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MoMA Gets Suitably Whimsical and Macabre for Tim Burton Tribute

New Moon Premiere Beckons 10,000 People and 2 Live Wolves

MSNBC and Rodale Fete Jeff Corwin's New Book and Documentary at the Occidental

Dark and Moody Accents, Animal-Inspired Decor Appear on Tabletops at Diffa's Dining by Design

More Photos From Fight Night/Knock Out Abuse: Stogies, Laser Shows, and a VW Bus Bar

Fight Night/Knock Out Abuse: Joan Jett for Men, Shirtless Hippies for Women

Microsoft Introduces Windows 7 With Cute Kid, Product Vignettes

Shriver's Women's Conference Adds Second Day of Programming—Plus a Step-and-Repeat—for 25,000 in Attendance

Fairies, Towering Trees, Roller Skaters Amp Up Harman Center Gala

Volkswagen Party Launches Car and Its iPhone App Counterpart

GUEST QUESTIONS

Sponsors and "Free Sh*t" Abound at Metromix.com's Lollapalooza Music Lounge

Rammy Revelers on Their Favorite Haunts, Industry Gossip, and a Cooler Venue

Correspondents Dinner Prepartiers See More of the Same, Look Forward to New Administration

Rammy Nomination Party Low on Decor, High on Industry Bonding

Wine and Food Festival Ticket Holders Like PS 7's Rockfish

Chamber of Commerce Guests Like Gingerbread Houses and Pigs in Blankets

Guests Dish on Slow Summer at Tasting Party

Rammy Guests Like Beck and Barbecue Biscuits

A Media Buyer Gives Her Take on Upfront Week

Media Buyers Like Shrimp, Debate Whose Is Best

News Archive

11.20.09 11:28 AM

P.C.M.A. Honors Wardman Park, Fairmont at First Nighttime Annual Meeting

P.C.M.A.'s annual meeting
Photo: Charles A. Fazio

The Professional Convention Management Association's Capital Chapter hosted its annual meeting on Wednesday evening at the Hilton Washington and doled out six awards. Produced by co-chairs Christina Childs and Annette M. Suriani for the third year in a row, the event saw a major format change: Traditionally a lunch, the awards moved to the evening for the first time.

"We thought if ever there was a year to change things up, this was the year," said Childs, whose day job is senior meeting planner for the National Telecommuincations Cooperative Association. Added Suriani, who is the director of meetings for the Meetings Management Group, "We wanted to see if this event is better as an evening event. And apparently it is, as our numbers are up from 300 last year to 340 this year."
MORE >>

Professional Conventional Management Association

11.16.09 4:47 PM

Poll Results: Informal Nights Out Make Most Appropriate 2009 Holiday Parties

Holiday parties are about to kick into full swing, and according to our latest poll, they shouldn't be too over the top. Half of the participants in last week's survey think that informal nights out at bars or restaurants feel appropriate this year. Only 13 percent of readers think that full, catered affairs are in order, but even fewer—8 percent—think festivities should be kept inside the office. Still, another 29 percent feel that parties should be judged on a case by case basis, by the performance of the company.

This week we'd like to see what kind of entertainment you've booked recently. What did you do the last time you needed cocktail party music? Let us know by partipating in the poll on the left column of the home page.

Holiday Parties

11.09.09 2:26 PM

Poll Results: Readers Judge Invitations on Case-by-Case Basis

Invitations will always make the first impression of any event, and these days, our readers are choosing what impression to make on an individual basis. Nearly 50 percent of respondents in last week's poll said that the type of invite depends on the event. The other half of respondents were split almost equally between those in favor of anything fun and creative and the camp that thinks paperless is always the way to go. One thing planners aren't looking at these days are over-the-top invites. None of the respondents to last week's poll think extravagant invitations are appropriate right now.

This week we'd like to see what you think feels right for 2009 holiday parties. Let us know by checking out the current poll on the left column of the home page.

Invitations, Holiday Parties

11.02.09 2:19 PM

Poll Results: 2010 Event Budgets Look Bigger

Budgeting for the coming year is well under way, and planners seem to have good thoughts about what they'll be working with in 2010. In last week's poll, 41 percent of participants said they're expecting bigger budgets than they received in 2009, while another 33 percent think their budgets will be about the same. Fewer than 1 in 5 readers expect tighter budgets, and just 7 percent still aren't sure.

This week we'd like to gauge your feelings on invitations and which kinds feel most appropriate these days. Have your say in this week's poll, which is in the left column of the home page.

Budgets

10.29.09 3:16 PM

Australian Nonprofit Uses Facial Hair for Guerrilla Cause Marketing

Mustachioed participants at a 2008 Movember party
Photo: Courtesy of the Movember Foundation

Movember, an Australian nonprofit that raises money and awareness for men's cancers via mass mustache growth each November, comes from fairly fortuitous beginnings. In its first year, founders just sprouted their whiskers for fun, before realizing the conversations started by ironic facial hair could have a positive effect.

"It just came to us over some beers on a Sunday night in Melbourne," said Movember co-founder Adam Garone. "The original idea was just to bring them back for a joke, and 30 of our friends participated for no particular reason that November. Every guy had a lot of fun, but all of us had gotten grief from bosses and girlfriends over the month."

That was 2003. Garone and his friends had enough fun with their month of mustaches to try it again the next year, but to placate their friends and colleagues, they decided to make it a fund-raising effort. MORE >>

Movember, Lance Armstrong Foundation

10.28.09 12:34 PM

In the News: Waterford Recommits to New Year's Bash, Magazine Events Thrive and Falter

Waterford Targets More Marketing Mileage With New Year's Ball: Since bringing its signature bling to the New Year's ball drop in New York in 1999, Waterford has been an active partner in the globally watched event. But now the Irish crystal company wants more recognition for that contribution. An upgraded six-ton ball—made of 2,268 Waterford crystals and backlit by 32,256 Philips LEDs—will debut this December after a $2.5 million print advertising campaign. Waterford also committed to an upgraded sponsorship deal, in hopes that some of the one billion people who catch the ball drop this year will also notice who made it. [BrandFreak]

Events Boost Essence Image: Not all magazines are downplaying events, and Essence is even earning praise for them. The title was chosen as one of Advertising Age's top 10 for the year, and the trade credits the Essence Music Festival for being such an appealing brand to marketers. The New Orleans concert series, held over Independence Day weekend, saw 428,000 attendees—up significantly from the already impressive 270,000 it hosted the year before. [AdAge] MORE >>

Waterford, New Year's Eve, Lucky, Condé Nast, Essence Magazine, Thrillist, JetBlue, The New York Times, Junkets, Marvel

10.26.09 1:33 PM

Poll Results: Fewer Scrooges for 2009 Holiday Party Season

Last December, canceled holiday parties were a popular industry conversation topic, but 2009 looks like it might be a bit more festive than 2008—at least according to participants in last week's poll. Almost half of our polled readers said that they're already working on a holiday party, and an additional quarter of them reported planning a low-key affair in the office. Another 17 percent say that the final decision hasn't been made, and just 11 percent of polled planners have had to cancel their fetes.

Since we're already thinking ahead, what do your event budgets look like for 2010? Let us know what you've heard by partipatipating in this week's poll, which is in the left column of the home page.

Corporate Holiday Parties

10.23.09 12:46 PM

BizBash Expo Sees Busier Attendees, Industry Newbies, Vets Pondering Next Move

Speaking up at a seminar
Photo: BizBash

FROM NEW YORK Reflections on a trying year will no doubt dominate conversations in these final months of 2009, but in the seminars, Q&As, and show floor exchanges at the BizBash Expo in New York on Wednesday, the subject on the lips of almost every attendee was the future.

"People are really optimistic here this year," said Sophist Productions C.E.O. Reed S. Baker. "We do events around the country, and markets that were late to be affected by the recession are still slow. It was felt first here in New York, and now, a year later, we're the first ones seeing things get busy again. Everyone here is ready to get back to work and you can really tell." MORE >>

BizBash New York Expo

10.21.09 11:53 AM

In the News: Oscar Taps New Producers, Izod Caps Year of Indy Partnership

Oscars Find New Producers, Search For Host: After a much-needed upswing in viewers last year, the board of directors at the Academy Awards was hoping to continue its relationships with last years producers, Larry Mark and Bill Condon, and host Hugh Jackman. But both producers are tied up with other projects and Jackman is apparently uninterested. Instead, they'll try to maintain momentum with Adam Shankman and Bill Mechanic, both filmmakers of a similar pedigree. As for a new host, there are rumors that Tom Hanks has been asked. [Deadline Hollywood]

Izod Wraps First Season With IndyCar: After signing on for a five-year marketing partnership with IndyCar in March, Izod spent its first season on the tour justifying the millions of dollars that have already gone into its largest marketing effort to date. As the official apparel sponsor, Izod was present at 17 races, 20 in-store events, and advertising in every medium. The label finished the season last week with two in-store events at a Miami Macy's that brought drivers and shoppers together. [WWD] MORE >>

Oscars, Academy Awards, Hugh Jackman, Tom Hanks, Izod, IndyCar, Volkswagen

10.20.09 1:38 PM

Poll Results: Planners Find Facebook a Useful Distraction

If your boss catches you using Facebook during the day, 80 percent of you can use work as your excuse. That's because only 20 percent of the participants in last week's poll say they haven't tried using the Web site to promote an event. Of the overwhelming number of Facebook users in the bunch, 70 percent have set up an event page, while only 10 percent have paid to advertise an event.

We're taking an early assessment of holiday parties for this week's poll (located on the left column of the home page), so let us know what your company has planned.

Facebook, Holiday Parties

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