Special Event Boot Camp 2008

The Twisted Ones wins “Top Fashion Designer”

cmoxam — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 03:36:10 +0000

Balloon Couture Fashion Show

Having known Debbie Stevens for over a decade I must say she is truly a genius when it comes to balloons. Top in her field, I am so thrilled to share the news of her most recent recent achievement has given her the prestigious title of “Top Fashion Designer” for her outstanding creative balloon dress design. Who knew you could create couture design with balloons?

This international competition was held in Las Vegas, Nevada at the 2008 Balloon Couture Fashion Show. Debbie’s design consisted of an elegant evening gown underneath a Victorian style lace coat. This dress consisted of over 500 balloons and took over 27 hours to create. Debbie’s dresses have been featured in fashion shows in Shanghai, Hong Kong, United States and Canada.

She began working as a balloon artist in 1997, and has since won numerous industry awards, including Top Twister at an international competition: Twist and Shout 2004. Debbie was the first woman ever to receive the title “Top Twister”.

Debbie is an international instructor, teaching in Canada, United States and China. She has been sponsored to teach by Qualatex: the largest balloon manufacturer in the world. Debbie’s balloon designs have been a regular feature in the magazine “Balloon Magic”. This is an international magazine featuring balloon artists worldwide. She has also produced an instructional DVD video (Fantasy Costumes and Hats) of her elaborate balloon designs; an advanced training tool for professional balloon artists in the industry.

Debbie Stevens is both owner and proud member of The Twisted Ones in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Twisted Ones are corporate balloon artists, entertaining across Canada and United States with their Balloon Extravaganza Stage Shows.

Debbie has been honored to work for such sports teams as the Toronto Raptors, Maple Leafs, Blue Jays and Buffalo Sabres, and such exclusive events as the Ringling Bros./Barnum and Bailey’s Circus, Planet Hollywood Niagara Falls’ Grand Opening and the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals.

Debbie Stevens

The Twisted Ones www.thetwistedones.com

Special Event Boot Camp Launched Fall Breakfast Series

cmoxam — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:49:11 +0000

Luxury & Boutique Style Events

Looking to make improvements in your next special event with chic, luxury and boutique style services? Luxury and Boutique Style Events and Social Event Trends are two of the hottest industry topics being shared at a new breakfast series offered by Special Event Boot Camp to event-related industries of marketing, public relations, advertising and event management. These morning sessions share best practices, foster relationships with event resources and partners and serve as a platform to exchange ideas.

On October 14, at Hotel Le Germain, guest presenter Martin Rubio, Vice President VROOMmedia shared his recent events with The Film Festival and Car Rally fund raiser for the Hospital for Sick Children Foundation. Suzanne Merrett, with Amara Studios and Wedding Day Memories, shares her philosophies on the service factors of "you do get what you pay for".

Hotel Le Germain, is located in the heart of Toronto’s Entertainment District. A jewel of modern architecture, Hotel Le Germain boasts a two-level lobby of sleek lines, harmonious proportions and an open air concept with warm, inviting colours. The effect is simply quite dazzling! Space, freedom, and light blend in a triumphant welcome. Luxury, refinement and sophistication, combined intelligently, offer you the ultimate red carpet treatment. This is paradise rediscovered, a veritable symbiosis of exaltation and cocooning. Glass, metal, wood, ceramics—the decor is understated yet cozy, inviting the senses to a unique experience.

On November 5, for those preparing and planning events for the holiday social season, Don Sagarese, President and Partner, On the Move – A Catering Company, talks about trends and tips in Social Events. Toronto’s elegant and stylish venue, The Toronto Wedding Chapel is the location for this morning event.

The Toronto Wedding Chapel is conveniently located in midtown Toronto and is a one stop Toronto wedding destination for your wedding and reception.What makes The Toronto Wedding Chapel such a unique venue is that it is owned, and operated by Wedding Coordinators; it accommodates a maximum of 30 guests and caters to all denominations for ceremony and reception.

Carol Moxam, a Certified Special Event Professional, is the creator of Special Event Boot Camp and was looking for a mobile training program that delivered fast results, intense learning experience in a relaxed learning environment, and connected her with resources to use at her own client events. She learned quickly that by engaging with key event professionals and mentors she was able to get first hand the skills to improve her business practices.

Special Event Boot Camp will host its third annual experiential and educational retreat for two days August 10 and 11, 2009 at Steam Whistle Brewing.

Photo Credit: Suzanne Merrett, Amara Studios & Wedding Day Memories www.amarastudios.com

Scotiabank’s Nuit Blanche

cmoxam — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:10:28 +0000

Scotiabank’s Nuit Blanche

What a an incredible evening of entertainment at Scotiabank’s Nuit Blanche. It is free to everyone and all night long. If you did not attend this year, I suggest marking your calendar for 2009, it was an evening of experience and spectacles.

We spent most of the eveniing in Zone I and began City Hall – which I must say has never looked so good with the spectacular multimedia display "Stereoscope" installed by the German Group Project Blinkenlights. Hunderds of people were amused by the Into the Blue, the photo here, which is a giant illuminated transparent cone-shaped balloon. Looking up into the interior presented a dazzling light array. And then there was the suprise of the night "Stock Extravaganza" where we all peered into a garbage receptacle, to see a fully animated concert stage - who would of thought of this? Robert Hengeveld, did and it certainly had us intrigued. A big thanks to all the sponsors of this event which attracted over a million into our city streets on the weekend. www.scotiabanknuitblanche.ca

McDonalds Social Media, The Big Mac & Robber

cmoxam — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:37:23 +0000

This is a great story posted on Promo Extra on how McDonalds’ uses My Space social network for their 40th Anniversary celebration and contest promotion. Digital is now integral to marketing, companies are not cutting back on their digital campaigns, but are looking for digital only plays. Dave Forde, with Toronto Technology Week and Profectio, will share key knowledge and tips at Special Event Boot Camp in our Social Media Zone.

Promot Extra article reports "McDonald’s “Big Mac Chant Off,” looking for the best user performance of the classic “Two all-beef patties” jingle, has found its winner. But one of the runners-up is grabbing some of the headlines around the promotion: for having held up a McDonald’s back in 1994.

Launched on June 16 and timed to cap the 40^th anniversary celebration of the Big Mac, the contest asked users to perform their own version of the famous Big Mac ingredient list and to post the results to a contest page on the MySpace social network.

A team of professional judges winnowed the 1,000 entries received by July 16 down to five finalists. Visitors to the MySpace page were then permitted to vote for their selection from among that final five. (Promo Xtra, June 20, 2008)" For full article visit http://promomagazine.com/contests/news/robber_rapper_spotlight_big_mac_winner_0731/

“Blink” - Lesley Pike to Perform at Inaugaration

cmoxam — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 02:02:48 +0000

In the event industry, word of mouth continues to be my best source for resources. This follows closely with my philosphy of sharing contacts, knowledge, tips and tools. I received an e-mail from an industry colleague, Christina Burns, who introduced me to a talented artist, Lesley Pike. Within hours we met and I am delighted to share with you Lesley will be performing at Special Event Boot Camp’s Inaugaration Reception on August 12. Today, Lesley performs in Welland, Ontario, with the Cowboy Junkies at the Ilumminaqua Festival.

"Her stage repartee is clever and cunning enough to keep even the most cynical of audiences engaged and chuckling between songs. Unfaltering strength and lyrical prowess have audiences cheering for her like a local sports hero by shows’ end. And somewhere in the midst of her star presence, charm and powerful verses, we’ve forgotten that Pike has written, arranged and delivered each of the tracks in their complex musical glory - floating between the guitar stand and piano bench with ease.

The thing is, you just can’t help but like her. She has an uncanny ability to engage any audience, and her shows are consistently spontaneous, entertaining, impactful, and memorable. Fans love seeing her over and over because you never get the same show twice. At a recent showcase for COCA (The Canadian Organization of Campus Activities), Lesley performed for college promoters and industry folks and managed to have them in tears of laughter during one of her more ’serious’ numbers. It’s no wonder they’ve invited her back to showcase at their National event this summer.

Countless press invested kind words and precious limited column space to those first two musical releases, and many suggested that it wouldn’t be long before her stellar talent and profound musicality would be ‘discovered’. Early responses to her most recent musical offering suggest that her most recent album, "Blink" (April, 2008) is the telltale disc in which such premonition has been based. Produced by Bill Bell (Tom Cochrane, Justin Nozuka, Jason Mraz, Shaye), and recorded at The Orange Lounge and Soleil Studio in Toronto, Ontario, the disc features 11 studio tracks and a host of talented musicians: Kevin Fox ..o (Chantal Kreviazuk, Sarah Slean), Kevin Breit on dobro and tenor guitars (Norah Jones, Celine Dion), Sean Ashby on lap steel & electric guitars (Sarah McLachlan), Pat Kilbride on bass (Sass Jordan, Ian Hunter), and Davide Direnzo on percussion (Jacksoul, Diana Krall)." Visit Lesley Pike’s My Space: www.myspace.com/lesleypike

Wedding Planners Institute of Canada on Event Etiquette

cmoxam — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:35:06 +0000

Tracey Manailescu and Danielle Andrews-Sunkell join us at Special Event Boot Camp for the second year. These ladies are the Masters in the Canada’s Wedding Industry, owner’s of Canada’s largest Wedding Coordination Firm, The Wedding Planners, and co-founders of The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada (WPIC).

Danielle and Tracey will share insight on dining etiquette during lunch on Event Planning Day. All recruits have the opportunity to win a certificate from WPIC for Certification at the two day Toronto course at Uof T on October 18th and 19th, 2008.

The Government of Canada gives WPIC the right to issue credentials after successful completion of the course (WPICC). WPIC has almuni boards for all graduates and posts volunteer coordination positions and their assistant spots, paid and unpaid to gain experience and build their portfolios. www.wpic.ca

Canada’s Hottest Wine Personalities at Boot Camp

cmoxam — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:24:05 +0000

Today, featured on Canada AM, was two of Canada’s Hottest Wine Personalities, known together as ‘The Wine Enthusiasts’ Angela Aiello and Paxton Allewell. The Toronto Star hailed them as the “New Generation of Wine Aficionados” and Post City Magazines declare that they “bring wine tasting into the 21st Century”. We are delighted they will be joing us this year at Special Event Boot Camp in the Edutainment Zone to host the “Naked Wine Tasting Adventure”.

Recently, Angela and Paxton were featured in CBC’s ‘Wine Confidential’ documentrary and Angela also covers the wine scene for Le Gourmet TV., part of the Broadband Gourmet Network. Because of their exciting approach to wine, Angela & Paxton were asked to lead tutored tastings at two of Toronto’s most influential wine shows: The Gourmet Food & Wine Expo & Toronto’s Wine & Cheese Show. Notably, they also hosted and filmed the presitgious 2008 Ontario Wine Awards. www.iYellowWineClub.com

Batman, Chocolate Cake and The Bomb Squad

cmoxam — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:43:34 +0000

As planners we have the task of generating publicity for our special events. Today’s launch of “A Dark Knight” accomplished the mission of publicity for the movie, but perhaps not quite the way it was planned. We can take note and learn from our industry peers on this story.

The new Batman movie “The Dark Knight,” opening today, is expected to be a global blockbuster. But a local guerilla promotion by a San Antonio theater chain threatened to turn that Hollywood cliché into a literal bomb.

To generate regional publicity for the film, the Santikos Theater chain mailed out cakes studded with wires and iced with a phone number and the message “Call Me” to 25 local TV, radio and newspaper outlets. The cakes had cell phones baked inside, along with promotional materials for the film.

When users dialed the number iced onto the cake, they were to receive a text message instructing them to come to one of the Santikos theaters premiering “The Dark Knight.”
http://promomagazine.com/othertactics/news/batman_promo_bomb_squad_cake_0718/

A Celebration for All Canadians

cmoxam — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 03:20:08 +0000

In 2008, Québec City celebrates its 400th birthday!

The 400th anniversary of the founding of Québec City has Canada-wide significance. It is an extraordinary opportunity for all Canadians to celebrate the history of Québec City and of Canada.

The eyes of the world will be on Québec City, famed as a historic World Heritage Site and the cradle of French civilization in North America.

The celebrations are an opportunity to mark 400 years of unique historical and cultural heritage. http://www.quebec400.gc.ca/pc-ch-eng.cfm

Summer Lick-A-Thon Event

cmoxam — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 01:03:16 +0000

Summer time fun. Thought you might enjoy this challenge from Baskin-Robbins this month.

BASKIN-ROBBINS: is celebrating National Ice Cream Month with Lick-A-Thon events on July 17. Customers can challenge friends, family or community members to a “lick race” to see who can lick a scoop of Oreo Cookies ‘n Cream ice cream the fastest and become the ultimate Lick Champion at participating stores nationwide. The event dovetails off the company’s expansion of its Oreo menu line-up, which features 19 Oreo ice cream products.