BusinessWeek's new look was designed to be understated, but its relaunch party was anything but. Bedecked in blazing red accents, Guastavino's showcased some new technology and entertainment to highlight the magazine's relaunch slogan, "Richer, Smarter, Faster," and its new section, "What's Next."
Despite the stormy night, 500 guests trooped to the landmark venue to celebrate the magazine's redesign. The BusinessWeek team led by senior marketing manager Rebecca Fontes worked with Matthew David Events to produce the event, which was hosted by the publication's president, Keith Fox, and its editor in chief, Stephen Adler, and was attended by the likes of Henry Kissinger, Michael Eisner, Atoosa Rubenstein, and Jonathan Tisch. (BMG C.E.O. Clive Davis was expected, but the weather delayed his plane.)Inside the venue, the production team utilized several areas to bring the slogan and section to life: The window shades served as screens for a flash projection that included quotes and buzzwords, plasma-screen stations displayed pages from the new issue, and a 50- by 70-inch LED screen mimicked a magazine cover and acted as a backdrop for the main stage.
To bring an interactive element to the event, TKE Productions set up a mini photo studio where guests could create their own magazine covers. After choosing from a selection of flash cards bearing words like energizer, sassier, or brighter (blank cards allowed the more creative to make their own), guests posed for a photographer in front of a freestanding red wall. The stills were then transferred to the LCD display downstairs.
Other aspects of the event represented the "What's Next" motif, including the entertainment. The first act, an original and inspired business-themed tap-dancing routine from Live Lab, caught guests off-guard: The performers, interspersed among the crowd (and inconspicuous in business attire), abruptly beat briefcases with drumsticks or took calls on a cell phone. The performance ended on the main stage and acted as an introduction to speeches from Adler and Fox. Following the speeches, I Nine—BMG's newest pop-rock band—played from another stage.
Despite the stormy night, 500 guests trooped to the landmark venue to celebrate the magazine's redesign. The BusinessWeek team led by senior marketing manager Rebecca Fontes worked with Matthew David Events to produce the event, which was hosted by the publication's president, Keith Fox, and its editor in chief, Stephen Adler, and was attended by the likes of Henry Kissinger, Michael Eisner, Atoosa Rubenstein, and Jonathan Tisch. (BMG C.E.O. Clive Davis was expected, but the weather delayed his plane.)Inside the venue, the production team utilized several areas to bring the slogan and section to life: The window shades served as screens for a flash projection that included quotes and buzzwords, plasma-screen stations displayed pages from the new issue, and a 50- by 70-inch LED screen mimicked a magazine cover and acted as a backdrop for the main stage.
To bring an interactive element to the event, TKE Productions set up a mini photo studio where guests could create their own magazine covers. After choosing from a selection of flash cards bearing words like energizer, sassier, or brighter (blank cards allowed the more creative to make their own), guests posed for a photographer in front of a freestanding red wall. The stills were then transferred to the LCD display downstairs.
Other aspects of the event represented the "What's Next" motif, including the entertainment. The first act, an original and inspired business-themed tap-dancing routine from Live Lab, caught guests off-guard: The performers, interspersed among the crowd (and inconspicuous in business attire), abruptly beat briefcases with drumsticks or took calls on a cell phone. The performance ended on the main stage and acted as an introduction to speeches from Adler and Fox. Following the speeches, I Nine—BMG's newest pop-rock band—played from another stage.
BusinessWeek's relaunch.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew David Events
Red was everywhere—from the furniture to the drapes to the lighting—drawing attention to the color of the magazine's logo and giving the venue a contemporary look.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew David Events
A large LED screen above the main stage showed images from the photo booth with the words "What's Next" behind guests holding up flash cards.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew David Events
Blank cards and markers enabled attendees to create their own buzzwords for the photo booth.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew David Events
A six-member troupe, dressed in casual business attire, signaled the start of the speeches with a performance that started among the crowd and ended on stage.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew David Events
The production team made use of the venue's window shades, projecting quotes as well as images of the performers onto the large screens.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew David Events
