Natasha Koifman Coverage by NKPR INC

NATASHA KOIFMAN MEDIA COVERAGE

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Come one, come all (it's for charity) The recession forces marketing types to get more creative when it comes to attracting the media's attention Amy Verner From Saturday's Globe and Mail Last updated on Tuesday, Aug. 04, 2009 02:09AM EDT

A few weeks ago, NKPR, a boutique public-relations agency with offices in Toronto and New York, sent out an invitation for a Holiday in July preview of its various clients' products. The invite read: “For every member of the media who joins the holiday cheer, a $100 donation will be made to Camp Oochigeas,” a privately funded facility for children and teens with cancer. Even as time-pressed as I am, how could I say no when all I had to do was spend 15 minutes looking at pretty products and help a good cause in return? I ended up going – just as the NKPR folks hoped (and expected?) I would. Over the past year, the recession has forced marketing types to get ever more creative when it comes to both retaining the business of budget-cutting clients and attracting the attention of editors and reporters. Layoffs in the media have resulted in fewer and therefore busier journalists, whose presence at PR events is in turn required to justify a firm's promotional services. The new reality has resulted in some fresh and innovative media lures, from the philanthropic to the self-indulgent. NKPR's recent ploy ended up netting Camp Oochigeas about $2,500. “We normally get a 60 to 65 per cent [rate of media] return, but we ended up getting almost 90 [per cent] this time,” says NKPR founder Natasha Koifman, whose agency shared the cost of the donation with participating clients, including Goody hair accessories, Skyy vodka, Brooks and Timberland. “People really want to give back and I felt that this was the year that charities felt the recession the most.” While many attention-seeking companies are going a similar route – Anthropologie, for instance, donated 10 per cent of the sales from last night's store opening in Toronto's Yorkville neighbourhood to the Canadian Nature Conservancy – others are appealing to potential attendees' hedonistic sides. On August 26, for example, Dermalogica is kicking off Clean Start, a new teen-oriented skincare line, by hosting a roller skating party in Toronto; media attendees are invited to bring a young guest to the event. And this past Thursday, guests invited to preview the new John Frieda Luxurious Volume collection of hair products were then treated to a Coldplay concert from the comfort of two private suites at the Rogers Centre. Despite such occasional extravagances, the more common refrain among PR reps is that they are becoming more sensitive to the changing needs and demands of both their clients and the media. “We are advising clients not to do launches when we think it's not going to be of huge interest to the

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TIFF 08

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T o her credit, everything about Natasha Koifman, president of NKPR, is strategic. She dresses (black), observes (intently), speaks (precisely) and works (13 hours plus) in a shrewd, tactical, and political manner. And that’s a good thing, especially for her clients. Who better then to give us the inside scoop on how to survive the Toronto International Film Festival? More TIFF 08 coverage She’s been working TIFF for the past 12 years and says, “I realized somewhere between the third and fifth festival that you definitely needed a system because you switch to auto-pilot when it starts and then you just keep going.” As each year passes, the need to take a methodical

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approach to TIFF increases as the machine keeps getting bigger. A decade ago, she says, talent would

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stick around for five or six days. When Swingers debuted, Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau seemed to hit every single party – and there was an accessibility that’s become a thing of the past. “Now talent is in town for 24 hours,” she says. “And that’s it. It’s mandatory. It’s contractual for them. They’re in town, they’re out of town. It’s over.” I recently caught up with Koifman at her chic downtown office. Looking svelte and energized, dressed head to toe in form-fitting black, open-toe stilettos peeking out from flared leg slacks, she sat across a boardroom table and spelled out her TIFF survival strategy, category by category. ON CLOTHING “You usually don’t have time to think about what you’re going to wear on any given day. So on my floor, I lay out my clothes in a grid – Day. Night (night’s usually just a different pair of shoes). And you’re done. Just one more detail that I don’t have to think about. Also, I wear black all the time. My shoes change, but then there’s not that much more to think about.” ON SHOES “It’s all about the shoes. It’s often high heels. I’m big into wearing a heel because I’m 5-foot-4, so I like the height. But a casual shoe is great on a day like Media Day at the IT Lounge, when I’m really busy. So the red little Mary Jane from Teva, for instance, is perfect on a day when I’m going to always be on my feet.” ON TRAVEL “We have a car service. We’re also working with Cadillac, and Cadillac is providing the hybrid SUV. During the day we have the option of bringing in a Cadillac - and that would be to pick up other publicists and talent and take them where they need to be. For the most part, though, we are in the IT Lounge, and then in the evenings our car service takes us to events. During the festival, it’s rare that I’ll drive anywhere - and, again, that’s part of “survival” too, because you just can’t stop and think about where to park, etc.” ON SLEEP “During the Festival, I probably get about three hours sleep. You’re up really early and you go to bed really late. And that’s why you need a lot of really great skin cream – Olay skin cream, the Olay Definity Collection.” ON DIET “Dr. Penny Kendall Reed and The No Crave Diet. It just works for me. I’ve been doing it now for eight months and I asked her to participate in the IT Lounge because it’s changed my life. And I can tell the difference even now. Normally at this stage I’d be up by five pounds. But it keeps you very balanced, because your body is so balanced, and you’re not going through the same stress level either. I feel very organized, which is shocking because I worry that I’m missing something! But I think it’s because I’m more in control of my body rather than my body controlling me during this very hectic time.” ON RELATIONSHIPS “You really don’t see your partner very often at all. But it’s great to be able to occasionally go home, see that person, and feel a sense of calm, and then know that you can continue on. That’s your sanity and your serenity. But also I’ve been doing it for so long, that it’s just an accepted and habitual part of my life. And as far as friends go, and having friends ask for access to events, it’s something that came up more in the early years. Of course, our number one priority is our clients - and getting the right people out to their events. But remember, there’s a blurry line in this business, and your friends often are the people that you work with because it’s your life. So my friends are largely the people that I see at these events anyway. I was just sending an e-mail to someone saying, “I know we haven’t seen each other in some time, but let’s grab a drink during the festival. And the chances of that happening are really great.” ON CLIENTS “Well the relationship that we have with our clients is amazing – and that’s because it’s a true relationship. So some of our clients, for instance AstraZeneca or Ford Models, have said to me, knowing that the festival is on, “Yes. No problem - we’re going to completely leave you alone until after the festival is done.” They just get it. Because the work that needs to get done, gets done. We plan for this well in advance and create strategic calendars for all our clients. So we make sure that everything is done well beforehand. And the other thing too is we have a staff of 14. So it’s not like the entire staff is completely on the festival. There are only six of us that are on the festival, and the rest are here, so business continues quite efficiently during this admittedly busy time.” ON PARTIES & COCKTAILS “I don’t drink wine. And the only alcohol that I will drink is SKYY Vodka – because it doesn’t cause hangovers.

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getting bigger. A decade ago, she says, talent would

joining TORO, he worked in Canadian broadcasting as a writer, producer, director, reporter and host.

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that’s become a thing of the past. “Now talent is in town for 24 hours,” she says. “And that’s it. It’s mandatory. It’s contractual for them. They’re in town, they’re out of town. It’s over.” I recently caught up with Koifman at her chic downtown office. Looking svelte and energized, dressed head to toe in form-fitting black, open-toe stilettos peeking out from flared leg slacks, she sat across a boardroom table and spelled out her TIFF survival strategy, category by category. ON CLOTHING “You usually don’t have time to think about what you’re going to wear on any given day. So on my floor, I lay out my clothes in a grid – Day. Night (night’s usually just a different pair of shoes). And you’re done. Just one more detail that I don’t have to think about. Also, I wear black all the time. My shoes change, but then there’s not that much more to think about.” ON SHOES height. But a casual shoe is great on a day like Media Day at the IT Lounge, when I’m really busy. So the red

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“We have a car service. We’re also working with Cadillac, and Cadillac is providing the hybrid SUV. During the take them where they need to be. For the most part, though, we are in the IT Lounge, and then in the that’s part of “survival” too, because you just can’t stop and think about where to park, etc.” ON SLEEP “During the Festival, I probably get about three hours sleep. You’re up really early and you go to bed really late. And that’s why you need a lot of really great skin cream – Olay skin cream, the Olay Definity Collection.” ON DIET “Dr. Penny Kendall Reed and The No Crave Diet. It just works for me. I’ve been doing it now for eight months and I asked her to participate in the IT Lounge because it’s changed my life. And I can tell the difference even

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now. Normally at this stage I’d be up by five pounds. But it keeps you very balanced, because your body is so balanced, and you’re not going through the same stress level either. I feel very organized, which is shocking because I worry that I’m missing something! But I think it’s because I’m more in control of my body rather than my body controlling me during this very hectic time.”

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ON RELATIONSHIPS “You really don’t see your partner very often at all. But it’s great to be able to occasionally go home, see that person, and feel a sense of calm, and then know that you can continue on. That’s your sanity and your serenity. But also I’ve been doing it for so long, that it’s just an accepted and habitual part of my life. And as far as friends go, and having friends ask for access to events, it’s something that came up more in the early years. Of course, our number one priority is our clients - and getting the right people out to their events. But remember, there’s a blurry line in this business, and your friends often are the people that you work with because it’s your life. So my friends are largely the people that I see at these events anyway. I was just sending an e-mail to someone saying, “I know we haven’t seen each other in some time, but let’s grab a drink

NATASHA KOIFMAN

during the festival. And the chances of that happening are really great.” ON CLIENTS “Well the relationship that we have with our clients is amazing – and that’s because it’s a true relationship. So

MEDIA COVERAGE

A Guide to the TIFF Guide TORO covers TIFF

RELATED CATEGORIES

stick around for five or six days. When Swingers debuted, Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau seemed to hit every single party – and there was an accessibility

William Morassutti is the co-founder and Executive Producer of toromagazine.com. He was one of the founding members of TORO Magazine, where he served as both Editorial Director and Executive Director. Prior to

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approach to TIFF increases as the machine keeps

“It’s all about the shoes. It’s often high heels. I’m big into wearing a heel because I’m 5-foot-4, so I like the

And if you make the ice cubes out of Fiji water then it’s especially true. I’m serious!” [laughs] TIFF runs from September 4 to 13 and TORO has it covered with daily reviews, interviews, celeb

SUBSCRIBE POSTED BY: WILLIAM MORASSUTTI

some of our clients, for instance AstraZeneca or Ford Models, have said to me, knowing that the festival is on, “Yes. No problem - we’re going to completely leave you alone until after the festival is done.” They just get it. Because the work that needs to get done, gets done. We plan for this well in advance and create strategic calendars for all our clients. So we make sure that everything is done well beforehand. And the other thing too is we have a staff of 14. So it’s not like the entire staff is completely on the festival. There are only six of us that are on the festival, and the rest are here, so business continues quite efficiently during this admittedly busy time.”

Print Story - canada.com network

http://www.canada.com/components/print.aspx?id=135af2cb-9800-4e...

Monday Âť September 10 Âť 2007

Quotable survival Nathalie Atkinson Asks Veterans To Share Their Must-Haves For A Style-Filled TIFF National Post

Saturday, September 01, 2007

WHO Candace Best of Best PR Boutique is working on the premiere party for Weirdsville, starring Scott Speedman, Taryn Manning and Wes Bentley, and she has clients involved in several lounges scattered around Yorkville. MUST HAVE "My big huge Ibiza tote from [Brooklyn-based] Hayden-Harnett, from Mendocino, is key. All my girlfriends who have babies want one because of all the compartments inside: for business cards, extra copies of press releases. It can hold a file folder and still look chic. And before the festival, I always go out and buy a comfortable pair of the latest fall boot because that can transition to evening. I don't always have time for a day-to-night change, so it can be worn with jeans or a dress, if I even have time to change, so I don't have to take off my footwear. "I love that pockets are big in dresses now, and I always look for pockets for easy access to the BlackBerry and business cards. The volume look has helped because it hides the bulk of everything in the pockets. I might carry a necklace or a belt in my purse so I can change the look. Even if the night outfit is hanging at home or in my car (my second home during festival), I don't always have time to change. This weekend, I'll pick up extra nylons to add to the trunk-of-the-car survival kit. Plus, the weather at this time of year is so changeable, it can be 30 C out or pouring rain, so I have a cane umbrella that I can loan out to talent, and I'll keep a small one in my purse for myself." WHO Natasha Koifman, president of NKPR, handling the It Lounge and the red-carpet PR for Timemagazine's film parties and international press for Walk All Over Me. MUST HAVE "Last night I made a whole list of my wardrobe for the festival because you don't have time to think, and halfway through I'm on autopilot. I create a list for each day and swap it up for night. I had no basics, so I picked up basic tops from Teenflo, a black blouse from MaxMara, and new black Christian Louboutin "Voilier" flats at Davids that I bought two weekends ago so I could break them in before the festival. I wear nothing but black. I also picked up a long sweater-coat from Philip Lim at TNT, with gold buttons, to take me from day to night, and I wear black Theory pants pretty much straight through, with a couple of black skirts to change into for night, with last season's Marc Jacobs conservative stacked heels from Davids. They are super-comfortable and look great with pants, a shorter skirt and even thicker tights. On the red carpet, you can't have a handbag in your hand, so I just bought the Chanel over the shoulder "wallet-bag," which has a strap over the shoulder. It holds my Blackberry and the Kiehl's Eye Alert, which I put on first thing in the morning and again around 4 p.m. It perks you up. You're going on basically no sleep." WHO Debra Goldblatt, founder of Rock-It Promotions, is handling the Tastemakers Lounge, personal publicity for several stars and promoting four Odeon films. This is her ninth festival.

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