Narrative PR has a new name: NarraTIFF. Well, at least until Sept. 14, when the Toronto International Film Festival wraps.
“TIFF is the pinnacle of places where lifestyle brands are looking to get traction and get noticed,” said Lindsay Mattick, VP of strategy and creative at Narrati… er NarraTIFF (a subsidiary of Bensimon Byrne). “Because we had so much going on with [clients] at TIFF this year, we wanted to make a bit of a statement to the industry.”
Over the last few years, Narrative has expanded its lifestyle portfolio with clients such as Aldo Group, Grey Goose, Red Bull and Google. “TIFF is one of those events when we know that people in marketing and PR are really paying attention,” said Mattick. “To change our name was to say we’ve arrived as a lifestyle shop.”
The PR firm has changed its logo, website, Instagram and Twitter to reflect its new temporary moniker.
NarraTIFF’s client work during the film fest includes media relations for Grey Goose, which works in partnership with Soho House. Grey Goose ambassador Guillaume Jubien was featured on Canada AM, where he made drinks from the TIFF cocktail collection, and a TIFF cocktail was featured in The Globe & Mail.
The agency also developed a Jackson-Triggs activation booth at the opening night gala at the festival’s headquarters, TIFF Bell Lightbox. The wine company partnered with L’Oreal to create a new co-branded red lipstick, Meritage, which was given out at the event along with red wayfarers for the guys. Makeup artists were on hand and people were encouraged to share pics with the tagline #drinkredwearred.
“As far as activations go, it was definitely eye-catching, it was visual and it was highly shareable,” said Mattick.
“TIFF is really about being creative and thinking about how clients can stand out in a very cluttered space, and stand out in a way that is strategic and makes sense for them,” she added. “For Grey Goose, that’s going to be one way and for Jackson-Triggs it’s going to be another way. So it’s about understanding who you’re trying to reach and making sure your thinking is going to break through.”
