On March 4th, Toronto-based media and influencers were invited to attend the launch of the Live Clean Dry Mist Shampoo. The event was hosted in The Chat Room, a studio space in OverCat’s office, where attendees arrived on the hour for small group appointments. Guests met with Shawna Campigotto and Suzy Fargalla from the Live Clean team, who introduced them to the new launch. Following this, they were invited to have their hair styled using the Dry Mist Shampoo, allowing them to fully experience the product. Along with the new launch, hero products were displayed within the space so guests could see the full breath of products available from Live Clean. At the end of their appointment, guests took home the entire Live Clean Dry Mist Shampoo line, along with the Coconut Milk Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner.

On September 4, 2019, the Birks Diamond Tribute to the Year’s Women in Film Luncheon, held in partnership with Telefilm, invited guests to celebrate women in film, while acting as a pre-TIFF kick-off event. Attendees included this year’s nominees, as well as those from previous years, media and influencers, guests of Telefilm and Maison Birks executives.  The event was held at the Four Seasons Hotel, actress Sarah Gadon hosted the event and speeches were given by Jean-Christophe Bédos, Christa Dickenson and the honourees.

For Fall 2019, select media and influencers were invited to attend the Fall Iconic 140^th Anniversary event from Maison Birks in three markets: Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto. The event was held at the Maison Birks flagship store in each city.

Upon arrival, guests were greeted and offered refreshments before joining small group sessions that were scheduled on the hour from 10 am – 2 pm. Guests were invited to browse the new Iconic Collection accompanied by Katie Reusch, Senior Manager of Marketing & Communications for Maison Birks. Staff were also available to assist guests who wished to try on jewelry and take photos wearing the pieces.

On July 24th, 2019 select health, fitness fashion media and influencers attended the second annual Anita x Dragons Abreast media event. The event celebrated Anita’s continuous support for women with breast cancer and their partnership with Dragons Abreast, the Toronto Dragon Boating Team made up of breast cancer survivors. The event took place at Sunnyside Pavilion, located on Lakeshore Boulevard West in Toronto.

Upon arrival, guests were provided with a light breakfast and met with members of Dragons Abreast, as well as Mark Caskanette and Olivia Leroux from Anita, to learn more about the partnership.

Following the breakfast and speeches, guests participated in a Dragons Abreast practice, receiving a short Dragon Boating tutorial from a coach from the team, before hitting the lake.

In March 2019, Anita Lingerie encouraged pregnant women from across Canada to enter in a contest to win a maternity photoshoot with celebrity photographer George Pimentel. The women were encouraged to post a photo of themselves on Instagram, explaining how they embraced the changes to their bodies throughout pregnancy. Five winners from across the country were selected and on April 2nd, 2019, Anita Lingerie hosted a photoshoot for them at the Mint Room Studios in Toronto, Ontario. The women were provided with a custom lingerie fitting, a selection of maternity and nursing bras, and a full hair and makeup experience from Fancy Face. The final portraits were featured in The Kit’s May 2019 Mother’s Day Issue.

On Tuesday, January 15th and Wednesday, January 16th, select Toronto based media and influencers were invited to experience the launch of The Beauty Clinic by Shoppers’ Oakville location. Upon arrival, guests were provided with a tour of the clinic and then met with the clinic’s nurse practitioners and medical aestheticians for private consultations prior to receiving a service of their choice. Following this, guests received custom skin consultations from UniverSkin and were gifted with a product created to suit their skincare needs.

In November 2018, Anita hosted a two-city Bras & Bubbly Media event. The event celebrated the holiday season and took place in Toronto and Vancouver. Long and short lead editors/influencers were invited join Anita for some bubbly and preview current and upcoming collections, learning about new trends as well as fit tips and tricks.

Product was displayed in unique ways, featuring various vignettes to portray different holiday plans. Mark Caskenette and Olivia Leroux anchored the events, taking guests through the collections, sharing company history, values, product knowledge, expertise, and information on breast health, bra size and fit.

Each guest was offered a custom bra fitting with Olivia Leroux and her team of expert fitters. Following the event, guests received their perfectly fitting Anita bra.

This year marked the 9th consecutive beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart TIFF Beauty Lounge, one of Toronto’s most sought-after media lounges during the Toronto International Film Festival. While celebrities arrived in the city to showcase their latest films, beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart unrolled the red carpet for top Canadian media, influencers and talent. beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart partnered with Entertainment One’s official TIFF lounge for their second consecutive year.

The beauty lounge ran from Thursday, September 6th until Sunday, September 9th at the InterContinental Hotel in the heart of Downtown Toronto. Shoppers Drug Mart transformed a wing on the 18th floor of the hotel into a beauty destination. The lounge offered Canadian media and talent the opportunity to be pampered with a variety of refined and sought-after beauty services from leading experts. Each day different makeup brands participated in the lounge with Urban Decay artists providing makeup looks on September 6th, Smashbox artists on September 7th, Stila artists on September 8 th and beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Experts on September 9^th. Upon leaving the suite, each guest received a beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart gift bag complete with products to recreate their red carpet looks at home.

RE\SET 004 x Toronto Fashion Week, a celebration of Canadian and international fashion designers, ran from September 4^th – 6^th, 2018. Taking place at Yorkville Village in downtown Toronto, beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart was the exclusive backstage beauty sponsor, creating the makeup looks for each show. A team of artists brought the looks to life under the lead of P1M Makeup Artist and Shoppers Drug Mart Spokesperson Simone Otis. Over the course of three days, media and influencers were invited backstage to speak with Simone and capture the looks for each show.

This season, beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart also hosted a beauty pop-up from September 4^th – 5^th. Located on Yorkville Avenue, guests of the beauty pop-up received complimentary lash applications, as well as the perfect lip colour to match their outfit. Makeup artists were fully equipped with a selection of favourite brands and products available at beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart.

Media and influencers were given the opportunity to preview CND’s Summer 2018 Boho Spirit Collection in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. This collection is a versatile mix of sun-kissed tones inspired by the fervent energy of Summer. All three events were vibrantly decorated in the same sun-kissed bohemian style, featuring bright florals and whimsical design. Guests were treated to a complementary manicure with nail art. Each attendee was also encouraged to take photos of their manicure in the bohemian photo studio which included themed props such as a floral crown, a dreamcatcher and metallic flash tattoos. At the end of the event, guests received a CND gift bag that included all of the shades from the collection.

In May 2018, German-based lingerie brand Anita, invited media and influencers to attend BreastFest. Events were held in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver, and attendees were given the opportunity to preview Anita’s newest collections. Mark Caskenette, Managing director of Anita, and Olivia Leroux, Marketing and Sales Director, explained the history of the brand to guests and relayed their expertise for finding the perfect fit. Each attendee was offered the opportunity to have a custom fitting with Olivia Leroux and were gifted with an Anita bra of their choice.

In March and April 2018, long and short lead beauty/lifestyle editors and influencers were invited to preview four key products from the Silk’n lineup – Titan, Flash&Go Express, Silhouette and ReVit. Media and influencers met with a Silk’n spokesperson who introduced them to the Silk’n brand and product assortment. Guests learned about the features and benefits of each product and were educated on how to use them. After the presentation, guests were given the opportunity to test drive a service of their choice in a private suite with an aesthetician. Guests then selected their favorite Silk’n product and this personalized gift was sent out to each attendee post-event. This allowed media and influencers to continue their Silk’n spa experience in the convenience of their own home, and to yield the best results from their treatment.

The month of February started off with a bold statement when Toronto’s Yorkville Village became home to RE\SET 003 x Toronto Fashion Week from February 5th – 7th 2018. The week saw designers like Hilary MacMillan, House of Nonie and Hendrixroe displaying their latest collections. beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart was the exclusive backstage beauty sponsor for the week. A team of artists, lead by Makeup Artist Simone Otis and Nail Artist Melissa Forrest, created makeup and nail looks for the runway shows. Looks ranged from a classic smokey eye, to a futuristic glitter contour. Media and influencers had the chance to visit backstage and get an exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpse at how each look was created and to interview Otis and Forrest about the inspiration behind each look.

In January 2018, select Toronto-based media and influencers were invited to celebrate Anita’s five year partnership with Look Good Feel Better. The event was held on Wednesday, January 31st from 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM at Love Child Social House in downtown Toronto. Remarks were made by Mark Caskenette, Managing director of Anita and Dee Diaz, President and CEO of Look Good Feel Better. Ten members of Dragon’s Abreast, The Toronto Dragon Boat racing team of cancer survivors, modeled the Anita Care line during the event. Guests learned about the workshops that Anita and Look Good Feel Better are running at over 100 cancer centers across the country, which provide breast health education and mastectomy bra expertise.

On December 6th and 7th, 2017, stila and luxury make-up team Fancy Face took over the Chat Room for a two day media and influencer activation. Select Toronto-based editors and influencers were invited to a one hour private session with Fancy Face CEO and Makeup Artist Brittany Gray. Brittany created custom stila holiday looks and provided step-by-step makeup tips and tricks for each attendee. Attendees received customized gift bags based on the look created for them.

On Monday, July 24th, select Toronto based media and influencers attended the KerMax press event to meet with Dr. Michael Carozza, naturopathic doctor, and Grego Minot, Canadian TV personality. Editors were invited to sit with Dr. Carozza to learn about KerMax and how their products work, while Grego spoke about her hair loss after both of her pregnancies. Following this, editors were treated to complimentary blowouts using KerMax products. Sessions were held at Medulla & Co. salon in Yorkville.

At the end of August 2016, beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart hosted an adventurous, bold and exciting media trip to Whistler, BC for a select group of top tier beauty editors, bloggers and influencers. In order to reinforce the BE BOLD message, editors were challenged to BE BOLD for four days and three nights. As one of the challenges, they had the opportunity to clip onto and experience four of Canada’s longest and fastest zip lines. In order to incorporate the same narrative, activities such as learning the masterful technique of Champagne sabering and entering the coldest vodka room in the world were part of the week’s itinerary. Guests also participated in a ‘BEAUTY NEVERS’ challenge with makeup artist Simone Otis. Editors revealed their “beauty never” and were challenged to wear the look out for dinner. They received a quick makeup application and had some one-on-one time with Simone Otis. A media preview lunch was hosted at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler and editors were invited to a seated lunch followed by a makeup demonstration speaking to the four Be Bold Beauty looks. Later in the afternoon Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Experts and Simone Otis worked their magic and created customized BE BOLD with BEAUTY looks for each of them prior to the evening’s activities.

To launch The Estée Edit by Estée Lauder, two events were hosted at Airship 37 in downtown Toronto. Media and influencers were invited to attend a preview on March 30^th, 2016 where they had the chance to meet with The Estée Edit Creator Sarah Creal and Lead Makeup Artist Blair Patterson. On the following day, March 31^st, 2016 , media, influencers and Sephora Cast Members were invited to attend The Estée Edit launch event. Guests were invited to play with the entire collection and interact with Sephora Cast Members as well as The Estée Edit Makeup Artists to learn application techniques and product information. Guests were also encouraged to play with a digital graffiti wall and take photos with a custom The Estée Edit Snapchat filter, all while enjoying music from DJ Lissa Monet.

In early November, WINNERS, HomeSense and Marshalls hosted their 2015 Holiday Gift Giving Preview at the St. James Cathedral Centre in downtown Toronto. Guests were invited to meet with Los Angeles based etiquette expert Lisa Gaché, founder of Beverly Hills Manners. Gaché shared her holiday etiquette gift giving tips, including who to gift, what to gift and how much to spend. Guests perused the unique gift ideas from WINNERS, HomeSense and Marshalls on display in the clean, modern space, while snacking on holiday-themed treats and sipping on spiced eggnog.

On November 17th, Murale hosted its’ Spring 2016 Media Preview at The Spoke Club in downtown Toronto. Marking the 7^th anniversary of the store, the preview took on an upscale birthday party theme. Toronto’s top beauty, lifestyle and health media attended the event, representing print, online and broadcast outlets. Guests were able to meet with spokespeople from brands including clariSEA, Eve Lom, Kat Burki, Intelligent Nutrients, StriVectin and Tweezerman. Attendees were treated to a build your own sundae bar and custom Murale birthday cake while toasting to the occasion with sprinkle rimmed champagne flutes.

The first week of December marked the opening of Ottawa and Montreal’s first ever enhanced beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart locations. Media were invited to tour the 4,000 square foot stores with Shoppers Drug Mart spokesperson Lana Gogas. Beauty experts were on hand to introduce Parisian-born cult favourite brand Paul & Joe and preview the Spring/Summer Papillion de Printemps collection. Ottawa and Montreal are the sixth and seventh Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix locations in Canada to offer customers an elevated prestige beauty experience.

OverCat Communications hosted a ‘Teeth’s Worst Nightmare’ dinner to preview a selection of 13 oral hygiene products from DenTek. Long and short lead media were invited to dine at the rustic Big Crow restaurant, located at 176 Dupont Street. Guests were invited to indulge in a buffet-style barbeque dinner complete with a menu designed to get stuck in one’s teeth. The menu included items such as ‘Teeth Pick’in Pulled Pork’ and ‘Cavity-on-the-cob’. After their meal, editors left with a gift bag full of products to help rescue their teeth after the sticky barbeque meal.

Having curated closets for hit TV series Girls and Orange Is the New Black, costume designer Jenn Rogien’s ability to evoke emotion through fashion has earned her international recognition. Dressing iconic characters to create a visual narrative, Rogien selects impactful pieces that convey a message. This fall, WINNERS challenged the award-winning costume designer to create a trio of looks reflective of three personalities, each embodying a distinct style story.

OverCat Communications invited both long and short lead media to preview the Estée Lauder and AERIN Beauty Fall/Winter 2015 collections in three cities: Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. These media previews included make-up artist demonstrations where Estée Lauder spokespeople preformed the unique applications of various products as well as took the media through all of the new collections, explaining key technologies and answering any questions.

OverCat sent a ‘Tooth Fairies in Training’ team to the Taste of the Danforth to help rescue festival-goers from the embarrassment and discomfort of having their lunch overstay their welcome between those two front teeth! The team of 5 Tooth Fairies hit the streets on Saturday, August 8^th and Sunday, August 9^th to hand out floss picks and coupons, achieving our goal of distributing 21,500 samples.

This year, Shoppers Drug Mart beautyBOUTIQUE marked the 6th consecutive year hosting one of Toronto’s most sought-after media lounges during TIFF. Shoppers Drug Mart unrolled the red carpet for top Canadian editors, influencers, tastemakers, television hosts and radio personalities. New to the suite this year was PHYTO’s Stylist to the Stars Anthony Cristiano providing hair services and fashion illustrator Jocelyn Teng who was on site creating watercolour beauty illustrations of attendees.

OverCat developed and executed the PR Campaign for the launch of Shoppers Drug Mart’s beautyBOUTIQUE.ca. Editors received a virtual ‘party in a box’ filled with essential items to shop the new site; a custom monogrammed robe, a bottle of champagne, beautyBOUTIQUE inspired cookies, celebratory confetti and a shopping checklist. The new beautyBOUTIQUE.ca site gives customers the opportunity to view thousands of prestige beauty products for online purchase.

For five consecutive years, OverCat has worked with Shoppers Drug Mart to host one of Toronto’s most sought-after media lounges during TIFF. Top Canadian editors, television and radio personalities are prepped and pampered for their red carpet events with makeup applications and hairstyling from celebrity hair stylist Sally Hershberger and her expert team.

To preview its newest fall launches, Murale invited media to its Toronto store to meet with the founders of Cake Beauty, Dr. Roebucks, Kat Burki, Patchology, Phyto and Skyn Iceland. Founders shared the inside scoop on brand conception and product formulation while editors tested out products and discussed upcoming beauty and skincare trends.

This holiday season, OverCat Communications worked with WINNERS , HomeSense and Marshalls and enlisted the expertise of Los Angeles-based celebrity gifting expert Cynde Cassel, to reveal her insider tips for holiday shopping success. As owner of Star Treatment Gift Services, Cassel has a star-studded list of satisfied customers including Oprah, Jennifer Garner, Emma Stone, Lady Gaga, George Clooney, Tom Cruise and Ryan Gosling. With almost two decades experience shopping for an elite clientele, Cynde Cassel shared her favourite tips for finding star-worthy gifts and curated curate a celebrity-inspired wish list of gifts.

To kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month, OverCat organized a two-day campaign with Elizabeth Hurley, Global Ambassador for The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Awareness (BCA) Campaign. The three-fold activation included an employee rally for The Estée Lauder Companies’ employees, a private cocktail reception at Hudson’s bay Queen Street and a private “Hear Our Stories. Share Yours” event where breast cancer survivors and their supporters were invited to attend, receive a full makeover, share their story and meet Elizabeth. Stories of the attendees were filmed and incorporated into The Estée Lauder Companies’ digital platforms.

An event to launch the new AERIN Fragrances and Essentials Collection was hosted in New York City where editors were invited to have lunch with Aerin Lauder at Ze Café, followed by one-on-one interviews with Aerin and Karyn Khoury at the AERIN office.

Shoppers Drug Mart unveiled its fifth Enhanced beautyBOUTIQUE™ in the ionic Runnymede Theatre in Bloor West Village. The 3,800 square-foot beautyBOUTIQUE preserves historic elements of the building, adding a unique twist to the store. New fixtures, digital signage and enhanced fragrance and skin care areas provide customers with a luxurious retail environment complemented by a wide assortment of prestigious brands.

For five consecutive years, OverCat has worked with Shoppers Drug Mart beautyBOUTIQUE to host one of Toronto’s most sought-after media lounges during the Toronto International Film Festival. This year’s suite transformed the Burroughes Building in trendy Queen West into a full service salon. Over four days, top Canadian editors, television and radio personalities were prepped and pampered for their red carpet events with makeup applications and hairstyling from celebrity hair stylist Sally Hershberger and her expert team. Bringing in over a hundred media in 2014, the Shoppers Drug Mart beautyBOUTIQUE TIFF Suite continues to be one of OverCat’s most anticipated events of the year.

Henry’s and OverCat hosted a private media dinner at the newly opened Toronto restaurant Thoroughbred Food & Drink, located in the city’s entertainment district. Guests experienced The Art of Food Phoneography 101: A lesson in capturing the most mouth-watering food photos using a mobile device. With instruction from Ren Bostelaar, manager of Henry’s School of Imaging, guests were given tips on framing, composition, lighting, and post-processing, while practicing their skills on an intricately presented three course meal from renowned chef Ariel Coplan.

To launch the Re-Nutriv Ultimate Diamond Sculpting/Refinishing Dual Infusion, spokesmodel Stephanie Seymour’s first campaign with Estée Lauder, an event was hosted in Greenwich, Connecticut. Canadian editors were invited to receive a tour of the Brant Foundation, view Jeff Koons’ Puppy and the Dan Colen Art Exhibit, meet with Vice President of Basic Science Research at Estée Lauder Dr. Pernodet to hear about the science behind the product followed by lunch with Stephanie Seymour.

OverCat Communications launched Express in Canada with store openings in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. Store openings included appearances by well-known Canadian celebrities who helped to generate buzz and welcome the retailer into Canada. Celebrities included Emmanuelle Chriqui, Mark Salling, Shenae Grimes, Luke Schenn and Cale Hulse.

Heidi Klum visited Toronto to launch her debut fragrance Shine. The three-fold launch included a media junket, personal appearance at Toronto’s Eaton Centre and contest partnerships that ran across traditional and social media platforms.