CBC Merit Awards 70th Anniversary logo
Case Study — Chicago Building Congress

Merit Awards, 70th Anniversary

Design, video, and social direction for Chicago's "Academy Awards of construction" — from call-for-entries through a live ceremony honoring the projects and people shaping the city's built environment.

RoleGraphic Designer, Video Editor, Social Media Manager
ClientChicago Building Congress
ScopeBrand system, print, video, social
Attendance430 guests

The brief

Each year the Chicago Building Congress honors standout projects and people redefining the city's skyline. For the Congress's 70th anniversary, the celebration needed to feel like a milestone — without losing the industry's own visual language: drafting lines, material palettes, precision.

I led design and video production end-to-end: a 70th-anniversary mark, three campaign moments (call for entries, registration open, Award of Honor announcement), the full print environment for a 430-guest gala, and the video program that carried the ceremony from the judging room to the stage.

430Guests in attendance
12Award categories
32Finalist project posters
40Judging videos produced
4Hero videos for stage & social
70Years of the Merit Awards

Award categories

CategoryDeliverables produced
EducationFinalist posters, recognition graphics, judging videos, category finalist video, winner video
HealthcareFinalist posters, recognition graphics, judging videos, category finalist video, winner video
ResidentialFinalist posters, recognition graphics, judging videos, category finalist video, winner video
HospitalityFinalist posters, recognition graphics, judging videos, category finalist video, winner video
Commercial Construction — Under $50MFinalist posters, recognition graphics, judging videos, category finalist video, winner video
Commercial Construction — Over $50MFinalist posters, recognition graphics, judging videos, category finalist video, winner video
Renovation & Adaptive Reuse — Under $20MFinalist posters, recognition graphics, judging videos, category finalist video, winner video
Renovation & Adaptive Reuse — Over $20MFinalist posters, recognition graphics, judging videos, category finalist video, winner video
Infrastructure / Industrial ConstructionFinalist posters, recognition graphics, judging videos, category finalist video, winner video
Interior Build-OutFinalist posters, recognition graphics, judging videos, category finalist video, winner video
CBC Equity ChampionRecognition graphic, category finalist video, winner video
CBC Community ImpactRecognition graphic, category finalist video, winner video

On the big screen

Three videos anchored the night — opening the ceremony, honoring this year's recipient on stage, and teasing the Award of Honor across social ahead of the event.

Opening Video — set the tone for the 70th-anniversary ceremony and doubled as a social teaser. 1920×1080
Award of Honor Teaser — built from colleague testimonials, run across social ahead of the event.
Award of Honor Video — shown live before the award was presented on stage.

The visuals

Everything produced across the campaign — from the first call for entries to the seating chart that ran the night.

Campaign Creative — three moments, click through
Call for Entries
Call for Entries email banner
Call for Entries social graphic
Registration Open
Registration Open email banner
Registration Open social graphic
Award of Honor Announcement
Award of Honor email banner
Award of Honor social graphic
Sponsorship Prospectus — 5 pages, click through
Sponsorship prospectus page 1
Sponsorship prospectus page 2
Sponsorship prospectus page 3
Sponsorship prospectus page 4
Sponsorship prospectus page 5
Finalist Projects — one per category
Interior Build-Out finalist poster — Jesse White State of Illinois Building, Berglund Construction
Interior Build-Out
Commercial Construction finalist poster — Downers Grove Civic Center, FGMA
Commercial Construction
Residential/Hospitality finalist poster — Straits Row, Clark Construction
Residential / Hospitality
Healthcare finalist poster — Humboldt Park Health Wellness Center, ALL Construction Group
Healthcare
Higher Education finalist poster — Waubonsee Community College Technical Education Center, Pepper Construction
Education — Higher Ed
Pre-K through 12 finalist poster — After School Matters at Orleans, Eckenhoff Saunders
Education — Pre-K–12
Print & The Room
Merit Awards seating map
Seating Map
Table number sign with digital program QR code
Table Number Sign

Behind the ceremony

The stage program was the visible layer of a much larger production pipeline built earlier in the season.

Step 1
40

AI-narrated judging videos, one per submission, used by the panel to evaluate every entry.

Step 2
32

Finalist project posters, 18×24in, printed and displayed at the reception.

Step 3
12+12

Finalist and winner videos — one per category, shown live during the ceremony.

Step 4
15+

Directional, sponsor, and registration signs (24×36in) plus supporting flyers (8.5×11in) placed throughout the venue.

Post-event results

Revenue mix from the night itself, plus how the video program performed once it hit social.

Revenue Mix
28%From sponsorship
Revenue Mix
72%From ticket sales
Video performance, social
VideoImpressionsViewsClicks
Award of Honor Teaser52842444
Opening Video59024067
Recap Video44520935
Result

A milestone anniversary, carried from the call for entries to the closing recap — in print, on screen, and on stage.

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