The Portsmouth Peace Treaty Forum signifies an important event in U.S.-Japan relations, so its marketing materials required plenty of consideration.
When you’re dealing with one of the most significant symbols of peace in the Northern Pacific region, it deserves the proper package.
Several years ago, the Japan-America Society of New Hampshire needed presentation folders in which to insert copies of the Governor’s Proclamation of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty, which formally ended the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05.
These illustrious documents would be presented by hand to visitors from Nichinan, Japan (both political officials and students) for an annual commemorative event.
The Society trusted Company Folders with the task, and we were honored to accept.
The Challenge
The Portsmouth Peace Treaty Forum’s Director of Public Affairs, Stephanie Seacord, emphasized the treaty’s deep significance and need for truly exceptional packaging:
Events like this reception are considered very serious occasions by the Japanese, whose culture carries a long tradition of interest in all aspects of papermaking and the use of paper and packaging in the exchange of gifts.
In effect, the way that the treaty would be presented was just as significant as the document itself. Thus, Company Folders was challenged to create paper packaging (on a very tight turnaround) that accurately represented the cultural history of Japan.
The Process
Our client selected a dark brown linen folder with a bronze foil stamped design that included the name and logo of the hosting organization. The combination of rich brown and bronze gave this folder an earthy feel that also evoked feelings of rich history, formality, and antiquity.
Once the folders were printed and shipped, a rare but unfortunate error occurred during transit that delayed the shipment to our client. When we at Company Folders discovered this error, we immediately reran the print order and shipped the order overnight at our own expense, ensuring that the folders would arrive in time for the event.
The Results
Click to enlarge and read this kind testimonial from the Japan-America Society of New Hampshire.
The Japanese attendees of the Peace Treaty Forum were very pleased by the quality of the folders they received, and the event’s organizers were thrilled by how well it went. In Seacord’s words:
The Company Folders product added exactly the elegance and formality to the presentation of the Governor’s Proclamation required.
The Japan-America Society of New Hampshire even sent us a very kind letter. Here’s a choice excerpt:
I hope to be able to thank you more amply with another order in the future. I certainly would not go anywhere else than Company Folders when that opportunity comes.
