Back from Eventworld with FRESH IDEAS

Rachel and I are just back from the ISES Eventworld in Dallas with some fresh ideas to share with you!

We have all seen those giant greeters (or a least everyone trying to do them).  Here is a fantastic one! Mixed with some pyro this created quite an impression even to a bunch of jaded event professionals.

Check out this 12 ft. oversized singing live character from

Champagne Creative Group:

 https://vimeo.com/47112463

Talking heads and painted statues have been around for a while but here is a new take on the idea with a great musical component which combines rock & roll and live breathing art:

 https://www.dropbox.com/s/1ju4yih1409zp6g/Dead%20Ringers%20Montage.mov

Check out Wise Guys for more cool stuff   http://www.wiseguysinteractive.com/deadringers.html

On a related note we came back with some major hardware to add to our trophy case – An ISES Esprit Award for our work on the Mortgage Forum and Expo ‘11 for the Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals.  Many thanks go out to our amazing suppliers –Stronco Show Services, AV CANADA, Inorbital, Hume, Ideavation and the team at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Hope my “Free Idea” makes your Friday!

To learn more, please visit www.andlogistix.com

London Calling

Excitement is mounting and I can’t wait to see what London does for the 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremonies.

Even in this age of Twitter, the British can keep a secret.   When details of the opening ceremony started to leak out earlier this summer, Games organizers made keeping the secret a matter of national pride with a #savethesurprise hash tag. It was broadcast on the big screens throughout the rehearsal. Mums’ the word!

Here’s what I have dug up on the top secret details:

·         A cast of 15,000

·          Several farmyard animals will be featured including 12 horses, 3 cows, 2 goats, 10 chickens, 10 ducks, 9 geese, 70 sheep and 3 sheep dogs.

·         Mary Poppins having a go at Harry Potter’s Voldemort

·         The director is British film and theater director Danny Boyle, who won the best director Oscar for his film "Slumdog Millionaire" in 2009.  He also is the man behind “Trainspotting” so you know  the music is going to be amazing

·         British humour will play a big part  (really not sure how they will pull that off)

·         There will be a Shakespearian element

·         007 is sure to make an appearance

·         A million watt sound system (oh I am starting to get goose bumps)

·         The identity of the final torch bearer is shrouded with rumor – my bet is on British soccer and style icon David Beckham bending a soccer ball like only Becks can to light the flame!

The highly anticipated ceremony will take place on Friday, July 27 at 9 p.m. London Time, which is 4 p.m. ET.

The ceremony will air on NBC in the US or CTV in Canada at 7 p.m. ET.

Hope my “Free Idea” makes your Friday!

To learn more, please visit www.andlogistix.com

Cooking up some new ideas

With the popularity of cooking shows and reality cooking escapades, celebrity chefs are just that - CELEBRITIES.

Here are a few ideas on how you can incorporate this cooking craze into your next event:

Hands-on:

Ø  Here, your guests actually don aprons and work side-by-side to help the chef with the cooking.

Demonstration:

Ø  Within a demonstration kitchen, your group watches and listens while the chef prepares a meal right in front of everyone.  You can pair this with a wine tasting if the event is more social in nature.

o    I’m a huge fan of Good Earth http://www.goodearthfoodandwine.com/ and recommend it to clients often.  (checkout  the photos or our day at Good Earth)

Keynote Presentations:

Ø  Many speaker bureaus are listing celebrity chefs on their rosters.  Chefs are passionate, run their kitchens like iron ships and many are experienced entrepreneurs who can touch on many motivational themes.

o    Check out Speakers Spotlight – they boast a variety of cooking experts including T.V. personality David Rocco.  http://www.speakers.ca/Rocco_David.html

o    Or take a look at Roger Mooking’s Recipe for Success presentation, listed on the NSB site -http://nsb.com/speakers/view/roger-mooking

Even having a celebrity chef at one of your food stations during a reception or serving up gourmet burgers at your company picnic is a welcome surprise for any party goer.  No matter what the method, celebrity chefs are engaging, humorous and can add a playful flavour to any event.

How to choose the right chef? Keep these points in mind:

·         It is important that the chef possesses a strong television personality to create a buzz amongst your invited guests and the media.

·         The chef needs to have a book, television show or signature product lines as this helps add to the excitement.

·         Including a complimentary autographed cookbook for all your guests adds longevity to the experience

·         Try to match the chef to your theme – if you are concentrating on a “local flavour” try to get a chef that specializes in foods from that particular city or region.

·         Many chefs support their favourite charity and if your event has a philanthropic component that matches a certain chef – you have a winning recipe.

Hope my “Free Idea” makes your Friday!

To learn more, please visit www.andlogistix.com