Big corporate Christmas parties are back

Corporate party planners are being forced to sign confidentiality clauses by big companies keen to hush up extravagant end-of-year bashes.

Stung by publicity about expensive parties, companies are warning venues, caterers and organisers to keep quiet or risk cancellations, the Sunday Telegraph reports.

A leading cake-maker said she was forced to sign seven confidentiality agreements for corporate Christmas parties in the past few weeks.

“Companies are really worried about tall-poppy syndrome,” said the owner of caterer Sweet Infinity, Leanne Beck.

Big corporate Christmas parties, many of which were scaled down or cancelled last year because of the economic downturn, are back in 2009.

Luna Park, the venue for numerous corporate end-of-year celebrations, including AMP’s, is virtually full in the run-up to Christmas, but would not confirm which firms had booked.
Companies did not want to be seen wasting money, leading public relations expert Mark Cavanagh said.

“I’ve been approached by a number of high-profile brands recently presenting proposals for large-scale parties for Christmas and they’ve asked me to sign confidentiality agreements, which I’ve never had to do before,” Mr Cavanagh said.

“Brands and companies don’t want to be seen to be conspicuous in their consumption.”

Banks and finance companies are preparing to spend up big on their end-of-year bashes.

A spokesperson for new venue Doltone House Darling Island Wharf, which opened last week, said it had been “inundated with inquiries from the finance sector”.

McDonald’s, which last year held a Christmas party at the upscale Bel Mondo restaurant in The Rocks, confirmed it would again have a cocktail party for about 300 head-office staff, with the venue revealed about a week before.

“It’s just a great surprise for everyone at the end of the year,” spokesperson Christine Mullene said.

On the social calendar, the biggest event leading up to Christmas is the Halloween and rock ‘n’ roll-themed Absolut Vodka party being thrown at the State Theatre.

It will feature a live performance by rising star Paloma Faith and a star-studded invitation list which includes such names as Lachlan and Sarah Murdoch and Collette Dinnigan.

David Jones recently announced it would return to serving French champagne at its key spring racing event this month.

The annual Paspaley Polo in the City event at Centennial Park in November has new sponsors Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs JBWere, Nespresso, Nokia and Foster’s involved this year.

Deutsche Bank is also having a Christmas party this year at a venue to be determined, a source within the company said.

Stockbroking firm Goldman Sachs JBWere is also finalising its year-end celebrations, according to corporate communications executive director Hayley Morris.

AMP spokeswoman Sarah Hudson confirmed the company would be throwing a party for staff this year.

“It’s a good opportunity for staff to get together so we’ve made a decision to proceed,” Ms Hudson said.

Events specialist David Grant said business picked up only in the last two weeks with more bookings from finance, media and tourism bodies.

“We’ve now got 12 events in the next two weeks, of which half are new bookings,” Mr Grant said.