S&L Companies - Kohler, WI

Northern Lights Drone Shows - December 3, 2025

Kohler, WI - December 3, 2025

In a part of central Wisconsin that had never seen a drone show before, Northern Lights Drone Shows delivered a custom aerial celebration for S&L Companies that felt unmistakably, iconically Culver’s. Designed for a private corporate event in Kohler, the performance transformed a winter night into a branded spectacle of comfort-food nostalgia, regional pride, and unforgettable first impressions.

Mission

S&L Companies wanted something custom and unique to showcase their company and celebrate a meaningful business milestone: the integration of Tommy Car Wash into its ownership portfolio. This was not a public attendance driver; it was a premium brand moment created specifically for the stakeholders and corporate guests already planning to attend.

For Northern Lights Drone Shows, the goal was clear: create a show that felt hyper-specific to the Culver’s brand while capturing the warmth and joy people associate with one of Wisconsin’s most beloved restaurant names. Because Culver’s holds such a distinguished place in the state’s culture, every scene had to feel immediately familiar, upbeat, and emotionally resonant.

Design

The show was built around Culver’s branding, signature menu items, and the celebration of S&L ownership. Using 300 drones, the Northern Lights team crafted a visual story that leaned into recognizable forms and unmistakable brand cues rather than abstract corporate symbolism.

The sequence included:

  • The Culver’s logo

  • Scoopy riding a tractor

  • A stylized Culver’s drive-thru

  • A glowing ButterBurger

  • A towering Concrete Mixer

  • A closing image of the S&L owners locking hands, symbolizing partnership and the celebratory integration of Tommy Car Wash into the company

“One of the most important creative challenges was making the food look specifically like Culver’s food, not generic burgers and desserts,” says Northern Lights Drone Show designer Taylor Deckert. That distinction mattered. The client was looking for branding that would “stick the landing,” and the final designs did exactly that, hardcore, as the team described it: unmistakable, ownable, and instantly recognizable to attendees.

Inspiration Photo

Rendering

Live Show

Music & Synchronization

Northern Lights paired the visuals with an upbeat, positive soundtrack that reinforced the playful personality of the show. “Music was loosely themed to the imagery in the sky, helping each scene land with emotional clarity,” said Taylor.

Highlights included:

  • Maroon 5’s “Sugar” during the dessert-focused sequences

  • Dua Lipa’s “Dance The Night” during a lively moment featuring the dancing Cheese Curd mascot, Curdis

This musical approach gave the event a celebratory pace and made the show feel less like a static brand presentation and more like a living, joyful performance. For a private corporate celebration, that tone was exactly right: polished, memorable, and full of energy.

Challenges

Wisconsin in December always demands preparation, and this event was no exception. A snowstorm before the show created extra logistical pressure, especially around launch readiness and field safety.

Rather than treating the weather as a setback, the Northern Lights crew planned proactively. The team built in extra time before launch and equipped crew members with machinery to clear snow from the launch area. In a moment that quickly became part of the event’s behind-the-scenes lore, one crew member, Mikey, had to “literally like a Superman clear an entire launch area,” says Nathan Godfrey, Account Sales Executive.

That kind of adaptability is a hallmark of successful drone production. Weather, field conditions, and timing all matter, but so does having a team that can solve problems quickly, safely, and professionally. Thanks to that preparation, the show launched successfully and delivered the full experience the client expected.

Impact

The response from the crowd was immediate and enthusiastic. Attendees were very pleased, and there were audible “oohs and aahs” throughout the performance, exactly the kind of live reaction that confirms a show is connecting in real time.

For this event, impact was not measured by ticket sales or turnout growth. Instead, the value came from elevating the experience for the stakeholders and corporate guests in attendance and giving them something they had likely never experienced before.

Key outcomes included:

  • A highly customized show tailored tightly to the Culver’s brand

  • A memorable celebration of S&L Companies’ business milestone

  • Strong emotional resonance with a corporate audience

  • A first-of-its-kind drone show experience for this part of central Wisconsin

In other words, the show succeeded because it deepened the meaning of the event itself. It gave attendees a premium, unexpected moment of celebration that reflected both the company’s identity and the significance of the occasion.

Regional and Brand Connection

This show worked especially well because it was rooted in place. Culver’s is more than a restaurant in Wisconsin, it’s part of the state’s cultural fabric. Designing around its signature foods, mascot, and visual identity tapped into a strong sense of regional familiarity.

That connection mattered even more in Kohler, where many in attendance had never seen a drone show before. By pairing a new entertainment medium with beloved Wisconsin imagery, Northern Lights created something that felt both innovative and comfortingly local.

It also reinforced an important lesson for branded drone entertainment: when a client is willing to invest in a show that is deeply, specifically theirs, the result can be far more powerful than a generic visual spectacle. This client understood that, and Northern Lights delivered accordingly.

Let’s Build Your Story in the Sky

Whether you’re celebrating a company milestone, honoring a brand legacy, or looking for a custom visual experience your guests will talk about long after the event ends, Northern Lights Drone Shows can help you create something extraordinary.

If you’re ready to explore a branded drone show for your corporate event, private celebration, or regional activation, contact Northern Lights Drone Shows to start the conversation by phone, email, or video call. We’d love to help you bring your story to the sky.

Contact Us

  • Drone Count: 300

  • Show Length: 12 minutes & 30 seconds

  • Standout Moment: Brought the first drone show many attendees in the region had ever seen

  • Other Corporate Clients: Baird Corporate, Ho-Chunk Casino, Northwestern Mutual

  • Client: S&L Companies

  • Event: Private Celebration

  • Event Type: Private Corporate Event

  • Audience: Stakeholders & Corporate

  • Location: Kohler, Wisconsin

  • Date: December 3, 2025