Creative Brief

The event commemorated our 80th anniversary and was a celebration with our best clients/partners. The speakeasy theme was inspired by the prohibition era of HITT’s founding in 1937. The attendee list included the most important leaders in the CRE industry in DC, and the hushed vibe was fitting for the VIP-only guest list. 

From the first touchpoint of a mysterious save-the-date that included limited information, an actual small brass skeleton key, and a password, the experience was carefully crafted. The digital invitation followed two weeks later, giving time to create buzz around the shadowy event. 

The venue, located in Old Town Alexandria, offered a historic location, dusky ambiance, and industrial décor that perfectly suited the theme. The event décor was primarily dark, with dim lighting and brass accents. Groupings of glass hurricanes and pillar candles, with lit and non-lit wine bottles and avant-garde feathers, added a hint of 1930s glitz. The event graphics were vintage art-deco and used prohibition-inspired jargon. 

The intended experience was lavish and special, though the private event was over the top and a true celebration with our most important clients. Highlights included a blackjack table, a custom cigar roller with branded cigar label, and servers dressed to theme – men in newsboy caps and suspenders, and women in flapper-style apparel. Prohibition-era specialty cocktails such as a Bee’s Knees and a Whiskey Sour were offered at the bar. As a party favor, guests took home a bottle of top shelf champagne or Hendricks gin.