On-site brand calligraphy events, and why they're awesome!

As a full-time calligrapher, there are a lot of perks to my job.

1. Working from home

2. Working from home

3. Working from home

4. Oh, and working from home

In all seriousness, as fun as working from home is, today is all about one of the actual favourite things I love about my job. Live brand personalization events, or on-site calligraphy!

So, what exactly is a live brand personalization event? A branded personalization event is an event where a calligrapher (like me!) is hired by a luxury brand for a specific period of time, anything from a couple of hours to a couple of days, to personalize something for their clients, on site. Usually, events like this will happen for a brand activation, a new seasonal launch, or for a private on-site event. (So fancy pants!)

What is personalization, exactly? It can be anything from writing a personal message on a paper card, to customizing leather wallets with someone’s nickname, to engraving a name on a perfume bottle, or to writing initials on metal tumblers. All of these objects require a different medium to be able to personalize since all of them are different surfaces. It’s always so interesting to work with brands to execute their vision!

What this does is create a fun and unique atmosphere for the shoppers, and they get to bring something special home. It’s a great opportunity for the brand to create a lasting impression and memory with their clients and can really differentiate them in today’s market. It’s also a wonderful opportunity for a calligrapher to be more customer facing (instead of being alone in their office all day long!) It’s definitely a win-win-win situation. The more specific reason why I love on-site events is this: I used to manage a small and successful boutique shop in downtown Montreal, and while I love my full-time freelance calligraphy life now, I do miss the interaction with other people! At live events I get to make a face-to-face connection with other people, all while doing something I’m passionate about. I absolutely love the reactions of clients when they see me creating something for them right away. It kind of reminds me of a kid on Christmas morning (Or Andy from Parks and Recreation) Their eyes light up with excitement when they realize that they’re going to be taking home a unique, one-of-a-kind object.

It grounds me as well, because I see the impact my work can have on people. I remember one event I was working at where a client had me personalize a gift for their daughter. They were so excited to be able to give her something that was made just for her that she would be able to keep as a heirloom for years to come. Events are definitely one of the things I’m most looking forward to once the world slowly begins to return to normal. In the meantime, I’ll just be here, at home, physically distancing, and practicing my calligraphy!

Stay safe,

Erin