Have you ever considered sponsoring restrooms at an event? At PCMA Convening Leaders 2024 (CL24) in January, Montreal Business Events worked with Les Cabinets for the fourth year in a row to deliver a unique and memorable activation in one of the women’s and men’s bathrooms at the San Diego Convention Center.

We caught up with Les Cabinets Co-Founder Patrice Marier to get an inside look at the women’s bathroom activation to find out more about how his team manages the sponsorship and optimizes the attendee experience for events.

Here’s what you need to know:

How it worked: Montreal Business Events had signage (floor-to-ceiling wallcoverings) inside and outside of the restrooms. Les Cabinets provided pine-scented hand soap and hand cream, styling foam, hairspray, hair brushes, dental floss, mouthwash, nail files, Q-Tips, sanitary products, combs, mints, cotton pads, makeup remover and more. “It's a no tip formula but brought to you by a sponsor,” Marier said.

Why it matters: “We take care of absolutely everything, making sure the lights work, the taps work and the urinals work – we do everything with the products, flowers, furniture and plants,” he said. “If it's well managed, it's a prime spot because it's the only place where everybody has to go. PCMA now sees value in this square footage where before there was no value.” 

Staffing: Les Cabinets hires local talent to provide two hosts in each restroom at all times. The hosts wipe down the counters, greet the guests, restock supplies, pick up trash and so much more. “The first thing I ask people in advance on Zoom calls … are you comfortable to be in the bathroom? But the main thing is the host has got to smile because we don't want to be too serious. You have to be happy, and it makes a great atmosphere.”

Experience: “We did the Oscars and the Grammys. For PCMA, we started in San Francisco and did the bathrooms in Las Vegas, Columbus, Ohio and here in San Diego. We're already confirmed for Houston next year,” Marier said. His team has worked with events from Paris to Amsterdam.

Take it up a notch: “When the budget is there, we can create a wellbeing lounge outside the restroom and have a la carte services like makeup touch up, hair touch up, shoeshine, cellphone cleaning, a champagne bar or a scotch bar,” he said. “For a man to have a scotch at the urinal, that's epic.” 

How it’s priced: Marier provides a detailed quote based on the floor plan, furniture, location/travel, staffing, products, number of sinks and bathrooms, and days and hours. “So it depends,” he said. “It's funny, but it typically comes up to the value of a glass of wine per person.”

Want to know more? Watch the full interview here.

Know of a unique or memorable event sponsorship you'd like to share? Reach out to danica.tormohlen@informa.com and lisa.savas@informa.com.

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