Print / Direct Mail / Executive Hospitality / technology
IBM hosted about 1,000 of its most important clients at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, aboard the cruise ship Crystal Harmony in Sydney Harbour. The invitation had to feel as rare as the experience itself, and every mailing after it had to hold that standard until guests stepped on board.
Designed the guest journey as a sequence of mailings, from the invitation to the welcome, registration and confirmation packages, each one a step closer to Sydney. One visual system tied the pieces together, while each package carried its own color and image, so guests always knew where they were in the journey.
The invitation
Wrapped the invitation in tied leather, debossed with Sydney 2000 on the front and the IBM Olympic partner mark inside. A personal letter from IBM’s chairman invited each guest to the Games.
Wrapped the invitation in tied leather, debossed with Sydney 2000 on the front and the IBM Olympic partner mark inside. A personal letter from IBM’s chairman invited each guest to the Games.
Built the invitation as a pop-up book that told the story of the trip as it opened: the Olympic torch, the Sydney Opera House, and the Crystal Harmony, the ship guests would call home during the Games.
The Program Packages
Gave each stage its own folder, marked by a Sydney image and color: the Olympic torch for welcome, the Crystal Harmony in the harbour for registration, and the Opera House for confirmation. Inside, motion-blurred duotone athletes paired with a personal note for each stage, from accepting the invitation to arriving in Sydney.
The Details
Cut the slots that hold each letter right through the gold banding, and printed the bands in two tones of gold on textured stock. The same system carried onto letterhead and envelopes, and onto a business-card CD-ROM that opened the executive event website, taking the Sydney 2000 mark from paper to screen.
Cut the slots that hold each letter right through the gold banding, and printed the bands in two tones of gold on textured stock. The same system carried onto letterhead and envelopes, and onto a business-card CD-ROM that opened the executive event website, taking the Sydney 2000 mark from paper to screen.