Launch 2007—Minneapolis–St. Paul
A half-day launch event for a year-long corporate mentoring program allowed guests to meet their mentoring partners for the first time. The sponsoring organization wanted an experience to inspire and motivate attendees, and used “ignite” as a theme. Concurrent with the event planning, the organization was going through a brand update and wanted to incorporate the new branding into the event. The decor centered around bright, rich colors and a geometric logo depicting a pair of people.
The stage set incorporated gobos of the logo. Color mixing with intelligent lighting and LED fixtures created custom colors that reflected the theme. Fabric honeycombs that were hung at varying lengths to create a “raining” effect, made for an interesting backdrop. A reception area featured brown, bronze, and blue linens with acrylic and chrome folding chairs. In the ballroom, colored lights, bronze lanterns, burnt orange and red calla lilies, and vibrant linens reflected the theme.
After an initial general session, mentors and mentees met one-on-one in breakout sessions. The ballroom was reset for lunch with linens, lighting, and even food in the colors of the organization’s updated brand: apple greens and black gold with ivory accents.
Other nominees:
• Jennifer Warner, Event Lab
• Missy Francisco Carlson, SMDC Health System
