Partner Celebration

PwC Partners

Location

London

Type

Event Design

Launched

June 2024

Client

PwC Partners

Creative lead

Kelvin Dews

Design leads

Fudzhay Saidov

Overview

The event celebrates Kevin Ellis's tenure as Senior Partner on 20 June 2024, across two venues.

The first part at Old Vic Theatre will be a formal annual partner event with a business update and the introduction of the new Senior Partner and their Management Board. The decor will be elegant, with professional lighting and multimedia presentations highlighting Kevin Ellis's achievements. Entertainment will include classical music and a professional MC.

The evening continues at Battersea Evolution with a relaxed dinner and cocktail dress code, allowing partners and their spouses to connect socially. The decor will be playful and vibrant, with possible themes like Retro or Garden Party, featuring interactive elements such as photo booths. Entertainment includes a live band or DJ and interactive acts like magicians. The menu will offer a cocktail-style dinner with gourmet food stations and an open bar.

Ensuring smooth logistics, sending creative invitations, and collecting attendee feedback are additional considerations. This event aims to celebrate Kevin Ellis’s tenure and provide memorable experiences for partners and their spouses.

Results

Challenge

The challenge was to develop two distinct brand identities for the event. The segment at the Old Vic Theatre had to adhere strictly to PwC’s brand guidelines, ensuring that all visual elements, messaging, and overall presentation aligned with the company's professional and corporate standards. This required a formal and polished approach, consistent with PwC's established brand image.

In contrast, the event at Battersea Evolution had no such branding restrictions. This allowed for a more playful and creative approach, enabling the incorporation of vibrant themes, innovative decor, and interactive elements that would not typically align with the formal PwC brand. This freedom provided an opportunity to create a relaxed and celebratory atmosphere, encouraging social interaction and enjoyment among the partners and their spouses.

Morphing shapes

The morphing shapes idea forms the visual foundation for our innovative event identity, inspired by symbolic representations of transition and transformation. This concept is both aesthetically engaging and conceptually rich, representing our leadership’s journey.

The fluid nature of morphing shapes captures the essence of change and growth, mirroring the evolution of our leadership. Each shape transitions smoothly into the next, symbolizing the seamless handover of responsibilities and continuous development within our organization. This visual metaphor aligns with themes of progress and innovation.

By incorporating these shapes into the event's design—such as invitations, stage backdrops, and digital presentations—we create a cohesive and striking visual identity that reflects the transformative nature of this leadership transition. This concept embodies change, continuity, and growth, symbolizing our organization's ongoing evolution and the exciting future ahead.

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Venue

For over 200 years, The Old Vic has been a central figure in its civic, creative, and cultural community, reaching over 350,000 audience members annually, with more than 60% visiting for the first time. Operating as an independent charity, The Old Vic focuses on societal contribution and accessibility.

Starting as a music hall and evolving into a theatre known for great acting, dance, and musical performances, it has hosted legendary actors like Laurence Olivier, Judi Dench, and Maggie Smith. Despite facing challenges like bankruptcy, fires,

wartime bombing, and the COVID-19 pandemic, The Old Vic has maintained its independence, integrity, and fighting spirit.

The Old Vic has continually adapted over the past two centuries but remains dedicated to being a beacon of hope, entertainment, education, and inspiration. In 2018, The Old Vic celebrated its 200th birthday, showcasing its enduring commitment to being a force for good.

Pattern

In our event identity, five stages of shape morphing, transitioning from a circle to a square and vice versa, symbolise a transformative journey in leadership. The sequence represents the dynamic evolution and adaptability required for effective leadership.

The solid circle marks the spotlight on and farewell to Kevin Ellis, adding a poignant touch to the visual narrative of leadership evolution.

Theatre visual alignment

Using PwC red as the main colour, shows reference to the stage curtains and the seating when light is played on them. This brings the design to life and embeds itself in the venue, design and event experience for the attendee.

Neon nexus

The "Neon Nexus" event branding concept combined abstract shapes with vibrant neon lights to create a dynamic and immersive atmosphere, symbolizing connection, innovation, and the blending of tradition and future. Geometric and fluid abstract shapes, highlighted by bright neon lights in electric blues, pinks, purples, and greens, were used across all event materials, including sleek invitations, dynamic digital screens, and consistent print materials like programs and brochures.

The venue was transformed with large neon installations and projections, creating immersive environments, while interactive elements such as neon-lit photo booths and digital walls engaged attendees and made the event memorable and shareable. This concept created an unforgettable experience, celebrating connection and innovation through cutting-edge design and meaningful symbolism.

Venue

Evolution London is a versatile event venue in Battersea Park, London, known for hosting a wide range of events including corporate functions, exhibitions, and private parties. It can accommodate up to 4,000 guests for standing receptions and 2,000 for seated dinners, offering a flexible layout and modern facilities. With state-of-the-art lighting, sound systems, and top-tier catering, Evolution London provides a customisable space ideal for creating memorable and impactful experiences.

Planning

The event design planning involved collaborating with external agencies to create detailed 3D mockups and renders. This visual approach helped senior stakeholders visualize and approve the event concept and layout efficiently. The lifelike representations of venue setups, including decor and lighting, facilitated clear communication and informed decision-making before finalizing the plans. This process ensured alignment with senior leadership expectations and requirements for the event.

Digital assets

I created a custom animation and bespoke logo for the event, tailored for all screens. This animation was designed to align with the event's theme and branding, enhancing visual coherence across digital displays and presentations. The bespoke logo played a central role in reinforcing the event's identity, appearing dynamically throughout the venue to highlight key moments and messages, ensuring a memorable and unified experience for attendees.

Print assets

There were numerous print installations on walls and window panels throughout the entire venue. In addition to these prominent displays, secondary print assets were also developed, including door signs, menu cards, and photo booth designs. These print materials were strategically placed to enhance the event's atmosphere and provide essential information to attendees. Each element was carefully designed to maintain consistency with the overall event theme and branding, ensuring a cohesive visual experience throughout the venue.