Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Centennial Celebration

OVERVIEW

Create an exciting theme for the Louisiana Farm Bureau Centennial Celebration at their annual meeting in New Orleans.

THE CHALLENGE

We were tasked with creating a theme that embodies the excitement every organization feels upon reaching 100 years. For this conservative organization with a membership that lives and breathes Farm Bureau, it was not a task for the faint of heart. I tossed many ideas with my co-designer on the direction to go, like looking back in a memory book, but she suggested we create a theme celebrating the accomplishments of the past and the excitement of what’s to come. In the presentation to the leadership team, I gathered images that embody this idea, and my co-designer wrote the narrative below to accompany the images.

You straighten your finely tailored black tuxedo as you step out of the limousine, reaching a hand back to the life of the party—your wife. She looks stunning, as if she just stepped out of a 1920s party thrown by The Great Gatsby himself. Adorned in gold, sequins and feathers with bold red lipstick, she is the image of glamour and celebration.

You’ve been looking forward to this day for what feels like 100 years. It’s not only your debut back into society, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and together you’ve come to party!

Today is a pinnacle moment in history, a memory you’ll never forget and an event you wouldn’t miss for the world.

You glance at the chic, formal, black-and-gold invitation you’ve kept tucked away in your coat pocket to see when the festivities begin, as you make your way down the maroon velvet carpet with her arm wrapped in yours. You imagine that this is what it feels like to be a celebrity.

String lights and globe lanterns adorn the lawn, dangling from hundred-year-old oak trees. Cameras flash, glasses clink and voices carry the energy of the party across the sprawling outdoor venue—a magical entrance.

The smells of crisp evening air, booze, perfume and gunpowder draw you into a bustling crowd where you mingle among close friends—all dressed in their finest attire. The night is bustling with excitement and anticipation!

The dark sky is filled with millions of twinkling stars that add to the shimmering sea of sparkling dresses gathered below. An explosion of maroon and golden fireworks fill the night sky. The crowd cheers, oohs and ahhs.

The atmosphere is elegant and tangible; it’s enlivening and contagious.

The upbeat, soulful sounds of jazz music playing on a gramophone draw you toward a spectacular entrance to a glamorous reception. The energy in the room is magnetic. There’s laughter and dancing.

Crystal chandeliers as large and bright as the sun dangle from the ceiling over black and white checkered floors. White linen tables with elaborate displays, 100-count glass champagne pyramids, hundreds of translucent golden balloons, iconic Art Deco décor and an undeniable sense of celebration fill the room. You feel as though you’ve stepped directly into the roaring 20s—an artsy, charismatic time defined by growth, prosperity and overindulgence.

A gold cart rolls to the center of the room, holding the grandest cake you’ve ever seen. The whole evening has been a slice of decadence—a special, savory treat.

The room erupts in celebration. Corks pop! You’re handed a glass of champagne. Together you all toast: Cheers to 100 years! Cheers to many more!

THE SOLUTION

With the celebration theme approved, we moved confidently into our Roaring Twenties design. Our research led us to tall, elegant fonts with a strong cap height that captured the era’s bold energy. For color, we built around the brand’s maroon (PMS 202) to ensure cohesion with the company logo if it needed to be incorporated into any collateral.

All event collateral reflected this system seamlessly — spanning print, environmental, promotional items, and digital applications. Attendees were fully immersed in a celebratory experience brought to life through rich golds and deep blacks. To further tie the theme to the organization’s history, we incorporated black-and-white photography from the archives. Layering gold typography and graphics over these historic images elevated the pieces and reinforced the sophistication of the brand system.

At the event, I was also responsible for photography and presentation slides. While capturing photos, I kept the established thumbnail, social image, and slide system in mind, which allowed me to quickly integrate images into event materials. This ensured a consistent look across both live and digital touchpoints, further reinforcing the brand system.