Throwing A Billionaire’s Party, All For A Good Cause: Jonathan Singer
Jonathan Singer has a gift. Marketing specialist is a somewhat nebulous title for what he is able to do, which is to design and manifest the ideal experience for almost any situation or person. Singer is known in the business world as the man who can “wow” the most famous actors, legendary rock stars, and affluent professionals; a talent which was tested when he was approached to create a never before seen event for Richard Branson and his Virgin Racing Team’s Virgin Unite event in Canada. The mission was to provide an evening that would be as exciting for this legendary businessman/entrepreneur as for the celebrity and civilian attendees, all with the goal of raising funds for the Virgin Unite charity.
Created in 2004 by Branson and Virgin employees, Virgin Unite partners with a number of charities throughout the world to make change through environmental and social causes. Andrew Bridge (Managing Director — Virgin Mobile Canada) approached Jonathan due to his exceptional work on events such as Just For Laughs and the Montreal Int’l Jazz Festival, tasking him with the creation of a momentous evening that would also raise funds for the cause.
The unique essence of the Formula One Party, conceptualized and presented by Singer’s JSEM company, is without question. Branson and attendees boarded a luxury barge/floating spa in Old Town Montreal which featured four levels of food, drink, live music, and pampered excitement. Saunas were transformed into lounges while mermaid bartenders served beverages from floating bars located in every pool. The Bohemian-Moroccan décor complemented a mixture of jazz, rock, and DJ artists appealing to guests like Bradley Cooper , Zoe Saldana, and others present at this event.
Though prior experience has seen Singer working on similar massive events with business leaders and celebrities, the promotional aspect of this charity event was somewhat unusual for him. To specify, producing the Formula One Party meant that Jonathan was not only responsible for all of the obvious aspects (creative, entertainment, food, beverage) but also in securing funding to cover the costs for the event…in less than thirty days! The culmination of this expertise, hard work, and star-studded evening was a hefty quarter-million dollars for Virgin Unite’s aims.
Making the world a better place is something that all of us support; producing a world-class hospitality event for one of the world’s greatest thrill-seekers to raise funds for a global Foundation is a much taller order than most. Sir Richard Branson is perhaps as known for his zeal for life as his business success and philanthropic endeavours. When queried about his take on the design and execution of Jonathan Singer’s Formula One Party, Branson confesses, “It takes a lot to get me excited. Congratulations to Jonathan on a memorable event and much thanks for the hard work benefitting Virgin Unite.”
