LouLou magazine is celebrating its five-year anniversary with a block party in Toronto and Montreal that includes sponsored shopping events with discounts and giveaways, supported with print, online and mobile communications.
Sponsors including Banana Republic, BCBG Max Azria, Gap, Guess, Puma, Town Shoes, Oakley and Winners will offer discounts off fall fashions and accessories at their retail locations during the events in Toronto Sept. 23 and in Montreal Sept. 24.
All participating stores can be found within one city block on Bloor in Toronto, and Saint Catherine Street in Montreal.
Joe Fresh Style is also participating in the event, with a pop up store at Sassafraz Restaurant in Toronto.
Any time a magazine makes it to its fifth birthday, it’s quite an accomplishment, said LouLou publisher Marie-José Desmarais.
Since its 2004 launch, the magazine has seen circulation for its English and French editions increase 45% and 21% respectively.
“We are now an established brand among our competitive set,” she said. “We wanted to celebrate with our readers and our business partners.”
Traditionally, publications celebrate anniversaries with a gala for its advertising partners, but because LouLou is embraced by readers as an authoritative source for shopping information it was important to celebrate with an event that was accessible to its audience, said Desmarais.
Over the next month readers who were unable to attend the event or live outside the Toronto and Montreal areas can access coupons online for the participating retailers.
Each block party will also feature a celebrity appearance: singer and One Tree Hill actress Kate Voegele will perform in Toronto, while Amylie takes the stage in Montreal.
The event will also include refreshments, goodie bags and makeup applications courtesy of Revlon, while the new Courtney Cox TV series Cougar Town (airing this fall on Citytv) is hosting an afterparty in Toronto that will feature a screening of the debut episode and giveaways.
LouLou, which is owned by Rogers Publishing, has also partnered with Visa to give away $10,000 in Visa prepaid cards. The September issues of the French and English editions of LouLou feature a contest card on the magazine cover, with a corresponding contest page. Readers can register at LouLou5th.com for their chance to win.
LouLouMagazine.com is offering mobile device coupons to shoppers who visit the site or register at LouLou.mobi. The coupons and deals are sent to their mobile phone so merchants can scan the bar code in-store to apply the discount.
“The 5th anniversary celebration is a 360º brand initiative and as part of that, LouLou is going mobile,” said Manon Leduc, national manager of LouLou.com, in a release.
