Art meets performance: Otsuka's O'Wards 2024
Organizing an internal event is easy. Making it memorable, engaging and totally aligned with the company's values? That's where we come in. This is precisely the challenge thatOtsuka France entrusted us with for the 2024 edition of the O'Wards: to rethink the celebration of individual performance through a sensory, collective and artistic experience.
Spoiler alert: it was anything but classic. And that's exactly what was needed to bring a new chapter in events to life in a company focused onimpact, creativity and culture.
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To get employees on board right from the start, each invitation to the event was conceived as an artistic teaser: a promise of exploration, an O'Wards ceremony under the sign of creativity. The aim was to arouse curiosity, build anticipation and generate commitment even before the big day.
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Thehighlight? The shared moment at Notre-Dame, followed by the marbling workshop. A powerful moment, at the crossroads of culture,inspiration and community. Where art becomes a bond. Where business becomes society.
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You don't leave an event like this with just memories. You leave with an object, a trace, a carefully personalized gift feedback that prolongs theemotional impact over time. A symbol to keep, to reread, to relive.
A clear brief: to celebrate performance in a different way
Every year, Otsuka rewards the company's top performers with its famous O'Wards ceremony. But for 2024, the brief was clear: to design an event that has meaning, that thrills, and above all, that goes beyond the purely professional.
In other words: not just celebrating performance, but staging it through an emotional encounter between art and business, drawing inspiration from heritage, works of art and the people who create them.
Individual performance, art and heritage: the ideal starting point
The theme was set: individual performance, art, culture... and inspiration. The starting point was therefore apt: Notre-Dame de Paris. A symbol of resilience, teamwork, precision and architectural beauty. And above all, a place steeped in history, where human performance is expressed at the highest level.
An immersive journey through heritage and people
March 13, 2025, Paris. 53 Otsuka employees meet on the forecourt of Notre-Dame, recently reopened to the public. An encounter with French heritage, but also with deeply human values.
Accompanied by a guide, they begin a lively exhibition: a guided tour of the cathedral's exterior and interior. But then comes the real highlight: an exclusive exchange with Brendan Goux, a carpenter who took part in the reconstruction. A moment suspended between testimony, emotion and craft performance - a thrill of authenticity that only everyday artists know how to offer.
From craftsmanship to sensory experience
After this heritage appetizer, it's on to the Artverse Gallery, a hybrid art gallery and event space in the 3rd arrondissement. A perfect setting forartistic expression, conducive to contemplation and creation.
The employees then plunged into the world of marbling on paper (or Ebru), an ancestral Turkish art. Guided by Laurie Archambault from the Les Petites Mains workshop, they were able to experiment with the creation of floating patterns on the surface of water, then transferred to paper. A hypnotic, meditative activity that evokes both patience and creativity.
This workshop was more than just a moment of relaxation. It enabled the teams to reconnect in a different way, through materials and gestures, far from conventional tools. A silent, artistic, introspective performance.
The O'Wards ceremony: an emotional setting
There's no question of handing out awards in a hurry. Acmé sees performance as a work in itself.
Each O'Wardé was presented with his or her prize in a scenography designed to resemble a real exhibition: sound effects, lighting, personalized speeches... Every detail was designed to create the thrill of recognition. Added to this was a very special attention: a "gift feedback", slipped into a box inspired by Japanese style, echoing Otsuka's roots.
A strong, sincere gesture that transforms recognition into emotional impact.
A festive and refined evening
As for the taste buds, chef Charlotte Rudler was responsible for the culinary score: a creative, daring and elegant cocktail dînatoire. On the menu: pulled pork brioches, parmesan shortbread, vegan spring rolls, chocolate-caramel tarts and almond financiers. A gastronomic performance in harmony with theartistic spirit of the venue.
And because a good event always ends with a light-hearted touch, the evening continued with a dance floor surrounded by digitalartworks, in an immersive atmosphere where contemporaryart embraced smiles.
Results and feedback: mission accomplished
In conclusion: emotion, meaning and cohesion
Otsuka 's seminar on art, performance and culture showed us one essential thing: a corporate event can become a moment of truth. A source of pride. An act of recognition. And sometimes, a work of art.
Because a good event doesn't just make its mark on the agenda: it touches people. It changes them. That's whatAcmé likes to do: create experiences that leave a mark.
Otsuka Pharmaceutical France is the French subsidiary of the Japanese Otsuka Group, a global healthcare player renowned for its innovative approach to the treatment of chronic and psychiatric diseases. Combining research, a sense ofimpact and a concern for society, Otsuka stands out for its deeply human corporate culture. Their vision: performance at the service of healthcare... and people.
Client information
Curious corner
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Because it didn't just celebrate performance with speeches and trophies. It offered a truly artistic and emotional journey, rooted in heritage architecture (Notre-Dame), craftsmanship (the marbling workshop) and personalized recognition (gift feedback).
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A symbol of reconstruction, know-how and transmission, Notre-Dame perfectly embodied the theme of individual performance. It was also a strong nod to current events, with its recent reopening to the public.
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The paper marbling workshop offered a meditative moment of creation, allowing teams to refocus, slow down, and experience cohesion through art. A rare and deeply symbolic activity.
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That an internal event can (and should) have meaning. By focusing on culture, emotion and authentic recognition, a company can strengthen the commitment of its teams while cultivating a strong collective identity.
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This project fully embodies the Acmé signature: creating memorable, meaningful experiences. From the scenography to the interaction, from the personalization of the skincare products to the design of the photocall, everything was designed to arouse emotion and strengthen attachment to the brand. Acmé was able to translateAroma-Zone 's DNA into a unique, lively and deeply human evening.