About Face Theatre hosted its annual Wonka Ball at Chicago's Moonlight Studios on April 10. The event had a "Warhol" theme, and servers passed shots of bloody Mary cocktails in miniature soup cans that recalled the artist's famous work.
As part of the silent auction, local artist Matthew Lew created a Pop Art-inspired piece on site. The highest bidder took the piece home at the end of the night.
Gay Men's Health Crisis hosted its second annual Savor dinner in 2009 at Skylight in New York. Gobos moving across the room during the cocktail hour echoed the lines in Keith Haring's silk screen on display at the silent auction.
Inspired by Jeff Koons's "Puppy" sculpture at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, event producer Van Wyck & Van Wyck built a four-foot-tall topiary shaped in the form of a griffin at the 2012 event in New York. The mythical animal is sponsor JW Marriott's logo, and the floral version, which was created as a surprise for the brand executives, had eyes made of mums.
In the Pop Art garden at the Chicago show, moss and plants spell out the words "bloom" and "flower" in comics-like signage. The show runs through April 24.
In 2013, a fete took place at Washington's Carnegie Library to honor radio show host Kojo Nnamdi. Decor included Pop Art paintings of D.C. monuments.
In 2001, Target put together a reception and fashion show in New York based on its then-current ad campaign, which paired photos of the typical commodities sold by the retailer—Cheer, Puffs, and others—with youngsters wearing the chain's clothes. The Pop Art-style gift bag was filled with Target products including Bounce and Puffs, as well as a vest.
A Pop Art-inspired bat mitzvah, designed by Danielle Couick of Magnolia Bluebird Design & Events, was held at the Decatur House in Washington in 2014.
2011 marked the end of Richard Daley’s tenure as mayor of Chicago, a position he occupied for more than 20 years. In April, the Art Institute of Chicago had a tributary gala for him and his wife, Maggie. Held in a tent in Millennium Park, the gala had Andy Warhol-inspired decor from HMR Designs.
Chicago artist Hebru Brantley blew out the candles on a stack of abnormally sweet soup cans in 2013. Alliance Bakery created the eye-catching confection for Brantley's birthday bash, an affair that was presented by Hennessy Black. Weighing approximately 30 pounds, the red velvet cake with cream-cheese frosting was inspired by a classic Pop Art image. “The idea came about by trying to capture the Warhol cans, in a way that would serve 100 people,” said the bakery's owner and executive chef, Peter Rios. “The cake was constructed over two days and was entirely hand-painted.”
In 2012, the Art Institute of Chicago celebrated its Roy Lichtenstein retrospective with a gala that included an elegant dinner, a burlesque show, and fun snacks such as corn dogs. HMR Design Group's decor was inspired by Roy Lichtenstein's painting "Whaam!" Designer Bill Heffernan said, "Giant crossed mirror shards exploding from a mirrored table splashed the artist's primary colors against the blank white canvas of Griffin Hall at the Modern Wing.
For three nights in 2011, the then-unfinished lobby of the Sanctuary Hotel in New York was bedecked with colorful Pop Art-style graphics and filled with diners supping on a menu created by a 15-year-old chef, Greg Grossman. In a makeshift kitchen adjacent to the hotel lobby, Grossman and a team of chefs provided by Guerrilla Culinary Brigade prepared a menu inspired by Pop Art works like "Balloon Dog (Orange)" by Jeff Koons and Takashi Murakami's "Flower of Joy" (pictured).
Two Oceans Wine hosted a relaunch party at Polson Pier's Solarium in Toronto on June 18. Organized by Your Brand Integrated Marketing Communications, the event had a bar with a 30-foot moving projection that showcased moving water and the wine brand's logo.
The conservation organization hosted its annual New York dinner at the museum in June. Designed by Rebecca Gardner of Houses and Parties and produced by Barkley Kalpak, the event had a "bohemian lounge" look replete with jute rope, reclaimed wood, and potted banana trees and palms. The bar matched the laid-back vibe.
In June, Grit Creative Group hosted an event for liqueur brand Cointreau at the Broome Hotel in New York. In honor of the beverage's signature hue, decor was mostly orange, and an orange tree grew from the center of the bar.
Perfect for parties associated with summer music festivals, the bar from C2MTL was decked with retro cassette tapes. The conference took place in Montreal in late May.
At a party for the IPW Convention in Chicago in April, sections of the Museum of Science and Industry were decorated to evoke different neighborhoods. In the arty "Pilsen" section, Kehoe Designs set up a glowing bar backed with colorful lights.
The museum hosted a gala celebrating the surrealist artist Magritte in June. A cocktail reception was held in the museum's garden. HMR Designs brought in a round central bar with a huge centerpiece of bowler hats, which paid tribute to the Belgian artist.
A different kind of bar was an attraction at the television company's recent campaign. Produced by the Michael Alan Group, the activation set up candy bars in New York at 12 media agencies. Employees were invited to grab plastic jars and fill them up with candies including Junior Mints and Sour Patch Kids for an afternoon break.
In June, Svedka hosted a fruit-filled bash in Los Angeles to launch its new mango-pineapple and strawberry-lemonade flavors. Colorful fruit arrangements adorned carts that served as drink stations.
The Honest Company and Target hosted an event in celebration of their partnership anniversary in April. Caravents produced and designed the gathering at the Lombardi House in Hollywood, a residential event space where logos dangled gracefully from a large tree.
In another tree hung a branded version of tire swings: Vibrant flower arrangements topped tires painted white and decorated with logos.
Caravents used products from the Honest line to create a circular piece of wall art behind a seating group—turning an assortment of diapers into an elegant installation.
A flower-decked bicycle that served as Instagram bait for guests bore just a small—but recognizable—Target bullseye logo within its wheels.
Cocktail Academy served cocktails and mocktails at a bar backed with flowers and the words "Honestly Refreshing," a tasteful nod to the party's host.
Fox hosted a Television Critics Association event in Los Angeles in January, produced by YourBash, where logos in frames got the look of dressed-up wall art.
Logo pillows at the event matched the room's refined look and feel.
In April, Starwood launched its 10th hotel brand, Tribute Portfolio, in New York. For the launch, the brand transformed a raw loft space into an immersive experience, where guests were meant to discover concepts that brought to life the brand's "Stay Independent" mantra. Nicky Balestrieri designed, and BMF Media produced.
A smart-looking three-dimensional version of the hashtag served a decor piece as well as a call to action for guests.
At Oracle’s CX Cloud Conference in Las Vegas in April, signage and branding blended seamlessly into the Sands Expo’s design, appearing almost like on-message wallpaper.
In the exhibition hall, each exhibitor used a version of the same sophisticated, streamlined display from partner Freeman. “The intent is to make it not feel like a trade show, but a space that's welcoming to walk into,” said Oracle’s Paul Salinger. “[Beyond that], we want people to know they're at an Oracle event, an Oracle-owned space.”
At Coachella, where succulents and floral walls ruled, The Zoe Report provided an elegant green photo backdrop at the entrance to the dFm House, with only a subtle logo in a corner.
At the Avalon Palm Springs hotel property, PopSugar and ShopStyle placed chic white logos across the existing hedging, which was visible from the street.
At 2013's TEDActive, the sister event to the TED Conference, organizers integrated branding into some of the host venue’s quintessential Spanish tiles. The decals over select tiles at La Quinta in California's Palm Springs area also guided attendees along the paths within the properly.
