from Captivate Collective, Coupa successfully delivered a memorable launch. Solidifying stakeholder confidence and customer enthusiasm from day one.

Leveraging Awards for Strategic Storytelling

Charlotte views customer awards as more than a recognition tool. They're a cornerstone of Coupa's broader customer advocacy strategy, driving deeper engagement and ongoing content creation.

"Awards are an amazing anchor experience," she shared. "The nomination process generates new customer stories, the live event showcases winners prominently, and post-event, we can create blogs, social campaigns, and lasting content around our customers' achievements."

Aligning Executive Goals with Customer-Centric Stories

Coupa's focus on customer-centricity is reinforced by how prominently customer stories feature in their awards. At Coupa’s Inspire conference, executives personally highlight award-winning customers on stage.

"Our executives find it incredibly valuable to leverage customer stories to tell Coupa's story," Charlotte noted. "Our Chief Marketing Officer takes the stage to debut and dive deeply into our customers' successes. It positions him not only as an advocate for our customers but as someone who genuinely understands and values their journeys."

This executive alignment reinforces Coupa's customer-first ethos, turning customer recognition into a strategic asset at the highest levels of the organization.

The Expertise Behind Excellence

Partnering with Captivate Collective elevated Coupa's awards program, ensuring meticulous execution and strategic alignment. Charlotte acknowledged the significance of expert guidance.

"Working with Captivate Collective allowed us to confidently launch a global awards program that aligns with our mission and resonates across regions," she said. "They've proven invaluable in navigating complexities and maximizing impact."

Strategic Advocacy, Lasting Impact

Coupa's Spendsetters Awards demonstrate the power of strategic customer recognition. Through careful planning, stakeholder alignment, and expert execution, Coupa turned a customer awards initiative into a powerful advocacy engine that delivers ongoing strategic value.

For Coupa, and the many organizations who understand that customer awards are about more than trophies. This success underscores a critical truth: a well-executed awards program can elevate customer stories into strategic narratives, turning advocacy into a measurable business advantage.

‍