On Thursday, October 16, art buyers from eight global advertising agencies gathered at The Napoleon Group’s Flatiron headquarters for Napoleon’s 2nd Annual Fall Harvest Art Buyers Soiree, a chance for art buyers across the industry to meet and mingle, explore Napoleon’s unparalleled Art Studio, talk shop (or not) and welcome Fall in style.
Art buyers and integrative producers from McGarry-Bowen, Publicis Kaplan Thaler, Saatchi & Saatchi, Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness, Harrison and Star, DDB, Huge and Evoke Health shared cocktails and hors d’oeuvres with the team from Napoleon’s unique in-house Art Studio: Art Studio Manager Scott Stein, Art Studio Technical Director Norm Morales, Artist/Illustrator Al Evcimen, Illustrator Frank Mignosi, Art Studio Assistant Chloe Gilbert and Production Artist Michelle David.
Guests were treated to a gallery of poster-size prints of traditional art, conceptual art, illustrations, storyboards and photo real art from some of Napoleon’s top artists while enjoying an irresistible spread from some of the Flatiron District’s finest: sushi from Abeca, saté from Rhong-Tiam, bite-size cupcakes from Baked by Melissa and chocolate chip cookies from City Bakery, in addition to a selection of exotic cheeses, craft beer, wine and appletinis, the event’s signature cocktail.
Napoleon VP/Sales Jane Carter, a 25-year company veteran recruited to kickstart the art division in 1989, led tours of Napoleon’s new custom-built facility, offering a first-hand look at the motion-capture capabilities of the stage and a behind-the-scenes look at Napoleon’s renowned Art Studio, distinguished by tools of the trade that range from traditional to digital and a distinctive décor highlighted by a collection of vintage mechanical tin toys.
“I had a blast,” says Yas Fandi, Art Buyer at Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness Art Buyer.
“It was a wonderful party,” says Michelle Findlay, Stock Art Producer at Publicis Kaplan Thaler. “I’m new to the art-buying field so it was really special to meet other art buyers and, of course, lovely to spend time with the folks from Napoleon as well.”
Napoleon Director of Business Development Paul Johnson concurs. “All productions start with art,” he says. “Art buyers coordinate resources with vendors like Napoleon to produce storyboards, comps and illustrations. The Art Buyers Soiree is an opportunity for art buyers to visit our facility and an opportunity for us to give back and say thank you to everyone who has helped make Napoleon’s reputation rock-solid over the years. There was such an amazing turnout this year. We got to see a lot of faces we haven’t seen in a long time and we’re already looking forward to next year.”
To view a photo gallery of the Art Buyers Soiree CLICK HERE.
The Napoleon Group
Art. Craft. Ingenuity. Those are the deliverables that distinguish The Napoleon Group and the reasons creative thinkers and innovative brands trust us to instill impact and performance in their previsualization, test advertising and digital content.
Drawing on an evolving portfolio of specialized services and styles—animatics, cinematics, live production, art, audio, 3D VFX/motion graphics—Napoleon fashions captivating experiences that spark consumer curiosity, inspire brand loyalty and fuel product sales. In short, we provide deeper consumer insights and consistently higher test scores by creating customized content that connects, compels and converts.
Founded in 1985, The Napoleon Group is a full-service previz and digital content company with a legacy of unrivaled authority and an eye firmly focused on the future. Seizing an opportunity for growth and expansion in 2013, Napoleon moved to New York's nexus of creativity and technology, the vibrant Flatiron District, and created a dream studio—a one-of-a-kind, more than 14,000-square-foot contemporary office and facility on two floors that's perfectly suited to the changing nature of the advertising business.
The new project-centric space features a 12-camera Vicon Bonita motion-capture system, a spacious green-screen stage and custom-built edit and audio suites that combine comfort with a stylish efficiency, all seamlessly tied together with state-of-the-art infrastructure. The studio boasts an open-air workspace for 40-plus animators, editors, designers, illustrators, modelers, compositors, scripters, character artists, motion-graphics artists, producers and creative directors that facilitates creative synergy among staff and clients alike and inspires our savvy storytellers to greater heights.
For industry-leading talent, a collaborative culture and a facility designed to exhilarate, agencies seeking a truly creative partnership know where to turn: The Napoleon Group.
