Vroom Vroom into 2014

Hello, my fellow PR-ites!

During New Year’s Eve, SOUL Society Group simultaneously organized an exclusive media relations project entitled Vroom Vroom into 2014, which is a round trip experiential tour of SOUL Society Group parties on New Year’s Eve, 31 December 2013.

A special bus was chartered for 27 specially invited guests on a party route which began at SOULed OUT Sri Harts for a Viva Mexico New Year’s Eve party. SOULed Out Sri Harts created a festive atmosphere filled with vibrant colours as Jarabe dancers mingled with the crowd along with Le Rumba ‘Mariachi’ strolling band serenading the diners. A variety of games together with the mandatory piñata also added to the merry making.

Later, the Vroom Vroom into 2014 group meander to SOULed OUT Ampang’s Moonsplash New Year’s Eve party for pre-dinner drinks. Guests enjoyed a wet and wild time at SOULed OUT Ampang as it transformed into an urban beach to greet the New Year. The band Acoustic Fourplay dialed it up with summer tunes, while DJ Kay takes over the countdown at midnight.

After SOULed Out Ampang, the VVIP coach drop by Tujo where the Vroom Vroom into 2014 group reveled in the ambience of a colourful Mad Hatter party which featured a plethora of weird and wonderful hats worn by guests that was a sight to behold. DJ Cassie D took to the decks to sending all into a flurry on the dance floor before champagnes are popped to celebrate the New Year.

Hopped on again to be hurtled to WIP’s Kamasutra New Year’s Eve Party for after-dinner drinks set in an enthralling and sensual ambience. The outlet was resplendent in gold and accented by splashes of vivid blues and greens. Minglers were adorned in exotic finery that epitomised the sensuality that is Kamasutra and perform hedonistic moves that will delight.

The final stop was SOULed OUT Sri Harts for a countdown to behold filled with fireworks galore!

SOUL Society Group offered radio broadcasters, Traxx FM and FM two pairs of tickets for this unique experience and another three pairs of tickets to the SOUL Society Group’s New Year’s Eve parties as prizes for contest were held over their broadcast. The SOUL Society Group also invited the print media representatives and treated them generously at the experiential tour. In return, they have scored media coverage for their festive parties.

So much play, and so much work, has led to the success of this project and a fruitful start the New Year.

May this year be better than the last, Happy New Year 2014! J

Warmest and Heartiest Regards,
Diane

NOTE: This was originally posted on my own blog (an honest mistake) on the 27th of February 2014, here. Hence, my dear readers, I assure you that my posts have been up, on a weekly, if not, regular basis.

A very mad, Mad Hatter

Hello, my fellow beautiful and talented PR professionals!

After a day-off on Christmas Day, we were immediately back on our feet, finalising plans required for the themed events held at Souled Out, WIP, Tujo and an exclusive bus tour for journalists. I was assigned to run Tujo’s Mad Hatter theme on the eve of New Year’s.

The Mad Hatter New Year’s Eve concept is a continuation of the colourful A Christmas Playground event. The additional element to the A Christmas Playground concept is the outrageous hats for Tujo’s décor and wait staff. The Mad Hatter theme reinforces Tujo’s concept as being the location to Eat, Play & Live, as it will create brand perception to customers that Tujo is a trendy venue to wine and dine at, regardless of the festive seasons celebrated in Malaysia.

The Mad Hatter decorations consisted of deck of cards hung up vertically with strings, vines accompanied by colourful lanterns, Cheshire cat drawn up on the chalkboards at the venue, lollipop centerpieces and This Way, That Way signs.

Several discussions were held among the SOUL Society Group to finalize the New Year’s Eve menu and entertainment, whilst we update the outstanding tasks on the checklist and event order.

The food menu proposed by the SOUL Society kitchen was a buffet dinner consisting of creative spins on the festive food, such as, red seafood spaghetti, colourful coleslaw, chocolate mushrooms, purple burgers and multi-coloured desserts. While the drinks to be featured at the event comprised of unique cocktails using tea as base ingredient and other fruity cocktails with champagne. The entertainment for the Mad Hatter event include fringe performers dressed in the Alice in the Wonderland inspired costumes to meet-and-greet guests and a special DJ set by Cassie D.

In terms of publicizing the event, the SOUL Society Group distributed E-flyers to our in-house and sponsors database, SMS blast to SOUL Society database, Facebook feeds and invites, venue posters, plasma screen digital promo, pre- and post-coverage from the media.

The sponsorship and branding was executed via cash sponsorship, special event trade orders and brands support, in return for SOUL Society Group publicity towards the event by incorporating sponsor’s brand logo in its marketing and PR collaterals.

Similar to the A Christmas Playground, I was assigned to oversee the overall proceedings of the Mad Hatter event including, the décor, operations, buffet lines, reservation lists and cover after 10pm.

The concept for the night purports to entice the above 18 year old age groups, as SOUL Society Group closed the kitchen and put emphasis on the beverage menu. Moreover, the entertainment for the night only featured two DJ sets, intended to attract a night club audience.

The turnout was more than satisfactory, as the performance measures, including sales analysis, far exceeded SOUL Society Group’s forecast.

The night was filled with friends and families reminiscing and creating wonderful memories for the final few hours of 2013, accompanied by great food, drinks and music.

Hence, I would love to do the honors and say;

Cheerio 2013, and Hello 2014!
HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL J

Best Wishes,
Diane

Had myself a merry Tujo Christmas

Hello my fellow communications magnates!

Soon after the SOUL Society Charity Bazaar held on the 15^th of December 2013, the SOUL Society team and I were onto our next three projects for Christmas, New Year’s and an exclusive bus tour for journalists. The primary focus under my management was Tujo for its “A Christmas Playground” held on the 24^th of December 2013.

“A Christmas Playground” theme reinforces Tujo’s concept of a playground and tagline “Let’s eat, live & play”, as it experiences its first festive celebration. The merriment and colourful connotations of a playground also supplements the Christmas season.

The “A Christmas Playground” theme centered on fuchsia, cyan and lime green colours. Tujo’s décor set for the theme included giant lollipops, Christmas trees, Christmas ornaments hanging from Modo Chandeliers and railings, reindeers, lighted balls in the lawn and colourful wreath at entrances.

Several meetings were held among the SOUL Society Group to discuss on the Christmas menu and entertainment, whilst we update the outstanding tasks on the checklist and event order. The food and beverage menu proposed by the SOUL Society kitchen was required to gain approval from senior management before it was transferred to SOUL Society studio for design and print. The entertainment for the event was managed by one of the senior managers with my assistance on the liaison department. The entertainers included were elves and santarinas to meet-and-greet guests, live band performance by Acoustic Fourplay and a resident DJ set after 10pm.

The publicity scope of the event consisted of E-flyers to SOUL Society and sponsors database, SMS blast to SOUL Society database, Facebook feeds and invites, venue posters, plasma screen digital promo, pre- and post-coverage from the media.

The sponsorship bracket was also covered by Tujo’s “A Christmas Playground” event, as we received cash sponsorship, special event trade orders and brands support, in return for SOUL Society Group publicity for the event via incorporating sponsor’s brand logo in its marketing and PR collaterals.

As I was the key person in charge of the event, I went to Tujo early on the eve of Christmas to oversee the décor, operations, band setup, reservation lists for the buffet, drink coupons entitlements and brief all staff on the event agenda from 7pm till midnight.

The fundamental feature running the “A Christmas Playground” event I found, include teamwork and sensible judgment in queuing the subsequent task on the event order. The buffet was opened at 7.30pm, while Acoustic Fourplay played three 45-minutes set followed by the countdown gimmick before Christmas. We blew whistles two minutes before 12am and pop three bottles of champagne while our fringe acts, such as the elves and santarinas, dance at the DJ deck for the countdown.

Overall, it was all work and a lot of play, simultaneously.
“A Christmas Playground” with loved ones supporting the Tujo event climaxed my Christmas with a bang.

Merry belated Christmas!

Diane