At RedPoint, the Marketing department is always busy. Our inboxes are always full, and we work non-stop to pull off major events for our brands and our company. This past year was no exception. Here are a few examples:
In 2012, Wine Access magazine presented two very successful annual events, the 2012 International Value Wine Awards and the 2012 Canadian Wine Awards.
You should have seen Wine Access staff writer Tom Firth’s desk during the weeks leading up to the 2012 IVWAs — wine boxes and bottles covered every surface, and it was even hard to find Tom at times! As usual, our judges were flown in from across the country and thoroughly enjoyed their week in Calgary — thanks in part to some exquisite dinners around town.
The Canadian Wine Awards took place in Penticton, B.C., this year, and were a record-breaking success with more than 1,250 registrations. Our team worked hard to get every bottle tasted and judged by the members of our expert panel (who, in my opinion, have the best jobs ever).
Avenue Calgary also had a great year, with countless sponsorships and important events — the most notable being our annual Top 40 Under 40 event (pictured above) at the beautiful Devonian Gardens. Tickets sold out in record time, and we even had an extensive waiting list. Having Mayor Naheed Nenshi show up and surprise our Top 40 honourees was a highlight.
Meanwhile, up! magazine was featured in March 2012 on Citytv’s CityLine program in Toronto, which was a significant highlight for our team. I am always envious of the up! editorial team members and the great places they see and experience. We are so proud of the stories they tell, and happy to help engage with our readers monthly through our “up! and Away” and “Look it up!”contests — the number of entries is unbelievable! Letting our winners know they will soon be headed on an amazing trip is one of the biggest perks of my job; I love hearing their excited — and often shocked — voices on the other end of the phone.
Also in 2012, RedPoint celebrated its brand-new office space with an open house event for clients and friends. Located literally around the corner from our former offices, we are now working in a funky open-concept environment with plentiful natural light, an awesome kitchen and beautiful decor that represents the people who work in our office.
Perhaps most significantly, we welcomed our Marketing Solutions division into the fold in 2012. RedPoint now includes an on-site marketing agency to work with existing advertisers and new external clients, handling everything from branding and communications to web development, content creation and ad design — the sky is the limit.
In short, 2012 was a busy and eventful year, and 2013 promises to be just as active. We’re already planning for the launch of our always-sold-out Avenue Dinner Series, the Design Issue and our Wine Access Awards season.