Showroom: Prudential Plaza Marketing Theatre

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Chicago, Illinois, USA

The driving objective for realtor The Prudential Property Company was to create a marketing center that presented a new high-rise building as a series of benefits of tenancy as opposed to a list of architectural features.

The company assembled a team of diverse professionals— including specialists in scenic design, marketing, graphics, visual display, and architectural interiors— to create a unique, delightful, and informative relief to the mundane experience of shopping for office space. The integrated conceptual approach between the scenic designer and the architectural designer allowed the experiential magic to unfold, and the routine sales pitch was reinterpreted as illuminating, interactive theater.

Located near the top of the original 1955 Prudential Building, the 5200-square-foot Marketing Theatre tour began at a window gallery providing exterior views of the new building’s construction site. A potential buyer was led by a professional actor/presenter through a 30-minute spatial continuum that choreographed circulation and participatory presentation.

Adjacent vintage theater seating set the tone for historical reference and a series of strategically placed theatrical displays focusing on occupant issues and solution strategies. The performance experience culminated at an elegantly appointed conference space offering spectacular views of Grant Park and Lake Michigan. Strengthening the building’s selling points, the experiential presentation blended marketing and design into a single idea.

Real Estate Marketing Consultant Comments:

“We consider this to be a successful marketing tool. The first clue is when the phone starts ringing because people just want to see it. The project has been well received, and the brokers that are using it with tenants seem to be pleased with the production, allowing them to separate from the selling process and be the tenant’s advocate.”