| NEWS 01.29.09 3:52 PM |
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Dreamworks Partners With Intel, NBC, and PepsiCo for 3D Super Bowl Marketing Stunt
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FROM NEW YORK
Teamwork doesn’t always pave the easiest road to success, but partnering a troupe of different brands for a high-profile marketing stunt can be efficient—and cost effective. That’s what Dreamworks did to distribute the 125 million pairs of glasses necessary for a 3D Super Bowl event to promote its new film, Monsters Vs. Aliens, this Sunday—while scratching the backs of partners like PepsiCo, Intel, and NBC.
The project hinges on the first-ever 3D commercial, a participatory film trailer during the game’s broadcast. “We wanted to do a stunt 90 days before the opening of the movie,” said Dreamworks head of marketing and consumer products Anne Globe, “and then we had the chance to use the biggest media event in the world.”
Dreamworks had already partnered with Intel to develop the technology for the 3D film, so enlisting the company to produce the glasses was a no-brainer, but finding the partner to distribute the glasses took a bit more thought.
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Dreamworks, NBC, NBC Universal, Intel, PepsiCo, SoBe Lifewater, Super Bowl |
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| NEWS 01.19.09 2:19 PM |
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USA Plugs Burn Notice and Super Bowl With Free Toys
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Taking full advantage of its rights to air the Super Bowl on February 1, NBC Universal is employing some not-so-subtle marketing tactics to promote the television shows of its various networks. This weekend its cable channel USA touted the return of Burn Notice by handing out Nerf balls at sports bars across the country. The 10-city stunt targeting football fans—especially those out watching the NFC and AFC championship games—hit New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Detroit, Washington, Dallas, and Tampa.
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USA Network, Burn Notice, NBC Universal, Super Bowl |
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| EVENT REPORT 01.12.09 12:19 PM |
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Golden Globe Parties Return With (Most of) the Familiar Grandeur
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Last night's all-star Golden Globes banished some of the memories of last year's scaled-back press conference with a presence that may have been as glitzy a spectacle as ever—or at least since 2007. Although organizers behind parties like the Weinstein Company's annual awards-night biggie axed their celebrations in this year's tough economy, some newcomers like AMC joined the fray inside the celebrity-and-media-mobbed Beverly Hilton. And a trio of annual parties decked the buzzing hotel with roughly as much production-heavy grandeur as their previous incarnations.
NBC Universal brought about 400 people to a viewing party, and about 800 for an after-party in the same space, where sponsor Cartier showed off jewels from its vault in Paris. The over-the-top baubles in cases made for eye-popping decor that complemented the metallic and black look created by Angel City Designs, whose Mark Yumkas described the space as "a very classic Hollywood look with a contemporary twist."
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Golden Globes, Award Season, HBO, NBC Universal, Cartier, Warner Brothers, Godiva, In Style Magazine, AMC |
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| NEWS 01.08.09 10:53 AM |
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Golden Globes Weekend: Who's Going Where
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On Sunday night, the Golden Globes ceremony will take place in the International Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton, after last year's hiatus from all the pomp. But the frenzy of activity—perhaps minimally dampened in tough economic times as another strike threat looms—starts days earlier. Here's a look at the related events.
The usual proliferation of gift and hospitality suites will take over town, albeit with a somewhat softer character this time around. Kari Feinstein's Style Lounge is getting one of the earliest starts, kicking off today at the Zune L.A. space to benefit Visual Impact Now, which provides eyecare to children. (Feinstein is also staging a version of the suites at Sundance a week later.) GBK Productions will bring its suites to the 9900 Club in the old Friar's Club space, around the corner from the Hilton, on Friday and Saturday.
HBO's Luxury Lounge, with its L'Oréal Paris beauty suite, will take to the Four Seasons on Doheny on Friday. The Boom Boom Room's children's and parenting wares gift suites will open at the Century Plaza on Friday and Saturday.
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Golden Globes, Award Season, Gift Suites, HBO, In Style Magazine, NBC Universal, Cartier, Warner Brothers, Los Angeles Confidential, Visual Impact Now |
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| NEWS 01.06.09 4:38 PM |
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Golden Globes Party Preview: HBO in '60s Textiles, NBC in Metallics
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 | HBO's 2007 bash
Photo: Gabor Ekecs |
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With the Golden Globes a scant five days away—and news vans already parked along the Beverly Hilton's Wilshire Boulevard border—we bring you previews of the designs for the most production-heavy parties at the hotel on awards night.
HBO's party, produced by the network's vice president of special events, Eileen Rivard, and designed by Billy Butchkavitz, will take its inspiration from the architecture of Luis Barragán and vintage '60s textiles. A color palette in banana yellow and chocolate brown will dominate the party at the Hilton's restaurant Circa 55 and the adjoining pool area, with towering yellow walls—230 feet long by 20 feet high—and sculptural buttresses. Reproduction period furniture upholstered in yellow leather along with brown wood accent pieces will create outdoor lounge areas complete with glass and chrome fire pits for warmth against the nighttime chill. Butchkavitz will use fabrics in vintage designs to cover tables, chairs, and lamp shades.
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Golden Globes, Award Season, NBC Universal, HBO, Cartier |
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| NEWS 12.09.08 5:30 PM |
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As SAG Strike Looms, It's "Full-Steam Ahead" for Golden Globes Party Organizers
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 | The NBC Universal and Focus Features 2007 party, sponsored by Cartier
Photo: Line 8 Photography |
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Another year, another strike threat. Last year, the Golden Globes ceremony and its typical big-scale parties were canceled in favor of a press conference during the writers' strike—and this year the possibility of a SAG strike looms. Although there is some private concern as to the fate of the January 11 ceremony, organizers are saying the show will go on, as they prepare to ensure the unofficially affiliated bashes happen seamlessly.
Billy Butchkavitz, who produces and designs HBO's production-heavy fete said, "We're going forward as if nothing is going on. I kept asking [my clients] about it—and you never know with the Golden Globes people—but they're saying that nothing should affect [the party]." Butchkavitz considers his group lucky because HBO's is the last party at the Beverly Hilton to load in because part of its space, restaurant Circa 55, is open until 10:30 p.m. the night before the ceremony. "This is the one time that it pays not to have a lot of setup time," Butchkavitz said, indicating that none of the build out will happen if the party is called off at the last possible moment.
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Golden Globes, SAG, Writers' Strike, In Style Magazine, NBC Universal, HBO, Cartier, Award Season |
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| NEWS 07.22.08 5:39 PM |
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NBC Keeping Ahead of Schedule with 2009 "Infront"
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During yesterday’s Television Critics Association press tour in Los Angeles, NBC confirmed its plans to bring back this year’s “infront” presentation for advertisers in 2009. NBC canceled its usual upfront after the writers strike, instead opting to meet with advertisers in a series of meetings in April.
Departure from tradition seemed to work for the network, according to co-chair of NBC Entertainment Marc Graboff, who spoke about the decision with reporters. NBC's “infront” shifted the conversation with advertisers from traditional commercial space to the growing trend of product placement and brand integration. The events landed NBC exclusive advertising partners like General Motors for new fall shows more than a month before the other networks even met with advertisers.
The network did not announce whether it would stage another “NBC Experience” or anything comparable during the traditional upfront week in 2009. —Michael O'Connell
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Upfront Week, Upfronts, NBC Universal, NBC |
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| NEWS 04.30.08 4:05 PM |
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Scaled-Back TV Upfronts Go On With Fewer Stars, Programming Details
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 | The Ugly Betty cast at last year's ABC upfront
Photo: ABC/Donna Svennevik |
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FROM NEW YORK
The WGA strike put a kink in the TV networks’ plans for a traditional Upfront Week, but all five of the major players are going ahead with some sort of event during the week of May 12. Variety reported yesterday that this year’s festivities will be largely symbolic, with many executives and talent staying behind in Los Angeles to work on the pilots that haven’t yet been produced.
Variety cited industry insiders who think this year’s efforts are “smaller,” “slim pickings,” and “a shame.” This is all a far cry from the upfronts of yore, or even last year, when the cast of Ugly Betty opened the ABC presentation with a musical number.
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Upfronts, Upfront Week, ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, The CW, NBC Universal |
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| NEWS 02.15.08 2:23 PM |
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CBS, NBC, Fox, and Others Confirm Upfront Presentations
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FROM NEW YORK
CBS led the charge of upfront-related news yesterday, announcing the network will once again host a presentation for advertisers on May 14 at Carnegie Hall—quelling months of speculation that the major networks would forgo the fancy (and costly) presentations and parties altogether. That said, CBS declined to comment on whether or not it will return to Tavern on the Green for its annual lavish after-party, though Variety reported that Tavern's sales office confirmed the space has been reserved for the afternoon and evening of May 14, adding "It's hard to believe CBS wouldn't offer advertisers some form of food and drink."
Reuters is reporting that because of the WGA strike, development plans for the 2008-2009 television season are much-delayed: "The usefulness of the presentations—where the networks parade out stars or their own executives for skits and dance numbers—[has become] the subject of the sharpest criticism."
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Upfronts, Upfront Week, ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, The CW, NBC Universal |
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| NEWS 09.14.07 6:18 PM |
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More Biggies on the Emmy Weekend Party Calendar
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DirecTV will take over the West Hollywood Municipal Park on Sunday night for its first Emmy event in honor of its 100 HD channels. The 66-foot sphere of a hot air balloon will be used in the inside dance floor and lounge, where DJ AM and Brent Bolthouse will be spinning on an elevated platform; their music will be timed to video effects projected on the sphere. Firefly LA is implementing the wild sphere setup, which is making its L.A. debut at the party, as well as a massive sign made from flat-screen televisions that will spell out “100 HD.” Along Came Mary will provide nosh. Among the many sponsors are new HD channels NBC Universal, Fox, A&E Networks, MTV Networks, and Showtime.
Mindy Weiss is working on Fox's annual biggie, which will take over Spago on Sunday night. —Alesandra Dubin
RELATED TOPICS
Emmys, Fox, Showtime, MTV, Fox, A&E, NBC Universal |
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