WBC2012 - registration and competitions

Good news is that we avoided a tornado, although some others in Texas got hit. Just saw a lady interviewed who survived as her house roof was taken away. Scary stuff.

I'd like to introduce you to Mr Q - Qualatex's new mascot.

Here is the finished foyer decor. We got it done first thing as most of the delegates check into the hotel during today....

... and also the paint pots are ready to be placed in the classrooms. Phew all done.


While some of us were finishing the decor, many of the Aussie team were again working feverishly, this time helping Amanda Girdlestone with her large sculpture competition. What a happy bunch.

I took this picture of a relatively empty room. Tomorrow I will try and take a pictures from a similar spot, and see if you can notice a change.

At the same time Azusa Ieizumi and her very talented team were starting on the Signature Sculpture. This is the main entry piece that you walk through as you enter the large space that holds classes/competition area/jam room and function space. They will transform this empty space....

...into this amazing entry.The Japanese are renowned for their intricate style and remarkable detail in their sculptures, and this design took that to a new level. These next few pictures emphasize that. Remember that this sculpture is 100% balloons.



That is it for now. The convention is about to get into full swing. Delegates are just about all here. The hotel has been transformed. All instructors are ready to roll. Let's go!

World Balloon Convention 2012

Welcome to my WBC2012 blog. Get your self a cuppa and kick back.

I am sitting on the tenth floor of the Shearton Hotel Dallas, and so far my toes are still dry. Rather bleak outside and the cable TV news stations are all having a great time with Tornado reports and doing live crosses to poor junior reporters stuck around Dallas getting absolutely drenched. Hair in face, barely able to keep their eyes open. Great viewing!

Anyway, we left Sydney airport on Sunday 18th. Here is my harem and I getting ready to board the plane for our 15 hour flight...


We arrived at the Balloon Convention and there were no balloons up anywhere. Quite a strange feeling really, but that was our job. The Aussie team had volunteered to decorate the foyer, main areas of the convention and the surrounds.
By the end of Monday we had to have the foyer completed.
We started the day with Tina having a birthday. A special hat and balloon for the lady turning 21...again!


7am and we are in our room, getting organised for the day. Not much sleep enjoyed by most of us. As you can see we got some special T-shirts made up for the team. Believe me you cannot miss us.


Mala, Amanda, Beth and Di had designed our theme. It was all about colour and coming together of individual colours to create a greater variety colours. Great metaphor ladies!They illustrated this via paint pots.
Here is Mala (...looks like Crystal doing all the work Mala...) and some of the many big paint pots being constructed with colour splashing out of them


My job was to frame the foyer piece. By far the largest frame I had ever had to design and build, and a definite challenge.


While I was constructing and attaching, the rest of the team were beavering away getting everything organised. We have the colour wheel going, paint pots in various sizes, the white balloon garlands stack are for the foyer wall. It is ALL happening.


By 1.30pm we were ready to rig. A major operation to get the 5 metre tall structure along the 2.5 high corridor and over the rail of the balcony in one piece. Yes it was 5 metres tall.


As you can see we completed the brief and the foyer and other areas were done. 95% decor completed before we clocked off at midnight. A mighty effort by the Aussie team. As I write Amanda, Matt and much of the team are about to start the construction of the large sculpture competition piece, so I hope to be able to bring you images of that in my next blog. They are pitting their talents against the best in the world. We wish them best of luck. I am excluded from that as I am an instructor, and may have to judge.
Going to do the 5% finishing touches so full and complete pictures in tomorrows post - including the foyer wall and Mr Q.

World Balloon Convention 2012

Starting to get excited. Just doing my three morning jobs, and then to the airport by midday - phew.

The next post will be from WBC2012. YAY!!!

Sydney Roosters 2012 Season Opener

Our friends at the Sydney Roosters NRL Team wanted to start their first home game with a bang. They asked us to assist in this endeavour.

So, we created an arch to span the new promenade area (still under construction)at Allianz (SFS) Stadium. Here is Hannah and Wendy holding the arch....smile ladies!

The punters could all see the arch from some distance as they approached the stadium, and they all got to walk under it.
Go Roosters!!

They also wanted to have a sea of red, white and blue on the field to pay tribute to the late Arthur 'Artie' Beetson. Bring in 300 kids from the local footy teams and give them a 16" balloon each, and let them loose on the ground.

300x16" balloons distributed in double quick time was a bit of a logistical challenge, but the balloons definitely did the trick. A sea of red, white and blue.

It is noteworthy that the Roosters paid extra to do the right thing, and have a balloon weight individually tied to each of the 300 balloons, so the NSW State Gov't (illogical)law of not releasing balloons could be adhered to.

The Roosters had hoped the release the balloons at the end of the memorial to farewell Big Artie. Would have been a powerful and lovely gesture, and I have been to funerals (in other states) where this has taken place. However, in the great state of NSW the government has a ban on this practice - no other state has this ban, mind you....just NSW.....!!

Really BIG 3' Balloons

A really big room, such as the Lake Room at Waterview Convention Centre Homebush, requires some really big balloons to make it look sensational.
We created this effect for the Teachers Credit Union cocktail event recently. I thought it was pretty fantastic, but what did the client think?

Hi David,

I just wanted to thank you for your excellent service and the delivery of a room that looked amazing.
We had so many comments about the balloons - they were an absolute hit and quite a few people have asked for your contact details.
Hope to have the opportunity to work with you again.

Sharan


I think that means that they liked it!!

A Valentines Tale - world's fastest balloon drop

So it's Valentines Day and I am on my way out of the city, having finished my last job at 11.30am. The mobile phone rings. "I am calling on behalf of Rod Stewart. Mr Stewart has just remembered it is Valentines Day and would like 2,000 red and white balloons to drop on the audience at tonight's concert. Can you get it all done and finished by 6pm tonight." "Are you fu#*%ng joking" was my response. Further words were exchanged between myself and the caller. Anyway I agreed to do it.

I called Alicia at the office and then called Wendy and Ian to come in to the office ASAP. We assembled the equipment, sourced another 600 balloons and arrived back at the Entertainment Centre just before 1pm. 5 hours to go. 2,000 balloons and 4 MAD balloonies. We got stuck in and went like the clappers.


Here is 'Mr Stewart' doing his sound check while we are rigging the nets. Don't you love the way people address stars using their formal name....


Nets in ceiling and job completed by 5pm. Yes indeed, we were 1 hour ahead of schedule. Absolutely sensational effort by my MAD team of Ian, Alicia and Wendy. A big thanks to Maureen Egan of Balloon Elegance who came back to the Ent. Centre to release the balloons with me at 10pm.

To see some of these images you can check out the MAD Balloons facebook page.

A Tropical Carnival

We have all heard that "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" - but where does the watermelon come in...???

The sculptured fruit were on top of the covered walkway running through the company campus. 5000 people, 3 stages and large areas - how can balloons assist in creating the theme??

Well the 3mtr pineapple and 2.5mtr watermelon were a great start. Then we added 100 x 260Q's in tropical colours to the outdoor stair rails on each building. As well as providing all around colour, the "260Q explosions" highlighted the 'drummers' that were appearing on the balconies later in the evening.

A fantastic job to win. With 5 staff members on site we completed the brief on time and on budget...and the client was ecstatic.

"I love it when a plan comes together!"

Promoting Your Brand - with balloons!!

The inaugural Big Bash League in Australia and each team was focussed on building their brand...as well as trying to win a few games. We were contacted by the Sydney Sixers, and we came up with the following ideas for their home games at the SCG.

We used the majestic magenta Qualatex Numbers to create some bunches for the 'VIP/corporate partners' boxes.


After entering through our very large arch the VIP guests simply followed the pink carpet to their destination.

The finishing touch for the arch was to have the 6ers logo specially printed on the 'top' of half of the balloons in the arch.

...also about 10,000 people walked past the arch on their way to their seats at each game, so the printing on the balloons was big value for money.


The Sydney Sixers made it to the final of the Big Bash League. I reckon it must have been the sensational branding provided by MAD Balloons!!!

Happy Australia Day - 26th Jan.

Happy Australia Day Everyone.

Just thought I would add my own special touch of Australia Day to the mix.

This was a design we did for one of our loyal clubs. The brief - "show me something Australian and something new...and have it in the airlock in two days."
No problems.....

As you can see I love to mix and match with the vast array of long lasting Qualatex foils at our disposal. Tapers, stars and numbers in this one.

This design may make the cut in my WBC class in 7 weeks!!!!

The Year of the Dragon

Happy Chinese New Year. We did this great dragon entry design recently for a new Chinese restaurant - combining the year of the dragon and their opening...

if you look closely, I think you can see this guy smiling for the camera...


... of course, not all dragons are happy ones. Here I am putting the finishing touches on this fierce guy out in Western Sydney.

The large dragon head was the focal piece for the stage activities and prize giveaways at a large club.

So what type of dragon do you want....

Have a great 2012 - the year of the Dragon!

Happy Valentines Day 2012

Yesterday marked 1 month to go until Valentines day! That special day each year for young lovers, and the young at heart!

Whether you are a venue looking for some ideas to promote the romantic dinners with a 'heartfelt' entry...


or a long lasting, loving column!














Or you want to add some BIG hearts to your space
















You can make it obvious to everyone what your intentions are by dressing up your sexy shop!


MAD Balloons has endless ideas for Valentines day - whatever you want to do. We are the promotion specialists and our designs are long lasting. Call us now to get the most out of Valentines Day. It is never too early, but it can be too late.

Welcome to your Brand New Office

What do you do to welcome your staff to their brand new offices?

You call MAD Balloons for some sensational decorations.

Imagine how special each staff member would have felt walking through the doorway under the fantastic arch.
Once in they get their name badge and walk into the showroom for a welcome morning tea. As you can see it was a beautiful day and the large balloon bunches set the room off in a big way.



As well as some great branding and some awesome memorabilia the offices were brand spanking new. They did need just a little colour though...

...fret not as we had a variety of bunches through the different floors to welcome the new staff to their new desks.
Can you purchase high staff morale? I reckon you can. Call MAD Balloons for your dose of high staff morale.

This had to be ready by 7am. The full MAD team arrived on site just before 5am, and we left the site at 6.40am job done! Call us for your impossibly early installation, and we will make it happen.

it's all about the racing....

My last post was about the V8 supercars in Sydney. Well there were lots of people wanting to get on the bandwagon and use the theme for all sorts of events.

My friends at Medibank were holding a conference and used the racing theme for their event. First was a walkunder squiggly arch with racing balloons and ribbons. Almost as colourful as the start of the actual V8 race.
Then are the racing lights with real blinking lights inside. two at the front of the room.



Then finish the effect with our personalised racing masterbows on the delegates tables. A bit of visual interest without getting in the way of the presenters. We can theme these for any occasion.

V8 supercars in Sydney

The first week in December signals the last V8 race of the season and Homebush is the location. With the drivers championship on a knife edge, big crowds were expected.

My friends at the Novotel S.O.P are right in the thick of the action and wanted something with big impact and little price tag. It also needed to last the weekend.

So chequered flag pillar wrap and large 2' helium arch over the entry to the restaurant ticked all the boxes. Love my work!!