Minding our Ps and Qs

When it comes to greeting royalty, displaying national flags, determining who travels the elevators first or any other issues of protocol, the Corporate Sales staff of the CN Tower can handle it as well as the security issues associated with having special guests at the Tower.

Every year, the CN Tower hosts many events for national and international celebrities, diplomats and politicians including tours, receptions and media announcements.  In these cases, protocol and security are a priority.

 "We have to make our guests feel comfortable,�?says Laurie Opie, Manager of  Corporate Sales.   “That means mapping everything out in advance including greetings and security requirements.�?nbsp;

 At a reception for NATO Defense Ministers, there were 600 international guests to be greeted and protected.  Whenever international guests are at the Tower, staff like to showcase the “Canadian Experience.�?nbsp;

 The Tower’s Corporate Sales team meticulously selected food and matched wines and other beverages to ensure that guests would have a real sense of Canadian cuisine.

“The world came to us and we showed them Canada and we did it safely, smoothly and with panache,�?says Opie.

 Theatre Attracts Film and Design Celebs

Cameras. Action. Shoot.  The CN Tower’s 144-seat theatre has had plenty of use this year but two star-studded events stand out from the rest. 

Twentieth Century Fox launched its animated film  “Ice Age�?in the CN Tower’s theatre last spring and Tommy Hilfiger launched a new cologne there called “T�?

The theatre, which has its own reception area a few steps away from the Edge Arcade, was packed with guests and media at both events.

Characteristically for the Hilfiger Cologne Launch, the theatre and reception area were decorated in the designer’s signature colours of Red, White and Blue while the Twentieth Century Fox Launch had film banners as well as a short take from the film on a tv camera loop in the reception area, says Account Manager Michele Daley. 

Celebrities in attendance at the Ice Age Launch included Cheryl Pounder and Cherie Piper, members of Canada’s Gold medal winning Women’s Hockey Team and  actors Tanya Lee Williams from TV’s The Young and the Restless and Kari Matchett, whose recent film credits include Men with Brooms.

 Delivering Tech Solutions

Advanced communications and other technical requirements pose no challenge for the CN Tower. 

For Telus Mobility, the Tower laid cable through the roof and walls and transformed the buffet room into a communications centre to facilitate a product launch.

A huge podium looking like a working cell phone was the focal point for the day’s announcement and the announcement was provided to Vancouver and Calgary through simultaneous internet broadcasting.

TV monitors throughout the area broadcast the company’s commercials and a translucent map of Telus locations was attached to the windows providing a dramatic backdrop to highlight the company’s presence and the city beyond.

“Our technical people did a fabulous job to meet the needs of Telus,�?says Monica Preto, Account Manager at the CN Tower “and we have met the technical needs of other clients by putting gel on windows to reduce the glare but not the view, by installing special lighting, backdrops, audio-visual screens, and special amplifying equipment.�?/STRONG>