For Monday's launch of the Blackberry Storm smartphone, the event team at Telus adopted an edgier look than usual for the brand in an effort to play up the innovative features included in the device. “Telus-branded events are typically always done in purples and greens, so we have a palette to work with. With this one, because of the product and the demographic, we went outside the box a little bit," said Beth Appleton, director of communications and experiential marketing at Telus.
Appleton and her team called on Peter Carruthers of 43degrees Design Collective to create the overall look of the launch, held Monday in the event space next to Oasi. Bright pink tulips served as accents throughout the venue, which 43degrees dressed in black and white. Zebra print carpets and black and white patterned Mademoiselle Missoni chairs, courtesy of Contemporary Furniture Rentals, filled the room. “It’s a bit edgy, but you still know it’s Telus,” Appleton said.
The Telus logo featured prominently on a white media wall, which served as a backdrop for interviews. Telus decals decorated the windows; decals of the Blackberry Storm adorned oversize mirrors placed around the room; and 43degrees used strands of mirrors to hang the new Blackberry devices above a demo area where guests could try the product.
Graffiti artist Mike Spazz of Omy Gallery painted words like slick and stylish on a series of canvases near the entrance. Guests could then add to the artwork, which was auctioned off to benefit MusicCounts at the end of the evening. “It’s actually getting the guests to be part of the event,” said Nancy Filoso, a senior marketing manager with Telus. “He was our something new and something different."
Telus also partnered with the label Arts & Crafts—which represents Canadian artists like the Stars, Broken Social Scene, and Feist—to include an SD card with 25 pre-loaded songs and music videos onto a limited number of the new devices. To promote that partnership, Telus invited the Stars to perform at the event. DJ Brendan Canning, a member of Broken Social Scene, also played tunes for the more than 300 guests in attendance.