The audience consisted of past donors and subscribers. They received a digital and printed Save the Date as a teaser followed by the formal invitation in the mail.
Every detail was considered to ensure the recipients would want to open and spend a moment with the invitations while being mindful of budget. Digital printing was the best solution for the budget and quantity, so we used an uncoated, textured stock (Mohawk Via Felt, Pure White, 110#C) to elevate the look, while creating a customized sensibility. The paper was reminiscent of watercolor paper to give a tactile quality and it ensured the ink looked like it was sinking into the paper (as opposed to the shiny effect that digital printing can sometimes create).
The nationally renowned Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota holds an annual fundraising gala with two phases: the formal Curtain Call Ball, and the unplugged Backstage Bash a little later in the evening. The challenge with designing for these events: developing distinct yet complementary themes, and designing event invitations that convince a very hard-to-impress audience to join the fun.
These events are the client’s biggest annual fundraisers so it was crucial to the client that we engage their audience to attend the events and support the Theatre by surprising and delighting them while considering the budget. Both events were planned around the Theatre’s production of Cinderella, so two themes needed to come to life. It was important to the client that the looks of both events reflect the essence of their unique Cinderella production, which was a mix of traditional elegance with a modern comedic twist.
For the formal Curtain Call Ball, a Head Over Glass Heels theme incorporated ornate pouf hairstyles from 18th-century royalty. A look of traditional elegance came from the sophisticated color palette, painterly silhouette illustrations and typography. The modern twist came from unexpected mice and other surprises poking out of the exaggerated profiles for a bit of surprise and delight.
The festive, wilder nature of the Backstage Bash came through in artwork for a Happily Every Afterparty invitation, which featured double imagery of a bubbly champagne flute as the heel of Cinderella’s glass slipper. Typography and the appearance of a little mouse from the Ball invitation (but this time adorned with a top hat!) created a thread between the two invitations. The pumped-up color palette distinguished the bolder, younger Bash from the formal Ball.
Both events sold out, which meant a lot of support for the Children's Theatre Company to continue inspiring and educating both young and seasoned audiences and performers. The client was especially delighted because the Ball sold out in record time.
