Crafty Arty Parties wanted a vehicle that would project an image of professionalism and quality – and settled on a strikingly-liveried Mercedes-Benz Sprinter from Poole dealer Pentagon Commercials.
 
The new Sprinter 213CDI Medium is now being used to transport Crafty Arty Parties staff and equipment to prestigious venues across Britain and Europe.
 
 “We deal with the top end of the market so first impressions are absolutely essential,” insists Kitty Ebdon, founder and Director of the leading children’s events company. “It’s all about image, and the Mercedes-Benz reputation for quality and reliability complements perfectly the image we are trying to portray of our own business.”
 
Kitty launched Crafty Arty Parties in 2003, after spending five years as a party organiser for a royal family in the Middle East. The company employs 40 people and stages spectacular themed parties for the public and private sector. It numbers Harrods and major film companies among its list of high-profile clients, and recent assignments have included launch parties for  smash-hit movies Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix, Shrek 3 and Disney’s Enchanted.
 
“We’ve concentrated on targeting the corporate sector,” explains Kitty.. “It’s a huge market that just keeps on growing, and we’ve grown along with it.”
 
The new Sprinter is now working alongside Crafty Arty Parties’ three-year-old Mercedes Vito 111CDI Dualiner van. The company also plans to further expand its Mercedes van fleet by adding five more Sprinters this year.
 
Its latest van is certainly a head-turner thanks to its bright and breezy glitter graphics and metallic silver paintwork – the bumpers and side trims are colour-coded, while the van also features chrome side bars, alloy wheels and privacy glass all round.
 
CoTrim of Salisbury added a second row of seats, an integrated bulkhead and luxury trim, including walnut veneer in the passenger compartment and floor-to-roof carpet in the rear.
 
Kitty continues: “Reliability is very important in our business, so when it came to choosing a new van the obvious choice was another Mercedes. We’ve outgrown our Vito and were looking for a van that was a bit bigger, but still just as safe, sturdy, and comfortable. The Sprinter met all of our requirements, and the fact that it has very long service intervals is a bonus; sometimes we are so busy that just finding time to book a vehicle in for a service can be a problem.”
 
Like all new Mercedes Sprinters, Crafty Arty Parties’ latest van came with a Mercedes-Benz Service Package. Under this, all labour costs, materials and lubricants required in routine servicing at Pentagon’s workshops will be covered for five years or 60,000 miles, whichever is reached first.
 
The decision to expand its fleet of Mercedes vans coincides with the launch of a new production company, Crafty Arty Productions, which offers a total event management service to clients and plans to open offices in Dubai and Los Angeles in 2008.

Kitty says: “Rather than go through a broker or third party, clients increasingly prefer to deal direct with the company that does everything in-house at a very cost-effective rate.
 
“The best need not demolish your budget, and with the formidable talent of a young, highly experienced team in place for 2008, plus brand new offices, vehicles and even unique showrooms that will create a bespoke ’mini mock-up’ of the event before it takes place, Crafty Arty Productions is a real force to be reckoned with.”
 
The new-generation Mercedes-Benz Sprinter combines dynamic good looks, ‘bullet-proof’ build quality, comprehensive specification and ingenious technology.
 
Highlights includes best-in-class side-loading door widths, outstanding ergonomics and comfort, a powerful and clean CDI diesel engine line-up topped by a storming 184hp 3.0-litre V6, and an advanced new version of the remarkable ESP® anti-skid system called Adaptive ESP®.