Contiki Holidays Canada staged a virtual trip Down Under at Toronto’s popular nightclub This Is London Saturday for the launch of its television show Packed! The trip advisors decorated the two-storey club with palm trees, stuffed koalas, surfboards, beach balls, and even a little sand for the event. But organizers had to abandon plans to have two live kangaroos, a wallaby, and a cockatoo on hand outside the venue after the city denied a permit.
According to Lisa McLean, event coordinator and national marketing manager for Contiki Holidays, the club’s marketing team at Ink was informed by City of Toronto inspectors earlier in the day that the animal handler was not from the city zoo and therefore did not have proper accreditation to set up outside the club. A post on www.blogto.com reported that a number of people contacted the club, organizers, and the animal rights group PETA to protest the plan to have kangaroos on site.
Inside the club, faux baby crocodiles sat on tables and yellow kangaroo-crossing signs decorated the walls. Above the club’s main bar a movie screen projected a preview loop of the show, set to begin airing on CTV's travel and escape channel August 29. Organizers created a beach scene near the front entrance where instant pictures became souvenirs of the night. The club's smoking area became a surf shop, and mash-up specialist DJ Chris La Roque spun Aussie tunes throughout the night.
The six-part television series follows 30 Contiki passengers while on a Beaches and Reefs trip, which took the group of 20-somethings from Sydney to Cairns in 14 days. “We wanted a very fun Contiki-like night that wasn’t just a showcase to those who know about us but to others who should know about us,” said McLean. “Contiki is more than just a vacation, it’s a life-changing experience.”
McLean chose the downtown venue knowing it could hold up to 2,000 people with the same demographics Contiki targets. The agency displayed information about its trips and had some of the stars of the reality show on hand to answer questions. The agency also handed out themed prizes, including 1,000 outback hats and a trip to Australia.
Event sponsors included Contiki Holidays, Upfront Entertainment, Qantas Airlines, and Captain Morgan Rum.
