Not only did organizers of the eighth annual Boobyball manage to attract a sold-out crowd of more than 1,200 guests to Atlantis Friday, they also garnered more than 360,000 hits on YouTube with a viral video campaign. “The objective was to get people excited about the event and raise awareness about [breast cancer]. It’s taken on a life of it’s own,” said Amanda Blakley, who with Ashleigh Dempster co-founded social club the Society and created the first Boobyball in 2002.
The one-minute video stars MTV News host and 2009 event co-chair Aliya-Jasmine Sovani poolside in a white bikini. Close up shots of Sovani’s breasts are interchanged with a message that reads: “You like them. Now it’s time. To save the boobs.” The ad, created for about $100, attracted the attention of several American television networks, including ABC, CNN, and NBC. “It’s amazing the response it’s been getting. And it’s surprising how many American stations think it’s controversial,” Dempster said.
Apart from promoting the benefit, the intent, Blakley said, was to raise awareness among young men and women. Critics claimed the video was too sexy and went too far to get its point across.
Attendees at this year’s cruise-themed fund-raiser had several opportunities to support the cause. For a small donation, guests could participate in a giant chess game—set up in an area dubbed the Lido Deck—where event sponsor Tretorn offered the chance to win a pair of rubber boots or deck shoes. The activation was one of several created by event sponsors.
Platinum sponsor RBC promoted the bank’s Blue Water Project—an initiative designed to promote water stewardship—in the blue-lit Water Lounge, where servers wearing T-shirts that read, “Water. It’s just kind of everywhere. Except it’s not,” offered pale blue cocktails made with Hpnotiq and sparkling wine to guests at the V.I.P. reception. RBC also handed out neck totes offering the chance to win a $500 Visa gift card.
In the Yacht Rock Karaoke area, where Kickass Karaoke set up a small stage, guests who sang a song including the word water could obtain another chance to win a Visa gift card. Additional cruise-themed activations included a Bo Derek Corn Braiding station and the Lancaster sun booth where brand ambassadors showcased a range of self-tanning products.
“We’re transforming the entire night into what you would see when you’re on a Caribbean cruise. We have a samba band, a mariachi band, a Latin-Caribbean flavour,” Dempster said. Blakley added, “But it will be tacky, very camp. We didn’t want to take ourselves very seriously this year. When you do something like this, it lightens the mood.”
Blakley and Dempster took on the role of creative directors this year and worked with a committee of 45 volunteers to plan the event. “The success of this event is entirely because of the committee we have,” said Dempster, who reported that the cruise theme is something the group had discussed in the past. “We’ve had this theme in our back pocket. Cruise has been there for a few years and this year was the right time to do it. Last year's event was very sexy, very racy. This year is light, quirky, and offbeat,” she said.
Event sponsors included RBC, Schick Quattro, Timex, Tretorn, Naked Juice, Stella Artois, Yellow Tail, Perrier, Palm Bay, Lancaster, Jose Cuervo Golden Margarita, Wiser's, Fashion magazine, and MTV News.
