16 September 2024
What Prevost’s Year-Long Centennial Celebration Can Teach About Marking Milestones
September 12, 2024 | Published by Bus & Motorcoach NEWS
As Prevost celebrates its 100th anniversary, the company’s thoughtful and thorough approach to commemorating its centennial offers valuable lessons for motorcoach owners looking to mark their own significant milestones.
Michael Power, Prevost Director of Marketing and Brand Management, has been a key figure in orchestrating the celebration. He shared the behind-the-scenes work that went into creating a yearlong celebration and the importance of understanding and honoring a company’s history.
“We’ve been working on this for over two years,” Power said.
The journey began with the ambitious task of replicating the first vehicle ever produced by Prevost. Because no blueprints remain, the team, made up of all Prevost family members, relied solely on historical photos and the memories of René Prévost, the son of the company’s founder, Eugène Prévost, to recreate the original bus, Clarisse. This painstaking process, which included sourcing an REO chassis in Florida, turned into a treasure hunt that eventually brought history back to life.
The original Prévost family home in Quebec has been transformed into a museum, dedicated to preserving and showcasing the rich history of the brand.
“We digitized everything – photos, videos, paperwork – and cataloged it all. It was an arduous task, but essential for preserving our heritage,” he said.
Research, preservation, celebration
The centennial celebration also involved an extensive research project, during which Power interviewed every past living president of the company and historians in the bus industry to piece together a comprehensive history.
One of the most significant aspects of Prevost’s celebration was the decision to present its history in a digestible, decade-by-decade format. It contextualized key milestones with broader historical events, recognizing that what was happening in cinema or society helped shape the narrative of Prevost through the years.
This approach allowed the company to share more than just technical achievements; it offered a window into how Prevost evolved alongside global trends. It also connected the past to the present, making it relevant to today’s audience.
“We wanted to make it succinct so that people could come here and really absorb it,” Power explained.
The centennial isn’t just a look back; it’s also a vision for the future.
“We wanted to highlight how the past is important, but experiencing the road ahead is even more exciting,” he said. This forward-looking approach is encapsulated in the company’s centennial slogan: “Experience the Road Ahead.”
Inspiration to other companies
François Tremblay, President of Prevost, sees the centennial celebration as an inspiration for others in the industry to recognize and honor their histories. Many companies, especially those with multiple ownership changes, often overlook key milestones.
“Sometimes businesses don’t realize they’ve hit 50 years because of a change in ownership,” Tremblay points out. “But in an industry built on longevity, tracking your history and celebrating those moments is crucial.”
Power advises that even at smaller milestones, such as a fifth anniversary, companies should take the time to reflect on their journey.
“It’s extremely important to understand who you are and where you’re coming from. This knowledge is vital for the culture of the company and for building a strong foundation for the future,” he said.
For Tremblay, Prevost’s 100-year history is a testament to the stability and trust the company has built with its customers.
“Businesses that have equipment that’s been around for 100 years hold tremendous value,” Tremblay said.
In an industry where many manufacturers have come and gone, Prevost’s endurance speaks not only to the quality of its products but also to the dedication of the people behind the brand.
The company has made a point to preserve this legacy in a tangible way. The Prevost Museum, housed in the original home of company founder Eugène Prévost, is both a historical collection and a destination.
A poignant full-circle moment of this year’s celebration has been led by Marco Prévost, the grandson of Eugène Prévost, who was part of the effort to recreate the first Prevost coach, 100 years after his grandfather built it.
“It’s going full circle,” Tremblay said, a symbol of how Prevost honors its roots while looking forward to the future.