Supporting TIFF with Upscale Event Staffing Services

Companies offering event staffing services are eagerly awaiting the end of summer. You’re probably thinking, “pardon me… how could anybody want that?” Well, the end of summer marks the beginning of something wonderful! From Sept. 4-14, Toronto will bask in the Hollywood glow of #TIFF2014. That’s right, the Toronto International Film Festival, the biggest showcase and revelry of new movies in the country.

For ten consecutive days, crowds will line the streets with hopes of glimpsing (or meeting) their favourite star, theatres will be packed for movie premieres and nightclubs, restaurants and lounges will host the hottest and most exclusive parties of the year. It’s an amazing way to wind down the summer!

So how are brands taking advantage of unique event marketing opportunities TIFF offers?

1) Gala Affairs :: if you have a spare $1,500 laying around, you’ll want to check out the 3rd annual TIFF Gala, presented by RBC. This fundraising soiree, which will launch the 39th annual Toronto International Film Festival, is taking place at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on Wed., Sept. 3rd. Guests will enjoy a glamorous cocktail party followed by an exclusive onstage conversation with Academy Award winner and film legend, Al Pacino, live music on the rooftop and… a few surprises. Sounds fabulous!?!

2) Street Promotions :: with so much action on the streets, from the line ups for tickets at various theatres across the city to paparazzi and star gazing, many big brands will be taking advantage of street promotions to engage with these high volumes of crowds. Eye balls and impressions = brand awareness and potential sales so this is an amazing opportunity.

With this in mind, Tigris has been busy planning a pop-up promotion for an undisclosed retail brand over the past several weeks. While we can’t reveal our top secret plans, if you’re in the King St. W area from Sept. 4-7, you may stumble across our impressive interactive installation. Our experiential marketing and event staffing services will be in full effect for the commencement of the festival. We can’t wait!

3) Special Events :: as the festival nears closer, bars/clubs, hotels, restaurants and even stores (yes, stores!) will be throwing impressive invite-only parties for the cities movers and shakers, celebs and social divas. If you look back to 2013, a couple of the top parties included the Maison Birks “Women in Film” Party and the In-Style party at the Windsor Arms.

So where exactly will you find your favourite stars for TIFF 2014?  Hudson Kitchen was a buzz with celebs in 2013 as was the Shangri-La, the Ritz and Thompson Hotels along with the Grey Goose Soho House and members-only Spoke Club. Don’t be shy to mix and mingle. You never know who you may bump in to.

Event Staffing Services for the Biggest Film Festival in Canada

With the volume of activity and events going on, it makes sense for companies to leverage event staffing services to support their initiatives. If you’re planning an important event however, how do you know which event staffing services will be the right fit and how do you trust that company to do a great job on your behalf. Here are a few things to keep your eyes out for.

Communication :: this seems simple, but you’d be amazed at how many companies won’t get back to you or take days to weeks to do so. How are you supposed to trust a company with such an important task if you can’t even depend on them to call you back? If a company is reputable and truly wants your business, they will get back to you within 24 hours or less and provide you with a quote for your required event staffing services.

Reputation :: in an industry quickly becoming over saturated with options, it’s a good idea to evaluate how long a company has been in business for and what their clients/colleagues have to say about them. There is no shortage of information available online of course but you can also request references or see if the agency has reviews available online. Tigris just updated our reviews section which is now complete with client’s photos and videos to add to the legitimacy of our client’s favourable claims. Better still, see if the agency has any events on the go so you can stop by to see their staff in action for yourself!

Brand Image :: when you’re dealing with event staffing, availability and scheduling becomes a huge part of the puzzle. There are alot of agencies with hundreds of photos of the talent on their roster… but that doesn’t mean they’re available. If you’re dealing with a company who is truly candid with you, they will present options of those available once the booking has been approved. Those who appear too willing to “put the cart before the horse” so to speak, offering up photos on a moment’s notice, may simply be trying to lure you to sign off on the event and will send you other candidates after the fact. Be cognizant of the time involved to reach out to a team, collect availability, put together photos etc… it’s not as simple as browsing through a catalogue unfortunately.

There is an art to successful event staffing. You need to know which staff are best suited to which events, who works well together, who is a soft sell and who is the party starter. It’s definitely not a “one size fits all” type of industry and the company you partner with will be able to help take this stress off your shoulders so you can focus on more important things. With this being said, the clock is ticking. With TIFF just a month away, there is no better time to start exploring the event staffing services available than now!