Peter Arnell, Brand Guru, and Legendary Designer, known for transforming some of the world’s most prestigious brands, and who has created iconic brand marks for Pepsi, DKNY, and others, played a pivotal role in redefining the brand identity of the Fontainebleau Hotel on the eve of its 70th anniversary.
Arnell, in his role as Chief Brand and Design Officer for Fontainebleau Development, was tasked by Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Soffer and President Brett Mufson with redefining Fontainebleau’s brand identity.
He is responsible for the design of Fontainebleau’s new brand logo, which has become a motif throughout the Fontainebleau resort in all aspects of the customer experience. Drawing inspiration from the iconic marble bowtie motif in the Fontainebleau Miami Beach lobby, first introduced in 1954, Arnell designed a modernized bowtie logo pattern that pays homage to the resort’s original design roots and its architect Morris Lapidus.
Arnell, who has been redefining brands for over four decades, conceived of and orchestrated a unique and ambitious event to unveil Fontainebleau’s new brand identity. Working closely with Sherri White at Jamestown and Jeffery Strauss at Countdown Entertainment, Arnell and his team created an unprecedented event by developing an animation for the New Year’s Eve ball during the midnight countdown in Times Square.
The animation complements the iconic ball’s design while showcasing the new Fontainebleau identity. The result ensures the worldwide audience of over one billion, who witness this historic moment are introduced at the same time to the new Fontainebleau identity, ingeniously linking the hotel’s heritage with the iconic and historic Times Square ‘bowtie’ as witnessed from the ariel view of Times Square. This ambitious idea not only paid homage to the hotel’s legacy but also marked a new chapter in its story.
Further elevating the event, Arnell and Mufson arranged for performances by Paul Anka and Post Malone, each symbolizing different eras of the Fontainebleau’s rich history and cultural impact. Anka, the legendary singer, the songwriter has deep ties to both Fontainebleau, having performed there regularly in the heydays of the 1950s and 60s, and Times Square, whereas a 15-year-old he received his first recording contract, just two blocks from where the ball drop will occur.
For the Post Malone performance, Arnell collaborated with Austin Rosen at Electric Feel Entertainment. The performance will happen live the same night at Fontainebleau Las Vegas while highlights of Malone’s recent world tour will be simulcast on screens in Times Square, and a personalized message will be shared with the Times Square audience live from Fontainebleau’s BleauLive Theater signaling the brand’s contemporary relevance and its future; highlighting the opening of Fontainebleau Las Vegas, a luxury casino and resort on the Las Vegas Strip.
Arnell and Mufson’s efforts, led on behalf of Fontainebleau Las Vegas in planning and executing this fully integrated and holistic approach to marketing, were not just about branding; they were a testament to his ability to weave together historical significance, personal narrative, and innovative design in a pop culture event that will resonate with audiences young and old. His vision and strategic planning brought Fontainebleau’s heritage to life in a spectacular fashion, captivating the imagination of a global audience and firmly establishing the bowtie as a globally recognized symbol of the brand.
At the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, the Times Square ball drop symbolizes a moment of hope and renewal. This year, for the first time ever, in celebration of the Fontainebleau 70th anniversary, shortly after midnight, the ball will rise again with a special countdown celebrating Fontainebleau’s 70th anniversary showcasing the Fontainebleau identity in a unique animation played out over the entire surface of the ball to remain for the rest of the year at its perch above Times Square.
This event is a shared vision that Jeffery Straus calls, “An Extended Moment of Midnight Magic.” Throughout Times Square, the new Fontainebleau identity – the bowtie symbol – will be shared with the worldwide audience with the enhanced animation on the ball and also in the form of an unprecedented sculpture at 45th and Broadway erected specifically for the event.
Thousands of 2024 bowtie glasses and commemorative casino chips will be gifted to the crowd, and the new Fontainebleau logo will be featured front and center on the stages in Times Square. This unique event extends the moment of hope, symbolizing not just the passage of time but a renewal of Fontainebleau’s enduring legacy. It’s a poignant reflection of the hotel’s journey, seamlessly intertwining with the resort’s vision for its future in Las Vegas.
