To showcase products and services fit for the holidays, Candice Best of Best PR Boutique filled a private home in the Annex with seasonal displays on Wednesday for a media preview and cocktail party called Hot Holiday. “This is our first holiday event in a few years," Best said. "Clients and associate brands like Grey Goose kept asking if we were doing it again."
About 35 media toured the space during the day, and 120 guests attended a cocktail party on Wednesday night. “We do the daytime event to give some one-on-one attention,” Best said. “But holiday is all about celebration, so we wanted to create that feeling in a cocktail party.”
Best chose to host the holiday preview in a private venue rather than a more traditional event space in an effort to give the event a sense of exclusivity. “There’s a sense of discovery because you’re discovering a new space when you step into a private home,” she said. Rue De Lux, a company that rents luxury homes and suites in neighbourhoods across Toronto, provided the Bernard Avenue home for the event.
Displays included children's store Advice From a Caterpillar's selection of “'Twas the Night Before Christmas”-inspired clothing, toys, and cookies and milk for Santa Claus. Do My Hair, a blow dry and makeup bar on Mount Pleasant Road, offered makeup touch-ups to guests. Bobbette & Belle provided samples of French macaroons and cupcakes. And Grey Goose Vodka served pear- and orange-flavoured cocktails at a branded bar in the great room.
“One of the things we wanted to do to engage people at the cocktail party was to display the actual Twitter accounts for each of the brands. Making sure Twitter is part of an interactive event is very key,” said Best, who displayed the Twitter accounts and hashtags for each of the participating brands on a large mirror in the foyer.
Christine Fisher of Blue Orchid Flowers created festive floral arrangements; Bellosound styled the music for the event; and Furnishings by Corey supplied the furniture. As a takeaway, Best handed out booklets filled with holiday entertaining tips from each of the participating brands.
Additional brands included AT Design, Brunswick + Co., JDJ Jewellery, Love the Design, and Skagen.
