In 2018, the Palms resort was undergoing a total renovation, designed to reposition the hotel among the leading cultural destinations in town. Basquiats, Warhols, Hirsts and other world-class artwork were acquired to give birth to an unprecedented hospitality vision. Yet this ambitious project was undermined by extensive remodeling. Palms wanted to tell the world about their makeover, all the while driving traffic to their work-in-progress property.

Our solution was to embrace the construction and turn it into a positive, to signal that things were changing for the better. Inspired by Picasso’s insight “Every act of creation is first an act of destruction”, we invited guests to join this joyful demolition in the name of progress. While showing the old hotel being destroyed, the film also teased the most coveted attractions of the new property to come—including the infamous Damien Hirst Shark Bar at the center of the new casino floor.

Music played a crucial role in turning a violent act like a hotel demolition into an artful celebration. We chose the soothing sound of a classic – “La belle vie” by Sacha Distel. The 1962 track served as a perfect accompaniment for our film. Featuring French lyrics and a warm, nostalgic tone, it creates a powerful contrast with the cinematic imagery, transmitting an overall feeling positivity—in spite of the raw actions of the film. The track is also a final homage to the dazzling Vegas of the past, to the times when Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack would sing this French song in its more popular English version, “The Good Life”. The lyrics also helped harmonize the overall mood of the film, reminding the viewers not to worry, but to live free and explore the unknown—as that’s where the the good life begins.