From Merger to Momentum: How Acadia Uses HeyTaco to Unite a Global Team

When digital marketing agency Acadia acquired Bobsled Marketing in 2022, they also inherited HeyTaco. Their decision to keep Bobsled’s taco tradition alive would go on to shape their culture of recognition, becoming a unifying force across the entire company.

“We didn’t have a peer recognition tool,” said TiAnna, who leads Acadia’s people team. “But when we saw HeyTaco in action, it fit perfectly into our culture. It felt natural, fun, and meaningful.”

A grand taco-themed rollout

When it came time to introduce HeyTaco to 300 employees spanning 19 countries, Acadia took our taco theme to the limit. They hosted a taco-themed lunch, handed out taco plush pillows as awards, and paused mid-meal to encourage everyone to open Slack and give their first taco in real time.

“Seeing the tacos flood in was magical,” TiAnna recalled. “That moment made it real for everyone.”

They also tied tacos to Acadia’s four core values—community, candor, can-do, and curiosity. It’s simple to create core value awards powered by HeyTaco’s Taco Tags. In this case, it laid the foundation for a program that would only grow from there.

How Acadia uses HeyTaco to create culture-affirming rituals

The team members at Acadia are now peer recognition superstars, where HeyTaco is woven into the fabric of life. Here are three ways they make it happen. 

1. New hires learn about HeyTaco on Day One 

TiAnna personally walks them through the Wall of Fame, taco emoji shortcuts, and sticker rewards during orientation.

2. Each month, Acadia crowns a Taco Champion

A slide in the all-hands meeting features the winner’s photo, taco level, and highlights from their shoutouts.

3. Top givers and receivers are recognized

And the top giver spot? It’s hotly contested—some employees even send tacos on the weekend.

Gamification has made appreciation fun, but it’s not just about rewards. “Not everything needs a gift card,” TiAnna said. “Sometimes bragging rights are the best prize.”

Giving back through the Taco Shop

Gift cards are the most popular redemption option, especially for Acadia’s globally distributed team. However, they’re most proud of the donation feature.

They’ve used tacos to:

• Support a child in Serbia undergoing epilepsy treatment
• Run a virtual food drive tied to a friendly “food fight” competition
• Contribute to the United Nations’ World Food Program and other local causes

“Our community value shines brightest through the donation option,” TiAnna shared. “The impact we’ve made through tacos is something we’re incredibly proud of.”

Real-time peer recognition: The secret sauce of remote appreciation

At Acadia, peer recognition isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s essential to the employee experience. “When you’re remote, those little moments of appreciation matter more than ever,” TiAnna said. “HeyTaco lets us recreate that old-school feeling of someone walking by your desk and saying, ‘Great job!’—even if they’re thousands of miles away.”

And the real-time nature of tacos? That’s the secret sauce. “It gives you energy when you need it most,” she said, recalling a moment of exhaustion during a company event, only to see a stream of taco notifications lighting up her phone. “That’s what made me feel like everything was going to be okay.”