Curating Experiences
Every now and then we have to stop and think about how grateful we are to have gotten into the business of curating experiences through TOCA Events. Uniting people together through entertainment and the beauty of other cultures is certainly the perfect formula for helping make life so rich and varied. We all know that creating a united world comes through sharing knowledge. Travel, the arts, food, and philosophy are just some of the ways we foster a greater awareness of the similarities and beautiful differences between cultures. Through dialogue and exposure we make a collective vision that helps to empower our own individual take on the world, as well as a much wider awareness of the varied and colorful communities that exist around the globe. Sharing is the key. We are truly in a time of individual and communal transformation, with communication and knowledge at our fingertips whenever we have the desire to learn more. Creative partnerships are paving the way for greater global unity through sharing ideas, expertise, and joy. At TOCA, we emphasize this through all of our programs, collaborating with people from different cultures to bring new awareness to our audiences. As all of you readers of the TOCA blogs are well aware, we adore travel. Along with the excitement of discovering the unknown, exploring the world expands the mind and spirit. Sharing language, history, and different customs adds color and heart to life, with every location on this earth emanating its own soul. And of course, travel helps to dispel preconceptions and prejudices as we open up to the new. We have created TOCA Culture to reach into communities worldwide, enjoy their spirit, and help share this energy with our clients. Whether it is a musical tour, learning a specific craft, taking a cooking course, or enjoying a festival, a film or the nightlife and natural resources of a given region, we enjoy the sense of sharing what we have discovered… and always with a light and conscious footprint wherever we go! One person can accomplish amazing things. Companies have an even farther reach, working within their own business culture to extend outwards. In our company, we always seek to gift our clients with the exposure to something they may not have experienced before. Keeping cultures alive through awareness is just part of what it takes to create global unity. By sharing the spirit of the world, we can honor those communities that we are not familiar with, with their customs enriching our view of the world. www.tocaevents.com
Rio de Janeiro: Passion, Pleasure, and Practicality
Rio de Janeiro… immediately the name evokes steamy nights, sun-filled days, samba, Carnival, and so much more. If you’ve already been to Rio, you might remember the first time you arrived, with that view of Corcovado rising from the ocean, the long stretches of beach, and the fragrance of possibility permeating all. Known as the happiest city in the world, it is no wonder that TOCA Events is based here, as well as in sexy Miami. In fact, TOCA co-owner Robson Coccaro is a Rio native, with all the charm, spice, and flair that is so emblematic of his culture. Soccer at sunset in Ipanema: Carioca life style Exceptional Weather, Exceptional Culture At TOCA, we love Rio for uncountable reasons. The hot summer weather that sends us straight to the water; the temperate winter that has us donning light sweaters as our friends in colder climes wish they were here; the exceptional culture that captures cuisine, entertainment, and all the rest that defines Rio’s sultry and fun-loving way of looking at life; and the exuberance of the people, which keeps us smiling 24/7. A Passion for Life We don’t have to tell you that the Brazilian passion for life is contagious. Go to one Carnaval celebration and you’ll be hooked for life. The greatest party in the world, this is just one facet of Rio that keeps revelers coming back for more. Architectural Imagination and Respect for the Past Rio is a combination of gorgeous Colonial buildings and modern skyscrapers. With so many cities losing their character to overdevelopment and poor city planning, Rio maintains its soul by fusing architectural imagination with a respect for the past. Unparalleled Nature And then of course, there is the natural scenery, with 55 miles of gorgeous beaches, including famed Ipanema and Copacabana. Visit the 8,000 acres of Tijuca National Park and you will be in the midst of the largest urban forest in the world, found right at the base of the Christ statue. Venture further out and you will experience breathtaking flora and fauna in natural habitats that are unparalleled. The Perfect Meeting Ground As global event planners, it became obvious to us right from the start that Rio de Janeiro is the perfect meeting ground for businesses around the world. With its growing infrastructure, the city boasts great hotels, a good subway system, an international airport that is only 25 minutes from downtown, and exceptional convention venues. Event Planning Whether planning an event in the trendy Tijuca district at Riocentro, with its five pavillions and one million square feet of space, or in Lapa, the artistic neighborhood that features the Rio Scenarium, options abound. Every event venue offers a plethora of activities all around, including live music events, hotels, and excellent restaurants. Our event planning team often opts for locations around Sugarloaf where there are various meeting areas highlighted by the stunning view. Knowing the City Like the Back of Our Hand Having a main office in Rio makes us very lucky event planners indeed, and we know the city like the back of our hand. From sports hospitality, B2B forums, product launches, and everything in between, TOCA is often called upon to host major events such as the 2014 World Cup, along with the upcoming 2016 Summer Olympics. Our international team has also been a part of enhancing activities at the NBA Rio Games 2013 and 2014 at the HSBC Arena and the FIFA World Cup 2014, where we used multiple venues for our multimedia presentations. Passion, Pleasure, Practicality Businesses from the world over clamor to come to Rio. They know that any event hosted here will be a success with their clients, as there are few on earth who don’t appreciate a place that so successfully combines passion, pleasure, and practicality. Contact Us For more information on bringing your event to Rio, contact us today! www.tocaevents.com
How to plan an event
How to plan an event A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN EVENT COMPANY In this article we show you how to plan an event. Creating an event is a many layered thing. No company knows this better than TOCA. From sports hospitality to experiential activities, corporate incentive settings, sponsor-based fabrications, and more, our mission is to construct a unique and exciting experience for everyone involved. Capturing the Client For the TOCA team, creating an event is all about communication. Our success begins the moment we start building a relationship with our clients. Of paramount importance, we get to the heart of what they wish to achieve and what they hope their attendees will take away once the event is over. If you want to know how to plan an event, pay attention. This the key to penetrating the desires of our clients. We make it our business to set up a comfortable and open dialogue where we can pinpoint the essence and spirit of the event at hand, enabling us to ultimately create the perfect blueprint for a successful experience. Creating the Proposal Once we understand the needs and objectives of our prospective client, we go to work on the proposal. This is where we cover all the necessary elements in how to plan an event, such as: transport security staffing hotels business sessions 3-D imaging and animation break-out components such as small meetings, coaching sessions, and the like activities team building entertainment evening receptions dine arounds where clients can feel the pulse of the city daytime activities spouse programs After determining exactly what is needed, we submit our user-friendly package with descriptions, graphics, and an itemized budget. Shifting Into Gear Once the client signs off on our proposal, we then move on to pre-production mode, shifting into high creative gear where each of our departments addresses their respective area of expertise. Keeping in mind the necessary calls to action that are essential to our client’s campaign, this is where the collaborative process is at its highest pitch. It is at this point that our team comes together to create the final design, with suggestions and revisions resulting from the synergy of TOCA’s collective creative vision. The Critical Path Mapping the progress of our productions and staying true to our critical path is where all of the details combine with the bigger picture. Having carefully defined each of the many and diverse moving parts that make up an event, we are now ready to mobilize onsite production and organization, which includes our vendors, set designers, stage direction for business meetings, entertainment talent …and so much more. The Psychology Behind a Great Event Creating a great event has to do with psychology. At TOCA, our passion is to put everyone involved deep inside an exceptional experience, no matter what the content. Once we understand what our client hopes to achieve, we direct all of our moving parts into action to fully and effectively fulfill that vision. And with a cross-cultural team that includes creative minds and designers from the United States, Brazil, Asia, and Europe, we are proud of a staff that is sensitive to the nuances of varying cultures. This ensures that every event is created with a tone that is always right. The Arc and Balance of the TOCA Touch Because every TOCA event is custom designed, we take the time to configure the perfect arc and balance between business-related activities and diversion. And of course, we are always in service to our client’s image, making sure that the messaging, branding, and scripting is all of one piece. Working closely with our clients’ leadership, our job is to make their vision a reality, always with the unique and exciting TOCA touch. Contact Us For more information, take a look at our website at: www.tocaevents.com/contact-us