WHAT IF YOU COULD SHARE YOUR MESSAGE
WITH THE WORLD?
PARKERs international Write Big event drew to a spectacular close on December 7th with a magical evening which combined innovative art technology with the written word in the heart of New York City. Kelly Killoren Bensimon, author and star of reality show The Real Housewives Of New York City, was on-hand to help PARKER launch this wonderful celebration.
Throughout November PARKER invited people from all over the world to share their message online at www.parkerpen.com Entrants were able to convey their thoughts by beginning their message with the question What if?
Out of the 160, 000 visitors to the website, more than 53,000 entrants from around the world submitted their personal, topical or philosophical messages to be used in an original event designed to celebrate the art of hand-writing.
The groundbreaking Write Big competition was concluded with PARKERs judges selecting 30 winning, inspirational messages from 10 different countries, in 9 different languages for their democratic, original and positive meaning.
Here is a selection of sample message:
What if your small step started a massive change? – Gerri T.
What if you could save a life with a pen? Inkredible! – Matthew O.
What if I was a pen, the world would be my notepad -Daniel L.
The 30 winning messages were projected onto the outer walls of the Museum of Arts & Design*, one of New Yorks most iconic buildings, in a breathtaking display of revolutionary, cutting edge 3D video mapping. PARKER entertained NYC throughout the 2 hour display as those in Columbus Circle and Broadway were astonished to watch the messages from across the world being projected onto the New York skyline .
The PARKER holiday pop-up shop** also proved to be a popular destination for those who took inspiration from the projections and wanted to see PARKERs collection of 2010 pens.
Earlier in the evening, an initial presentation for press and supporters of the brand was held in the Museum of Arts & Design. Notable guests in attendance included influential New York based designers, grandsons of the PARKER family, author and reality show star Kelly Killoren Bensimon, PARKER President Jean- Charles Hita and Group President Penny McIntyre. In addition media attendees included representatives from The Wall Street Journal, Good Morning America and Glamour to People, US Weekly and Men’s Health.
Group President Penny McIntyre initiated the evenings proceedings with a speech outlining the conceptual thinking behind the event and its natural link with the sophisticated heritage and innovative values inherent to the PARKER brand:
Write Big event encapsulates all of PARKER values: Innovation with its 3D technique, Design with the artistic creation and Writing, with the written thoughts from people from all around the world said Jean-Charles Hita. Kelly Bensimon added, I’m thrilled to have been asked to participate in tonight’s Write Big event. There is nothing more alluring than the written word. I love the intimacy of a note, and why not write it with an amazing instrument like a Parker pen?
PARKERs international ambassadors, a group of three globally renowned creative entrepreneurs, unfortunately were unable to attend the event but instead joined in the spirit of the occasion by submitting their own messages to be projected, reinforcing the international appeal of the contest:
What if I only exist as long as somebody needs me? – Azamat Tseboev, Russia
What if writers invented reality and not the contrary? – Amanda Sthers, France
What if we were all angels? – Beata Pawlikowska, Poland
The public can relive the spectacle of the Write Big event and see exclusive footage of the evening by visiting www.parkerpen.com or Facebook fan page (www.facebook.com/parkerpens).
*Museum of Arts and Design address:
2 Columbus Circle, New York City NY 10019 USA
**The PARKER Pop-Up Holiday Shop address:
Time Warner Centre, Ground Floor
10 Columbus Circle, New York NY 10019 USA
Open until January 31st 2011
Appendix with Ambassadors biography:
Kelly Bensimon:
Kelly Killoren Bensimon is an author, influential fashion editor, model, and tastemaker. With a BA in English literature and creative writing from Columbia University, Kelly continues to make the written word a priority not only in her career but also her personal life and is a firm believer in the merits of a hand written note over electronic communication.
Kelly was the founding Editor of Elle Accessories magazine in 2005. She also helped create and launch Gotham magazine, where she worked as the Fashion and accessories editor. As an editor to Hamptons magazine, Kelly wrote two successful fashion columns: “In the Spirit of the Hamptons” and “Most Wanted.” Her column inspired In The Spirit of the Hamptons (2002), a book for influential publisher Assouline. The book remains one of the company’s top sellers and was the first of the ‘In the Spirit ‘ series. Kelly is also the author of American Style (2004) and The Bikini Book, (2006) both published by Assouline, and a portion of the author’s proceeds are donated to the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Kelly is currently the Editor-at-Large of Gotham and Hamptons magazines.
Amanda Sthers:
French author of many talents, Amanda Sthers is also a director and screenwriter.
Born in 1978, she has written novels, plays, songs, sketches and children’s books.
Her greatest success was the play the old Jewish blonde in 2006, which enters the program at Harvard in 2008.
Message projected:
What if writers invented reality and not the contrary?
Et si les crivains inventaient la ralit et non l’inverse?
Azamat Tseboev:
He is the Chief editor of Menu Magazine, a popular Moscow lifestyle title, and creative director of Public Image PR & Event Management Company.
He launched his career the day after he graduated and has many strings to his bow including founding a rock-band, an advertising agency, an internet company, a consultancy firm, four magazines and a PR agency.
He has collaborated with several magazines and a few newspapers as a guest writer and columnist, and owns a successful self-named blog on livejournal.com (azamat-tseboev.livejournal.com).
Message projected:
What if I only exist as long as somebody needs me?
, , – ?
Beata Pawlikowska:
Beata Pawlikowska is a Polish writer, independent traveller and journalist.
She fondly remembers her journeys, dreams and finding herself in the jungle of life”. She organizes trips to the Amazon Jungle, as well as other wild and exotic places all over the world. She writes books and article for high profile titles such as National Geographic and she loves photography.
She even hosts her own radio show, “wiat wedug blondynki” (“The world according to blonde”), on the Polish radio station “Radio ZET”.
Her website: www.beatapawlikowska.pl
Message projected:
What if we were all angels?
A co by byo gdybymy wszyscy byli anioami?