GLO Communications held the Bask-It-Style 13th Annual Media Day at The Fairmont Royal York Hotel on September 6th, 2023, and was by appointment only in Toronto. Since it was our first time attending, we were curious about this very exclusive pre-TIFF kick-off event.
I arrived, utilized the valet parking, and made my way through the luxurious, historical, and immaculate hotel corridor to the Manitoba Room, a meeting planner’s dream-well lit, modern furnishings and original murals that depict Canadian landscape and heritage are the ambiance. At the same time, all the luxury brands and their representatives were excited to demonstrate and have me try their products.
The Bask-It-Style 2023 Media Day is an annual event which showcases products and services gifted to visiting celebrities at the Toronto International Film Festival, which runs September 7-17th, 2023. Throughout TIFF, celebrities will receive gifts from this lounge at the Fairmont Hotel in Toronto, including a wide variety of products and services from some well-known Canadian brands.
Although actors and actresses are on strike, many A-list stars are in town for TIFF, which has Toronto fans looking to get a glimpse of celebrities- major brands are also looking for product placement through the gifts given to actors and filmmakers. Gifting lounges are an excellent incentive for brands to have a celebrity notice, fall in love with their products, and promote them through social media and the red carpet.
Some of the brands at this year’s media day include:
Browns Shoes: Media bag sponsor
DAVIDsTEA: Valerian Nights tea pack of 15 sachets (retail value $9) Double walled glass perfect mug (retail value $26)
Fairmont Royal York: Venue Partner
Bellroy: Celebrity gift bag sponsor. Lite Duffel (retail value: $149) and Lite Pouch Duo (retail value: $49)
Philips: Philip Sonicare 9900 Prestige (retail value: $499.99) and Philip Sonicare Cordless power flosser 3000 (retail value: $99.99)
Victoria Beckham Eyewear: Sunglass models- VB651S and VB240S (retail value: $522)
OPI: Big Zodiac Energy collection (retail value: $13.95); Repair mode (retail value: $29.95) and Nail Envy polishes (retail value: $24.95)
SodaStream: SodaStream Art Sparkling Water Maker (retail value $169.99), SodaStream On-The-Go Bottle
Marc Anthony: Repair Bond + Rescueplex Repair and protect leave-in treatment MINI, Repair Bond+ Rescueplex Concentrated hydrating mask (retail value: $11.99), Repair Bond+ Rescueplex Repair and Protect leave-in treatment (retail value: $11.99), Repair Bond+Rescueplex Defrizzing smoothening cream (retail value: $12.99), Repair Bond+ Rescueplex Concentrated hydrating mask MINI (retail value: $12.99)
D.O. Rueda: Sapientia Verdejo Organic Wine from Bodegas Moha, V-Malcorta from Bodega Javier Sans Viticultor, AYRE from Bodegas Verdeal, Finca Montepedroso 2022 from Finca Montepedroso, Marques de Riscal Verdejo from Marques de Riscal, Protos Verdejo from Bodegas Protos, Castelo de Medina Verdejo from Bodega Castelo de Medina, Badajoz 2022 from Bodega Gótica and Beronia from Bodegas Gonzalez, Nekora Verdejo 2021 from Diez Siglos de Verdejo
Stila: Stay All Day liner (retail value: $30); Huge mascara (retail value: $33); Plumping Lip Glazes (all 3 shades) (retail value: $31) Stay all day brown eyeliner (retail value: $31); Stay all day waterproof liquid liner (retail value: $30); Suede Shade™ Liquid Eyeshadows (all 3 shades) (retail value: $33); Sculpt and Glow Contour and Highlighter palette (retail value: $30)
St. Tropez: Luxe Body Serum (retail value: $59)
Gift bags and activations are trendy. Many international celebrity events like the Grammys, the Golden Globes, and many global film festivals offer an incentive to visit celebrities with much success. The blessing of having an A-list actor or actress showcase your product can be very profitable.
Welcome to all the attendees, and I wish you the best. I hope you love all your swag as much as we do!