Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting
Designing for One of New York's Most Iconic Nights.
Each year, the lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree draws thousands to Midtown Manhattan and millions more watching live on NBC. As the owner and operator of Rockefeller Center, Tishman Speyer oversees the event, and the occasion calls for branded materials that match the prestige of the moment—welcoming VIP guests, press, and media with the same care and craft the evening itself demands.
I designed the branded program for two consecutive years, developing the full suite of materials from concept through production and fabrication each time.
86th Annual Tree Lighting
The design this year responded directly to the introduction of the new Swarovski crystal star that tops the tree. The front of the invitation used silver foil for a subtle sparkle effect. Flip it over, and the tone changed completely: a fully three-dimensional embossed pattern of faceted crystal forms, printed in multiple foil shades, drawn directly from the geometry of the star itself.
85th Annual Tree Lighting
The VIP invitation needed to reflect the gravitas of the event itself. I designed a deep navy origami-style envelope that folded out into a starburst shape, revealing the invitation inside. The act of opening it mirrored the drama of the evening. The invitation featured gold foil stamping against crisp white stock, with a clean typographic system that let the envelope do the expressive work.
Across both years, the program extended to include the banner on the building behind the tree, the banner carried during the tree's transport into New York City, and lanyards and credentialing for all press and media in attendance. All of it was designed to read as one program, whether it was in someone's hands at dinner or stretched across a building in Midtown.
Client: Tishman Speyer
Design: Courtney Perti
Agency: Breakaway