TNR

As a Producer you never really know what each day will bring – a whacky TV shoot or maybe a more serious, hard-hitting Radio campaign. But when I got a call from FocusPR, I knew this project would be a whole new kettle of fish – or in this case a giant bowl of punch.

Courvoisier cognac – together with food architects Bompas & Parr – had decided to flood a room at 33 Portland Place in London with 4,000 litres of punch by some remarkable feat of engineering. They opened the event to Londoners who could come and taste the cocktail and even row across it, if that’s what floats their boat!

What’s more they wanted TNR to film the spectacle and get online media coverage of the event’s launch. But a unique idea and visually exciting material is always a recipe for video success, especially when you add ex-Blur guitarist Alex James into the mix, as Courvoisier’s ‘Taste Consultant.’ I was excited about jumping on board the campaign.

So, after many phone conversations that went a bit like this…..“a giant bowl of punch, which can serve 250 thousand people….Alex James floating on top of the cocktail?” I was off with my cameraman into the great unknown. 

Things were about to get even more interesting. When we got there we were told to scrub our hands (hospital style), don a hair net and a butcher’s apron, and enter the “Courvoisier Architectural Punch Bowl.” 

Alex James sits on a raft in a 4,000-litre Courvoisier punch bowl, at the VIP launch of the Courvoisier Architectural Punch Bowl exhibition. Matt Crossick/TNR Communications

Then the man of the moment arrived. It was certainly the first time I’ve ever interviewed a celeb while wearing a hairnet (Alex James was not wearing said hairnet, but a cooler version reserved only for famous people).

It was movie magic – a big lake of booze, dry ice, fancy dress, giant remote-controlled pieces of fruit and Alex James floating around on a massive inflatable slice of orange. 

We edited a fantastic video of the launch (if I do say so myself) which generated plenty of online interest. I may not be wearing a hairnet again in a hurry for a shoot. But it’s not the first time – nor I suspect the last time – I looked daft in the line of duty.

Post by Tessa Parry-Wingfield (Producer for TNR Communications)