The Advertising Federation of Greater Miami's Addy Awards banquetβheld annually as a qualifier for the national competitionβtook place on February 26 at the So Cool eVenue in Miami. Taking inspiration from positive war propaganda of the 1930s and '40s , event planner Mimi Cossio of White Label Events and Productions lined the walls of the former warehouse space with vintage posters from the period.
Quest Drape divided the 10,000-square-foot space with white draping to separate the cocktail space from the main dinner area. Upon arrival, some 250 guests signed the temporary wall branded with the night's "Hail to the Victors" theme, a nod to the advertising industry's constant competition between agencies. A highlight of the cocktail hour was sipping chilled cocktails in eVenue's ice lounge, a 1,000-square-foot venue-within-a-venue made completely of ice and kept at 17.6 degrees.
"We chose the eVenue prior to selecting a theme because we truly thought the space was something unique," said Cossio. "It's in a neighborhood where no one would expect and most of all, has an ice bar that is so rare in South Florida."
In the main dining area, white linens and tall red lamps topped glowing tables. Mena Catering served the dinner buffet style to encourage guests to mingle throughout the night.
Sponsors included The Miami Herald and GE Audio Visual along with ad industry service providers such as iCreatives, 2150 Editorial, and Lucky 3. Winners from the Miami Addy Awards will compete in the regional competition before advancing to the national competition on June 6 in Washington, D.C.