Overview
In a rare milestone, Canadian law firm Bennett Jones celebrated its centennial. We toasted the firm's hundredth with a gala followed by a year of completely customized celebrations across the country, pulling out all the stops–and our best industry partners–to do it right.
The gala kicked it off by taking guests all the way back to the roaring twenties when R.B. Bennett and Mac Jones came together to found Bennett Jones.
With a design directive so notable as The Great Gatsby, we set out to give the guests something exciting and unexpected while staying true to the era. We created a balance of tradition and innovation using customized elements, a brand-aligned green and gold colour palette, and creative details to make the 100-year-old theme feel fresh, inspired, and personalized.
As friends and family of Bennett Jones arrived, they were immediately transported to the age of optimism and glamour. A first glance around the room revealed every corner of the space dripping in rich colours and textures with custom Art Deco accents. Leaning all the way in on decadence, the textiles boasted gold and herringbone, green velvet, and sparkling linens, and the stage featured a stunning scalloped drape backdrop flanked by pillars in a custom graphic wrap. Luxurious midcentury furniture offered spots to perch with cocktails and take in the opulence in true Gatsby soirée fashion, while a lush landscape of florals and greenery layered throughout the space completed the visual awe.
As guests settled in at tables with towering florals and candles, we took the opportunity to invigorate even the smallest elements with drama. We looked to Clik Laser Design to bring our custom menu design to life, creating a pop-up-book effect that sparked intrigue and interactivity as guests unfolded their menus to reveal the contents.
Through nostalgic speeches, an unforgettable dinner, and lively entertainment, the celebration of the brand continued as guests made their way to the photo op. We leveraged the moment to create a high-impact statement, working the Bennett Jones logo into custom graphic patterns and featuring a large custom 3D “100” sign by Second City Print Solutions that allowed guests to pose and interact with the centennial concept.
In bringing the theme to life, the room itself introduced a logistical challenge; we would be transforming the same space used for meetings during the day into a gala by evening. We had a quick turnaround for our flip, so we united all the teams in the room to pull it off.
Working closely with Orange Frog Productions and Encore Global, we pre-installed the rigging and brought the stage backdrop, chandeliers, and custom signage on site prior to the flip to hide them from guest view. This allowed the band and sound check to start almost immediately once guests were out of the room and our design team to focus on the foyer and tablescapes during the three-hour turnover. The result was a discreet and total makeover of the space, adding to the wow factor as guests returned to something entirely new.
Following the gala, we were able to carry the brand and celebratory feeling forward through events across the country, thanks to our world-class partners and custom designs. In the end, the evening provided plenty of opportunities to innovate and go above and beyond in telling a rich brand story spanning 100 years.
Impact
This monumental evening gave us pause to look back at our own history in the industry and just how many incredible partnerships we have formed through the years. We were able to bring top-tier talent to the table with us to help commemorate an incredible achievement with an event so ambitious and completely customized. The layers of coordination, expertise and communication allowed each of us to put our best foot forward and raise the bar in what we could create. We were honoured to receive the Best Event Design/Decor award at the 2023 Canadian Event Awards for this incredible night.
The wow factor for this evening didn’t come from just one element, but how each detail layered together to completely transform the space into something uniquely Bennett Jones, kicking off a year of celebrations across the country that we–and our friends at Bennett Jones–will never forget.
