Moët & Chandon says it solidified its positioning as “the champagne of cinema” by becoming an official sponsor for the first time at the recent 40th annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
The main aspect of the sponsorship was the Moët & Chandon Gala Green Room at Roy Thomson Hall, where stars could relax after walking the red carpet and before their films were shown. During the festival, the green room had more than 700 visitors and served more than 160 bottles of champagne.
That sponsorship also gave Moët & Chandon the right to plunk down a nine litre bottle on the red carpet, which was signed by 40 stars, including Helen Mirrren, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jean-Marc Vallée, Jessica Chastain, Matt Damon, Naomi Watts, Anna Kendrick, Drew Barrymore, Kate Winslet and Ryan Reynolds.
The autographed bottle will later be auctioned off at a planned TIFF event or standalone event with proceeds going to TIFF’s annual fund.
“We felt it was a nice link with the Moët & Chandon DNA, which has always been about celebration and obviously about cinema,” says Véronique Gonneville, national brand manager, champagnes and wines, Moët-Hennessy portfolio at Charton Hobbs in Montreal.
The sponsorship was negotiated and implemented by DDB Chic, the specialty fashion, beauty and luxury practice of DDB Public Relations.
For the past six years during TIFF, Moët & Chandon has made a nine litre bottle and collected signatures, mostly by partnering with ET Canada and having it in the show’s celebrity lounge. Moët & Chandon has also partnered with different movie productions to host their pre- or post-parties during TIFF.
The nine litre bottle, which retails for $1,265.75 in Quebec, has previously sold for almost $10,000, with proceeds going to the Canadian Film Centre. But having 40 signatures this time means the bottle should auction for a higher price, Gonneville says.
Photos from the bottle signing were shared on the company’s Instagram and selected photos from TIFF appeared on the Moët & Chandon Facebook page.
“For us, this year was really a first step into partnering with TIFF,” Gonneville says. “We wanted to get to know them and understand what they do. We’re hoping it develops into a bigger sponsorship.”
The sponsorship has no direct impact on sales. It’s really to keep on growing the Moët & Chandon image and its link to cinema. It’s just a very natural fit.”
Moët & Chandon is a long-time supporter of other film awards and ceremonies, including the Golden Globe Awards and film festivals in Venice, San Sebastian and Locarno.
