In March 1992 I produced the global launch event of Volkswagen EuroVan for about 800 lucky global dealers at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto Convention Centre Theatre, L’Hotel and SkyDome.  The event was themed around the loyal Volkswagen family of dealers, and showcased this family feeling involving:

• Months prior, we secretly contacted dealers families to get historical photos of their dealer family member, ideally with their first Volkswagen.  These were then digitized and blown up, framed and used on the walls of Convention Centre, themed like a family dining room.
• The Convention Centre Theatre was the launch event itself, where the President of Volkswagen from Germany arrived onstage in a EuroVan flown in over dealer heads to land centre-stage.
• The entire Convention Centre itself was converted to a giant family dining room, with tables decorated similar to a family dinner.  Leading into the dining room was a snaking pathway of 12 theatrical tableaux, each showcasing a EuroVan in a unique setting utilizing trompe-l’œil backdrops, actors and props..
• Milk and Cookies with a EuroVan logo were placed on the pillow of the dealer in their L’Hotel rooms at night. (actually, due to food and beverage health issues, was one of the more complicated stunts to pull off).
• The next day, the dealers walked into the adjacent SkyDome.  Filming from a helicopter overhead, the SkyDome roof opened to reveal EuroVans which had been parked forming a giant VW logo.  The dealers drove each out of the SkyDome and followed a special path cleared and supported by the local police on highways around Metro Toronto with the helicopter capturing the highlights.
• The TV commercial titled FAMILY TREE was produced for Volkswagen EuroVan in Canada and released in March 1992.

Produced by Heather Reid & Associates, Toby Simkin (Creative Producer), Heenan Blaike Public Relations with Grey Advertising Agency (later DDB).