Elevating Recognition Through Experience Design

Context

Each year, Real Producers Magazine, Philadelphia brings together many of the region's top-performing real estate professionals to celebrate their achievements. For this event, the planning team had developed a sophisticated Kentucky Derby-inspired gala with an elegant venue, refined décor and a theme reflecting the prestige of the occasion.

Challenge

Create an experience that made every recipient feel genuinely celebrated while extending the event's Derby theme through memorable, heirloom-quality keepsakes.

Scope

Recognition strategy, personalised award design, limited-edition gift collection design and manufacture, engraved glassware and accessories, and custom event signage.

Time frame

Single annual awards gala held 4 May 2023, designed across the planning cycle preceding the event.

Averello's role

Averello was invited to complement the planning team's vision — not by planning the event, but by designing the recognition and gifting experience.

Sector

Real estate media and industry recognition

• Experience
• Product
• Event
• Brand

Averello Studios was invited to complement a sophisticated Kentucky Derby-inspired gala — not by planning the event, but by designing a recognition and gifting experience worthy of the professionals being honoured. Our objective was simple: create an experience that made every recipient feel genuinely celebrated while extending the event's Derby theme through memorable, heirloom-quality keepsakes.

People rarely remember every speech, centrepiece or detail of an event. They remember how they were made to feel — so recognition should be designed as one experience rather than assembled as separate awards and gifts.

1. Stage 01

   Begin with the recipient

   Before designing anything, we asked what recipients would remember years from now, what would make an award feel truly personal, how every gift could reinforce the prestige of the event, and what guests would proudly take home and continue using long after the evening ended.

2. Stage 02

   Design one recognition experience

   Awards and gifts are often treated as separate elements. We approached them as part of a single recognition experience, so awards, glassware, packaging and signage read as one coordinated collection.

3. Stage 03

   Extend the theme into the room

   The Derby theme was carried beyond the objects themselves into branded signage and photography moments that reinforced the visual identity of the evening.

Personalised Derby awards

Rather than traditional acrylic trophies, recipients received custom horse-inspired awards featuring their individual names, transforming each presentation into a meaningful and highly personal recognition piece. Each award reflected the elegance and competitive spirit of the Kentucky Derby while celebrating the unique accomplishments of the recipient.

Limited-edition whiskey gift collection

Averello designed and manufactured a limited run of 100 custom whiskey presentation boxes, handcrafted from Baltic birch. Each sliding-lid box featured the event logo engraved on the front, an engraved whiskey glass carrying the Real Producers icon, engraved whiskey stones and a custom imprinted whiskey stone pouch. Rather than serving as a promotional giveaway, the presentation box became a premium keepsake reflecting the exclusivity of the event itself.

Custom event signage

To reinforce the overall experience, Averello designed custom event signage positioned above the flower wall, creating a dramatic branded backdrop that encouraged photography while extending the visual identity of the evening. The installation helped transform a popular photo opportunity into a memorable branded moment guests enthusiastically shared throughout the event.

1. 01Defined the recognition experience around the recipient before any object was specified.
2. 02Designed personalised, horse-inspired awards carrying each recipient's name in place of standard trophies.
3. 03Designed and manufactured a limited run of 100 Baltic birch sliding-lid presentation boxes with engraved event branding.
4. 04Specified and engraved the glassware, whiskey stones and imprinted pouch so every component read as one collection.
5. 05Designed and installed custom signage above the flower wall to anchor the evening's photography moment.

One of the most memorable moments occurred before the awards presentation had even begun. Guests arrived at the country club dressed for an elegant evening and received their custom whiskey presentation boxes upon entering. Our team watched as numerous recipients immediately opened their boxes, examined the craftsmanship and personalised details, then walked all the way back to their vehicles — not because the event had ended, but because they wanted to safely lock their keepsake away before enjoying the evening. They didn't want to risk losing it. The gift had immediately become something worth protecting.

• Recipients left the entrance to secure their presentation boxes in their vehicles before returning to the celebration.
• The signage above the flower wall turned a popular photo opportunity into a branded moment guests shared throughout the event.
• Years later, attendees and industry professionals throughout the Philadelphia real estate community continue to reference the custom whiskey boxes and recognition experience when discussing memorable industry events.

No quantitative figures are shown. Averello publishes numerical outcomes only where a client has verified and released them in writing.

Recognition strategy, design direction and manufacture

Averello Studios

Event host and planning

Real Producers Magazine, PhiladelphiaCollaborator

Averello Studios led strategy, design direction and creative leadership on this engagement. Collaborators are credited for their specific contribution.

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