Business Week celebrated its 75th anniversary in grand style—commanding the Metropolitan Museum of Art with a party for some 500-plus guests. Planned many months in advance, the party required some quick thinking from Clark Chaine, Business Week’s director of marketing, and Phyl Monroe, manager of marketing events, due to some unexpected circumstances.
Long after the date was set came the announcement that the first presidential debate would be held the same day. In a smart move to prevent guests from rushing home from the party early in the evening, a second invitation was sent out announcing a second part of the event with a debate theme. In addition to this adjustment, the museum closed off the Temple of Dendur—where the cocktail reception was to be held—due to the accidental death of a museum worker in that space.
Upon entering the museum, guests were met with walls depicting a variety of the magazine’s covers that closed off the sides of the Great Hall and led to the party's new location in the American Wing. While presentations and mingling were taking place in the main space, the Great Hall was transformed into a different environment, with temporary walls coming down and lounge seating and bars being put into place.
19d Design and Production worked with the magazine’s event staff to create the event and when the party moved to its new location, certain adjustments had to be made. Custom-designed cushions made specifically for the temple space had to be abandoned and a lounge area had to be added to the wing to make up for the lost seating. Fittingly enough, the American Wing had its advantages—with the 1822-24 facade of the Bank of the United States serving as a business-appropriate backdrop for remarks from William Kupper Jr., the magazine’s president and publisher; Harold McGraw III, the McGraw-Hill Companies chairman, president, and C.E.O.; Stephen Shepard, the magazine’s editor in chief; and Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Allure Catering fed the hungry crowd with an array of hors d’oeuvres, appetizers, main course offerings, and desserts. Some of the items included diver scallops and wild mushroom ragout, miniature rack of lamb with herbs, and mango and apple tarte tatin.
As the debate time approached, guests were told to head to the Great Hall, where an arrangement of lounge seating was put at one end and a louder bar area at the other. The debate was projected live on walls on each side.
—Mark Mavrigian
Read our coverage of last year’s event for Business Week's redesign…
Long after the date was set came the announcement that the first presidential debate would be held the same day. In a smart move to prevent guests from rushing home from the party early in the evening, a second invitation was sent out announcing a second part of the event with a debate theme. In addition to this adjustment, the museum closed off the Temple of Dendur—where the cocktail reception was to be held—due to the accidental death of a museum worker in that space.
Upon entering the museum, guests were met with walls depicting a variety of the magazine’s covers that closed off the sides of the Great Hall and led to the party's new location in the American Wing. While presentations and mingling were taking place in the main space, the Great Hall was transformed into a different environment, with temporary walls coming down and lounge seating and bars being put into place.
19d Design and Production worked with the magazine’s event staff to create the event and when the party moved to its new location, certain adjustments had to be made. Custom-designed cushions made specifically for the temple space had to be abandoned and a lounge area had to be added to the wing to make up for the lost seating. Fittingly enough, the American Wing had its advantages—with the 1822-24 facade of the Bank of the United States serving as a business-appropriate backdrop for remarks from William Kupper Jr., the magazine’s president and publisher; Harold McGraw III, the McGraw-Hill Companies chairman, president, and C.E.O.; Stephen Shepard, the magazine’s editor in chief; and Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Allure Catering fed the hungry crowd with an array of hors d’oeuvres, appetizers, main course offerings, and desserts. Some of the items included diver scallops and wild mushroom ragout, miniature rack of lamb with herbs, and mango and apple tarte tatin.
As the debate time approached, guests were told to head to the Great Hall, where an arrangement of lounge seating was put at one end and a louder bar area at the other. The debate was projected live on walls on each side.
—Mark Mavrigian
Read our coverage of last year’s event for Business Week's redesign…
The facade of the Bank of the United States in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s American Wing was a fitting backdrop for remarks made during Business Week’s 75th anniversary party. (Photo courtesy of 19d Design and Production)
A stylish lounge space was created in the museum's American Wing to provide additional seating. (Photo courtesy of 19d Design and Production)
Guests entering the party passed by a wall of the magazine’s covers, which led them to the cocktail reception area. (Photo by Chance Yeh/Patrick McMullan Studios)
Guests may have wanted to rush home to watch the presidential debate, but the planners at Business Week incorporated a debate party into the event to entice many to stay. (Photo courtesy of 19d Design and Production)
