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Grand Dame

Though it's not immediately obvious, The Grand Directory is a "brochure" for a tiny hotel at the edge of Africa—The Grand Hotel.

"If you can imagine, it's a mix between a monastery and a brothel," explains GJP Advertising designer Lisa Greenberg. "It's like no other hotel, so we didn't want the brochure to be anything like those glossy, spot-varnished, high-end hotel brochures out there. This is a rare jewel of a place, ripe with character and truly original like the owner."

This first issue of The Grand tells the story of hotelier Gail Behr, who created the unusual getaway in response to "the terrible sadness and loneliness I feel on checking into most hotels." To capture that unique spirit, the designers chose to juxtapose rough newsprint with elegant typography, which captivated the judges.

Judge Peleg Top explains, "You don't need expensive paper and über printing to create good design."

"Our production wizard Gord Caithmore was integral to the project," art director Lisa Greenberg says. "When we started the job, I took Gord a newspaper and said, 'You see the little torn edges and the holes, the slight off-white? How do they do this?' And he made it all happen."

The designers combined Mrs. Eaves, Dalliance and Hoefler to create a sophisticated look reminiscent of a lost era.

The Grand Directory includes a section of horoscopes to help visitors choose which of the hotel's eight rooms is right for them.

Title: The Grand Directory
Design Firm: GJP Advertising
Art Director: Lisa Greenberg
Designers: Lisa Greenberg, Sharon Gittens
Photographer: Rudi
Copywriter: Lynne Sampson
Printer: Transcontinental
Client: The Grand Hotel

 

 

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