Holiday Cheer: Narrative Advocacy Media

Toronto PR firm hatches a festive pod party to benefit the United Way

PR firm hatches pod party

The third-floor of Bensimon Byrne’s Toronto office was the location for an invasion of pod people yesterday as the agency’s public relations division, Narrative Advocacy Media, hosted an internal holiday competition to benefit the United Way.

Narrative employees sit in two-person “pods,” and for Wednesday’s Pod Party, each twosome was tasked with decorating their small section of the office and coming up with an alcoholic beverage to serve. Competitors were limited only by their creativity and a $50 budget.

The entire Bensimon Byrne team was invited to attend and vote for their favourite pod creation. Competitors were to be judged on their drink, decor and overall experience provided.

The event raised $240 for the United Way, with non-competitors paying a $5 fee to evaluate the pod people and sample drinks whose ingredients ranged from champagne to eggnog to beef broth.

Tricia Soltys, a Narrative account director, and her pod partner Nicole Schaeffer, an account coordinator, won the competition with their “Under the Christmas tree” concept, which featured wrapped presents under an installation made to look like the bottom half of a tree.

Dressed in pajamas to match their theme, Soltys and Schaeffer basked in their glorious victory.

“We were in this for the sheer bragging rights,” Soltys said.

Bragging rights were the only prizes the duo received yesterday. However, Soltys said she was looking forward to getting a properly “marvelous” prize in the near future.

Having a holiday party? Get a strange gift from a client? E-mail us photos, videos or send an old-fashioned written missive to tell us what you’ve got on the go during the festive season. We’ll feature selected parties and projects online at MarketingMag.ca and in our Daily e-newsletters throughout the month of December.

Send your submissions to our online team.

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