Hello, hola, bonjour 

 
 

I’m larissa banting. delighted to meet you.

I'm a publicist, journalist and conversion copywriter with over 25 years of experience. My job? To get you featured and famous!

Words have always been my passion and my playmates from an early age, when I would create stories and a complete guidebook to the culture of Pookinland, a made-up land suspiciously similar to a mashup of various East European countries and Baltic States (hey, my parents worked with ethnic groups so write what you know). After winning a poetry contest in Grade 4, I knew writing was going to be a ‘thing’.

Fast forward to university, where I was the only undergraduate to have my research papers published in academic journals. A few twists and turns of Fate down the road and I found myself penning a weekly Dance column in arts magazines (SEE and Vue). One jete later and I was working with Alberta Ballet in marketing and public relations, then the Arden Theatre, City of St. Albert, Northern Alberta International Children’s Festival and a slew of television and film productions as a Unit Publicist as well as one-off stints for Bombay Sapphire Gin. 

In 2002, I left the wintry abyss of Edmonton for the sunnier climes of Costa Rica, where I opened the destination wedding planning firm, Weddings Costa Rica, which quickly grew to be the largest such company in Central America. Putting my publicity skills into high gear, my clients' weddings were the first south of Mexico to be featured in international wedding magazines and I had segments on various media outlets, such as Martha Stewart Living Radio. All this media attention soon saw me named to the A-List Top 30 Destination Wedding Planners in the World as well as one of the 25 Most Influential Wedding Planners in the World. All these features helped grow my firm and we crossed the seven-figure threshold in only four short years. I know firsthand the power of PR and how quickly it can grow your brand (and your bank account). 

Fun Facts

I’m Accredited in Public Relations by the Canadian Public Relations Society (which was a MONSTROUS year-long examination and only a handful of participants pass each year so I’m quite chuffed about this).

I’m a Certified Email Marketing Specialist, meaning I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve to get you higher open and click through rates.

Author of Costa Rica - The Bradt Guide, an award-winning travel guide and the first about Costa Rica to be translated into Russian.

Award-winning producer of The Big Table, one of the Top 10 Canadian Short Films of 2001. (watch it here)

Wrote and produced radio and television commercials.

 

Past & present clients

  • Bombay Sapphire Gin

  • Sudshare

  • GeekPack

  • Chair Whimsy

  • LaToya Russell

  • James Lam

  • Christine Kloser

  • beCreatives

  • Alicia Jones Healthy Living

  • Bunch of Animals underwear brand

  • Northern Alberta International Children’s Festival

  • Alberta Motion Picture Industry Awards

  • Alberta Ballet

  • CBC Television

  • CTV Network