This year has been immense for women in media, comedy, politics, pop culture, business, sports, science –  I could keep listing but let’s be honest about our attention spans. Basically wherever women are, they’re generally lauded for being awesome these days.

So when Deutsch NY was asked to identify a theme for the 2012 Matrix awards – an event organized by the New York Women in Communications to honor eight women who have helped shape our world for the better – we were ready to make something bold that would showcase the award recipients as the amazing women they are, in a way that makes sense coming from IPG, the 2012 Matrix Awards main sponsor.

Since we’re based in New York, we wanted to present the award recipients in a way that was larger than life, featuring the winners on huge outdoor advertisements in Times Square, and throughout New York City.  Drawing influences from M. Sasek’s illustrations and Saul Bass movie title sequences, we developed a stylized, editorial look and feel for the program.

What started out as a design for a program turned into a two-minute animation a la Pink Panther, which kicked off the awards at The Waldorf Astoria. With over one thousand people in attendance to listen to speeches delivered by this year’s honorees including Tyra Banks, Gayle Butler, Glenn Close, Maria Cuomo Cole, Ann Curry, Laura Desmond, Zenia Mucha, and Peggy Noonan, it became clear why it’s considered one of the most outstanding events of the year.

The speech that stood out to me in particular was delivered by Peggy Noonan (Wall Street Journal columnist, best-selling author of eight books and two-time Presidential speechwriter) who stressed the importance of knowledge, particularly within a career in communications. “I would say if you want to be one of those people worth listening to,” Noonan said, ” bring context and grounding and knowledge to your work and decisions. In other words; read. No matter what you do for a living, you must at times, detach, absorb and ponder.”  A really important reminder in an age of sometimes chaotic social media. She also reminded a room largely comprised of women that “great gentleman are encouragers of women.”

I really loved working with the women of NYWICI on bringing their awards show to life. It was a pleasure to collaborate with so many bold, assertive, successful women, who happen to be part of an organization that celebrates bold, assertive, successful women.

Deutsch NY Program/Video Creative Credits:

Chip Rich: VP, Associate Creative Director

Elizabeth Maertens: Associate Creative Director

Meryl Stebel: Art Director/Illustrator

2012-04-24