By Emily Scoular
Gavin Keilly is the CEO and Founder of GBK Productions, a luxury lifestyle gifting and special events company. GBK is dedicated to providing high quality and tailor-made services to its individual clients. They are known for integrating the entertainment, luxury consumer products, and non-profit industries to create unique and memorable high-profile experiences that maximize its clients’ brand-building efforts.
Formed in 2000, GBK consists of five divisions: GBK Celebrity Gifting, GBK Event Production, GBK Weddings, GBK Charitable Consulting and GBK Marketing/Public Relations. Though separate, each entity is interconnected allowing clients/brands a full range of marketing services and benefits.
Keilly started the business in his one-bedroom apartment making phone calls on his own. That lasted about three years, before moving into an office space and having the entire 3rd floor of a building for a little over 10 years. Now, Keilly and his team have a beautiful home in Beverly Hills, including a guest house for his staff, with a showroom for products and necessary meetings. The best part about this casual enviornement is that his staff can bring their dogs to work and even have lunch in the sun, hanging in the backyard.
With a proven track record for attracting a celebrity clientele such as Viola Davis, Eva Longoria, Jamie Foxx, Helen Mirren, Forrest Whitaker, Leonardo DiCaprio, Fergie, Rihanna and Neal Patrick Harris (just to name a few), GBK created high-profile Lounges prior to the Oscars, Emmys, Golden Globes, backstage at the BET Awards, CNN Hero Awards, 10th Annual GLAAD Awards, Sundance & Cannes Film Festival and so many more.
Known as one of the originators of the gifting concept, Keilly is the ultimate marketing specialist. LA Times referred to him as the “Gift Bag King”. His superlative skills and attention to detail are vital to ensure the success of an event. For the Charity Galas GBK produces, with the added value of savvy vendor negotiating with caterers, sound engineers, venue reps, rental companies and printers, he has created a company that always puts his clients first.
In the last year alone, Keilly and his team have thrown extravagant gift lounges for all the major award shows, and then some. Each suite is impeccably put together with a wide variety of Brands, ranging from St. Regis Properties, Diamonds, Watches, Burke Williams Spa, Prada Sunglasses, Pilot Pen and so many other fun exciting items. Hollywood’s top celebrities and press all say that GBK is their must stop during Award season and it’s not just because the gifts that can total upwards of $50,000. It’s mostly due to Keilly, his amazing staff, his attention to detail and the fun atmosphere he creates.
Utilizing his combined marketing, sales and non-profit experience, Keilly has helped consult many non-profits take their organization to the next level by integrating celebrities and increasing awareness through a wide variety of press outlets. The most was AMFDA, where he worked with them to raise over 15 million two years in a row.
Keilly started the company with the idea in mind that he wanted to make a difference in the lives of others, which is why there is such a large charity aspect to GBK and their events. Many have referred to GBK as “Giving Back Kindly”. As at every luxury gift lounge, non-profit organizations, at no cost, have the opportunity to be a part of his event to offer celebrities the chance to get involved with that particular organization. They also receive a donation from GBK, and are gifted the over-the-top gifting bags each celebrity receives that they can auction off to raise additional funds. GBK has donated, raised, or gifted over 10 million dollars for 50+ causes since Keilly started the company over 15 years ago.
Keilly knew it was necessary to get celebrities involved in the charity events he was producing to get the major donors involved. They are invited to many events, so GBK as a team needed to think outside the box in all aspects of each event, including unique performances and “meet and greets” with celebrities, so the donors look forward to the next event.
The charities that are included in the various gift lounges are changed on a rotating basis. Keilly admits that their own non-profit clients are their first consideration at their events. That said, a wide variety of non-clients are featured throughout the year, in the hopes to help them to garner exposure and more funding.
Now, GBK is a globally-known brand recognized for the caliber of sponsors and celebrities they have at each gifting suite, and their mission to always give back. Keilly loves watching corporations garner spokespeople through their engagement in GBK’s lounges as well as increasing the amount of press that they receive. He also appreciates helping the various causes raise millions of dollars through their efforts and strategies in creating a magical event. For more information on Gavin Keilly and GBK Productions, visit http://www.gbkproductions.com.
