Client Testimonials

The direct feedback from our client’s are literally a testament to the quality of the work Tigris Personnel stands for and puts out. We are not only representing our client’s in the field; we are representing ourselves and our brand, Tigris. We truly believe in promoting products with “the power of presence” and think we have some of the best staff and ideas the industry has to offer. Take a read below to see what some of our clients have to say about us. You’ll be pleasantly surprised!

~ ”I just wanted to thank you again for your help staffing the TIFF Experiential Zone at Pearson Airport.  I think Tigris is a great company to do business with.  It is a well run company that I can trust and rely on.”
 * Manager of Guest Experience Marketing at the Greater Toronto Airport Authority
 Re: TIFF Experiential Zone at Toronto Pearson Airport Sept. 3-28/10

~ “The event was a great success!!!  The models were great, very nice and interactive with customers.  Thank you for all your hard work. We would love to use your services again!  Have a great day.”
 * Manager of Retail Operations at MAC Cosmetics
 Re: Wonder Woman Product Launch at the Toronto Eaton Centre & Scarborough T.C. Feb. 2/11

~ “I would like to thank you for the events staff you assigned in Calgary, Vancouver and Montreal. They were all wonderful and completely exceeded my expectations. I really appreciate the help.”
 * Marketing Coordinator at Sprott Private Wealth
 Re: Sprott Roadshows Nov. 9-21/11

~ “Thanks for sending the tastings reports and photos over so quickly.  Can I just tell you, your reporting system is THE BEST I’ve ever seen!  So thank you for that too! The boss is very impressed so far.”
 * Sales & Marketing Coordinator for Churchill Cellars Ltd.
 Re: LCBO In-Store Tasting Program Nov. 11-Dec. 31/11

~ “We wanted to say how awesome all the teams were for the Motorola “It’s on us” Cineplex Promotion. We were impressed with their attitudes and willingness to help with the set-up and tough situations. Also, one TSS mentioned it was her first promo but she was still very good and professional.”
 * Account Coordinator for Motorola at Hill & Knowlton
 Re: Motorola “It’s on Us” at Cineplex Mississauga, Vaughan & Toronto Oct. 12-15/10

~ “Thank you for your hard work and flexibility on the Groundside program at Pearson. You work with an excellent team and go above and beyond to get the job done. Tigris Personnel is one of the best staffing agencies in Toronto. We really appreciate it.”
 * Senior Vice President, Hotspex Inc.
 Re: Groundside Market Research Program at Toronto Pearson Sept. 19-23/11

~ “Connie and Sandra did an excellent job at our event. They were professional, friendly, sweet and gorgeous! We got alot of great feedback about them and everybody loved them. Thank you for your help and we will be in touch for next years event.”
 * Senior Executive Assistant, CB Richard Ellis
 Re: Special event at the TIFF Lightbox Oct. 20/11

~ “I asked for a certain type of team – and I got it. Professional, engaging, vibrant, and fun – great people, not to mention bilingual! I would highly recommend them and would be more than happy to provide a reference. I got the word out to our team at the office about how great Natalia and Susan were. I hope to work with Tigris, and them, again soon.”
 * Account Director, Belkin International
 Re: Event hosting at Sourcefest Aug. 16-17/11

~ “Tigris Personnel has provided Rogers Communications with their amazing temporary staffing services since August 2005.  We would like to acknowledge Tigris for providing us with outstanding service during all of our campaigns.  We would strongly recommend them to any other company looking to incorporate temporary staff at any of their future events.”
 * National Retail Account Manager at Rogers Communications
 Re: In-Store WET Program in Toronto and Montreal Nov-Dec/05

~ “Astral Media has been so impressed  with all of your staff during the HBO Hype Days that I’m sure they would be happy with whomever you recommend.  Great work – thanks again”
 * Producer at Krista Slack  & Aylett
 Re: HBO Game of Thrones National Promotion Mar. 3-28/11

~ “Your gals were awesome. Professional, sweet, well read and solid workers. The guests loved having them at the event.”
 * Owner, Urban Groove Productions
 Re: Blake LLP Christmas Party at This is London, Dec. 8/11

~ “I thought things went well and they were a good group. They got the job done with a smile and were a strong team. Thank you.”
 * Marketing Coordinator at Zoomer Media Ltd.
 Re: Zoomer Vancouver Nov. 17-18/11

~ “I have been booking events with Tigris Personnel since 2008 and their girls have always been amazing. The look is just as important to me as the personality and the Tigris ladies definitely have both. They are consistently beautiful, friendly and engaging. I would highly recommend them.”
 * Territory Manager at Labatt Breweries of Canada
 Re: Superbowl Feb. 6/11

~ “I just wanted to take a minute to pass along a big thank you.  You promised me that you would find the perfect staff to work at our booth, and you definitely delivered on that.  I look forward to working with you and your staff at our next trade show, and I wish you continued success in the future.”
 * Trade Show Manager at Sun-Rype Products Ltd.
 Re: Grocery Innovations Canada Oct. 19-20/08

~ “Tigris Personnel has been involved with KRG Children’s Charities annual gala and golf tournament since 2004.  It is a rare moment for us at KRG, but a pleasant one nevertheless, when we get a chance to acknowledge a company representing us that actually supersedes our requirements and expectations.  Tigris Personnel displays an unequally sense of professionalism at all of our events and we look forward to bringing them back for many years to come.”
 * President of KRG Children’s Charities
 Re: KRG Children’s Charities Golf Tournament Jul. 7/07

Note: the names of our client’s have not been included in these testimonials to protect the confidentiality of our relationship with them. If you are a new client and are interested in our credentials, we would be more than happy to provide references.

Tradeshow Tips

One of the most popular events promo staff in the industry seem to enjoy are tradeshows! They can be interesting to work and range from extremely busy public tradeshows like the Gourmet Food & Wine Expo or the National Women’s Show to quieter private shows like Grocery Innovations Canada or Sourcefest. Tradeshows can be informative and allow you to check out items and ideas that haven’t even been released yet!

If you’re working at one of these events, it can be easy to become overwhelmed. Here are some tradeshow strategies to help you have one of the most positive promotions you’ll ever work!

1) BE PREPARED: find out which building you are going to in advance (e.g. MTCC North OR South) and which aisle your booth is set up in. Make sure you leave yourself enough time to register for your badge on your first day as well as line ups can be very long.

2) INTRODUCTIONS: be sure to introduce yourself to your contact, any other colleagues from their company and your fellow promo staff. This will break the ice and get things going. Be sure to keep your personal belongings out of sight. There is nothing worse than stopping by a booth that has drinks on the tables and jackets hanging out from behind signage etc.

3) GET ON IT: contrary to what some people may think, you have not been hired just to stand around and look good. You are, to some extent, a “tradeshow model” but you are also much more than that. You are a walking, talking commercial for the brand you are representing so you need to get out there and engage the public. You need to get product into people’s hands and make sure they walk away with a positive impression! As an event marketer, you need to do just that – market the product you are representing! Talking among other staff or stuffing your hands in your pockets is a waste of the client’s money and doesn’t do their product justice.

4) SELL YOURSELF: these events aren’t only about tradeshow selling… it’s also about selling yourself and your own brand. If you stand out at an event, you can guarantee yourself great feedback from the client and future requests for you to work again. You may even be recruiting by other companies for full or part-time work. You never know who is watching!

5) FREE STUFF: depending on the type of tradeshow it is, there may be left over product at the end. This is common with a sampling promotion that involves food. I’ll never forget the time I represented Ganong chocolate and was swarmed by other vendors trying to trade their products for our left over boxes of chocolates during the last hour of the show! Do NOT give anything away unless you have permission from the client. Some client’s would rather donate their left overs to charity but in some cases, they’d rather give it away than have it shipped back to their office or warehouse. If they do give you the green light, this is your opportunity to score some really great stuff. A fellow promo staff and myself were fortunate enough to get an entire green garbage bag full of food EACH after one of these shows… so you never know!

6) DON’T FORGET YOUR P’s & Q’s: after you wrap up each day, and at the end of the tradeshow, don’t forget to say thank you to your contact and their colleagues. This will let them know how much you appreciated the work and enjoyed working with them. A little lip service can go a long way and the next time promotional models are needed, hopefully you’ll be at the top of their request list.

Promotions staffing can be amazing, but it’s not all fun and games. You are representing clients who invest alot of money to have you engage the public and get their product into people’s hands, and into their minds, which in turn, helps increase their sales. A national marketing agency may have a very different approach to a tradeshow than a smaller promotions company, but the goals the clients have are almost always the same. Cheers!

Tigris Personnel 2011 Christmas Party

 

Tigris Personnel hosted it’s annual Christmas party at Easy & the Fifth on Sat., Dec. 10.
All who joined in the festivities had an fabulous time. It was great to take the time to get together
outside of work to celebrate another amazing year and  anticipate the year to come!!

  

   

Gift Giving Ideas for the Holidays

The holidays are just around the corner. Are you ready? If not, here are some amazing gift giving ideas you can consider!

CHARITY: in the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it’s easy to forget about charitable contributions. I’m sure anyone would appreciate a small donation made in their name to a reputable charity like World Vision or the World Wildlife Foundation.

GIFTS FROM THE HEART: you can take a photo to a local artist to create a charcoal rendering to give it to someone close to you. This would be an innovative twist on just framing a regular photo.  Alternatively, you can take a selection of photos and create a calendar with a different photo featured for each month.

HOMEMADE WINE: if you have family and friends who enjoy wine, making this in bulk with a personalized label could be a unique and cost-effective way to give gifts to lots of people. If you really want to get creative, you can even find wine glasses you can etch with a personal message or picture to accompany the bottle of wine.

KEEP IT PERSONAL: gift cards or money may be the way to go for some people, but do your best to choose a store or restaurant that you know the recipient will be happy to use it at. If you are giving this to a teenager, a gift card to the mall may be better than choosing a specific store so they can use it where ever they want. Do you have friends or family on a tight budget? They may appreciate a gift card to a restaurant so they can have a nice night out instead of their usual eating in. Remember to get what they’ll like; not what you like.

MAKE MEMORIES: maybe you’d like to give someone the gift of a special experience over a material gift? A spa package would be lovely for your mom or significant other. Perhaps a round of golf at a great course would work for your father or husband (if you can golf with them of course). These days, most are so pressed for time, giving a gift that forces people to make time for each other may be one of the best gifts of all.

SOMETHING THEY WOULD NEVER BUY FOR THEMSELVES: for the ladies in your life, this may very likely be something that sparkles but it doesn’t necessarily have to be jewellery. Maybe there’s been a pair of shoes that she can’t afford or a nice dress? For the guys, this could be something for their car or a new golf club. There are lots of things we would love to buy but can’t justify spending the money on. If you’re special someone has talked about anything like this, it could be a clue towards giving them an amazing present they’ll never forget.

No matter what you decide to get your family and friends, it’s not so much about getting them something – but the thought and effort that’s gone into what you’ve gotten for them. If you spend some time planning in advance, this will be a pleasant experience for you as well! Happy Holidays everyone :-)


Miss & Mr. CHIN 2011!!!!

CHIN Radio celebrated the 45th anniversary of the CHIN Picnic Jul. 1-3 weekend… as well as their feature production, the Miss & Mr. CHIN Bikini Pageants.

Knew.Age Solutions has been producing the shows since 2004.They recruit and manage the contestants in addition to TV appearances, coordinating a series of pre-promotional events, choreography, decor, apparel, prizing, scripts and even hosting!

For this year, they put together a South Beach theme for the Miss CHIN contestants and a Bachelorette themed show for Mr. CHIN. Apparel and swimsuits were designed by Dea Fashion and choreography by Faye Rauw of Fayez1 Productions.

Twenty-two Miss CHIN finalists took the stage on Sat., July 2 at 12pm and 12 Mr. CHIN finalists Sun., Jul. 3 at 6:30pm for the chance to win more than $5000 in prizes including a home theatre system, jewellery and other amazing items.

This year’s winners for Miss CHIN are:
1st Place: Serena DiMillo | 2nd Place: Katie Gimon-Valencia | 3rd Place: Cristina Odorico

This year’s winners for Mr. CHIN are:
1st Place: Moonzir Butt | 2nd Place: John Burdo | 3rd Place: Troy Campbell

The contestants are scored on 40% interview, 40% onstage the day of the show, 10% for their participation at all of the pre-promotional events that run from May-June and 10% for online voting, which is sponsored by Paul Buceta.

Judges are instructed to look for qualities including intelligence, beauty, poise and grace. Ultimately CHIN Radio is looking for strong spokesperson for their male and female winners to represent their company and sponsors at community events throughout the year as well as next year’s show/picnic.

For video footage of Miss CHIN contestants in action, go to:

http://www.torontosun.com/2011/07/02/miss-chin-bikini-a-real-crowd-pleaser

Summer is Sizzling and CHIN Bikini is right around the Corner!

CHIN Radio kicked off summer – and the 45th Annual Scotiabank CHIN Picnic – with their media party Wed., Jun. 8 at Liberty Grand. The press party was attended by hundreds of guests ranging from sponsors to media and photographers.  Guests got a taste of food from all of the nationalities represented at the Picnic.

A variety of performers took the stage at 12pm ranging from Bollywood dancers to cyclists to the main attraction – Miss & Mr. CHIN Bikini.

Miss CHIN Bikini contestants will be strutting their stuff to a chic Miami South Beach theme on Sat., Jul. 2 @ 12pm. Twenty-four lovely ladies will be vying for prizes valued at more than $5000.  Fourteen musclebound counterparts for Mr. CHIN will be on stage on Sun., Jul. 3 at 6:30pm. They too, will be competing for thousands of dollars worth of prizes.

Come check out the biggest free picnic in the world, taking place at the CNE Grounds, Toronto. The Scotiabank CHIN Picnic opens on Fri., Jul. 1 with tons of Canada Day activities and continues until the evening of Sun., Jul. 3.

Earth Day is Approaching; It’s Time to Make a Difference!

Earth Day is coming up in one week and I can’t help but reflect on the state of our world.

Scientists predict that we may lose half of all species on Earth by the end of this century. Our oceans will be affected most profoundly, losing five times more species than will be lost on land. As we go about our daily lives, the sixth mass extinction in Earth’s history is taking place – but it’s the first caused by a single species: humans.

Pollution, habitat loss, overfishing, global climate change and ocean acidification all contribute to this catastrophic loss. These non-discriminating forces threaten extraordinary and irreplaceable species, from the microscopic plankton responsible for most of the oxygen we breathe, to the great singing humpback whales. Although thousands of species of plants, animals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and arthropods are lost every year, the Holocene Extinction is notable for the disappearance of large mammals, also known as megafauna, which have dominated the top of the food chain.

I don’t disagree that human issues are important but in spite of the organizations that exist to protect animals, it’s still not enough to give a voice to creatures that otherwise have none. With a global population approaching 7 billion, the planet cannot keep up with the demands of human consumption. Animals are used, abused, exploited and eaten every day, all around the world.  They almost always take a backburner to human wants and needs that are motivated by greed, money or entertainment. I truly believe that not nearly enough is done to respect and protect the other life forms we inhabit this world with. 

As Earth Day approaches, I can only hope that it brings some much needed attention to some human habits that need to change.  Most of the issues are so critical and overwhelming, it is easy for some people to turn a blind eye and ignore them rather than face them – but if we, as a species, work together we can make the changes necessary to save the planet – and ourselves.

You Get What You Pay For…

My aunt has a magnet on the fridge that says, “if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything”.  I feel like this relates strongly to how I feel about conducting business with both clients and staff.

As Tigris Personnel heads into it’s 7th year of business, I can reflect back on many memories ranging from the wonderful opportunities we’ve had and people we’ve met, in addition to some of the unexpected, sticky situations that have arisen. You have to take the good with the bad – but ultimately you need to stand your ground, whether your negotiating a new contract or asking someone to be accountable for something they did or didn’t do.

What I’ve firmly come to believe is you almost always get what you pay for.  We’ve had companies call us with a budget of $15/hr; but we typically pay our staff $18-20/hr or more.  We run a reputable business, not a charity, so we can’t even consider a budget this low.  I’m sure there are companies out there who can, but we don’t want to “stoop” that low so to speak or undercut the calibre of our services and the pay expectations of our team.

In spite of the recession, the cost of living continues to rise but prices continue to drop.  I have tried to figure out why but I think this can be largely attributed to the volume of new companies who are undercutting previously accepted hourly rates and associated fees and don’t bill for out of pocket expenses like parking and mileage. There are other large firms who bill for expensive consulting and management fees but subcontract staff at cost, as part of the package, so they become impossible to compete with.

To top it off, the event staffing industry is also becoming increasingly more concentrated with the growth of social media. It is becoming easier to find new clients to work with as well as new people to work for you. Social networking sites like facebook enable targeted recruiting based on geography, gender and even looks, so you no longer have to wait for people to come to you via traditional job postings. 

Are these changes impacting the quality of staff being booked? It depends on who you ask I suppose.  If someone chooses one company over another, there will be a higher expectation associated with that choice if they are even minimally more expensive.  Unfortunately, people aren’t perfect but it’s important to remind your clients about this and try to manage their expectations.  Nobody is perfect.  They have their good days and their bad days – but the best event staffing companies out there are generally consistent with the staff and services they provide.

At the end of the day, clients have to weight their options wisely while keeping their bottom line in mind.  I guess you can think about it this way… Not everyone can afford to eat at The Keg every day but it sure does beat McDonald’s.

Baby it’s cold outside…

    

With temperatures dropping to -20 and -30 these days, I wouldn’t blame anyone for curling up with a hot chocolate, a warm blanket and a good book.  Living in Canada, you’d think we’d get used to the sub-zero temperatures we’re exposed to for several months of each unforgiving winter.

If you’re tired of being couped up inside, there are tons of fun outdoor activities you can take part in – that are unique our cool climate this time of year.  Canada is home to some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the world and you’d be missing out if you didn’t hit Whistler, Banff or Tremblant at least once in your life.

For those of you who daring enough to try downhill skiing, you may want to consider a bevy of other winter sports like cross-country skiing, icefishing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, skating on a frozen pond (or rink for the city dwellers out there) or good old fashioned toboganning. If you bundle up properly, any one of these sports can give you a new appreciation for our Canadian winters – minus the frost bite.

Still can’t get warm? 

You can always head down south for some sun, sand and surf; but that wouldn’t be very Canadian of you ’eh?

Miss & Mr. CHIN Bikini International 2010

Miss CHIN 2010 Winners

Miss & Mr. CHIN Bikini 2010 was another smashing success!  The winner of this year’s Miss CHIN, Celine LaFlamme graced the cover of the Toronto Sun and the competition landed a 2 page spread in the national mag.

Taking place on the Jul. 3 & 4th weekend, the show opened with a fitting World Cup soccer theme complete with an astro turf field, soccer nets, flags, scarves, a replica World Cup, a referee and 2 freestyle soccer pro’s.  The contestants changed into Rockstar sponsored suits for the bikini segment and rocked the stage with funky beats and threw plush soccer balls out to an ecstatic crowd.

The winners of this years show will bring home an impressive prize pack include a flat screen TV, DVD player, sound system as well as a custom website, jewellery, gift certificates to various restaurants & salons and a promotional modeling contract with Tigris Personnel.

Check out more photos from the shows in our Tigris Personnel photo gallery!