Days of Warsaw - Housing Picnic
A New Dimension of Trade Fairs – Production of a Massive City Event (74 ha / 17,000+ people)
Warsaw Days is the largest-scale brand experience project in Creative Answer’s portfolio: two editions (2016–2017) across 74 hectares of Pole Mokotowskie, 17,000 participants annually, 80 partners and contractors under a single creative direction.
For the Polish Association of Developers, we designed a brand experience that shifted the industry’s perception from transactional to partnership-driven — combining mass event production, original visual identity, urban scenography and the Housing Picnic™ format, registered as a trademark. The agency served as SPOC (Single Point of Contact), responsible for the entire process: from strategy and naming, through coordination of partners and contractors, to managing the safety of a mass event.
| Client | Polish Association of Developers (PZFD) |
| Project Title | Warsaw Days – Housing Picnic |
| Location | Pole Mokotowskie, Warsaw (74+ ha) |
| Scale | 17,000 people in the 1st edition – 2 consecutive editions (2016, 2017), 53 exhibitors, 80 partners and contractors |
| Scope of Work | Concept, naming, 360° strategy, logistics, PR, sales, legal service, event production |
| Category | mass event, brand experience, graphic studio, urban scenography |
The Agency's Task
The main task set for Creative Answer was to change the perception of the development industry – moving from purely sales-oriented relations to a partner and pro-social model.
PZFD approached Creative Answer with a problem that could no longer be solved by subsequent trade fairs in halls. The development industry needed a new face: in the minds of Warsaw residents, companies building the city as partners creating living spaces. Classic trade events – gray halls, ticket queues, suits – did not change this. They showed square meters and prices, not people, and not the city.
Key operational challenges:
- Organization of a mass event in a protected area (park): requiring hundreds of approvals and precise infrastructure (1,000 m² tent, stage, and 45 catering stalls).
- Persuading 28 competing developers to appear together under one umbrella brand.
- Coordination of 80 partners and contractors simultaneously during the event.
- Ensuring safety for 17,000 participants and meeting the statutory requirements for mass events.
Execution
Four layers of the project: mass event, brand experience, graphic studio, urban scenography
1. Proprietary Format: Housing Picnic (Trademarked)
Creative Answer didn’t just execute an order; it created the agency’s own proprietary product. The name “Housing Picnic” (Piknik Mieszkaniowy) was registered as a trademark (class 16), confirming the uniqueness of the agency’s concept and naming strategy.
2. Content & Publishing (Picnic Catalog)
CA’s graphic studio produced a complete visual identity system for the Housing Picnic: the format logo, annual key visual, zone signage system, a 120-page Picnic Catalog (a compendium of the real estate market), billboards and citylights across Warsaw, materials for 53 exhibitors under the umbrella brand, and catering zone identities. This was full graphic studio work – from the brand book to large-format print production.
3. Campaign and Media Mix
- We managed a multi-channel campaign promoting the event.
- Outdoor: Billboards and citylights in key Warsaw locations.
- Media: Radio, press, and industry portals (including RynekPierwotny.pl).
- Public Relations: Building a narrative around the honorary patronage of the Mayors of Mokotów and Ochota districts.
4. Infrastructure and Safety
As the producer, we were responsible for:
- Signing over 100 subcontractor agreements.
- Full legal service provided by an external law firm.
- Safety management in a giant park area (Crowd Management).
- Construction of the event town with exhibition systems and zone sound systems.
Urban Scenography: How We Designed 74 Hectares of Experience
Scenography is the physical embodiment of brand experience — the atmosphere of an event is born in its scenography, not its programme. Across 74 hectares of Pole Mokotowskie, we designed 6 narrative zones, each functioning as its own micro-event with dedicated lighting, sound design and visual architecture. The edition’s key visual came to life on 5-metre stage backdrops, with the colour palette appearing on deck chairs, zone banners and the food village.
This is where Creative Answer proved its proficiency in managing narrative scenography and dispersed logistics. The event was divided into strategic zones, each requiring separate technical production:
Taste Zone: The Breakfast Market |
Strefa Wiedzy i Edukacji: Miasto Deweloperów |
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Sports and Energy Zone |
Kids and Family Zone |
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Relaxation and Culture Zone |
Special Actions and CSR (Measurable Good) |
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Results and scale: what did the client and the city gain?
Strategic Transformation & Identity The realization of Warsaw Days (2016–2017) for the Polish Association of Developers (PZFD) was a milestone project for our agency. It was far more than a standard event; it was a massive, multi-layered logistical operation that defined how the real estate industry communicates with Warsaw’s residents for years to come. As Creative Answer, we rose to the challenge of transforming the image of developers, turning the industry’s sales-focused nature into an authentic, community-driven celebration under the slogan: “My city, my home.”
Measurable Good and Social Impact
At Creative Answer, we believe that large-scale events should leave behind more than just memories. This is why we infused Warsaw Days with tangible pro-social action. Through the “Chefs for Children” (Kucharze Dzieciom) initiative, organized in collaboration with top chefs, we raised over 40,000 PLN to fund meals for children in Warsaw’s schools.
Our influence on the city also had an ecological and practical dimension: through the “Tree for a Survey” campaign, residents received 2,600 trees for planting, and our mobile service repaired 150 bicycles, promoting sustainable transport. This success was confirmed not only by the numbers but, above all, by the three-year continuity of cooperation with the Client. In the words of the President of PZFD, Paweł Putkowski, he emphasized that this event has become a symbol of Warsaw as a place where residents build their identity together.
Creative Answer was responsible for acquiring Business Partners for the event, building a communication strategy, planning offline and online media to promote the event, preparing a full visual identity, obtaining all approvals and permits from authorities, obtaining Content Patrons, handling PR, full organization and logistics of the event, these are the main, but not all, tasks we faced.
We deliver marketing campaigns and events for brands, supporting their business goals through effective actions and well-executed delivery. We combine measurable results with a high level of collaboration comfort.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a mass event?
A mass event is a gathering of over 1,000 participants in enclosed venues or 2,000 in open-air locations, requiring an administrative permit, security services and a safety plan. Warsaw Days, with 17,000 annual participants, is an example of the highest-category mass event. See more: mass event organisation.
How do you organise a city event for 17,000 people?
Key elements include: a single SPOC managing the entire operation, division into thematic zones with dedicated technical infrastructure, coordination of 80+ partners and contractors, city permits, security and medical services, and crisis communication systems. Creative Answer delivered this project across two consecutive editions.
What is the difference between a corporate picnic and a city picnic?
A corporate picnic is a closed event for employees and partners of a single company. A city picnic like Warsaw Days is an open event for all residents, with multiple exhibitors and zones, funded by an industry organisation or the city. The scale, logistics and communication goals are incomparable.
How many partners does a mass event require?
Warsaw Days involved 80 partners and contractors under a single creative direction. For 53 exhibitors, CA designed individual stand identities under the shared Housing Picnic™ umbrella brand.
