• 200 Guests

• Upscale French theme - from music to catering

• Ribbon cutting and champagne toast

• Tour of innovation center

• Special security and stanchions required

• Videographer / photographer

• Press presence

• Large tent to accommodate unexpected growth in numbers

Roquette’s Innovation Center Grand Opening quickly ballooned from a small, local event to a large event with press involvement and international interest. They turned to Iron Peacock Events to provide a solution.

Challenges: When the Roquette grand opening rapidly grew from a small, boardroom-size affair to an event garnering international interest within weeks of the event, they knew they needed fast, expert support. The interest in their grand opening meant the number of guests attending exploded. Meeting spaces inside their building were not large enough to accommodate the growth. Going outside was a risk due to the unpredictable weather in Philadelphia in early spring. How would they manage large numbers onsite and successfully introduce their Innovation Center without chaos?

Solution: Iron Peacock Events managed Roquette’s U.S. multiple trade show program for several years. It was an easy transition to place their trust in our ability to rescue their Grand Opening.

Results: Re-organizing the agenda of the event was the first step. Media was invited to a breakfast solely for them, followed by a tour and meeting where they could ask questions specifically of interest to their media outlet. The afternoon was dedicated to invited guests and ended with a VIP reception. 

To solve the lack of space issue, Iron Peacock obtained permitting to place a large tent outside including heaters to hold off the potential chilly weather forecast for Philly. This area served as the heartbeat of the event. From there, guests were divided into small, manageable groups to tour the Innovation Center.

Roquette’s beginnings were in France. Both the CEO and Founder from France attended. It was a natural progression to make the entire theme an upscale French treat. We incorporated a violinist who entertained with both european and domestic melodies. Catering featured french cuisine and a champagne toast. Blue and yellow from the company logo adorned everything from tables to napkins, the ribbon cutting, signage and gifts.

At the end of the day the grand opening was a hit with every challenge met and a very happy (and more relaxed) client.