Miami/S. Florida Winter 2010

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EVENTSMEETINGS MARKETINGSTYLESTRATEGYIDEAS

BEST OF

2010The Year’s Trends, Event Launches, Smart Makeovers,

Ambitious Campaigns & Ideas to Steal

PLUS: Sponsor Integrations, Holiday Party Bites, Stylish Stages, Twitter Skepticism, 20 New Venues, Planners’ Favorite Trends & More

Miami/South Florida

$4.95 WINTER 2010–11 BIZBASH.COM

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bizbash.com winter 2010–11 3

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA Volume 8, Issue 4Winter 2010-11 © 2010 BizBash Media

FROM THE EDITORS 5 Tracking the year’s trends

READERS’ FORUM 9 What was the best idea you saw

in 2010?

THE SCOUT 13 Wintry curtains made of ice 14 Passed bites for holiday

gatherings 15 Festive glasses and small plates

for rent 16 A Miami-based design and

production fi rm 18 Innovative ideas for stage design 19 What are clever ways to integrate

trade show sponsors? 20 11 ideas and products to have on

your radar

VENUES 22 Five new South Florida venues

EVENT REPORTS 28 Jones magazine’s three-day event 30 From Chicago: Subway post-

conference gala’s three fresh pavilions

31 Ed Morse Automotive’s Treasure Island-themed incentive party

32 From Boston: Mass General Hospital for Children’s Aladdin-themed Storybook Ball

33 From Washington: Glenn Beck’s 300,000-person Restoring Honor rally

34 From Los Angeles: The Lacma Resnick Pavilion’s dreamy debut

35 From Orlando: Sanford Burnham’s game-fi lled benefi t

36 St. Thomas Aquinas High School’s sparkly anniversary gala

38 RazzleDazzle Barbershop’s 1940s-themed grand opening

39 Big Brothers Big Sisters’ homecoming theme

40 From Orlando: A.A.R.P.’s on- and off-line conference

42 From Toronto: The fi lm festival’s opening-night hockey-themed party

43 From Orlando: The Special Olympics’ travel-focused auction

47 Best of 2010 The top trends, ideas, designs, and

events that shaped this year

THE DIRECTORY 62 New venues

TED KRUCKEL 64 The limits of social media

On the Cover Clockwise from top left: A touch screen game at Samsung’s Vancouver Olympics pavilion, photo by Grant Harder for BizBash; a fl ying machine at Red Bull’s 2010 Flugtag tour kickoff in Miami, photo courtesy of Red Bull; cellophane chandeliers at the Chicago Botanic Garden’s summer dance, photo by Tay Kaune; digital grafi tti at the re-opening of Chanel’s SoHo New York store, photo courtesy of Tangible Interaction; a white neon installation at the opening party for the Hermès men’s store in New York, photo by Clint Spaulding/Patrick McMullan; an artistic interpretation of Lexus’s new hybrid car at the company’s Dark Side of Green environmental debate in Miami, photo by Red Eye Productions

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On November 6, the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida and the InterContinental Hotel Miami celebrated the 16th anniversary of their annual fund-raiser with an Asian-inspired theme. Models styled as modern geishas greeted guests on the red carpet, while a ribbon dancer performed on the mezzanine. Twenty live taiko drummers entertained during the cocktail reception. A giant, artifi cial cherry-blossom tree with changing LED lights served as the centerpiece of the mezzanine. In contrast to the bright red and orange used on the mezzanine to symbolize ancient tradition, the motif for the ballroom was a modern city like Tokyo. The event drew 850 guests and raised $900,000. More photos and details are on BizBash.com.

ON BIZBASH.COMComprehensive local venue and supplier directories

The latest industry news

Local sites for Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami/South Florida, New York, Orlando, Toronto, and Washington

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I hate the word trendy. It’s one of those terms that can say more about the person using it than the thing it’s supposed to describe. For some people, what’s trendy is what’s already too popular; for others, it’s the new thing they don’t quite understand yet. For many, trendy suggests something is inauthentic—people always seem to pronounce the word with a note of condescension.

It’s like when someone says, “You’re so hip!” They think they sound self-deprecating (“I can’t keep up with fashion/music/whatever!”), but often it’s a backhanded compli-ment (“I don’t have time for such silly things, but it’s cute that you do!”).

The fact is, what you consider trendy often depends on where you are on the coolhunting/early-adopter scale. (My apologies if you fi nd those terms equally ob-noxious.) As connotation-ridden as trendy is, often its meaning is too hard to pin down. So the word is banned from these pages. (See also: party planner, fashionista.)

But you’re likely to fi nd its root, trend, here a lot. We—the editors and you readers, too, not to mention your guests—are obsessed with trends. We want to know what’s current, what’s new, what we need to move on from before everyone else is doing it, what we need to move on to. The nature of the event business requires you to stay on top of what’s happening in food, design, entertainment, technology, art, theater, and pop culture, so you can create experiences that feel current and ahead of the curve.

Identifying trends was our prime directive in putting together our Best of 2010 package. In ad-dition to showcasing some of the cleverest ideas

we saw, we wanted to tell the story of this year for the industry. What were the obsessions, co-incidences, and innova-tions that characterized

events in this particular moment? How did the top minds adapt to the new products, cultural infl uences, and economic constraints of the day?

We hope the 15 pages of photos, case studies, and comments from industry folks—and the stories in the rest of the issue—tell that story, from food trucks to social media to event makeovers, and give you some ideas for 2011 as well.

There’s also value in questioning some trends, as Ted Kruckel does in his column on the unproven marketing value of promotional Twitter messages.

One trend we should all be happy to see is a growing sense of optimism for the event busi-ness. In a survey of readers we conducted online in September, 77 percent chose bullish responses when asked to describe the economic state of the industry. Meanwhile, spending appears to be rising: 41 percent of readers said their September 2010 budgets were up from September 2009 lev-els, 28 percent said their budgets were fl at, and 31 percent reported reduced spending.

For another take on ’10, we asked our bu-reau chiefs to describe 10 highlights in their markets—the groundbreaking local venues, new events, and innovative ideas that kept them excited about covering this industry at this time. You’ll fi nd their commentary on BizBash.com in December. —Chad Kaydo

ON BIZBASH.COM

10 highlights of 2010 from each of our local markets

From the Editors

In the Trend TrenchesHow do you sum up a year?

You could call the Ace Hotel trendy, but I call its restaurant, the Breslin, my favorite current lunch spot.

Thrillist’s party during the New York City Wine & Food Festival had a beer-and-bourbon theme. I’m a fan of both, but we’ve all seen enough bacon on event menus for a while, no?

EDITOR IN CHIEF Chad KaydoNEWS EDITOR Courtney ThompsonSTYLE EDITOR Lisa CericolaASSOCIATE EDITOR Anna SekulaCHICAGOEDITOR/BUREAU CHIEF Jenny BergLOS ANGELESEDITOR/BUREAU CHIEF Alesandra DubinORLANDOEDITOR/BUREAU CHIEF Mitra SorrellsTORONTOEDITOR/BUREAU CHIEF Susan O’NeillWASHINGTONEDITOR/BUREAU CHIEF T.J. WalterART ART DIRECTOR Joey BouchardASSISTANT ART/PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Carolyn CurtisPHOTOPHOTO EDITOR Jeeyun LeeASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Amber KnowlesCOPY & RESEARCHASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR Claire HoffmanEDITORIAL INTERN Jessica FloresCONTRIBUTORSEDITOR AT LARGE Ted KruckelWRITER AT LARGE, LOS ANGELES Irene LacherCONTRIBUTING EDITORS D. Channing Muller, Michael O’Connell, Mimi O’Connor, Angie Romero, Brendan Spiegel, Erin Souza, Ellen Sturm NizCONTRIBUTING WRITERS Meryl Rothstein, Andi Teran LOS ANGELES:

Rosalba Curiel, Shilpa Gopinath TORONTO: Amy Lazar, Erin Letson WASHINGTON: Adele Chapin, Walter NichollsCOPY EDITORS Libby Estell, Josh WimmerCONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Vincent Dillio, Roger Dong, Nick Ferrari, Emily Gilbert, Dan Hallman, John Minchillo, Alice and Chris Ross, Keith Sirchio BOSTON: Aviran Levy, Patrick Piasecki CHICAGO: Mireya Acierto, Tyllie Barbosa, Barry Brecheisen, Eric Craig, Jeremy Lawson, Eddie Quinones LOS

ANGELES: Matt Armendariz, BEImages, Jessica Boone, Nadine Froger, Line 8 Photography, Zen Sekizawa, Dale Wilcox MIAMI: Joseph Cancellare & Associates, Matthew Horton, Moris Moreno, Elizabeth Renfrow, Mitchell Zachs TORONTO:

Gary Beechey, Jill Kitchener, Henry Lin, Emma McIntyre, Nicki Leigh McKean, George Pimentel WASHINGTON: Tony Brown/Imijination Photo, Stephen Elliot, FotoBriceno, Powers and CreweEDITORIAL OFFICES21 West 38th St., 13th Floor, New York, NY 10018phone: 646.638.3600, fax: 646.638.3601CHICAGO BUREAU312.436.2525LOS ANGELES BUREAU310.659.9510MIAMI BUREAU1450 NE 123 St., North Miami, FL 33161305.808.3535TORONTO BUREAU2453 Yonge St., Suite 101, Toronto, ON M4P 2E8 416.425.6380CONTACT USEditorial Feedback and Ideas: [email protected] Invitations, Press Releases: [email protected] Listings: [email protected] Inquiries: 646.839.6835, [email protected] Subscriptions: bizbash.com/subscribeSubscription Renewals: bizbash.com/renewReprints: Dani Rose, The YGS Group 800.494.9051 ext. 125, [email protected] MASTERPLANNERCHAIRMAN Elisabeth FamilianNEW YORK EDITOR Alexandra AnzaLOS ANGELES EDITOR Leslee KomaikoBIZBASH MEDIAC.E.O. AND FOUNDER David Adler PRESIDENT Richard AaronBOARD OF DIRECTORS Jonathan Adler (CHAIRMAN), Richard Aaron, David Adler, Beverly Chell, Martin Maleska, Todd Pietri

BIZBASH

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES & MARKETING Robert FitzgeraldCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER David Micciulla

MARKETINGMARKETING MANAGER Aram FischerMARKETING ASSISTANT Michael Marvin

PRODUCTION & AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENTDIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION & AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Rebecca Pappas AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER William O’DriscollONLINE PRODUCTION MANAGER Matthew MolnarCUSTOMER SERVICE/AD TRAFFIC COORDINATOR Anne Kiefer

EVENTSSENIOR EVENTS MANAGER Sheryl Olaskowitz

OPERATIONSVICE PRESIDENT, CONTROLLER David LevineSTAFF ACCOUNTANT Shahla NasSENIOR DEVELOPER Wei ZhengASSISTANT TO THE C.E.O. Missy Goldberg

BIZBASH NEW YORK646.638.3600, fax: 646.638.3601PUBLISHER Jacqueline GouldADVERTISING DIRECTOR Lauren StonecipherACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Erica Fand, Kristie Hudson

BIZBASH BOSTON617.340.3914ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Andrew Carlin

BIZBASH CHICAGO312.436.2525PUBLISHER Susan BabinACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Julia Kearney

BIZBASH FLORIDA305.808.3531PUBLISHER Ann KeuschACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Wendy Chernin

BIZBASH LAS VEGAS702.425.8513ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Jane Yoo

BIZBASH LOS ANGELES310.659.9510PUBLISHER Hofi te HuddlestonSENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Mandana Valiyee

BIZBASH TORONTOACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Joshua Harris

BIZBASH WASHINGTON202.684.8743PUBLISHER Shelley Golinsky

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA ADVISORY BOARDLarry Carrino, PARTNER, BRUSTMAN CARRINO PUBLIC RELATIONS;

Jennifer Diliz, DIRECTOR OF FOUNDATION DEVELOPMENT, FLORIDA

MARLINS; Lori Elsbree, SENIOR EVENT STRATEGIST, BAPTIST HEALTH

FOUNDATION; Lauren Halpern, MEETING & EVENT PLANNER, DECO

PRODUCTIONS INC./GRANDE AFFAIRES INC.; Susan Holtzman,

PRESIDENT, EVENTURES; Wendy Kallergis, PRESIDENT/C.E.O. GREATER

MIAMI & THE BEACHES HOTEL ASSOCIATION; Gerry Kelly, PRESIDENT,

MI-VI AT GULFSTREAM PARK & CASINO; Anita Mattner, EXECUTIVE

DIRECTOR OF EVENTS MANAGEMENT, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI; Billy Melnyk, EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING MANAGER, BACARDI; Mona Meretsky, PRESIDENT, COMCOR EVENT AND MEETING PRODUCTION INC.

AND COMCOR CONSULTING SERVICES INC.; Kelly Murphy, GENERAL

MANAGER, PANACHE, A CLASSIC PARTY RENTAL COMPANY; Bruce Orosz,

PRESIDENT, ACT PRODUCTIONS; Steven Pollock, MANAGER, GLOBAL

ACCOUNTS, HELMSBRISCOE; Lee Schrager, VICE PRESIDENT OF CORPORATE

COMMUNICATIONS AND NATIONAL EVENTS, SOUTHERN WINE & SPIRITS;

Craig Skilling, PROGRAM COORDINATOR/INSTRUCTOR, DEPARTMENT

OF SPORTS/ENTERTAINMENT/EVENT MANAGEMENT, JOHNSON & WALES

UNIVERSITY; Debbie Spiegelman, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MIAMI

CHILDREN’S MUSEUM; Tracy Wallach, SENIOR MEETINGS & SPECIAL EVENT

PLANNER, SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS L.L.C.

Marketing and Advertising Programs: [email protected]

®2010 BIZBASH IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF BIZBASH MEDIA INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.

BIZBASH


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Readers’ Forum “Dessert inside a balloon. Guests are

given a pin to pop and eat.”Bryan Rafanelli, owner, Rafanelli Events, Boston

“I’ve seen many events make use of the service staff to tie elements into the branding or theme. At Ubisoft’s launch event, [staffers wore] Revenge of the Nerds costumes with taped rimmed glasses, ‘Hello My Name Is NERD’ nametags, and bow ties. The servers have a lot of interaction with the guests and almost act as live, moving decor.”

Alison Slight, managing director, Candice & Alison Luxury Event Management, Toronto

“The increased focus on security and event- professional responsibilities after crashers made it into the White House last year.”Alison Bossert, senior vice president, special events, Columbia Tristar Marketing Group, Los Angeles

“One of my favorites ideas is the cheesecake ‘ice cream’ cone, where there is a soft center of whipped fl avored cheesecake inside a miniature sugar cone. It eliminates the intense labor of scooping out ice cream during an event, and you don’t have to worry about melting. Guests also love the surprise of biting into cheesecake instead of ice cream.”

Pasquale Ingenito, executive chef, Windows Catering Company, Washington

“Virtual events. I love the Virtualis Convention Center in Second Life. It is a virtual environment for trade shows, meetings, and even virtual banquets, dances, concerts, etc.”

Patti Shock, professor and director of distance learning, Harrah College of Hotel Administration, University of Nevada

“PDA marketing. More than ever, the event industry has taken to the PDA airwaves to promote and update events, meetings, and trade shows. Within seconds, text message updates can get to attendees. You also gain a database to market next year’s event.”

Dargan Watts, director, Birchmore Group Inc., Orlando

“I loved the Leukemia Ball’s use of handheld wireless devices. They were given to

bidders, enabling them to track their bids as the evening progressed.”Ron Bracco, creative director, events, Hargrove Inc., Washington

Compiled by Claire Hoffman

What was the best idea you saw in 2010?“Throughout the Remarkable Indonesia gala’s seated dinner, the event touched on different aspects of Indonesian culture. The fi nale of the evening was when every guest was brought an angklung—an instrument made of bamboo tubes—that played a single note. A music director on stage directed us in a performance. As we were playing, we realized it was an Abba song! The angklung was also a gift to take home.”

Barbara Blauhut, director of special events, WETA Public Television & Radio, Washington

“Showtime’s Nurse Jackie RX Games event concept. From the event title to the tournament activities to the idea of engaging and rewarding real nurses for the second-season launch, it was brilliant and certainly targeted to a deserving audience.”

Jenny Powers, vice president of special events, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Southern New York Chapter

INSIDE EDGE

Central and South Florida Associations Unite for Charity and the Troops

Villa 221 Site of Wunderfund Art Auction

SURVEY SAYSWe asked readers for their take on this moment in the event business. Here are some highlights.

Methodology: The survey was conducted online from September 13 to 23 via a link shared with BizBash email newsletter subscribers and Twitter followers. The data here represents responses from 1,023 people who identifi ed themselves as event planners (who work in-house, on their own, or at fi rms) or owners or employees of venues or industry vendors.

ON BIZBASH.COMMore survey results regarding budgets, holiday parties, and industry staffi ng levels

How would you describe the current economic state of the event industry?

Are you haggling over prices more or less now (September 2010) than you were a year ago (September 2009)?

How would you describe your feelings about your long-term job prospects in the event industry?

We’re fully recovered and back to normal.

We’re through the worst of it, and we have settled into a new normal.

We’re just starting to recover.

We’re still in the thick of the downturn.

4%3%

32%

41%

20%

It’s going to get worse before it gets better.

Haggling more

Haggling about the same as a year ago

35%

10%

55%

Haggling less

I’m cautiously optimistic.

27%17%

2%

54%

I’m terrifi ed.

I’m a little worried.

I’m very optimistic.

Welcome to the home of the New World Symphony, America’s Orchestral Academy, located in the heart of Miami Beach. Designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry, this musical meeting house is easily accessible from area airports and dining and shopping options on South Beach’s famed Lincoln Road. Its stimulating architecture and breathtaking water views are the perfect, flexible backdrop for your reception, meeting or special event. Call 305-428-6741 or email [email protected] for booking information.

New World Center

13 bizbash.com winter 2010–2011

The Scout


To add a wintry look to end-of-the-year gatherings, Ice Bulb (877.423.2852, icebulb.com) offers decorative curtains made of frozen water. A machine cuts ice into gemlike cubes, which the company

hand-strings onto cables suspended from trussing. Curtains can be made in any length and height. If used indoors, the pieces last about fi ve hours; a con-

tainer below collects drips. Ice Bulb is based in Southern California, but works nationwide and in Canada. While pricing depends on the size of each piece, strands typically cost $140 to $180 each, plus more for assembly and delivery. —Lisa Cericola

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holiday party ideas

14

New on the Menu

Seasons’ EatingHere are fi ve passed bites for holiday gatherings of all types. By LISA CERICOLA

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Tourtière strudel with mustard pickle from Jamie Kennedy Event Catering (416.362.1957, jamiekennedy.ca) in Toronto

Cranberry maple salmon with pink peppercorn sauce in toast cups from Good Gracious! Events (323.954.2277, goodgraciousevents.com) in Los Angeles

Chocolate sorbet popsicles on a bed of crushed peppermints from Limelight Catering (773.883.3080, limelightcatering.com) in Chicago

holiday party ideas

Basil-breaded smoked turkey “fi ngers” with honey orange marmalade and pomegranate seeds from Great Performances (212.727.2424, greatperformances.com) in New York

Goat cheese lollipop truffl es rolled in crushed pistachios, sun-dried tomatoes, and other toppings from Windows Catering Company (703.519.3500, catering.com) in Washington


holiday party ideas

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Toasting glasses, 85 cents, available in Southern California from Town & Country Event Rentals (800.899.2620, townandcountryeventrentals.com)

Ruby Braid glass,

pricing varies, avail-

able nationwide from Classic Party Rentals (310.764.0373 ext. 316, classicpartyrentals.com)

Paloma fl ute, pricing upon

request, available in New York from Party Rental Ltd. (201.727.4700, partyrentalltd.com)

Spiegelau champagne

coupe, $3 Cdn., available in Toronto from Chair-Man Mills (416.391.0400, chairmanmills.com)

For Rent

SERVE IN STYLEMake end-of-year gatherings feel festive with these glasses and tasting vessels. By LISA CERICOLA

Bella gold champagne

fl ute, $1.95, available in

New York from Something

Different Party Rental (973.742.1779, somethingdifferentparty.

com)

Mini fry basket, $2 Cdn., available in Toronto from Exclusive

Affair Rentals (416.759.2611, exclusiveaffair.com)

Voss clear plate, pric-ing upon request, avail-

able in New York

from Party Rental Ltd.

Teardrop spoon, $1.75 Cdn.,

available in Toronto from Chair-Man Mills

Mini leaf plate, 55 cents, available through-out South Florida from Atlas Party Rental

(561.547.6565, atlaspartyrental.com)Seven-inch oyster plate, pricing

varies, available nationwide from Classic Party Rentals

White oval tasting spoon, $1, avail-able in New York from Something

Different Party Rental

Small Plates

Champagne Flutes


Sammy Caban got his start in the event industry as a DJ in Puerto Rico. Caban expanded his hobby into a business by hiring two other DJs and forming Astro Music in 1981. After a two-year stint as electronics professor at the Puerto Rico School of Technology, he shifted gears in 1989, when he was awarded a job designing the lighting and staging for the Festival Las Eriollas.

After researching the local competition, Caban launched lighting company Show Designers that year. From there, the business grew rapidly and the company increased its offerings to audiovisual services, laser displays, event design and decor, and soon thereafter a full-service, 10,000-square-foot production house. “With my strong tech-nical background I was able to add new services pretty quickly,” says Caban. “My philosophy while designing events has always been to integrate the most advanced technology with designs that are functional, aesthetically pleasing, and safe.” While earning a degree in computer engineering at the University of Puerto Rico, he worked at a San Juan radio station and spun at parties on weekends.

The company, now called Sammy Caban Design and Production (305.407.9800, sammycaban.com),

continued to grow with the opening of a second offi ce in Orlando in 2004. There, Caban focused primarily on nonprofi t and association events, which made up about half of his work, while trying to expand his corporate business—a goal that prompted the move of his offi ce and 3,000-square-foot warehouse to Miami in February 2010. “I like to do events that have more to do with branding and marketing products than the standard meeting, and Miami is a much better market for that type of event,” says Caban, adding that his corporate business has increased by nearly 20 percent since moving. The relocation made him convenient to clients in both Orlando and Puerto Rico, thereby increasing his event base.

Hialeah-based Spanish language television network Telemundo Network Group L.L.C. hired him to design the V.I.P. and interview areas for the 2010 Latin Billboard Awards, which moved from Miami to Puerto Rico this year. Caban used white draping, red sofas, and gold decor accents to decorate the space with the network’s chosen color scheme for the night.

One of his newest Miami clients is Came Americas, a manufacturer of automated access

control products. Caban designed and built a multilevel trade show booth in just three months for the company’s exhibition at the American Fence Association’s FenceTech conference earlier this year. “He gave us ideas on how to better show our product at trade shows,” says Louis Moreno, U.S. tech-nical department supervisor at Came Americas, who hired Caban. “Everything was [completed] on time, which was important, as we gave him short notice to come up with it.” —D. Channing Muller PH

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DESIGN AND CONQUERDJ-turned-designer Sammy Caban recently relocated his company to Miami, where he’s taken a bite out of the corporate market with his decor and production services.

Event-Friendly AnimalsThe Zoological Wildlife Foundation (305.969.3696, zoologicalwildlifefoundation.com) provides exotic animals—from anteaters to zebras—for event appearances. The zoo has 20 species available, including reptiles, warthogs, capuchin monkeys, and big cats.

Many, like the white-

handed gibbon, can pose for photos. Larger animals may need to be held by handlers or stay in a cage. The foundation is fully insured and licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. —D.C.M.

ENTERTAI NMENT

FUSION FOOD ON WHEELSSakaya Kitchen’s Dim Ssäm à Gogo truck (sakayakitchen.com) serves a mix of Asian and Latin food out of a custom graffi ti-riddled vehicle. The truck has its own menu—including lots of pork, as represented in the truck’s exterior’s graphics—but also

serves the restaurant’s signature dishes, such

as popcorn shrimp and lettuce wraps fi lled with fried squid. Cookies and specialty pretzels are available for dessert. Rental prices start at $300 per hour, with a three-hour minimum during most times. —D.C.M.

CATERI NG

White-handed gibbons are available for appearances.

Adam Forman of reality TV show LA Ink designed the truck’s graphics.

Sammy Caban

Caban produced a tropical-themed event for the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

Fresh Face

Need a Hand?

Need a Chance?Check Out the BizBash Volunteer Board

at www.bizbash.com/volunteer


Idea File

PROGRESSIVE STAGESHere’s a look at innovative designs from concerts, fashion shows, and other events. By LISA CERICOLA

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The MTV Movie Awards in June had a dynamic set with layered projection screens designed by Consortium Studios and lit by Triphoton City.

For a June fund-raiser benefi ting Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS, Chicago’s Kehoe Designs created a platform with a giant, illuminated wall that framed a video screen.

At Marc Jacobs’s spring 2011 show, a lamp-shade-shaped bronze structure acted as the entrance to the catwalk.

For the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s annual awards in June, scenic designer Scott Pask made a backdrop shaped like Richard Serra’s sculpture “Torqued Ellipse IV.” Producers projected video onto a central cylinder and two wing walls.

For this summer’s National Scout Jamboree in Virginia, celebrating the Boy Scouts of America’s 100th anniversary, CorporateMagic Inc. created a 395-foot-long stage with three massive LED screens and eight fl aming cauldrons.


A New Way to Fill SeatsCharityHappenings (charityhappenings.org), an online calendar of fund-raisers, now allows nonprofi ts to promote events and

sell tickets. Planners create a customized ticket-ing Web page with details about the event, plus

other information such as auction items or the organization’s mission. While the service itself is free, CharityHappenings charges 99 cents plus a 3 percent fee per attendee (up to $7.49) at the point of sale. For the time being, tickets can be purchased in American dollars, but the com-pany says a Canadian version is coming soon. —Lisa Cericola

From making unexpected use of celebrity spokespeople to employ-ing superhero statues, here are a few clever ways to increase sponsor vis-ibility at trade shows.

At America’s Beauty Show in Chicago, producers ensure that spon-sors’ presence extends beyond the show fl oor. “We work with major ex-hibitors to offer an overall program to incorporate within their trade show strategy,” says Paul Dykstra, C.E.O. of Cosmetologists Chicago and America’s Beauty Show. Besides their booths, sponsoring manufac-turers who exhibit are invited to brand key cards for hotels associated with the event. Sponsors can place products such as shampoos, conditioners, and face washes in attendees’ rooms at these properties.

Sponsors are also invited to host press lounges that surround the show fl oor, where they can speak directly to beauty editors who come

to the show. Key exhibitors are also able to sponsor so-called V.I.P. “clos-ing lounges,” or meeting rooms off the fl oor. In the rooms, companies can serve snacks or cocktails, show videos, and brand the space with decor of their choosing. Some com-panies have also opted to provide services, such as manicures or hair-styling, within the rooms.

In August, the BlogHer confer-ence drew about 2,500 bloggers to the Hilton New York, where the three-day event had a traditional trade show setup. “We really tried to fi nd creative ways to integrate our

sponsors, so they weren’t just a booth on the fl oor,”

says San Francisco-based director of events Lori Luna.

In addition to branding promi-nent signage, some BlogHer spon-sors used celebrities to engage the crowd, both on and off the fl oor. Sara Lee called on Top Chef star Padma Lakshmi to judge a sandwich-

making contest. Tropicana hosted a breakfast and enlisted spokesper-son Bruce Jenner—former Olympic athlete and currently on Keeping Up With the Kardashians—to pour its newest fl avors at a juice bar. “When they saw the reality TV stars, people went nuts, especially on Twitter,” says Luna. “We knew we’d get at-tention on blogs, but we also had 100,000 mentions on Twitter on the fi rst day alone.”

As director of strategic accounts at Reed Exhibitions, Lawrence Set-tembrini works with the sponsors of New York Comic Con, which takes place at the Jacob K. Javits Center. “It’s a fairly young show in a large building, and we initially had

concerns about fans fi nding their way through the [venue],” says Set-tembrini. “Our solution was to sell a sponsorship to a company that builds scale statues of superheroes.”

Producers placed the statues at key locations throughout the building, and referred to them in directions. “For example, we provide instructions to our conference and panel areas as such: ‘Head to the Superman statue in the north concourse, then take the escalators down to the fi rst fl oor,’” says Set-tembrini. “It’s a pretty simple concept that resulted in sponsorship revenue, helped our attendees navigate the building, and provided a photo op-portunity.” —Jenny Berg

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TICKETI NG

At the BlogHer conference, celebrities like Padma Lakshmi participated in events.

What are clever ways to integrate trade show sponsors?

New from rental company FWR Rental Haus (877.637.3744, fwrental.com), the paillette bar adds a shiny touch to events. The piece, which comes in

aqua and silver, can be confi gured as a 12- by 10-foot four-sided rectangular bar, or a 12- or 8-foot single-sided bar. For an addi-

tional charge, the paillettes can be used to spell out the name of a company or event. The bar is available nationwide, and pricing starts at $750. —L.C.

RENTAL

A SPARKLING BAR

ON BIZBASH.COMMore new products and services

FIND JOBS / POST JOBS / GET BACK TO WORK

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Forecast

The AppLounge at the 2010 London Design Festival featured a curated selection of ebooks, MP3s, and online services. The sleek pop-up is a stylish example of how to showcase digital products.

1.

For the Hotel Plaza Athénée Paris’s (plaza-athenee-paris.com) new winter menu, head pastry chef Christophe Michalak created “Chestnut,” a rum baba with vanilla chantilly cream, spiky points of meringue, and chestnut Bavarian cream.

2. Ideal for events without bartenders, Vino Solo combines a 187-milliliter bottle of wine with a plastic drinking fl ute. It’s available through Philadelphia-based KDM Global Partners (215.509.7500, kdmglobalpartners.com). Custom labels can be made with a company’s logo.

6. Central Florida-based paper goods company Rifl e Paper Co. has a charming blog (rifl emade.squarespace.com) where owner Anna Bond shares her latest projects and design obsessions, from vintage book covers to retro interiors.

Whether in shades of tangerine, pumpkin, or—as Pantone calls it—“coral rose,” orange was one of the hottest color trends during the spring 2011 shows at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.

4. Available November 16, the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival Cookbook from Clarkson Potter commem-orates 10 years of the festival

with chef interviews, recipes, and other behind-the-scenes tidbits from director Lee Brian Schrager.

10.Three feeds worth following on Twitter:

The Design Observer Group (@designobserver) delivers newsy updates on worldwide “design, culture, change.”

For cultural, political, and just plain inspirational tweets, Yoko Ono (@yokoono) fi ts the bill.

Zappos C.E.O. Tony Hsieh (@zappos) mixes thoughts on marketing and business with daily (often funny) musings.

7. The long-gestating Broadway show Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark (spidermanonbroadway.marvel.com), directed by Julie Taymor—known for her groundbreaking spec-tacles—with music by Bono and the Edge from U2, debuts November 14 at Foxwoods Theatre in New York.

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On My Radar“The chic fashion line Leroy and Perry (leroyand perry.com) has delighted me in spades with its

inventive reuse of soda cans this fall. The fi ne sprays of sequins that give a little sparkle to a new line of shift dresses are, in fact, fashioned from recycled pop cans. Super cool, right?” David Stark, president and creative director, David Stark Design and Production, New York

11.

Ideas, products, and just plain cool stuff to have on your radar. By LISA CERICOLA

The Lacoste Show

3. Ideal for meetings and presentations, the Edifi er Soundbar USB ($49.99, available at store.apple.com in December) is a 10-inch speaker that con-nects to a laptop through a USB port and emits stereo-quality sound.

5. Running from November 17 to May 15, 2011, at New York’s Museum

of Arts and Design (212.299.7777, mad

museum.org), the “Global Africa Project” is an ex-tensive exhibit of contemporary Af-rican art, design, and craft, as well as an exploration

of the socioeco-nomic impact of

art-making in local communities.

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By D. CHANNING MULLER & ANGIE ROMERO

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VenuesAn On-Campus Conference SpaceAfter three years of construction, the Robert and Judi Prokop New-man Alumni Center opened on the University of Miami’s Coral Gables campus in October. The 72,000-square-foot building, which houses the university’s alumni relations department, can be booked for private events by alumni and non-alums alike. The 7,273-square-foot multipurpose room is the largest space, seating 300 or hosting as many as 500 people for a recep-tion. Meetings for 35 can be held in the executive conference room, which is equipped with videocon-ferencing technology. Other spaces include the lobby, which holds 80; the Dany Garcia and Dwayne Johnson Living Room, which holds 135; and a small library. (6200 San Amaro Drive, Suite 200, Coral Gables, 305.284.2872)

A One-Stop Shop for Casual EntertainingWine Depot & Bistro 555, an all-in-one wine store, wine bar, and bistro, opened in November. The warehouse-style building is divided into two main areas: an indoor, 6,700-square-foot space that can seat 90, and a 2,250-square-foot patio that can seat 150. The indoor area houses the main retail sec-tion, with more than 40 wine racks displaying some 400 wines and champagnes. Guests have their choice of picking a bottle from the racks or ordering wine by the glass—making the space a good setting for one-on-one business entertaining or small groups. The bar can seat 18. The 250-square-foot Vintage Room private cellar is equipped with a large fl at-screen TV. It can seat 14 and can be used for unconventional busi-ness presentations. (555 Jefferson Ave., Miami Beach, 305.672.6161)

A Renovated Eatery From a Top ChefSeason seven Top Chef contestant Andrea Curto-Randazzo and her husband, Frank, are the chefs behind North Miami Beach’s newly revamped restaurant the Water Club, which opened in May. The 12,750-square-foot eatery has a 106-seat main dining room, an 88-seat lower dining room, and a 58-seat main bar. If privacy is needed, the wine cellar, home to more than 150 variet-ies, and its adjacent lounge can seat 48 for dining or a tasting coordinated by the sommelier. Smaller parties of 14 can also use the private dining room off the main bar. The 13,000-square-foot pool and deck area has seating for 358 people. (3969 NE 163rd St., North Miami Beach, 305.944.8411)

London-based brand Soho House opened its third North American property, Soho Beach House, in October. The oceanfront property combines aspects of a private club, 50-room hotel, and spa, with areas open to nonmembers for hosting events of 22 to 150 people. The drawing room is home to a selection of works from the Soho House art collection. The space is ideally suited for small business meetings, lunches catered by in-house restaurant Cecconi’s, or post-work cock-tails. For smaller groups, the Screening Snug mov-ie theater can seat 22 on sofas for a private fi lm screening. There is also a pool deck with room for 75, a library that holds 50, and a penthouse with a rooftop terrace and space for 60 guests. (4385 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 786.507.7900)

A Working-Lunch DestinationPositano Ristorante opened in Doral in July serving classic Italian cuisine. The restaurant is decorated in a geometric style, with dark wood and white elements. The dining room can seat 92 amid a mixture of booths and four-top tables. There’s also a patio seating 22. The menu is com-prised of classic Italian dishes, including various meat and fi sh carpaccios as starters, main courses like linguine carbonara and tortellini panna and prosciutto, and tiramisu, panna cotta, and ricottina for dessert. (2475 NW 95th Ave., Suite 10, Doral, 305.594.2828)

A British Import

ON BIZBASH.COM

Our comprehensive venue directory

NEW IN 2011

WHAT PLANNERS ARE SAYING

“The information and ideas we gathered at the BizBash Expo are sure to catapult our own

event attendance. I can’t wait until next year!”

Aly Ramos, member services representative, Latin Builders Association

From the expo floor—loaded with Florida’s hottest products, services, and venues—to the pre- and

post-show receptions, there are more opportunities than ever to fuel your creativity with the ideas

and partners you’ll find at BizBash Expo.

Action Stations with On-the-Spot Demonstrations, Fast and Fabulous 15-Minute Flash Sessions,

Tabletop Display Contest: Ready, Set, Design!, and Hands-On Design Lab

MORE INSPIRATION & NETWORKING

Florida / Fort Lauderdale Convention Center / April 12, 2011

EXPO& AWARDS

Join more than 1,400 event and meeting professionals for the state’s largest event showcase at the Fort Lauderdale Convention Center on Tuesday, April 12, 2011. For more information, visit bizbash.com/southflorida/tradeshow

To exhibit, contact Florida publisher

Ann Keusch at 305.808.3531 or

[email protected].

Save the Date for BizBash Florida’s Supersized Expo!

BizBash is bringing its renowned Event Style Awards to Florida for the first time ever! The event, product, or venue you are working on right now could receive industry recognition as a winner in one or more of 16 categories:

The online submission site opens Tuesday, January 4, 2011. For more information, visit bizbash.com/ southflorida/eventstyleawards

BizBash Florida is introducing an innovative new way to honor the local event industry—but we’re not picking the winners … you are! Nominate industry professionals (or yourself!), and then vote on them, in 10 categories:

Best Catering at an Event

Best Corporation or Association Event Concept (Budget Over $50,000)

Best Corporation or Association Event Concept (Budget Under $50,000)

Best Entertainment Program

Best Event Decor (Budget Over $50,000)

Best Event Decor (Budget Under $50,000)

Best Green Initiative for an Event

Best Invitation Design

Best Lighting Design

Best New Product

Best New Venue

Best Nonprofit Event Concept

Best PR Stunt or Guerilla Marketing Campaign

Best Staging and Set Design

Best Use of Social Media for an Event

Best Use of Technology

DJ of the Year

Event Caterer of the Year

Event Designer of the Year

Event Producer of the Year

Lighting Designer of the Year

Nonprofit/Association Event Planner of the Year

Publicist/PR Executive of the Year

Social Event Planner of the Year

Venue Manager of the Year

bizbash.com/flvotes

Accepting nominations: February 28 - March 11Finalist voting open: March 21 - March 31

For more information, visit bizbash.com/flvotes

FLORIDA’S FIRST EVENT STYLE AWARDS

ALL NEW READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

The winners of the 2011 BizBash Event Style Awards and Readers’ Choice Awards will be announced at the BizBash Florida Expo & Awards on Tuesday, April 12, 2011, at 5 p.m. on the main stage.

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School SpiritAt St. Thomas Aquinas High School’s 75th anniversary gala, the sparkle theme continued to the tables, which had underlays of light grey satin with silver sequins and two-tone napkins in silver and charcoal gray. More about the event is on page 36.

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Community BuildingJones magazine combined fashion, beauty, and philanthropy at its fi rst “Meet Me in Miami” event.

Jones magazine, the lifestyle publica-tion aimed at African American women,

launched its “Meet Me in Miami” event series on October 21 at the Hilton Bentley Hotel. The three-day event for women interested in fashion, beauty, and giving back to their community consisted of several activities, including spa retreats, skin-care clinics, yoga classes, empowerment workshops, runway shows, and special in-store promotions aimed at boosting sales during Miami Fashion Fest. Through destination management company Mi-nority Travel Group, a combination of 80 locals and visitors booked their choice of full weekend pack-ages, individual day passes, or single event tickets.

The weekend served as a coming-out party for Jones, which, according to publisher and entertain-ment attorney L. Londell McMillan, aims to “com-pete with Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, and be better

than Elle.” The magazine started off as a regional publication in Houston in 2005 and went national in April.

“One of the things we’ve been talking about as a brand is how to give an excursion-type experience to our consumers, and with Fashion Fest happening in Miami, it was the perfect opportunity for people from the fashion, beauty, and wellness arena to come together in a fun kind of way,” said Michelle Jones, South Florida representative for the maga-zine’s parent company, the NorthStar Group, and the event’s main planner.

In addition to obtaining sponsorships of $3,500 to $10,000 from luxury brands such as Nicole Miller, Saks Fifth Avenue, and the Hilton Bentley, Jones had help from several Miami-based charities that pitched in to run operations on the ground.

“We really wanted to touch on the whole woman and this idea that beauty is not only on the outside, it’s also in the inside,” said Jones. “That’s why we had a big philanthropic push and every activity had this give-back component.” During the nighttime “Beauty of Philanthropy” event at the Hil-ton Bentley on October 22, for instance, the maga-zine honored Byron Lars, who has dressed First Lady Michelle Obama, and asked him to style girls from Handy, an organization assisting foster children in the Broward County area. In total, Jones estimated the philanthropic push raised about $40,000, which will go toward the different charities involved.

MIAMI

Several N.B.A. players’ children walked the runway during the “Fashion for a Cause” party at the Bass Museum of Art.

Local, church-affi liated organization She Got Power! Enterprises decorated and greeted guests at an empowerment luncheon.

Nicole Miller’s Miami Beach boutique offered a special in-store event with Bellinis and cookies.

Saks Fifth Avenue served bites and libations as part of its in-store Giorgio Armani event.

In an effort to boost sales during Miami Fashion Fest, several of the participating stores offered special discounts

Despite the positive feedback Jones said she re-ceived, it wasn’t a perfect weekend. One challenge resulted from cramming too many activities into short blocks of time, causing the overall itinerary to run behind schedule. “Next year we defi nitely need to allow the women more time to shop,” said Jones. She also stated that next year, the magazine will need more than the 90 days of planning time allot-ted this time around: “We really needed more time to promote it and market it the way it needed to be promoted and marketed.”

The weekend came to a close with a block par-ty in Miami’s design district on October 24. The day kicked off with a “Bon Voyage” brunch at Italian eat-ery Mai Tardi and cul-minated with a local designer competition judged by McMillan, Jones editor in chief Tracey Ferguson, and Lars, among others. The winner, Suzette A. Kelly of Sarahi Fashion House, will be fea-tured in an upcoming magazine spread. —Angie Romero

Jones’s “Meet Me in Miami” EventCatering De Rodriguez Ocean

Catering, Venue MaiTardiDecor She Got Power! Enterprises, Tessi Garcia Interior Design

Event Management, PR, Production The NorthStar Group

Event Management, Transportation Minority Travel Group

Valet, Venue Hilton Bentley Hotel

Venues Bass Museum of Art, Morgan Miller, Nicole Miller, Saks Fifth Avenue

Giorgio Armani makeup designer Francisco Zacarias gave attendees tips during an in-store event at Saks Fifth Avenue in Bal Harbour.

Deborah Cox was the featured entertainer for the closing-night “Fashion for a Cause” party at the Bass Museum of Art.

A percentage of the shoe sales at Megan Miller’s store went toward the She Market Inc., a local charity benefi ting at-risk women and girls.

PRESENTING SPONSOR HOST SPONSORS

February 24-27, 2011

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS

www.sobefest.com | 877-762-3933Tickets Available Now!

Paula DeenGuy Fieri

Bobby FlayEmeril Lagasse

Rachael RayGiada De Laurentiis

and many more

FEATURING

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Subway SeriesThe sandwich company’s post-conference gala featured models, break dancers, and rollerskating butterfl ies.

“Eat Fresh” is Subway’s well-known tagline. So when the sandwich com-

pany hosted a gala on the last night of its annual convention in July, planners went for a “fresh buzz” vibe. Joel Whitten, the Connecticut-based meetings and event manager at Subway Fran-chise World Headquarters, tapped destination management company In the Loop-Chicago to produce the happening, which drew some 3,500 guests to the Skyline Ballroom at McCormick Place.

How does one bring a fresh, energizing atmosphere to a conven-tion center ballroom? In the Loop built three thematic pavilions—the Clubway, the Parkway, and Subway Stadium—to evoke, respectively, an energetic dance party, a whimsical park, and a sports stadium. Then,

producers called in the cheerleaders, break danc-ers, ballerinas, and—oh, yes—human pinwheels and butterfl ies on roller blades.

Throughout the evening, activities and enter-tainment took place in all three pavilions. In the Clubway, fake paparazzi snapped photos of guests and the ballerina and the break dancer went head-to-head in a staged dance-off.

Runway fashion shows, called “Project Subway,” showcased models in garb made out of the company’s packaging materials. An M.C. provided tongue-in-cheek commentary. “This next

creation,” he said, “uses all recycled material and is inspired by the foot-long chicken breast sandwich, on wheat, with extra Southwest sauce. Very spicy.”

In the Parkway, mimes, jug-glers, and a rollerskating butterfl y circulated while a cellist played classical music and three chalk artists drew colorful patterns on a fake sidewalk. Meanwhile, outside the Subway Stadium, cheerleaders chanted “Go subs, go.” Inside the sporty space, which was stocked with foosball tables and arcade games, acrobats and double-dutch jump ropers performed. —Jenny Berg

Subway’s “Celebrate Subway” ConventionAudiovisual Production, Lighting, Sound InVNT

Catering Chicago Restaurant Partners

Decor Ivan Carlson & Associates

DJ DJ Dave AlvarezEntertainment Chicago Boyz Acrobatic Team, Collaboraction, Custom Comedy Capers, Right On Band

Event Management In the Loop-Chicago

Game Rentals Amusement Masters

Photography Kardas Photography

CHICAGO

At the center of the Parkway, a skirted platform held a gazebo area with hanging fl owers and candles, ivy, copper pots, and a fountain.

Eight models participated in the fashion show.

Ten-foot-tall glowing pillars surrounded the area known as the “Clubway.”

Right On Band performed ’70s hits in the Clubway.

Decor in the Clubway included yellow, green, and orange glow spheres atop fabric-skirted platforms. The color scheme nodded to the hues of the Subway logo.

Florida Event Decor created gold ships’ masts with red sails to top each dinner table.

Pirates sang a version of “A Pirate’s Life for Me” with lyrics about Ed Morse when the ballroom doors opened for dinner.

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Team MatesEd Morse Automotive hosted a Treasure Island-themed incentive party with pirates, skulls, and prizes.

Ed Morse Automotive Group held its 19th annual Cash Bash, an incen-

tive award night for its fi nance and insurance managers and sales team, on October 16 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hol-lywood. Janet Dauro, executive assistant to the company’s C.O.O., took the lead in planning this year’s surprise Treasure Island-style party, whose pirate theme remained a secret until the 225 guests arrived.

“We go a step further [with theaward night] and make it an extra-vagant event where they can win cash and prizes, and the theme is a surprise. It’s all a great incentive to keep them motivated,” said Dauro, who said previous themes included a casino night and a street carnival.

Dauro worked with A Hot Party to bring the pirate-riddled atmos-phere to life. Entertainers in costumes

served as greeters and provided guests with treasure maps of the night’s games, which could be played for a chance to open one of six treasure chests holding prizes. About a hour after arrivals, singing pirates signaled the opening of the main ballroom and beginning of the dinner service pro-vided by the hotel.

Inside the main ballroom, a pirate ship backdrop from Backdrops Fantastic served as the main focal point behind the stage. A Hot Party enhanced the space with rum barrels, gold coins, skeletons and skulls, and treasure chests around the room. All of the tables had been draped in black and red linens and topped with gold-paint-ed ships’ masts with red sails.

Following dinner, employees who had quali-fi ed during a special three-month sales push got

their chance to win cash and gifts from a prize game on the main stage. The interactive games at the back of the room opened for the rest of the night. Depending on attendees’ performance at each of the games, they earned chances to open one of the six treasure chests, each with a Best Buy gift card for an amount rang-ing from $500 to $1,500. —D. Channing Muller

Ed Morse Automotive Group’s Cash BashCatering, Venue Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood

Decor, Design, Entertainment, Lighting, Production, Rentals A Hot Party

Decor Florida Event DecorDraping Backdrops Fantastic

MIAMI

A talking pirate skull entertained guests.

Story TimeMass General’s Storybook Ball returned with an Aladdin theme.

The Park Plaza Castle went from raw space to magic-carpet ride on Octo-

ber 2, as Mass General Hospital for Children re-turned to the venue for its 11th annual Storybook Ball after a one-year hiatus. The event brought with it an over-the-top Aladdin theme.

More than 450 guests entered the castle to an Arabian bazaar—designed by Rafanelli Events creative director Billy Evers—where attention to detail was apparent, from the bold-colored linens

to servers wearing fezzes and carrying Middle Eastern-themed hors d’oeuvres from Max Ultimate Food.

“For a space like this, you have to go with scale for impact,” said Evers. “Little jewels on the table aren’t go-ing to have the same impact as huge, real palm trees on the edge of the dance fl oor. Rather than do fl orals every-where, we created effects with scale—like huge palm trees.” Evers and his team

also created the illusion of a dropped ceiling by draping hot pink and orange fabric panels about 30 feet from the actual ceiling. To further solidify the spice-market vibe, rows of globe lights and fi ve-foot iron lanterns fi lled with candles accented the ceiling.

The cocktail hour gave guests a chance to try specialty drinks with names like the Magic Lamp, Prince Ali, and Rosie Dream. Guests also got to play games sponsored by Sports Club/LA, Jonathan Adler, Barneys New York, Neiman Marcus, among others, who also provided prizes. Following a three-course dinner by Max Ultimate Food, guests heard from a former MGH for Children patient about the treatment that saved her life. Next up was Boston funnyman Lenny Clarke, who donned a gold turban to play auctioneer. Guests then took to the dance fl oor for the remainder of the eve-ning. —Erin L. Souza PH

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Mass General Hospital for Children’s Storybook BallAudiovisual Production AVFX Inc.

Catering Max Ultimate Food

Design, Production Rafanelli Events

DJ, Entertainment Klass Entertainment

Draping Rose DesignsEntertainment Creative Event Services

Flowers Winston FlowersLighting Port Lighting Sytems

Photobooth Michael Blanchard Photography

Rentals Be Our Guest Inc.Rentals, Security Peterson Party Center

Rentals Rentals UnlimitedSignage Seaport GraphicsStaging United Staging and Rigging

Venue The Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers

BOSTON

Tabletops were covered with bold-colored linens and glasses, candlelit iron lanterns, and stacks of plates for shareable appetizers.

Dancers performed in Aladdin-inspired costumes.

Patriot ActGlenn Beck’s Restoring Honor Rally drew more than 300,000 to theLincoln Memorial.

Glenn Beck may wear his politics on his sleeve during his

primetime talk show and his many other appear-ances, but on August 28 he put politics aside for his Restoring Honor rally at the Lincoln Memorial. Purportedly designed to honor our armed forces and celebrate American values, the event drew more than 300,000 people from across the coun-try. During its peak, the crowd stretched from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument, fi lling the area around the Refl ecting Pool as well as adjacent fi elds.

To help oversee and plan the rally, Beck and his team tapped CSI—Capitol Services’ senior op-erations manager Kelley Gillespie. A veteran plan-ner with several large-scale events on the Mall under her belt, the Restoring Honor rally marked the largest event she has produced. Gillespie and her team of 30 planners worked for near-ly a year to plan the four-hour rally, which required more than 40 pages of permits, a production crew of 150, a six-day setup, and the assistance of 11 police and government agencies.

With temp-eratures reaching into the 90s and a tense political atmosphere due to Beck’s and guest speaker Sarah Pa-lin’s political views, health and security were the biggest concerns for plan-ners. Although security concerns never became a factor and the speakers stayed true to their no-politics mandate, the nine medical stations saw plenty of action from heat-related issues. In an at-tempt to control any widespread heat issues, the producers handed out more than 75,000 bottles of water and set up nine cooling stations to keep the crowd cool and hydrated.

Another challenge was fi nding a way to keep the massive crowd organized. Working with the Na-tional Park Service and Park Police, organizers divided the area into eight safety zones. The space in between the zones allowed for lim-ited mobility and secured space for each of the nine LED walls provided by Video Walltronics. —T.J. WalterPH

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Restoring Honor RallyCatering Design Cuisine Caterers

Event Management CSI—Capitol Services Inc.

Production National Events L.L.C.

Rentals DC RentalTenting Capital Party Rentals

WASHINGTON

The stage was set at the base of the Lincoln Memorial, which provided a picturesque background for the more than 300,000 attendees.

Glenn Beck offered the opening and closing remarks.

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D E S T I N A T I O N M A N A G E M E N T | S P E C I A L E V E N T S | C O R P O R A T E | S O C I A L

W W W . D E C O P R O D U C T I O N S . C O M


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Masterpiece TheaterAt the Lacma Pavilion debut, projections animated art under a dreamy dinner tent.

There’s a renewed sense of heft and vigor within Los Angeles’s

art community, with big hoopla surrounding the city’s institutions in recent years. Adding to that air of importance is the Los Angeles County Muse-um of Art’s new Lynda & Stewart Resnick Exhibi-tion Pavilion, made possible by funding from that philanthropic family. The new space, designed by architect Renzo Piano, opened with a masquerade gala on September 25 for 1,000 guests.

Lacma C.E.O. and Wallis Annenberg direc-tor Michael Govan, president Melody Kanschat, and vice president of development Terry Morello oversaw the event under the ever-watchful eye of Lynda Resnick herself.

Building the evening’s drama early, guests entered the gala upon a red carpet that snaked through Chris Burden’s “Urban Light” sculpture—the lamppost art installation off Wilshire Boule-vard—where a troupe of entertainers in Venetian costume danced to a live pianist. They moved next into the galleries, where the three inaugural exhibitions were open for view.

Next, guests moved into the tent, where they sat for dinner by Patina Catering at Lacma and entertainment by the Canadian Tenors. The evening’s grand fi nale performance came from Christina Aguilera, who belted hits “Beautiful” and “Fighter.”

But perhaps the biggest attraction under the tent were the seamless projections, which rotated throughout the evening. MegaVision Arts created the content for the projections on the walls and ceiling of the tent, and the look was based on the Resnicks’ request to have their guests feel as if they were standing on the veranda of a Venetian palazzo, and to bring the art collection to life. Looks included an animated fresco, a sunset scene with Venetian masks appearing on the walls, and a grand fi nale with projected fi reworks synchronized to music. The animated ceiling used 24 high-powered digital projectors blended together to create a seamless 130- by 130-foot overhead canvas. The same techniques painted full-motion moving scenery on the 130- by 35-foot fabric-covered tent walls.

Immediately following the gala’s close, glitter-cov-ered guests made their way back to the Resnick Pavil-ion for the Ultimat Vodka- and Moët & Chandon-sponsored “Avant-Garde After-Party,” where the Chapin Sisters per-formed. —Alesandra Dubin

Lacma’s Resnick Pavilion Opening GalaCatering Patina GroupCreative Direction, Design, Production J. Ben Bourgeois Productions

Flowers James RomoloFurniture Rentals Luxe Event Rentals & Decor

Greens, Hedging Jackson Shrub Supply Inc.

HVAC, Staging Special Event Contractors

Orchestra, Ancillary Entertainers Lynne Gordon Entertainment

Permits Jimmy’s Permit Services

PR PMK-BNCProjection, Content MegaVision Arts

Lighting, Projectionist, Projectors, Technical Direction Brite Ideas

Rentals, Tenting Classic Party Rentals

Draping, Scenic Rock Steady Productions

Security, Venue Los Angeles County Museum Of Art

Sound Westcoast Sound Inc.

Valet Athena Parking, Z Valet

LOS ANGELES

Guests entered the gala on a red carpet that snaked through the “Urban Light” sculpture by Chris Burden, where entertainers in Venetian costume danced to a live pianist.

Towering spheres of roses decorated dinner tables.

Art from the Resnicks’ collection came to life by way of projections under the dinner tent.

Christina Aguilera performed with an orchestra.

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Game OnSanford-Burnham’s fi rst benefi t mixed trivia and games.

Orlando’s Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute took an

unconventional approach to its inaugural fund-raiser by creating a high-energy, interactive event at Hard Rock Live on November 4. Titled “Bring It! Game On … For Medi-cal Research,” the event pitted the 300 attendees against each other in trivia contests, timed challenges, and games of chance such as paper-rock-scissors. The night raised $200,000 for the institute through sponsor-ships, individual ticket sales, and pay-to-play activities.

“The concept of trivia questions and onstage challenges is an inter-active way to keep people involved, and it’s against the norm out there,” said the institute’s manager of events, Craig Corwin. “We are trying to change the culture here in Or-lando.” Sanford-Burnham’s California headquarters inaugurated a game show event a few years ago, and its success led the company to bring the concept to Orlando.

Following a reception in the lob-by with food stations and cocktails,

attendees entered the Hard Rock Live auditorium for the fi rst of four fund-raising activities created by Wildly Different. For the fi rst, included as part of each guest’s ticket, the event team dropped 300 beach balls with fi ve different patterns from the balcony of the venue. Each time the music stopped, guests were eliminated based on the color of the ball in their hands. The winner took home tickets to a concert at Hard Rock Live.

Attendees could buy in to the remaining three contests at costs of $50, $75, and $100 each.

The fi nal game was a paper-rock-scissors tournament with the winner receiving a four-night stay at Loews Portofi no Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando and a private tour for 12 through both Universal theme parks.

The trivia contest had four rounds. Guests used handheld audience response devices pro-vided by Padgett Communica-tions to answer M.C. Marvelless Mark’s questions about Sanford-Burnham’s research activities and Central Florida. The top four tables in each round sent a representa-tive onstage to compete in timed activities, such as bouncing ping-pong balls into beakers. At the end of the evening, the top two contes-tants competed in a Guitar Hero challenge onstage for the rights to a six-foot trophy known as the “Bring It! Cup.” —Mitra Sorrells

ORLANDO

Sanford-Burnham Benefi tAudiovisual Production True Marketing, Wray and Associates

Audiovisual Production, Catering, Lighting, Sound, Venue Hard Rock Live

Audiovisual Production, Decor, Design, Lighting, Sound, Staging AV Matters

Decor, Lighting, Linens, Rentals Ice Magic

Decor Sign-A-RamaEntertainment Marvelless Mark, Metropolis Productions, Peyton Entertainment Productions, Wildly Different

Photography Christie’s Photographic Studios

PR Cuellar and Sachse, Red Rocket Studios

Rentals Padgett Communications

Ice Magic used lighting to make the tables appear to glow from within, while beakers fi lled with candy and drumsticks served as centerpieces.

Fourteen of Sanford-Burnham’s medical researchers set the tone for the event by coming onstage to the tune of “We Will Rock You.”

The event team dropped 300 beach balls from the balcony for the fi rst activity of the evening.

Corporate Events Association Meetings Tournaments Entertaining Retreats and Seminars Incredible Receptions Notable Promotions Golf Outings

Contact Tara Horner, Catering & Special Events

Sales Manager, for assistance with all your event needs.

305.861.2031 [email protected]

W W W. L A G O R C E C C . C O M

HOST YOUR NEXT EVENT AT OUR CLUB!

36 bizbash.com july/august 2010

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School SpiritSt. Thomas Aquinas High School recruited parents to add sparkle to its 75th anniversary gala.

On October 30, Fort Lauderdale’s St. Thomas Aquinas High School com-

memorated its 75th anniversary with a nearly six-hour celebration at the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood. The event received ample funding from members of the school’s founda-tion board, alumni, and parents, who either served as sponsors—sponsorship opportunities cost $10,000 to $11,000, in addition to individual $200 and $300 seats—or underwriters of the upscale production.

The coed, college-preparatory school, which ranks among the top 50 Roman Catholic schools in the country and has more than 2,000 students, hired logistics pro Donald Braun’s namesake fi rm to oversee the gala, attended by 750 guests. It was one of four large events tied to the school’s an-niversary. A celebrity golf tournament, an auction, and an alumni celebration—N.F.L. player Michael Irvin, tennis pro Chris Evert, and actor Billy Crudup are all notable graduates—will follow in 2011.

According to Sister John Norton, coordina-tor of special events at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, the gala was nearly “the biggest event in the school’s history,” second only to a dinner with dancing that marked the institution’s 50 years. “We wanted to really celebrate the fact that a lot of families in the community who have been educated here have been very successful and very happy with their lives,” said Norton.

Parents in particular showed their willing-ness to “honor the past, embrace the present,

MIAMI

Custom lighting rigged into the ceiling lit up the tables’ refl ective surfaces.

A chandelier and gobos drew attention to the entrance created using mirrored columns and silver draping. Guests referred to the frosted lettering above the tables to fi nd their name tags.

The plexiglass table numbers were a twist on traditional paper ones.

A column in the middle of the bar projected a stained-glass motif onto the walls.

The Red Carpet Lady from the Champagne Creative Group greeted guests.

envision the future”—a phrase written on the invitations—by funding some of the event’s most memorable production elements. One such parent, Guilherme Silva, who heads broadcast media company CIS Group and has two sons at the school, produced, directed, and funded a 15-minute 3-D video presented during the dinner program. The animated video—which high-lighted the school’s academic, athletic, and arts programs—was narrated by students and shot on campus using 3-D cameras. Similarly, parents employed by Bacardi and Southern Wine & Spirits of America donated the hard liquor and wine, re-spectively, while yet another parent at the school helped book Jane Krakowski of NBC’s 30 Rock to sing during the din-ner program through her relationship with Broadway Across America.

Braun hired sev-eral different vendors and used items such as plexiglass, beaded crystals, chandeliers, sheer silver draping, and sequins to bring the gala committee’s vision of sparkle to fruition. More than six months of plan-ning led to the event (including two full days of setup).

Guests parted with a souvenir: a bottle of Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon with the tag “aged to perfection.” —Angie Romero

St. Thomas Aquinas High School 75th Anniversary GalaAdditional Staffi ng, Catering, Valet Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa

Catering Café Ala CarteDecor, Event Management, Production Donald Braun Events L.L.C.

Draping Design ElementsEntertainment Jerry Wayne Music and Entertainment

Flowers Jason FrixLighting Design Kerry McCloskey

Lighting Equipment Jack Hammer Live Audio

Linens, Rentals Nuage Designs

Models Champagne Creative Group

Rentals Ace Props, BrelexRentals Panache: A Classic Party Rentals Company - Pompano

Sound Carlton Audio Services Inc.

Video Blu Laser Digital L.L.C.

Guests walked through tunnels made with silver draping, fl oral tie-backs, and custom lighting to get from the cocktail reception to the ballroom.

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Shear OpeningAn old-fashioned barbershop celebratedits new location with a 1940s theme.

RazzleDazzle Barbershop celebrated the grand opening of its second loca-

tion with a 1940s party on September 16 in the courtyard of Mary Brickell Village shopping center, where the store is located. Owner Elena Linares relied on media outreach and guerrilla marketing to draw more than 1,000 people to the event.

One week before the grand opening, an advertising truck from Go Big Adz drove through downtown Miami and Brickell, hauling a large glass enclosure housing three corseted models who demonstrated the store’s shave, shoe-shine, and neck massage services on a man in a barber-shop chair. “For me to show off the uniqueness of RazzleDazzle Barbershop, I felt that I needed to bring it out into the streets during rush hour,” said Linares. “Driving the big ad truck in front of the busy clubs and bars during happy hours made a big impact.”

The costumed models headed to the street

days later to distribute fl yers for the opening. Linares also worked with Nat-PR Inc. to secure 39 sponsors and to promote the event to the media.

Dancers, singers, and other entertainers dressed in 1940s attire entertained throughout the event on the stage and raised pedestals in the courtyard and the barbershop. Res-taurants within the shopping plaza pro-vided food stations for the night accom-panied by specialty cocktails from Ketel One and Zacapa Rum.

The party also served as a fund-rais-er for domestic vio-lence advocacy group Safespace Founda-tion, raising $6,675 through a raffl e and sales of 2011 pinup-style calendars. —D. Channing Muller

RazzleDazzle Barbershop Grand OpeningAdvertising Truck Go Big Adz

Audiovisual Production, Lighting, Rentals, Staging Daydream Audio Visual and Creative Group

Catering Balans, Grimpa Steakhouse, Mr. Ganache Chocolatier, PF Chang’s China Bistro, Rosa Mexicano Miami, Stella’s Sweet Shoppe

Entertainment Leon Entertainment, Miami Dance Project

Entertainment, Sound The DJ Connection

Event Management, PR Nat-PR Inc.

Invitations, Signage Markham Unlimited

Models A Concept Fashion Group

Valet Standard Parking

MIAMI

Grimpa Steakhouse served barbecue beef croquettes seasoned with herbs and Parmesan cheese and topped with breadcrumbs.

Costumed dancers with Las Vegas showgirl-style headdresses performed on raised pedestals

Go Big Adz parked one of its trucks, housing a vintage barbershop setup, on nearby South Miami Avenue to promote the event.

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Flash BackThe Big Brothers Big Sisters fund-raiser channeled homecoming with cheerleaders and a marching band.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County once again attempted to take

supporters back in time with the seventh an-nual Déjà Vu Ball at the Bahia Mar Beach Resort & Yachting Center on October 9. Organizers change the fund-raiser’s theme each year, and this time opted to focus on all things homecoming, with infl atable football players, cheerleaders, a marching band, and honoree Nat Moore, former Miami Dolphins wide receiver.

“Everyone remembers their homecoming dance and game,” said the nonprofi t’s C.E.O., Ana Cedeño. “It’s relatable no matter when you graduated and takes people back to high school and college. Plus, we’re honoring Nat Moore so there’s the the football theme there.”

Designed and produced by Sixth Star Enter-tainment and Marketing, the event started the trip back in time with the 360 guests entering the building through an infl atable football tun-nel. The imagery continued during the cocktail reception, where two drummers battled before leading guests through a gauntlet of cheer-leaders and fl ag-core performers into the main ballroom, where a marching band got the party offi cially started.

The Edge band entertained intermittently be-tween the award presentations and choreographed performances from hip hop and break-dancers,

which took place throughout dinner. Donna Summer served as the night’s surprise headliner, singing classic songs like “She Works Hard for the Money” and “Last Dance,” which closed the night.

The event had 39 sponsors, with 24 donating between $2,500 and $50,000. Top sponsors included Publix, AutoNation, Bank of Ameri-ca, and Comcast. Cedeño estimates the event raised nearly $262,000, not including silent-auction sales, which is about 21 percent less than last year due to the lack of a title sponsor. —D. Channing Muller

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County’s Deja Vu BallAudiovisual Production, Lighting, Sound, Staging PSAV Presentation Services

Bar Southern Wine & Spirits of America

Catering, Rentals, Staging, Venue Bahia Mar Beach Resort & Yachting Center

Decor, Entertainment, Production Sixth Star Entertainment & Marketing

Linens Over the Top Rental Party Linens

MIAMI

Guests entered the event through a giant infl atable football helmet. Sixth Star staged a mini pep rally in the

main ballroom with cheerleaders dancing to the music of a full marching band.

The Edge band kept the dance fl oor busy between the scheduled performances.


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Old SchoolA.A.R.P.’s conference put speakers and exhibitors online while retaining in-person attendees.

A.A.R.P. shared its Orlando@50+ National Event and Expo, which

took place September 30 to October 2, with the public for free via the Internet. The association worked with Performedia to stream all of the sessions and speakers at the Orange County Convention Center live on the organization’s Web site, which will continue to host two-thirds of the event content until March. All 400 exhibitors also created a digital booth on the Web site to mirror the live conference.

“There’s clearly an appetite for our folks to be engaged with technology, and the movement of the show [to different cities] every year makes it challenging at times for people to get to the event,” said the association’s vice president of events, C.B. Wismar.

Organizers were concerned that putting the entire program and all the exhibitors online would reduce attendance, yet more than 25,000 people, about the same number as in recent years, attended at the convention center. “I think the opportunity to be involved in the live event

ORLANDO

NASA created a photo opportunity at its exhibit booth with a replica of a space suit.

A.A.R.P.’s Movies for Grownups Film Festival gave attendees a sneak peek at upcoming feature fi lms.

Martina Navratilova led a morning workout session in a hall of the convention center.

The Diving Equipment and Marketing Association brought a 20- by 30-foot pool, wetsuits, and equipment, so that attendees could try scuba diving.

has a strong pull, and people will use the virtual event to go back and recreate and experience things they missed,” Wismar said.

Throughout the three days, attendees listened to speakers and attended classes on topics such as health and fi tness, entertainment, relationships, technology, and fi nance, all geared toward people age 50 and older. A.A.R.P. streamed all 90 sessions live on its Web site, and about 60 will remain there for six months. Wismar said the speakers who did not agree to make their sessions available after the event were primarily headliners like Whoopi Goldberg and Larry King. A.A.R.P. gave all 400 exhibitors an opportunity to create a virtual exhibit booth on the Web site as part of its fee for space on the expo fl oor. About 100 of the exhibitors paid an additional fee to up-grade their online presence to include extras such as streaming video and the ability to receive and respond to questions from site users.

While online access to the sessions and exhibitors is free, A.A.R.P. does require users to register so it can track which segments of the vir-tual event were most popular with site visitors. —Mitra Sorrells

A.A.R.P.’s Orlando@50+ National Event & ExpoAudiovisual Production LMG Inc.

Decor FreemanOnline Virtual Event Performedia

Production Williams/Gerard Productions

Transportation Callaway Transportation

Key members of the organization’s board welcomed attendees at the opening session.

B.B. King performed on opening night.

Whoopi Goldberg and Larry King spoke during the closing session.

www.e-ventsreg.com l 877.552.3401

RegistrationWeb DevelopmentTravel & Housing

Event Management


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Big ScoreThe Toronto International Film Festival opening gala paid tribute to a hockey musical.

In a nod to Score: A Hockey Musical—the opening night fi lm

at the 35th annual Toronto International Film Festival—organizers of the festival’s opening night gala on September 9 fi lled the Liberty Grand with concession stand fare (hot dogs and popcorn) and memorabilia ( jerseys, pennants, and hockey pucks) reminiscent of a small town hockey arena.

Barbara Hershenhorn of Party Barbara Co. planned and produced the event, which drew 3,000 guests, including Olivia Newton John and Nelly Furtado, both of whom star in the fi lm. Walter Gretzky, who has a cameo, also attended, posing for photographers on a bright orange carpet (the colour of the TIFF logo) outside the venue.

In an effort to replicate an arena, Hershenhorn worked with McWood Studios and National Sign & Design Group to turn the Artifacts Room into a pseudo ice rink. “The dance fl oor looked like a hockey rink with centre ice and the blue lines. And

we had dasher boards all around the rink with ad-vertising on them,” she said. The boards displayed sponsor names like Bell, RBC, Perrier-Jouët, Skyy Vodka, and Stella Artois.

DJ Jojo Flores spun tunes from an elevated DJ booth, draped in black and adorned with a 2004 Ontario Major Hockey League Division Champion-ship banner. Additional banners hung over a food station at the end of the room, where servers offered pizza and Caesar salad to guests, and hockey jerseys from the fi lm were suspended from the rafters.

In the Governor’s Room, a massive banner reading, “Hockey is air, hockey is water, hockey

is life,” hung from the ceiling and Iceculture displayed a 16-foot ice sculpture shaped like a hockey rink and dubbed it the TIFF Shooter Bar. The sculpture, which served as a ta-ble, held 144 shot glasses fi lled with Skyy Vodka. Servers dressed in black and white costumes reminiscent of referee outfi ts fl anked either side of the table.

“We tried to scale it down as much as you’d scale it down in a small town hockey arena,” said Hershenhorn, who worked with the Liberty Group to design a menu appropriate for a hockey crowd. The selection included Philly cheese steak sandwiches, all-beef grilled Kosher hot dogs, a poutine station, pizza, and Caesar salad. Dessert in-cluded chocolate hockey pucks and funnel cakes. —Susan O’Neill

Toronto International Film Festival Opening Night PartyCatering Liberty Grand Catering

Dance Floor, Signage National Sign & Design Group Inc.

Design, Event Management, Production Party Barbara Co.

DJ Jojo FloresFurniture Rentals Furnishings by Corey

Ice Sculpture Iceculture Inc.Audiovisual Production, Lighting Event Services Group

Props McWood StudiosRentals Chair-man MillsSecurity Star SecurityStaffi ng, Venue Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex

TORONTO

Barbara Hershenhorn of Party Barbara Co. draped the Artifacts Room in all white and used white sofas from Furnishings by Corey to give the space an icy feel.

Inspired by the opening night fi lm, Score: A Hockey Musical, the festival’s kick off gala had a dance fl oor that resembled an ice rink.

Iceculture used 9,000 pounds of ice to produce a hockey rink ice table dubbed the TIFF Shooter Bar, where guests could sample shots of Skyy Vodka.

Canadian designer Breeyn McCarney used fl owers to create a dress inspired by festival sponsor Perrier-Jouët’s Belle Epoque bottle.

Servers offered glasses of Perrier-Jouët at a bar in the V.I.P. lounge.

The Liberty Group served a selection of concession stand fare like pizza and hot dogs as well as passed hors d’oeuvres like jalapeno cheese poppers and crispy calamari.

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Just the TicketSpecial Olympics Florida tripled revenue from a travel-focused auction.

Special Olympics Florida tripled its revenue by more than doubling the

number of trips offered at its Island Hop party October 23 at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Con-vention Center. For the inaugural event in 2009, the nonprofi t secured donations of 45 trips from 30 companies. This year that number jumped to 100 trips from 68 companies, includ-ing such industry heavyweights as Travelocity and Leading Hotels of the World, and brought in $52,500.

The nonprofi t’s leaders devel-oped the concept for a travel-focused fund-raiser when they realized the economic downturn was affecting the travel industry. “We saw an op-portunity: Resorts had a lot of inven-tory, and they would benefi t from the awareness we could provide. So our

event provides a platform to showcase resorts to people who have a propensity to travel and who have discretionary income to spend,” said the organization’s vice president of resource develop-ment, Matthew Levy.

Levy said the success of last year’s event demonstrated to the travel companies that this type of auction could put “heads in beds,” which helped the nonprofi t secure vacations from many new partners, such as Travelocity.

“We look for causes where we can help the community and also inspire travel, and this really does both,” said Travelocity’s senior vice president of global partner services, Noreen Henry.

From a South African safari to a cruise on Eu-rope’s Rhine River and dozens of more modest getaways, organizers tried to offer something that would appeal to each of the 350 guests. By the end of the night, guests had purchased all 100 trips. As an added benefi t to the travel companies, the nonprofi t will provide them with the email addresses of the event’s attendees, so the companies can send future offers directly to them. —Mitra Sorrells

Special Olympics Florida’s Island Hop Fund-RaiserCatering, Design, Entertainment, Venue Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center

Entertainment Power C Company, The Party Corp.

Lighting, Production, Sound, Staging PSAV

Linens Kirby Rentals

ORLANDO

Special Olympics Florida offered fi ve trips through a raffl e set up at the entrance to the party.

The Travelocity gnome traveled around the party, even making a stop at the casino tables.

Guests could bet on hermit crabs that raced around a table for a chance to win play money.

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2010 bizbash national venue guide 151

New York

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Although economic turbulence has tempered the intended fl urry of venue openings and renovations in New York this year, it didn’t bring the city to a halt. In fact, some of the bigger projects—two new baseball stadiums, the park on the High Line, and Lincoln Center’s massive overhaul—debuted in 2009, while chefs spawned more casual eateries to match the change in diner preferences. However, the biggest change will come in 2010, when the city’s only convention center unveils an expansion and renovates its existing space. By ANNA SEKULA

The High Life Straddling the High Line, André Balazs’s Standard New York drew attention before it was even complete. Designed by Polshek Partnership, this 337-room property offi cially opened in September. For events, there’s the High Line Room and Terrace on the third fl oor, which has views of the Hudson River and holds 250 for receptions. The hotel also offers the 285-seat Standard Grill with an adjacent garden room for events, as well as the 18th-fl oor bar dubbed Bon Bon. (848 Washington St., 212.645.4646, standardhotels.com)

ON BIZBASH.COM/NEWYORKThe latest venue news, reports from recent events, and a comprehensive directory of local suppliers and venues

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The event industry can be defi ned as much by the

fi nancial (a shaky economic recovery) as the frivolous

(fancy cocktails! food trucks!). Summarizing this year

means looking at how those different forces collid-

ed. In addition to identifying the biggest trends, we

also spoke to a couple of planners who persevered

in the face of a challenging year: They launched

new projects. They remade existing endeavors

to adapt to the current climate. And they put

on ambitious projects that proved the ongoing

power of events as marketing tools.

Target staged a fashion and light show on the facade of the Standard hotel in New York as part of its roster of dramatic event initiatives. More on the retailer’s strategy is on page 58.

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2010ON BIZBASH.COMMore photos and details from the events featured here, plus 10 local highlights from nine markets

48

House PartiesWhether to add a sense of comfort or exclusivity, private residences were a popular venue choice.

Toronto’s Best PR Boutique hosted a media preview event in a 4,500-square-foot suite inside a private home in August.

In August, Toronto’s Bridle Bash Foundation held its annual fund-raiser in the backyard of a residential home, drawing 1,500 guests.

In April, New Balance held a media launch for its toning sneaker line in a fi ve-story mansion in New York.

Private Residence, a new event space in Miami, is the former home of its owner, local entrepreneur Debbie Ohanian, and has been redesigned to accommodate private parties.

In March, World Festival—a fund-raiser benefi ting chef Art Smith’s Chicago-based Common Threads charity—offered tasting stations from 70 chefs, including Rick Bayless and television personality Nigella Lawson.

Following a Katy Perry concert, chef Mario Batali did a cooking demo in Times Square at the June launch of the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta.

FAVORITE TREND OF 2010: “The use of dining options other than a 72-inch round and banquet chairs. We’ve seen people use a captain’s table, create booth seating with sofas and ottomans, and opt for a square or trianglar table. Many are using club chairs for table ends and linenless options.” Lindsay Cosimi, account executive, Room Service Furniture & Rentals, Orlando

BEST OF 2010

The South Beach Wine & Food Festival had a long roster of chef appearances and demos this winter—including one by Michael Symon in one of KitchenAid’s two tents at the Grand Tasting Village.

THE STAR CHEF FACTOR As the ranks of food celebrities continued to grow, they headlined tasting events, crowded attendee lists on press releases, and gave their names to menus—whether or not they actually prepared any food.

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Lexus created a 9- by 9-foot video wall of iPads and iTouch screens to present interactive information about its new hybrid vehicle for its Dark Side of Green Tour, held across the U.S. this summer.

At AOL’s partner summit in New York in April, staffers used iPads to check in attendees.

In August, Lexus unveiled its new hybrid vehicle in Toronto with an event produced by AMCI and Attention Span. Custom iPad applications gave guests details about the car and let them map out a downtown route.

On Heineken’s nationwide Inspire Tour this summer, Relevent Group brought in computer stations, where brand ambassadors with iPads invited attendees to share what inspired them. The messages were then posted to screens.

Guerrilla Marketing

To tout the show Covert Affairs in July, USA Network dispatched 40 models masquerading as the show’s lead character, C.I.A. agent Annie Walker. The troop paraded past high-traffi c public areas to silently spread the message.

For the 2010 Upfronts in New York in May, NBC promoted its slogan “More Colorful” with a group of brightly hued cabs that drove around Midtown before stopping in front of the Hilton for the network’s presentation.

In January, consumer reporting agency TransUnion staged large-scale public yoga classes in New York and Chicago.

Cheddar cheese maker Tillamook converted a VW vehicle into the Tillamook Loaf Love bus, which handed out samples throughout the western United States this spring.

THE YEAR OF THE IPAD Apple’s latest gadget was put to good use at events.

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Venues Get Cooking New event spaces added kitchens to showcase food prep and facilitate group cooking activities.

Also in Chicago, kitchen-equipped Logan Square Kitchen opened in September 2009.

Chicago’s Room 1520 opened in May with two commercial-style kitchens, a fi eldstone fi replace, and a lounge with plush seating.

In New York, the Andaz 5th Avenue offers a meeting and event space with an open, communal kitchen as the central gathering point.

Manhattan Cocktail Classic For the fi rst local festival exclusively dedicated to libations and the people who make them, Manhattan Cocktail Classic founder Lesley Townsend avoided juggling too much and limited her overhead by allowing the in-house market-ing and event departments of large spirits companies to take creative control of their setups at various events. Townsend took a crowdsourcing approach, which gave independent producers and companies the license to conceive events and pitch the ideas to brands. The Cocktail Classic saw more than 4,000 attendees at 70-plus events over a four-day run.

Amfar’s Inspiration Gala Series As a way to extend its footprint around the globe and boost its fund-raising efforts, the HIV and AIDS nonprofi t launched a new event series in 2010, a concept dubbed the Inspiration Gala that traveled to New York, Paris, and Los Angeles in its inaugural year. With men’s style as the inspirational focus, each city’s event was hosted

by Kylie Minogue, held at iconic locations, and tweaked to the local audience. New York’s 400-person gala at the New York Public Library on June 3 included a 52-model runway show and raised more than $400,000, while the more intimate 150-guest dinner at Maxim’s de Paris in Paris on June 25 involved a perfor-mance by famed chanteuse Arielle Dombasle and brought in $175,000.

Pepsi’s Idea Seminar Tour and Refresh Project Marketing Initiative In February, Pepsi un-expectedly opted to forgo a Super Bowl commercial, choosing to al-locate funds to the Refresh Project, a marketing platform to boost its commitment to sustainable growth. This experimental consumer pro-gram awards more than $20 million in grants to consumers with ideas about how to improve their com-munities and the world. To generate awareness of the online program, Pepsi hosted a six-city seminar tour for students between February and April. Pepsi succeeded in mobilizing thousands of customers through

social media and the offl ine gather-ings: As of September 1, 42 million votes had been cast online for more than 7,500 ideas, and the 256 ideas that received the grant are esti-mated to have infl uenced more than 200,000 people across the U.S.

Life Is Good Festival Boston-based apparel company Life Is Good joined forces with Superfl y Presents, the minds behind the Bonnaroo and Outside Lands, to introduce a new family-focused music festival in September. The two-day event brought 30,000 people—including

5,000 kids—to Canton’s Prowse Farm and raised $600,000 for the Life Is Good Kids Foundation. The roster of performers included kid-

centric artists such as Dan Zanes & Friends, as well as headliners Ben Harper, Guster, Corinne Bailey Ray, and Jason Mraz. “In the past we always tailored our [smaller] festi-

vals to be family-friendly, and this year was no different, but we also targeted young, single music fans,” said Bert Jacobs, Life Is Good’s chief executive optimist. “Many people in the music industry told us we wouldn’t be able to mix tattoos with toddlers. But we did just that, and there were no problems.”

Taste of Beverly Hills The date on September 2 of this year matched Beverly Hills’ famous ZIP code—as in 9-02-10—and this inaugural epicu-rean festival capitalized on the extra attention, as well as the long Labor Day weekend. The Taste of Beverly Hills offered samples from a broad array of the region’s top restaurants, cooking demonstrations from local and widely known chefs, wine tast-ings from more than 80 California vintners, and live music. The event took place on a three-plus-acre site with two 100- by 140-foot tasting pavilions. A 60- by 80-foot cooking demo tent had fully functional LG appliances. Best Events produced the programming, which drew an estimated 10,000 visitors, who scooped up an estimated 500,000 tastes. In a far-reaching marketing approach, organizers implemented a multimedia campaign that strategi-cally aligned traditional media with targeted online partners and social media outlets, and worked with participating restaurants to develop

FIRST TIME’S A CHARMLaunching new events in an uncertain economy can be risky. These gambles paid off.

BEST OF 2010

Bert Jacobs

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custom incentive programs each could use to promote the festival.

Hispanic Leadership Summit The Southern California-based Center for Hispanic Leadership hosted its inaugural summit in September in the Junior Achievement Finance Park Mike Curb Center for Free Enterprise. More than 200 corporate leaders and brands participated—beating organizers’ goal of 120. With big-name sponsors such as IBM, Xerox, Toyota, State Farm, and AOL on board, the summit doubled its spon-sorship goal. Attendees came from organizations like Pepsi, American Express, Coke, Aetna, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Ernest & Young, with more than 20 corporations each sending more than fi ve repre-sentatives from all over the country. A social media campaign was a driv-ing force behind the turnout.

NokiaTalk Taking note of re-search that says more than half of Facebook activity is conducted via mobile phones, Nokia hosted its fi rst social media conference May 24 to 26 in Miami’s design district. The company brought 100 bloggers, Web developers, and industry specialists from 12 countries in Latin America to the city for interactive speaker pan-els and collaborative sessions, which had attendees working together to create new industry standards and

documents such as “The 10 Rules of Social Media.” “We didn’t want it to just be one-way commu-nication, so we made it interac-tive by inviting a

lot of the bloggers to be speakers as well,” said Nokia social media com-munications manager Saulo Passos, who organized the event along with local event planning fi rm Siinc Agency. “It’s not just us telling them what to do; we are really engaging with them to tell us what to do.”

Bandwagon Roadshow After nearly 18 months of planning, this combined live music festival and car show debuted September 4 at Festival Field at the Orlando Citrus Bowl. Created by Jimi Beach, ex-ecutive producer at entertainment company Top Speed Adventures and a former producer on the Vans

Warped Tour, the event attracted an audience of 5,500 to its launch before being fi ne-tuned and starting an eight-city cross-country tour in April. “Some of the largest single-day events in the world are classic-car gatherings, but they don’t have much entertainment, so we decided to create a new touring property that brings out top headliners with top cars,” Beach said. Snoop Dogg headlined the kickoff.

Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo The Reed Exhibitions Pop Culture Group launched the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo in April. Held at McCormick Place, the three-day affair boasted 200 exhibitors, 175 panels and screen-ings, and appearances from industry heavyweights such as Neil Gaiman. Producer Lance Fensterman said that although Chicago has a strong community of comic-book enthu-siasts, it was challenging to build market awareness for the unprec-edented event. Reed’s strategy, he said, was to begin promotional efforts two years in advance in order to “motivate the hard-core fans to come interact with us,” by advertis-ing the event “through the channels where the fans live and breathe,” in-cluding blogs, podcasts, comic books, and movie theaters. The event ultimately drew 27,500 attendees, which Fensterman said was about

“5 percent short of a very aggressive goal. This is the second-best per-forming launch we’ve ever had.”

Patrón Tequila Epicurean Express After sending all of its executives to New Orleans to volunteer with the St. Bernard Project, a nonprofi t organization dedicated to rebuild-ing homes and providing mental health support for people affected by Hurricane Katrina and the recent oil spill, Patrón teamed up with the project for a fi ve-city, cocktail- and food-focused fund-raising tour. With Patrón’s 1927 antique railcar serving as the backdrop, each of the two-night stops was held on the tracks and featured New Orleans-based chefs serving hors d’oeuvres paired with Patrón cocktails. The tour at-tracted more than 700 people in Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, Los Angeles, and New Orleans, and raised $125,000 for the project.

Held in Chicago in May, the Butterfl y Ball had centerpieces of lilac trees and fl owers from local nurseries, which were replanted after the event.

Sneaky EcoGreen decor that doesn’t look like it was a rising trend.

Lexus’s booth at the New York International Auto Show in April was made of recycled and repurposed materials.

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NOT SO INDIE ANYMOREAs marketers look for new places to engage their target audiences, some events that started scruffy are incorporating slicker, business-minded elements.

At the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, grown-up brands such as American Express and Microsoft sponsored tents with air-conditioning, charging stations, and plenty of product placement.

Held in Los Angeles in March, the Independent Spirit Awards moved from an intimate beachside tent to a larger downtown venue with six sponsor tents, including an Elle magazine greenroom.

BEFORE THE EVENTTo promote a July catalog preview in New York, Ikea reached out to fans through Facebook, the Brooklyn store’s Twitter page, and IkeaFans.com, an independently run Web site with an audience of more than 150,000.

After deciding to relocate the Vans Warped Tour 10 days before the event, organizers used social media to spread the word to attendees, resulting in the same attendance as last year.

In July, Armani Exchange pro-moted its new fall line from a retro ice cream truck that made stops throughout Los Angeles. The store’s Twitter page alerted followers to the truck’s location and giveaways.

DURING THE EVENTThe 2010 Sundance Film Festival had

its own Tweethouse, which hosted panel discussions about social me-dia’s role in the fi lm industry during the day and parties in the evening, including a celebrity “tweet-up” to raise money for Haitian relief.

AFTER THE EVENTIn June, Yves Saint Laurent Beauté held a party in New York for its Belle d’Opium fragrance. The brand cre-ated a dedicated Web site to publicly document everything, from the on-site build-out to the Twitter posts from the night of the event.

Marc Ecko Cut & Sew’s fall/winter 2010 campaign featured multime-dia ads starring Lindsay Lohan that combined augmented reality and photography. At the August launch party in New York, attendees played with the technology on computers and then uploaded videos to social media sites.

BEST OF 2010

Social Lives Social media gave marketers new ways to woo attendees, get feedback, and extend the impact of events long after they ended.

Sundance’s Tweethouse

Marc Ecko’s campaign launch

The Vans Warped Tour

Armani Exchange’s truck

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WORST TREND OF 2010: “One ingredient too many—I’m getting sick of caterers feeling they need to show off and throwing every ingredient under the sun into each dish. Simpler fare done to perfection is the way to go.” Janet Abbazia, vice president of event marketing, Turner Broadcasting, New York

One of last year’s major new hotels in Washington, the W Washington D.C. has an 11th-fl oor rooftop bar overlooking the White House called the POV Roof Terrace.

Designer Michael McKinnon created a Gaga-inspired table, including napkins topped with sunglasses, for the New York Botanical Garden’s Orchid Dinner in February.

Going Gaga Lady Gaga delivered her always surprising performances at many events, while also serving as a muse for designers.

In February, Todd Event Design Creative Services gave Amfar’s New York gala a clean, modern look that matched Gaga’s all-white outfi t.

For the New York Dining by Design gala in March, Tug Studio’s “Call to Action” table recalled the singer’s “Telephone” music video.

Up on the RoofHotel rooftops—home to pools, bars, and city views—are popping up in cities beyond New York and Las Vegas.

The Thompson Toronto, which opened in June, has an infi nity pool on the 16th fl oor.

Boston’s Splash Ultra Lounge, which opened in late 2009, has a roof deck with private cabanas, a decorative fountain, a DJ area, and a full bar.

53

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Target’s Multifaceted Marketing Platforms Target is known for over-the-top spectacles, and 2010 saw the retailer pull off a massive publicity stunt in New York to showcase fall fashions: Dubbed the “Kaleidoscopic Fashion Spectacular,” the production used the entire southern facade of the Standard hotel as an illuminated billboard. Producer Mother New York placed 66 dancers, 156 LED lights, and a warehouse’s worth of fi ber-optic cable in the windows of 155 rooms to create patterns including a bull’s-eye and a 14-story dancing man. The brand also staged a block party in Harlem for the opening of its fi rst Manhattan store, created a 4,000-person volunteer drive-cum-party during the National Conference on Volunteering and Service, and hosted more than 2,000 guests at a welcome concert and reception to kick off the National Urban League’s conference in Washington.

Red Bull’s Sports Competitions This year Red Bull solidifi ed its place as the host and sponsor of extreme and unusual sports events by bringing a leg of its international fl ying competition to New York’s congested and politically sensitive air space. Staged over the Hudson between Manhattan, Jersey City, and Ellis Island, the Air Race World Championship took more than three years to organize and involved per-mission from 16 government agen-

cies. In 2010, the beverage brand also moved its Manny Mania AM series skateboarding contest from Miami to Orlando and returned its Flugtag air show to the U.S. after a one-year hiatus. Red Bull is also a big player in music, sponsoring bashes at fes-tivals like South by Southwest and hosting its own contests and tours, including a DJ competition and an MC battle.

Amway China Incentives A fi ve-gala series for Amway China span-ned the month of June, with a total budget of $80 million. The program-ming consisted of fi ve events for fi ve different waves of Chinese sales reps who visited Southern California as part of an incentive. Each group experienced the same program of activities and gala evening. Roughly 13,000 attendees participated, with 1,800 to 3,000 at each gala, all held at the Anaheim Convention Center and produced by EventWorks. The

programming included novelty acts like human fountains, walking buf-fets, and stiltwalkers, plus musicians, with 50 live performers in all.

Sprint’s Las Vegas Launches Sprint took to Las Vegas with splashy, tech-heavy events that drew crowds and buzz. At the Consumer Electronics Show in January, Sprint announced its exclusive deal with Overdrive 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot by Sierra Wireless at an event where attendees visited demo stations set up as individual vignettes—like a park with trees and concession stands and a dorm room with bunk beds and a cafeteria. And at the International C.T.I.A. Wireless show in March, the brand launched the fi rst 4G phone with a Kabuki drop curtain that disappeared to reveal the party space and a hologram of the new phone to 300 guests. Fresh Wata produced both events.

Audi’s Art of Progress Pavilion Though it took place in 2009, too late for last year’s wrap-up, it’s still impressive: Audi created a 45,000-square-foot temporary structure to celebrate its 100th an-

niversary and to launch its new-est A8 model during Art Basel Miami Beach, from December 3 to 6. On the beach just north

of the Eden Roc Renaissance Miami Beach, the Art of Progress pavilion took structure design company EventStar six weeks to erect and consisted of an arena where the car was displayed, an art exhibi-tion space, and an outdoor lounge that remained open to the public throughout the festival. “We looked at different buildings in Miami, but there were none that suited our needs,” said Anja Kaehny, manager of lifestyle communications and social responsibility for Audi. “So the idea of doing it near the Eden Roc was to create a temporary museum that would have a balcony opening onto the ocean.”

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Grand Opening After more than two years of construction, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter offi -cially opened on June 18 at Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure theme park. The park hosted an invite-only party on June 16 with Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and several supporting cast members. The event spotlighted the park’s rep-licas of signature venues from the books and movies, like Ollivander’s Wand Shop and Zonko’s Joke Shop. Universal also employed entertain-ment elements from the stories, including the arrival of the Knight Bus and a performance by the Frog Choir in Hogsmeade Village. Late in the evening, Radcliffe led guests in saying “Lumos!” to illuminate the Hogwarts Castle replica, upon which Universal projected images from the movies as a fi reworks display took place overhead, choreographed to music from the fi lms.

Hermès New York and Chicago Store Openings For Hermès’s state-side events in 2010—which included the opening of a New York men’s store in February and a Chicago fl agship in June—no detail went overlooked. For the men’s store, the French fashion house transformed 20,000 square feet of raw space in the Park Avenue Armory into a leisure spot with four vignettes: a travel room, a library, a game room, and a jazz club. Around 25 percent of the event’s furnishings were custom made. Chicago’s store opening lured 700 guests and included stiltwalkers wearing horse heads and custom Hermès suits. A team of 14 assis-tants tied branded ribbons onto hay bales, which were imported from a local farm that morning.

AMBITIOUS UNDERTAKINGSGo big or go home? These brands staged large events as integral parts of their 2010 marketing plans.

Red Bull’s air race over the Hudson River

BEST OF 2010

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Lexus Live For the world debut of the new luxury hybrid vehicle, the Lexus CT 200h, Lexus Canada showcased two early prototypes of the car—and staged a concert series with performances by four Canadian acts—at a three-day event dubbed Lexus Live in Toronto’s Distillery District. Lexus called on Los Angeles-based fi rm AMCI to design and produce the event, which centered on the use of interactive iPad stations that enabled attend-ees to provide feedback. To attract the right audience, Attention Span planned a concert series throughout the weekend, drawing more than 7,000 people. Chad Yee, marketing manager for Lexus Canada, reported that 81 percent of attendees said the hybrid changed their perspective on the brand.

Washington National Opera Ball The Opera Ball is consistently ranked among the most high-profi le events on the Washington social calendar, and the 2010 iteration—which raised $1.5 million—is still being talked about. For the 650 invited guests, the evening began at one of 22 embas-sies for dinner. They spent the rest of the evening at the Embassy of the Russian Federation, experienc-ing fi ve themed rooms created by Sandi Hoffman Special Events that celebrated Russia’s rich history and bright future. An ice room held seven nine-foot ice sculptures that depict-ed great fi gures from Russian history, and a re-creation of St. Petersburg’s Winter Palace had a winter-themed courtyard, complete with falling snow and dancing ballerinas to celebrate the upcoming 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

Institute of Contemporary Art Gala Boston’s ICA revamped its annual spring fund-raiser by adding an after-party—one of the hardest tickets to land this spring. The May evening kicked off with a cocktail party and dinner in the new One Marina Park building in Fan Pier, adjacent to the institute. Afterward, the 430 guests were guided by large arrows, made from white fl uorescent lights, across the boardwalk to the museum to join 300 additional attendees at the after-party. “It was a nice way to let people come and not invest in a ma-jor ticket price,” said Susie Allen, the museum’s director of special events. The evening raised $800,000 for the museum, up from just over $500,000 in 2009.

FAVORITE TREND OF 2010: “Advanced contemporary color combinations. As clients become savvy about color through advertising and merchandising, I fi nd them more willing to explore new combina-tions, like ochre and steel gray or nude and black.” Jeffrey Foster, director of sales, Event Creative, Chicago

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Child’s PlayLighthearted games and activities kept guests happy and entertained.

Guests blew bubbles, played hopscotch, doodled on chalkboards, and hung out on an indoor swing set at Chicago’s artEdge benefi t in May.

In February, Hermès celebrated its fi rst dedicated men’s store in New York with vintage pinball machines, billiards, and table tennis.

In April, Windfall Clothing Service’s annual Buy Design benefi t had a 1930s theme, with badminton and croquet, a bake sale, and a carnival-style balloon game that guests played for prizes.

On the New York stop of Heineken’s Inspire Tour this summer, partygoers played table tennis, among other games.

Circus, CircusMany producers looked to the big top for inspiration.

In April, Boston’s Room to Dream Foundation held its Carnival of Dreams, complete with jugglers on unicycles, games, three bars, and food from more than a dozen area chefs.

Popcorn company C. Cretors celebrated its 125th anniversary in Chicago in May with a gala that included jugglers.

The Recording Academy’s Grammy Awards after-party in L.A. was a dark, mysterious take on the circus.

For its annual Best of Washington party in July, Washingtonian magazine hosted a “gourmet circus” with tented food stations, games, and a sword swallower.

At the Ontario Science Centre’s Harry Potter-themed Innovator’s Ball in Toronto in May, ouija boards doubled as serving trays.

56

WORST TREND OF 2010: “Trying too hard to sell a ‘green’ event. I’ve seen so much effort—and emails and paperwork—spent to make an event ‘look green.’ Compare the imprint of those resources to the imprint of the original concept. Sometimes thinking effi ciently can make the planning more green than the event.” Richard Summers, creative director, the Launch Group, Orlando

In June, CTV’s party for the MuchMusic Video Awards in Toronto had colorful decorative tubes throughout the party space—even on catering trays.

COOL CATERING TRAYS

At the Institute of Contemporary Art’s May gala in Boston, servers passed hors d’oeuvres on trays with mini screens that displayed work from the museum’s teen programs.

BEST OF 2010

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To promote its new New York Web site, NBC Local Integrated Media recruited four big-name chefs—including Daniel Boulud—to serve free meals from food trucks in February.

At a June fund-raiser for Miami Gardens mayor and Congressional candidate Shirley Gibson, Feverish Ice Cream served Mexican chocolate-chip popsicles and mango paletas from the back of its truck.

TRUCKS, NO STOP Made popular in New York and Los Angeles, mobile restau-rants are serving casual and upscale cuisine at events.

FAVORITE TREND OF 2010: “Sustainable corporate gifts. Dual-purpose items with meaning: jump drives, recyclable event/grocery bags, eco-friendly personal items.” Lenny Talarico, director of events, MGM Resorts Events, Las Vegas

At Ecolab’s client appreciation party at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago this summer, the registration desk was made out of the company’s soap dispensers and glass racks from restaurant dishwashers.

During the Super Bowl, Bridgestone stacked its tires to create highboys at the ESPN the Magazine Next Big Weekend party.

At Maxim’s Super Bowl party in Miami in February, sponsor Samsung created a chandelier of fl at-screen TVs, all showing images of real chandeliers.

Products as Decor

Steal These Ideas


IDS 10 The Interior Design Show, presented by Merchandise Mart Properties Inc., returned to its original home at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre after several years at the Direct Energy Centre. “It allows us to be part of the city again,” said show creator Shauna Levy, who credits the move with attracting greater numbers (at-tendance increased from 45,000 to 48,000) and a more astute audi-ence. “We seemed to attract a more sophisticated, urban, design-savvy

visitor; media coverage was up; and our exhibitor re-sign rate was higher that it’s been for many years,” said Levy, who leveraged the show to launch the inaugural Toronto International Design Festival. Presented by Swiss watchmaker Rado and Audi, the citywide festival ran for four days, with 20 events taking place in venues like the Royal Ontario Museum and the Design Exchange.

The Clios After Richard Beckman’s

new company, E5 Media, took own-ership of the Clio Awards from the Nielsen Company, the former presi-dent of Condé Nast Media Group and executive producer of Fashion Rocks brought the advertising in-dustry event back to New York and revamped the 51-year-old ceremony and conference. Consolidated into a two-day convention with two 75-minute award presentations, the 2010 Clio Awards saw a 50 percent increase in attendance, attracted big-name speakers—including

Grammy-winning singer Pharrell Williams and Penny Baldwin, Yahoo’s senior vice president of integrated marketing and brand management—and built its profi le in the media.

Los Angeles Marathon After a move from its traditional timing in March to May in 2009, the mara-thon reversed course to March 21. A new route, dubbed “Stadium to Sea,” was intended to show off the best of the city’s features—to locals as well as participants from around the world—on a sightseeing tour from Dodger Stadium through down-town, Hollywood, West Hollywood, and Beverly Hills and on to the Veterans Administration grounds and the fi nish line in Santa Monica. The marathon drew a capacity crowd of 25,000 registrants—the fi rst time in the race’s 25-year his-tory that it sold out and a 45 percent increase over 2009.

Magic Twice a year, fashion industry players descend on Las Vegas for Advanstar’s Magic Marketplace fam-ily of shows. For the February 2010 run, the program launched dual campuses at the Las Vegas and the Mandalay Bay convention centers. Organizers billed it as the most signifi cant format change in the show’s 77-year history, meant to add 50 percent more space and a more effi cient organization for attend-ees and exhibitors. A new layout merchandised exhibitors into three distinct neighborhoods for easy

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SUCCESSFUL MAKEOVERS Tricky times call for rethinking existing formats. These reimagined events boosted results by trying new marketing plans, locations, and formulas.

During the Fox Upfront in New York in May, bartenders served the “So Magical,” a mixture of rum, lime juice, and muddled mint poured over sour-apple cotton candy.

During Super Bowl XLIV in Miami, Patrón Spirits Company set up a “muddle bar” at a GQ pool party, where bartenders taught guests how to make Patrón mojitos.

In August, Hendrick’s Gin sponsored a bartender croquet tournament at Chicago’s Soldier Field, where guests sipped cocktails and fl owery gin punch from teacups and hollowed-out cucumbers.

BEST OF 2010

In the SpiritWith serious bartenders focusing on mixology at cocktail bars across the country, classic cordials and signature drinks are as popular as ever.

59

At Target’s Liberty of London pop-up shop in New York in March, staffers handed out fl owers to shoppers waiting in line.

At a winter charity lunch in Miami benefi ting the Moyer Foundation and the Mario Batali Foundation, each guest’s place setting had a spatula with the Batali Foundation logo.

For the launch of its Very Sexy Now fragrance, Victoria’s Secret gave editors individual cakes by Sylvia Weinstock topped with an edible perfume bottle.

navigation. The Trend Concourse by Fashion Snoops debuted in the Central Hall, with high-fashion man-nequins, fl at-screens, and runway footage. Magic also launched a new footwear show, FN Platform, with more than 500 brands over 60,000 square feet. Feedback from attend-ees and exhibitors was positive, and nonstop shuttle service between venues allowed for a smooth fl ow.

Torchmark Corporation’s Combined Incentive and Award Trip This Fortune 500 company invited employees from four of its fi ve insurance companies for an incentive trip to the Fontainebleau from July 7 to 10. Unlike last year’s incentive cruise, on which each com-pany held separate award ceremo-nies, this time around Torchmark assistant vice president Donita Jacobs paired the companies into two groups to recognize the top pro-ducers and managers. “Torchmark is trying to bring all the companies under our umbrella together, so we thought having them exposed to one another would help in the pro-cess,” said Jacobs, who coordinated the four-day trip. Blooming Designs and Events designed the Rat Pack-themed events, which used the same ballroom decor for ceremonies on consecutive nights.

Orlando Shakespeare Theater Opening Gala Sometimes a simple twist can make a big difference. The Orlando Shakespeare Theater gained nearly 40 percent more

revenue—net-ting more than $110,000—from its 10th season opening gala on September 12 by selling more tickets and expanding its

auction. The theater company held its fund-raiser on a Sunday instead of Saturday, which helped boost at-tendance to 315 guests, 20 percent more than in 2009. “We took a gamble that Sunday would be bet-ter because it didn’t compete with other nonprofi t and sports events in Central Florida,” said Melissa Mason, the theater’s director of marketing. The day change also prompted orga-nizers to hold the event earlier; it ran from 5 to 8 p.m., instead of from 6 to 10 p.m., as in years past.

Black Creativity Gala In January, the Black Creativity gala at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry got a new format. Past iterations of the event, which honors African Americans’ scientifi c achievements, included a sit-down dinner and dancing. When it became clear that guests wanted more of the latter— “guests at this gala do not stay in their seats,” said museum manager of community affairs Octavia Hooks—planners replaced the sit-down meal with a strolling buffet and added a new lounge with a DJ and an additional dance fl oor. When guests arrived, chair Peggy A. Montes delivered welcome news:

“Tonight, you do not have to sit”—and the dance party lasted till the wee hours.

New York Fashion Week After 17 years at Bryant Park, IMG Fashion took a risky step—relocating the twice-yearly Fashion Week to the less-central campus at Lincoln Center. But the move enabled producers to revise the look, layout, and technology used for designer shows and set a new standard for the trade’s most important event. In doing so, IMG attracted 87 shows and presentations to its new site, up from the 63 during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week’s fi nal season at the park. Additionally, a partnership with electronic invitation and check-in program FashionGPS signifi cantly reduced costs for designers and made getting into the tents more effi cient for attendees.

Canada Blooms The country’s larg-est fl ower and garden festival relo-cated to the Direct Energy Centre at Exhibition Place after 13 years at the

Metro Toronto Convention Centre. “Sometimes you need to refocus,” said Canada Blooms general man-ager Gerry Ginsberg. The move en-abled landscapers and providers—who invest almost $10 million in the show—to be more creative with their displays, thanks to easier load-in. Organizers also revamped the opening gala, dropping ticket prices from $200 to $75, which contributed to a nearly 200-person spike in at-tendance over 2009. Instead of open bars and entertainment, the party directed more attention to the hor-ticulture industry, with 20 garden-ing personalities opening the show, which saw a 16 percent increase in overall attendance.

Ball on the Mall As one of the few groups allowed to host an evening gala on the National Mall, the Trust for the National Mall’s L’Enfant

Society already has an exclusive sales pitch, along with plenty of guests willing to spend several hundred dollars to party in the shadow of the Washington Monument. Looking to capitalize even further on the second annual event, the society’s planning committee added a two-hour, V.I.P. seated dinner for 350 people prior to the evening reception. It drew a new range of sponsors, helping double the evening’s take from $150,000 in 2009 to $350,000 in 2010.

Gifts, Not BagsFifty-pound goodie bags aren’t as common as they used to be, but small tokens still helped end events on a high note.

WORST TREND OF 2010: “Cupcakes. Unless it is a children’s event, they’ve worn out their welcome. There are so many other creative dessert options.” Jason Wanderer, owner, Precision Event Group, Los Angeles

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Fashion GPS at New York Fashion Week

Melissa Mason

Gerry Ginsberg

60

Feminine Wiles From conferences to benefi ts to public happenings, these events appealed to women with a mix of empowerment and escapism—plus plenty of freebies.

To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Real Simple magazine held public demos in Chicago’s Union Station in April, where experts offered tips on topics such as hairstyling and table setting.

In February, Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet held a girly ladies lunch with pampering stations, pink champagne, and long-stemmed roses handed out by male staffers.

BEST OF 2010

WORST TREND OF 2010: “White Plexiglass bars! Every event starts to look the same, and there are ways to custom-design these bars to create a much more interesting effect. Create a wallpaper effect out of decals, insert a natural wood element, or mirror the front side to add more interest.” Beth Appleton, director, communications and experimental marketing, Telus, Toronto

In August, Lara Shriftman, partner at public relations and event agency Harrison & Shriftman, held her annual Girl’s Party in Miami, offering guests a day of beauty, shopping, dining, and gifting.

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AUCTIONS GO HIGH-TECHWireless bidding devices replaced paddles at charity auctions and, in many cases, brought in more money.

At the Jacob’s Cure Gala in New York in May, attendees used Bid Pal handhelds during a silent auction and live bidding to win prizes like a walk-on role in an episode of Entourage.

New York’s Robin Hood Foundation used IML audience-response devices to set a new fund-raising record of $87.8 million at its May benefi t. And at the American Cancer Society’s Discovery Ball in Chicago, the devices helped raise more than $2 million.

FAVORITE TREND OF 2010: “Using an iPad to replace all the paper for event managers and producers, including while checking in guests. No more bulky binders!” Quenten Schumacher, senior meeting planner, Sg2 Health Care Intelligence, Chicago


The Watermill Center’s summer benefi t in the Hamptons had its own signature fragrance inspired by the event and its location. WM Paradiso 2010 was sprayed during the party, and 100 bottles were included in the night’s auction.

At the L.A. premiere of Valentine’s Day in February, organizers created cabanas within the tented party for the movie’s giant cast.

For the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Samsung created a pavilion that had a 3-D theater, with several large screens constantly broadcasting images uploaded by guests.

At Friends of the High Line’s summer benefi t in New York, Bronson van Wyck used a 600-foot-long strip of hanging foliage to connect several dining rooms and dress up a white space.

In July, Smirnoff threw a comic-book-themed event in Toronto, complete with red carpet illustrations depicting people arriving at a party.

Disney Interactive’s 15,000-square-foot exhibit at this summer’s E3 expo in Los Angeles used askew panels to create a dramatic look.

Guests helped themselves to water-cooler cocktails at the Museum of Contemporary Art’s artEdge benefi t in Chicago this May.

Held in New York this summer, Target’s Party for Good had 4,000 National Conference on Volunteering and Service attendees pack 170,000 meals for charity.

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More Ideas to Steal


MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDACLUBS & LOUNGESBOMBAY SAPPHIRE LOUNGEIn 2009, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County announced its partnership with Bacardi USA and the construction of the Bombay Sapphire Lounge. On the ground fl oor of the Carnival Tower of the downtown Miami property, the 2,800-square-foot lounge opened in October. The open layout of the lounge can host 60 inside, with an additional 50 on the Arsht Center’s 1,500-square-foot Parker and Van Thomson Plaza outside. (1300 Biscayne Blvd., 305.576.8888 ext. 325)LA FEE VERTELa Fee Verte, a 1920s-style Parisian burlesque club, opened in June in Miami Beach. This 4,000-square-foot private nightclub derives its name, which means “the green fairy” in French, from a 1920s nickname for absinthe. The club, which can host about 220 people, specializes in absinthe cocktails and feature burlesque dancers nightly. There are two event areas for groups: the semiprivate Betty Page room for 18 people and a second-fl oor V.I.P. room for 30. (912 71st St., 305.865.5955)ROOFTOP LOUNGERooftop Lounge opened atop the Townhouse Hotel in Miami Beach in August. The 5,000-square-foot lounge can accommodate 250 for a reception, with expansive city views. Seating for 80 is composed of white wood chairs and loungers topped with gray and red cushions. There is also a communal table for 12, and catering is provided by the hotel’s Bond Street Sushi restaurant. (150 20th St., Miami Beach, 305.534.3800)

CONFERENCE CENTERROBERT AND JUDI PROKOP NEWMAN ALUMNI CENTERThis conference center opened on the University of Miami’s Coral Gables campus in October. The 72,000-square-foot building can be booked for private events by alumni and non-alums alike. The 7,273-square-foot multipurpose room is the largest space, seating 300 or hosting as many as 500 people for a reception. Meetings for 35 can be held in the executive conference room, which is equipped with videoconferencing technology. Other spaces include the lobby, which holds 80; the Dany Garcia and Dwayne Johnson Living Room, which holds 135; and a small library. (6200 San Amaro Drive, Suite 200, Coral Gables, 305.284.2872)

HOTELSJW MARRIOTT MARQUISThe 313-room hotel opened in July with 80,000 square feet of space, including a 20,000-square-foot ballroom. There are two entertainment fl oors with a Jim McLean Golf School, a 10,000-square-foot NBA-approved basket-ball court, and a virtual bowling alley for groups. (345 Ave. of the Americas, 305.350.0750)SOHO BEACH HOUSELondon-based brand Soho House opened its third North American property, Soho Beach House, in October. The oceanfront property combines aspects of a private club, 50-room hotel, and spa, with areas open to nonmembers for hosting events of 22 to 150 people. The Screening Snug movie theater can seat 22 on sofas for a private fi lm

screening. There is also a pool deck with room for 75, a library that holds 50, and a penthouse with a rooftop terrace and space for 60 guests. (4385 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 786.507.7900)

RESTAURANTSTHE FORGELandmark Miami Beach restaurant the Forge, which closed last year for renovations, reopened last spring. The main dining room doubled in size and now has 130 seats, while the Forge Bar seats 36 and provides full dinner service. For private events, the wine cellar can seat 22, a board room seats 16, and the library seats 40. There is also a courtyard for 100. (432 Arthur Godfrey Road, Miami Beach, 305.538.8533)GEORGE’S ON SUNSETLocal restaurateur George-Eric Farge, the name behind

George’s in the Grove, opened his second namesake restaurant in July. The 3,000-square-foot casual eatery can seat 75 in its main dining room. There’s also a semiprivate room which can seat 25, and space for an addi-tional 50 outside on the sidewalk and patio. (1549 Sunset Drive, Miami, FL, 305.284.9989)GREENHOUSE FLORIDAGreenhouse Florida opened in October at the Village at Gulfstream Park shop-ping and entertainment center in Hallendale Beach. The 10,000-square-foot bilevel venue has a 65-seat restaurant—serving organic, local, and seasonal dishes until 2 a.m. daily—on the fi rst fl oor and a second-fl oor nightclub accommodating 500 people. Greenhouse feature eco-friendly details like bamboo fl ooring and LED lighting. (801 Silks Run)HAVANA’S CUBAN CUISINECooper City got its fi rst Cuban restaurant in June with the opening of Havana’s Cuban Cuisine. The 2,400-square-foot restaurant can seat 80 people in its open dining room. The establishment specializes in classic Cuban cuisine like picadillo criollo (ground beef simmered in tomato-based Cuban sofrito) and masa de cerdo (pork chunks served with a guaca-mole-style avocado sauce) mixed with Argentine grilled meats and Mexican spices. (8600 Griffi n Road, Cooper City, 954.530.1400)IL MERCATO CAFÉ AND WINE SHOPIn July, Il Mercato Café and Wine Shop opened in Hallendale Beach. The 60-seat international eatery special-izes in global cuisines with health-conscious components, mixing classic Italian dishes like spaghetti with French specialties like duck confi t. The

restaurant lists 70 wines hand-selected by the in-house sommelier and priced at $99 or less; an additional list of high-end wines is available. (1454 East Hallandale Beach Blvd., Hallandale Beach, 954.457.3700)POSITANO RISTORANTEPositano Ristorante opened in Doral in July serving classic Italian cuisine. The restaurant is decorated in a geomet-ric style, with all dark wood and white elements. The dining room can seat 92 amid a mixture of booths and four-top tables. There’s also a patio seating 22. The menu is comprised of classic Italian dishes, including various meat and fi sh carpaccios as starters, main courses like linguine carbonara and tortellini panna and prosciutto, and tiramisu, panna cotta, and ricottina for dessert. (2475 NW 95th Ave., Suite 10, Doral, 305.594.2828)

THE WATER CLUB MIAMITop Chef contestant Andrea Curto-Randazzo and her husband, Frank, are the chefs behind the newly revamped restaurant the Water Club, which opened in May. The 12,750-square-foot eatery has a 106-seat main dining room, an 88-seat lower dining room, and a 58-seat main bar. The wine cellar, home to more than 150 varieties, and its adjacent lounge can seat 48 for dining or a tasting coordinated by the sommelier. The 13,000-square-foot pool and deck area has seating for 358 people. (3969 NE 163rd St., North Miami Beach, 305.944.8411)ZUMAGerman chef Rainer Becker opened the fi rst U.S. location of Zuma in May inside the Epic Hotel. The 8,500-square-foot Japanese restaurant offers access via private dock as well as the hotel’s main entrance, and is able to seat 198 throughout its main dining room, bar, lounge, and sushi bar. There are two private rooms for groups of eight or 12. (270 Biscayne Blvd. Way, 305.577.0277)

RETAIL VENUEWINE DEPOT & BISTRO 555This all-in-one wine store, wine bar, and bistro opened in November. The warehouse-style building is divided into two main areas: an indoor, 6,700-square-foot space that can seat 90, and a 2,250-square-foot patio that can seat 150. The bar can seat 18. For added privacy, there is a 250-square-foot private cellar called the Vintage Room. Equipped with a large fl at-screen TV, the cellar can seat 14 and can be used for unconventional business presenta-tions. (555 Jefferson Ave., Miami Beach, 305.672.6161)

ORLANDOBARBABY GRANDS DUELING PIANO BARThis dueling piano bar opened in October. The 6,700-square-foot facility seats 200 or has a total capacity of 400. The entire venue is available for buyouts, or sections can be roped off for private events. The stage is the focal point of the main fl oor, which has 25 four-top high tables. For a more intimate setting, there are fi ve semi-circular booths with leather seating a few steps up from the main fl oor. Each one faces the stage and can accommodate fi ve people. (54 West Church St., Suite 250, 407.849.1911)

INDEPENDENT EVENT SPACERICK’S CLASSIC CARSRick’s Classic Cars, open since October, is a 6,700-square-foot garage that has been outfi tted like a high-end private club, complete with a 20-foot bar and leather lounge seating. A rotating display of eight to ten of the owner’s vintage luxury automobiles are displayed around the room. The venue has event specialists that can work with hosts to coordinate catering, decor, and entertainment. (1116 Solana Ave., Winter Park, 407.644.7973)

RESTAURANTMOJO CAJUN BAR & GRILLIn October, this venue took over the 1920s building at the corner of Church and Garland streets. The 8,000-square-foot restaurant can seat 250 or hold 400 for receptions. The entire venue is fi lled with purple, gold, and green accents, and strings of Mardi Gras beads to create an authentic atmosphere. Along the front of the building, a small patio offers dining at fi ve round tables with umbrellas to provide shade. For smaller private events, the balcony can be reserved. It has seating for 100 at high-top tables. (129 West Church St., 407.422.6656)

STADIUMAMWAY CENTERAfter more than two years of construction, the Amway Center opened in downtown Orlando in October. The new $380 million, eight level, smoke-free facility has 17 hospitality spaces like multipurpose areas, private rooms, and suites for special events and entertaining. Developed by the N.B.A.’s Orlando Magic and operated by the City of Orlando, the new 875,000-square-foot facility is nearly triple the size of the old Amway Arena. The largest event space is the team’s practice court, which can seat 500. (400 West Church St., 407.440.7000)

New Venues

The DirectoryA selection of resources from our comprehensive online directory of event and meeting suppliers and venues

Where to...Host an Onboard GatheringThe Norwegian Epic arrived at the Port of Miami in July. The 1,081-foot cruise ship, the larg-est in the company’s fl eet, is in port on Saturdays and has mul-tiple restaurants, performance spaces, and entertainment options for groups, including an ice bar with space for 25, a 259-seat comedy club, and a 146-seat steak house. Ideal for meetings, the Epic Theater can host 681 amid graduated rows of plush chairs. Local entertain-ment company Cirque Produc-tions combines dinner and entertainment with its Cirque Dreams and Dinner Show in the Spiegel Tent. Designed like the inside of a circus tent, the bilevel dining room can seat 167. (7665 Corporate Center Drive, 866.625.6338)

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To share your success via the BashFlash program, contact your BizBash sales representative or Robert Fitzgerald at 646.839.6840.

Where Event Professionals Announce the Who, What, Where, and Wow of the Events Industry

Christie’s Photographic Studios Orlandois pleased to announce that the company has provided the Photography for

Sanford-Burnham “Bring It!” Orlando Benefit November 4, 2010 in Orlando www.christiesphotographic.com 407.345.1100

Nuage Designs is pleased to announce that the company has provided the Linens and Rentals for

St. Thomas Aquinas High School 75th Anniversary GalaOctober 30, 2010 in Miami www.nuagedesigns.com 305.757.9275

Quest Drape Orlandois pleased to announce that the company has provided the Draping for

21st Annual Headdress BallOctober 2, 2010 in Orlando www.questdrape.com 305.978.5278

Jose Graterol Designsis pleased to announce that the company has provided the Flowers for

Grand Opening of the JW Marriott Marquis MiamiNovember 4, 2010 in Miami www.josedesigns.com 305.788.0562

Backdrops Fantasticis pleased to announce that the company has provided the Draping for

Ed Morse Automotive Group’s Cash BashOctober 16, 2010 in Hollywood www.backdropsfantastic.com 800.508.1916

Design Elementsis pleased to announce that the company has provided the Draping for

St. Thomas Aquinas High School 75th Anniversary GalaOctober 30, 2010 in Miami www.deselements.com 954.598.4229

Hard Rock Liveis pleased to announce that the company has provided the Audiovisual Production, Catering, Lighting, Sound and Venue for

Sanford-Burnham “Bring It!” Orlando BenefitNovember 4, 2010 in Orlando www.hardrock.com 407.351.7625

ADVERTISEMENT

Centerplateis pleased to announce that the company has provided the Catering, Decor, Draping, Linens, Rentals and Staffing for

Miami Beach Arts GalaOctober 23, 2010 in Miami www.centerplate.com 305.672.0006

64 bizbash.com january/february 2010

Ted Kruckel

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Super Saturday in the Hamptons has grown tremendously, and this year featured tents with unique shade cutouts. But has the whole thing gotten just a bit too super?

Two revelers at Fashion’s Night Out got their newly “styled” game on for a digital camera at Diane von Furstenberg’s store. Was it Coco Chanel who recommended looking in the mirror and taking one thing off?

This teeming crowd shot from Fashion’s Night Out shows how successful Vogue’s promotion has become—and why I won’t risk attending again.

Where Ted’s Been

Yes, I have a Facebook page and a Twitter account. Both were started in a moment of panic—thinking I was about to be left behind on the barren island of mainstream (or lamestream, as per Sarah Palin) me-dia, watching while the nimble and able sailed off on the cruise ship of the future, Technologica.

But every time I log on, I’m overwhelmed by the unwanted obligation of it all. Friends who want responses, new followers for whom I have nothing to tweet. The most guilt-laden of these spots is Linked-In—people who want recommen-dations, referrals, or career advice, none of whom I respond to. Will they lose a job because I’m too lazy? Who knows. By the time I’ve read the new messages, I’ve lost interest in the whole thing.

While ashamed of my Ludditism, I always took solace in sensing that I wasn’t missing much. There’s Demi Moore, again, posting pictures of herself in bed with Ashton (as if that would throw us off the scent). Or Palin making her political prognos-tications. (She’s one of the few who has no problem getting the bulk of her wisdom across in the allotted 140 characters.) And all those bullies, posting hate speech on each other’s walls. It just seems to me that social media is one whole world of self-promoting jackasses.

And now I’m hearing about tweeting at events. Nick Cannon of-fered to send three sponsor tweets at one of his two 30th birthday par-ties for the princely sum of $25,000. Yikes. Then somebody sent me the deck for Robert Verdi’s Twitter par-ties, which are imaginatively called “Tweet This!” Now, I know and like Robert; he’s been interviewed here before, he has clever entertaining ideas, and, despite his own some-what exaggerated appearance, good taste.

But after spending an entire afternoon researching his new busi-ness model, I have to admit I’m just completely bamboozled. But here’s what I fi gured out.

Robert owns this loft in New York, which he calls Luxe Labora-tory. He rents it out for events, and throws parties promoting his own brands. Approximately once a month he does a themed Twitter gathering. In September there’s Fashion Week (duh!), and holiday gift giving in December (double duh!).

Not all the months are as “luxe” as others. In one video, Robert holds up a soiled glass bowl while talking about toilet cleaning. It’s a “Spring Clean-ing” party sponsored by Scrubbing Bubbles. I was also a little surprised to see a Panasonic electric vibrating chair touted as one of the Fashion Week must-haves. My grandfather

had a magic fi ngers chair. He died 15 years ago.

The events are attended by 30 to 40 “key online editors and infl uencers.” Sponsors’ products are shown on a plasma screen, aired on UChatLive, and simultweeted at robertverditweetthis.blogspot.com.

The idea is that while he demon-strates the products, his infl uencers are tweeting to their followers, and they tweet to friends, and they tweet to friends, and so on and so on just like that shampoo commercial. The incentive for retweeting is a gift bag of all the products featured. To be a sponsor, companies pay between $2,500 and $10,000 for two or three tweets and one TwitPic. Some spon-sorships are given away for free. But the sponsors don’t know who pays what, if anything, according to Ash-ley Mallinson, who runs the program with Robert. There’s all sorts of other bells and whistles you can add on, like a branded Twitter competition and brand-specifi c tracking and met-rics. And the promotional material variously boasts a million followers per event and a cumulative program reach of fi ve million. It’s all very am-bitious and ambiguous.

Ashley explains that they ar-rived at their audience claims using a program called Spredfast. Robert himself has more than 16,000 fol-lowers, and if you add up the total number of followers of every Web site and every tweeter, I suppose it’s possible to get a fi gure in the millions. But how many of these are really being read?

When you go to his actual Twit-ter page, it’s clear that the event attendees are tweeting away like fi ends to get their free goodies.

But as a friend whom I asked to help me evaluate this program wrote me: “Who the hell are these people retweeting ‘Once you try Smartwater you’ll agree it’s the “smartest” choice in bottled water’? Actually, seriously—who the hell are these people?”

Maybe I’m missing something, but despite my respect for Mr. Verdi, to me this all seems to add up to an elaborately staged hill of beans. Just in time, The New Yorker arrived with a Malcolm Gladwell piece, “Small Change: Why the revolution will not be tweeted.” Gladwell debunks the myth that Twitter helped drive the Iran election revolts (all the tweeters that got media coverage were in English, while in Iran most people speak Farsi), and explains that while social media is able to reach large audiences very quickly, those audiences’ level of involvement is extremely low. (“The Facebook page of the Save Darfur Coalition has 1,282,339 members, who have donat-ed an average of nine cents apiece,” he points out.)

In the movie The Social Network, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s character repeatedly asserts that once the site starts accepting adver-tising, it will no longer be cool. I think the idea of paid tweeting for toilet bowl cleaners proves his point.

Which brings me to my point, rather abruptly. Yo! Event people! Take heart. The real social network is still you guys, putting people together in person. Where interest-ing locales, meaningful content, and thought-provoking design can still do magic. And where tweets can only follow.

Twitter OffI’m not buying the magic of social media.


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Miami/S. Florida Winter 2010