Home >Inside a product launch

When the Event Manager became the Client...

One of the most important elements of this spectacular evening was the creation of an individual look for the room and one that would be representative of this high-level brand. From the outset I knew exactly how I wanted the room to look. Black and pink are the dominant colours, used to represent the Fauchon corporate identity and these colours were to be used throughout the design. Further, the event had to have a Parisian theme; although the brand is now international and has 650 retail outlets in 23 countries, Fauchon has its roots and heart firmly located in Paris. Fauchon was founded in 1886 by a grocer named Auguste Felix Fauchon, who arrived in Paris from Normandy in the early 1880s. Finally, Fauchon prides itself on the quality of its products and every minute detail of the evening had to reflect this ethos. The music had to be right; the food had to be divine and Fauchon’s own exclusive Champagne had to flow and be enjoyed throughout the night!

Paramount to the success of this event was the impression of the brand created on the night and taken away by our guests. Each and every invited guest had to feel welcome but not overwhelmed. I wanted to be able to present the Fauchon proposition of the gastronomique gift boxes in an interesting but dynamic way. There were lots of different requirements and exciting ideas going into the pot and there was much to be done!

The planning element of any event is probably the most important and although time was tight, we put a lot of thought into the design of the Ballroom at the Four Seasons. A number of elements came together to create the requisite look and mood, never forgetting the brand’s signatures colours and themes. Dozens of fresh pink bud roses were brought in and arranged in stylish black vases. Chairs were covered in black or pink covers and tables were draped to match. Pink lighting and scented candles lent a Parisian ambience to the room while singer Norah Ambrose, positioned strategically in the centre of the room and on a stage that was designed especially for the evening, recreated Edith Piaf ’s glory days. On the morning of the launch the PLANIT team arrived at the Four Season’s ballroom at 6am to commence the dress out of the Ballroom. Guests were due to arrive just after 6pm and the enormous task of stage building, room dressing, booms, lights, audio visual, speeches and dress rehearsals loomed ahead of us. Simultaneously, I had to metamorphose myself from event organiser to client and be the face and voice of Fauchon at a media photoshoot and during radio interviews throughout the day.

Usually my work occurs behind the scenes, ensuring that the client and product are the stars of the show so putting myself in the spotlight was a whole new experience, and one which was both daunting and thrilling! Chatting to Gerry Ryan on RTE 2FM as he and revered food critic, Paulo Tullio sampled our Fauchon products was a daunting experience. The thought of being involved in a live interview on TV3’s Ireland AM the following morning did nothing to ease my nerves and I suddenly developed an insight into how my own clients must feel at their company launches and events!

My interviews and photoshoots complete for the day I turned my attention back to the preparation of our venue! As the Audio Visual team did a final test on the microphones for the evening the PLANIT team breathed a collective sigh of relief. As six o’clock drew near we looked around and smiled to see that the room was beautifully dressed, our Parisian scene had been set and delectable delights and bubbling refreshments were waiting to be enjoyed by our invited guests! Having checked that the ballroom was ready to receive guests I put on my client hat once more. It had been a whirlwind of a day but I had still to change for the evening. I was also charged with entertaining my French guests from Fauchon, who are very exacting in their standards. We had much to live up to and much to prove! As I ran over my final speech notes the guests began to arrive. The PLANIT team had divided the Ballroom in two and behind the stage, long black drapes hid from view a recreation of a Fauchon show room. Following speeches from PLANIT and our Parisian Fauchon partners, the drapes automatically pulled back to reveal the real stars of the evening; the Fauchon presentations, chocolates, rare champagne and specialty foods such as truffles and foie gras, all displayed on perspex-lit boxes. Waiting staff sporting pink Fauchon uniforms were on hand to offer guests trays of delicious Fauchon chocolates and guests were invited to meander down to the pink and black showroom. Finally, I relaxed, I enjoyed my first glass of Champagne and decided that on this spectacular evening I would become a real client and just enjoy myself along with our guests! The multi-tasking was over, if only for that one night. Organising this event gave us a first hand insight into the pressures experienced by the client. However, it also gave us the opportunity to enjoy the feeling of immense satisfaction that the client experiences when the magic comes together to create a fantastic event! PLANIT has never believed in the pre-conception that conferences and corporate events are simply a series of boring presentations delivered in a monotone voice. Conferences and corporate events have evolved and become exciting, informative corporate and commercial events. Imagery, lighting effects and set design all support and enhance the speaker’s message and ensure that every presentation is communicated clearly to every member of the audience. Information is thus brought to life and delegates engaged and captivated. As a result the concentration of your audience is retained and their involvement is encouraged. By delegating the practical responsibilities of a Conference to us at PLANIT, we feel you will benefit from the added ability to concentrate on the content that you wish to deliver.

PLANIT resources enable us to offer our clients business orientated creativity, through the use of concept and design of invitations, conference packs and badges, registration, stage set and design, signage, audio visual and lighting requirements, guest speakers, interactive entertainment, décor, linen and entertainment for the evening’s Gala Dinner event. If you feel that PLANIT can help you to organise a conference or event in the near future, please do not hesitate to log onto the PLANIT website www.planit.ie or contact PLANIT directly at 01 2957522.