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Pittsburgh’s All Occasions Party Rental celebrates 35 years in business—and its ability to change with the times.
As All Occasions Party Rental, Pittsburgh, Pa., enters its 35th year in business, it is celebrating by doing what it has always done—reimagining its future to better meet the needs of its clients.
Formerly a Taylor Rental franchise, the company was started by President Art Brown in 1978 as a general rental facility that rented tools and equipment to contractors and homeowners, as well as party and event equipment and supplies. In 1997, All Occasions was created as its own entity, separate from tools and equipment. In 2001, the tool business was sold so the company could focus on the party and event rental business.
A new look
Jason Brown, chief operating officer, kicked off the new branding for All Occasions, including a new tagline, logo, colors and website. And the company’s use of social networking has increased its visibility—it gained more than 4,000 Facebook followers in six weeks with its wedding photo contest.
The company evolved its use of Pinterest in an effort to keep up with ever-changing social media. “Instead of just showcasing our products like we do on our website, we now provide many boards for inspiration,” says Allison Miller, senior marketing director. “While one of Pinterest’s largest followings involves the wedding scene, many of our boards also feature seasonal holidays and ideas for children’s parties. Most of these ideas are re-pinned from other users on Pinterest in order to build a strong sense of community on the web.”
High profile events
All Occasions takes pride in providing the resources of a large event rental company, while giving one-on-one attention to its clients.
For the 2012 Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Happy Birthday Benedum event by Nancy Byrnes Events, All Occasions installed an 82-by-82-foot clear top clearspan tent in downtown Pittsburgh. The crew closed streets and installed the tent during a torrential rain storm, while coordinating trucks delivering other products for the event. The event raised $575,000 and was named 2012’s #1 event in Pittsburgh by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
A little more than two weeks after the 2013 Boston Marathon, marred by the horrendous bombing, All Occasions provided tents for the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon. As the exclusive tent provider for the marathon, the company provided more than 70 tents, as well as staging, tables, chairs and linens. “This was the first year we worked with the marathon team, and since it took place so soon after the Boston Marathon a lot was riding on the event,” says Cindy Scott, director of sales. “We were proud to be a part of it.”