BizBash Miami/South Florida News

1960s Style Provides Retro Theme for the American Heart Association's Broward Heart Ball

]]> Thanks to a foyer draped in red curtains, guests at the American Heart Association's Broward Heart Ball at the Westin Beach Resort & Spa, Fort Lauderdale, had no idea where they would enter the party, but planner Tamara Cohen of TC Event Design made sure they already had several clues telling them it would be an evening filled with "Mad Men, 1960s-era fabulousness."

Arriving at the hotel for the May 5 event, the 500 guests saw a 1960s-movie-style marquee announcing the evening's entertainment: Diana Ross and master impressionist Frank Caliendo. Making their way upstairs, they saw a 30-foot water wall and a 16-foot step-and-repeat bearing 100,000 red roses with sponsors' names woven into it. From there, they "checked in" at a vintage airline counter staffed by costumed attendants who handed them a special pack of sleep mask, nuts, and luggage tags.

At the cocktail hour, guests could order hors d'oeuvres from a food-o-matic cafeteria-style vending machine. But they were ensconced in a space surrounded by red curtains that kept them from seeing where they would actually enter the ballroom. Instead, after a rendition of the national anthem by electronic violinists, the curtains were lifted for the big reveal.

Once inside, guests found a room that continued the 1960s theme. Catering from the hotel included era-specific items such as gold foil-wrapped baked potatoes to beef Wellington. They were served on a slow-moving conveyer belt on loan from Disney that also displayed live-auction items.

The conveyor belt hung from the ceiling, part of a design concept that had few thing attached to the floor, Cohen said. Giant lampshades that were part of the centerpieces also hung from the ceiling.

Ross performed a set during the evening, with Caliendo serving as M.C. He also performed during the 125-person after-party, which featured a Playboy-style lounge with flair bartenders and vintage bunnies. Guests were offered Hugh Hefner-style jackets to wear.

Peep Shows, Drop-in Boxing Match Surprise Guests at Barton G.'s 'Vault' Launch

]]> No one was expecting a professional boxing match to break out at the launch party for Vault Magazine By Barton G. But in the middle of the Friday night event held at The Villa By Barton G., an oversize crane began to lower a custom boxing ring from the sky to the center of the backyard. A three-round boxing match between a professional championship fighter Alejandro Gamez and a Vault featured model Charlie Himmelstein followed.

It was just one element at the flashy soiree, which featured magazine-themed décor, a decadent backyard bar scene, and a few other fun surprises, all provided by Barton G.'s in-house team.

The famed entrepreneur welcomed more than 250 guests onto his historical property, a hotel and event space at the former Versace Mansion. The bash was entitled “The Art of Being Social for a New Generation.”

Beginning at 9 p.m., guests were ushered into The Villa’s front door. Inches above flashed the projected Vault logo on the second floor of the manse’s exterior. Attendees socialized in the courtyard inside while enjoying canapés including tomato tarts, beef brisket sliders and beef carpaccio, which were served two ways: by a wait staff dressed in Vault logo T-shirts and on the robotic cocktail tables that both traveled around and adjusted in height. Additional low-top tables offered free copies of the inaugural Vault issue, along with plush couch seating.

At two pop-up bars, bartenders served champagne, Bacardi, Grey Goose, Dewar’s, Perrier and Peroni cocktails, each accompanied by its own custom napkin, printed with a different quote by the premier issue of the magazine’s notable subjects.

Following cocktail hour, visitors were escorted poolside, which was lit in warm blue and purple spotlights, and decorated with five LED projection screens showcasing large eyes, mouths, brand logos, and historic pop culture figures. A DJ dressed as a dark angel with a gem-encrusted halo supplied background music, while imbibers made way to the gratis top-shelf main bar, staffed by five topless male models. Behind the bar were hand-painted boards decorated in phrases mirroring the publication’s “Party Crash” spread by Roxanne Lowit. To the left of the bar, sweet pastries and Vault-branded crème tubes satisfied a sweet tooth. On the opposite end sat a display of savory hors d’oeuvres.

The surprise boxing match followed, and afterward guests networked with magazine subjects, contributors, and celebrities. A photographer with an eye patch snapped photos of guests’ eyes in exchange for a secret pass to The Villa’s taboo Peep Show. As the night wound down, guests entered a private upstairs boudoir with a makeshift glass wall, configured with peepholes for peeking in on models and event guests.

On the way out, Barton G. confections including whimsical meringues, colored chocolates and a wheelbarrow filled with oversize chocolate chip cookies were a sweet, nostalgic ending.

Whole Foods Market South Beach Reopens With Weekend Celebration, Giveaways

]]> With a marching band, fashion show, and a Cinco de Mayo fiesta, Whole Foods Market South Beach celebrated its reopening following a renovation that added features such as a locally made gelato bar by Muse Gelato and green upgrades like new skylights and solar panels on the roof.

The events kicked off May 2 with the official reopening ceremony, which featured a "bread breaking," the store's twist on a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Activities included store-wide vendor sampling, Capoeira demonstrations, and music from the Grass Roots Band. The celebration picked up the next day with 5 percent of sales going toward the community nonprofit Urban GreenWorks. On May 4 local vendors displayed their products at booths, and at night Haute Cookture hosted a fashion presentation and tasting, with music by DJ Golden Del. Saturday—Cinco de Mayo—the market adopted a Mexican theme with a mariachi band, face-painting, a cake-cutting, and a Mexican-inspired Health Starts Here cooking class.

Throughout the events Whole Foods offered giveaways, including reusable bags filled with goodies, jute bags, reusable water bottles, and hemp hats and visors.

SunFest Grows Sponsor Roster With Captain Morgan, Ford, Garnier Fructis, JetBlue, Tire Kingdom, and More

]]> SunFest, the West Palm Beach music and arts festival, celebrated its 30th anniversary Wednesday through Sunday, with more than 250,000 people crowding onto its grounds overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway.

Upon entry, guests were handed free music-download cards from TD Bank, one of more than 50 sponsors participating in the five-day gathering. The marketing teams proved eager to showcase the latest in branding, technology, and event promotions.

The event's three stages featured both established and emerging talent, including artists such as Snoop Dogg, Counting Crows, The Fray, Girl Talk, Passion Pit, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and Herbie Hancock.

Each stage had its own corporate sponsor—Bank of America, Tire Kingdom, and FPL—that was promoted with a large banner. In addition to beverage sponsors Coca-Cola, Blue Moon, and Coors, returning spirit sponsor Captain Morgan hosted three floating barges on the Intracoastal Waterway. A Captain Morgan pirate ship was available for exploration and photo opportunities. Each barge featured a radio sponsor and DJ, including the ESPN 760 radio affiliate, which gifted tickets to South Florida professional sporting events, while attendees indulged in various tailgating activities for prizes. Six flat-screen televisions broadcast Marlins and Heat games throughout the weekend.

Along a row from Banyan Boulevard to Lakeview Avenue, several brands took advantage of SunFest as an experimental marketing opportunity. Verizon Wireless had its own pop-up stage, DJ, and Nintendo Wii gaming area, along with a complimentary secure charging station where fest-goers could leave their smartphones to charge while exploring the grounds. A balloon artist twisted rubber shapes and animals for kids, while an airbrush artist designed gratis T-shirts. Verizon also showcased different equipment, including its latest 4G LTE-network devices.

Garnier Fructis supplied free shampoo and conditioner samples and temporary tattoos, along with a styling consultant and pop-up salon. People could try different products and hairstyles, then a staffer would snap a photo with an HTC device and email the image. Garnier Fructis also promoted its partnership with TerraCycle, a recycling program that works to eliminate waste.

The U.S. Army also had a booth, where reps monitored a pull-up-bar station and passed out promotional key chains and bracelets and pamphlets. The Army also had a drawing to win six iPod Nanos and Army T-shirts.

In the JetBlue tent, people entered to win free vacation packages and flight discounts. The airline supplied headbands with the JetBlue logo and promotional lip balms.

The Florida Lottery set up a pop-up ticket store where guests could buy an assortment of lottery game tickets. For every $10 ticket purchase, buyers were rewarded a spin on the Florida Lottery wheel, which supplied giveaways like Florida Lottery beach bags, mugs, umbrellas, and beverage koozies.

Tire Kingdom, an official SunFest sponsor, produced coupons for auto treatments and distributed promotional items including boxes of mints and rubber slap-around beverage warmers, which were a popular giveaway among many imbibers.

Finally, South Florida Ford rounded out the sponsorship display with both manual and arcade-style gaming areas for a chance to win cash and other prizes. Ford enthusiasts could scan their driver’s licenses for a chance to win a 2012 Ford Focus or $30,000 toward a future Ford purchase. The latest 2012 models were on display, including the Mustang, F-150, and Taurus.

Kevin Costner Headlines Arsht Center Gala

]]> With a performance from Kevin Costner and his band Modern West, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County's sixth annual gala raised a record amount of money.

With a casual feel--guests wore cowboy hats and boots--the 550-person event on April 28 featured comfort food from Barton G. and signature cocktails from Bombay Sapphire and Bacardi USA. The gala was the center's most successful yet, although the center declined to provide fund-raising totals.

The gala took place on the center’s Festival Floor in the John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall. Following Costner's performance, Steve Chase Society closed the night with dance music on the hall stage.

Modern Sensibility—and Monkeys—Highlight New Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach Club Lounge

]]> Modern and sophisticated have replaced overstuffed and opulent at the redesigned Club Lounge at the Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach. The room, a V.I.P. area on the sixth floor with ocean views, had been a mix of tapestries, florals, and Persian rugs and played into old images of Palm Beach. Now, the room presents a modern interpretation of mid-century Palm Beach style.

General manager Michael King said the design derived from a vision of the lifestyle and community that Palm Beach has become. "It has evolved over time," he said. "It's taken on more of a sense of place. Now it's a different clientele with a different lifestyle. Thinking about this, we needed to evolve as a brand."

The hotel tapped New York-based designer Eric Villency to oversee the seven-month process. "It was a very big project for the Ritz to take because the Ritz doesn't look like this," Villency said.

It does now. Villency created a cocktail lounge vibe that features a tufted bar with vintage serving ware and custom wallpaper from textile designer Wook Kim that references the area's past. Kim found inspiration in the greens and blues of the landscape, as well as in famed South Florida resort architect Addison Mizner. Mizner famously had a pet monkey named Johnnie Brown, and in the panels, monkeys make drinks, sip cocktails, hold parasols, and have conversations with each other. A second wallpaper pattern, “Toile de Palm,” features historical Palm Beach vignettes.

During the day, the room's decor plays off of silvers and pale blues while the evening color scheme features a palette of gold, amber, and creams. The redesign also nearly doubled the room's capacity from 18 to 32 people.

The design also reflects the hotel's commitment to sustainability. Villency made the sofas and chairs of eco-friendly materials: soy foam instead of petroleum based foam and recycled steel. The wood was reclaimed from the Cape Fear River in North Carolina.

While the design upends traditional notions of Palm Beach, King said it reflects a modern aesthetic that is becoming the standard.

"Our die-hard Ritz-Carlton repeat guests say, 'Hmmm ... I love this,'" King said. "The new customers say, 'Hmmm ... I expect this.'"

Villa Azur: French Restaurant Brings South of France to South Beach

]]> Restaurant and lounge Villa Azur is bringing a piece of the French Riviera to South Beach.

Co-owned by French actor Olivier Martinez, Michael Martin, and Jean-Philippe Bernard, the 6,000-square-foot restaurant’s romantic decor combines contemporary, cream-colored sofas with antique wooden tables, giving the space a contrasting mix of modern and traditional. The restaurant, which opened in March, also features music influenced and spun mainly by DJs from South of France.

The Mediterranean-influenced menu offers dishes such as rigatoni with a morel mushroom sauce, veal filet mignon stuffed with artichokes, seared scallops with leek fondue, and mousse au nutella for dessert. A raw bar serves seafood towers and fresh oysters.

Tucked inside the restaurant’s wine cellar, La Cave d’Azur is a private dining room with more than 190 wines and can seat up to 12 guests. Private events can also be held in the restaurant’s 4,000-square-foot courtyard for 110 seated guests. For buyouts, the entire space can seat 250 and hold 300 for receptions. Villa Azur also caters events outside of the restaurant.

10 Biggest Venues for Events and Meetings in Miami/South Florida

]]> Planning an event that requires the largest event space in Miami/South Florida? Here’s a look at 10 venues with the biggest capacity: hotel ballrooms, convention centers, banquet halls, clubs, auditoriums, conference rooms, and more. We’ve included total square footage and maximum capacity to help you choose the best big space for your super-sized event.

Marlins Park Opens With a Miami Skyline Terrace and South Beach Nightclub

]]> The new $515 million Marlins Park is more than a baseball stadium. It's home to 15 venues, from luxury suites to an outpost of South Beach mainstay The Clevelander.

The baseball stadium, home to the rebranded Miami Marlins, opened to the public in March and opened for baseball in April. The city demolished the old Miami Orange Bowl, just west of Little Havana, for the project, and the stadium offers interior and exterior tributes to the former home of University of Miami football, from the larger-than-life orange letters to old news headlines boasting titles, dates, and significant wins from the old landmark.

Hosting 37,442 guests in its 928,000-square-foot space—nearly half the fan capacity of former home Sun Life Stadium—Marlins Park has the smallest capacity of all Major League Baseball stadiums, which provides a more intimate game-day experience. The park features a retractable roof that can open or close in less than 15 minutes, a feature that has already begun to transform the experience for weathered Marlins fans. Marlins Park is also certified LEED Gold by the U.S. Green Buildings Council.

The venues within Marlins Park are designed to host events year-round. Season-ticket holders or elite game watchers can inhabit 45 different suites, which are also equipped to host parties and corporate gatherings, including the 13 Founders Suites and 10 Legends Suites (740 square feet each, with a 30-person capacity), 12 MVP Suites (500 square feet each, 20-person capacity), six Fiesta Suites (580 square feet, 24-person capacity as single; 1,150 square feet, 48-person capacity as double), two Championship Suites (1,600 square feet, 50- to 80-person capacity) and two Hall of Fame Suites (1,430 square feet, 80-person capacity). Dining options range from hotdogs to empanadas, Churassco to stone crabs.

The Skyline Terrace, located in center field on the promenade level, overlooks the downtown Miami skyline and features retractable glass window panels. Square footage totals 12,000 with panels open and 8,100 when closed, with a capacity of 350 seated guests or 1,000 for a reception. The terrace can also serve as a pre-function space in conjunction with another venue at the park.

The Diamond Club Lounge, located behind home plate, can host 200 guests. On game days, the 2,600-square-foot restaurant/lounge serves 380 season ticket holders from five chef’s table concepts and premium wine and beer. A 400-bottle tempered wine room offers reserve wines at an additional cost. On off-days, the room is available for private event buyouts, including Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, weddings, or receptions.

Also located on the field level, the Dugout Clubs behind third base (2,600 square feet, 150 capacity) and first base (2,000 square feet, 100 capacity) also host private lounge areas prior to and during games, and are available for corporate events or parties.

Bringing a piece of South Beach to Marlins Park, The Clevelander is a 4,600-square-foot pool-lounge concept that can hold up to 250 guests on game days, and 300 for private events. Staffed and operated entirely by The Clevelander on Ocean Drive, the daytime lounge and nightclub features resident DJs, go-go dancers, drink specials, and bottle service. With traditional seating, high tops, and plenty of pool space, this Marlins Park hot spot has already attracted a regular following. Open until 3 a.m., non-ticketholders can gain entry by way of the infamous velvet rope and after-hours cover charge.

Finally, the field is Marlins Park’s most spacious venue of the facility. Prior to opening, the 134,000-square-foot natural grass field hosted its first event: the Diamond Dishes event during this year's Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival. The field can accommodate a capacity of anywhere from 900 to 2,000 guests. Available as a main event venue for galas or other large-scale events, the field can also be rented out for expos and trade shows, comfortably fitting 600 10-by-10 booths.

The Marlins Park food and beverage program includes a slew of cultural city favorites, a kosher kitchen, upgraded traditional ballpark fare, and fine dining options.

The visual stimulus is not limited to the on-field action. Art installations include sculptures, murals, and portraits, most notably the multimillion-dollar outfield piece, Home Run Sculpture, by Red Grooms, along with Baseball Manager by Roy Lichtenstein, and Playball!, a pop-art tribute to baseball by Kenny Scharf. Two 450-gallon saltwater aquariums decorate the space behind home plate.

Two main corporate sponsors, Pepsi and Miccosukee, represent two of four quadrants of the park (the team is negotiating for two additional sponsors.) The Bobblehead Museum on the promenade level is Miami Marlins Owner Jeffrey Loria’s whimsical tribute to nearly 700 past and present M.L.B. players and mascots from all 30 teams.

Queen Lounge: LED-Lit Cocktail Spot on South Beach

]]> Queen Lounge, a 4,000-square-foot "cocktail and gastro-lounge" opened earlier this month, bringing yet another nightlife option to South Beach's rapidly revitalizing Washington Avenue strip. The sleek space has a colorful, European-club-inspired design that is anchored by images throughout that pay homage to notable women in art, music, and fashion.

Faux gold mirrors, copper brown wallpaper, and Italian metallic paint line the wall; opulent crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling. The main lounge is lined with celebrity images and sculptures by metal artist Jon Allen and includes a long black granite-top bar, plus dining tables for 40. That room leads into a second lounge area, accented by six glowing LED tables, each surrounded by U-shaped leather seats.

On the second floor, the V.I.P. room contains a mezzanine glass wall that allows guests to gaze down at the rest of the venue. It holds 50 people.

The entire venue holds 250 guests for buyouts. A list of 30 handcrafted cocktails is supplemented by a menu of small plates featuring items such as Kobe beef sliders and herb-infused goat cheese spiked with jamon serrano and rolled in a pistachio crust with rum-soaked guava glaze.

7 New Products From the BizBash Expo in Florida

]]> Nearly 100 exhibitors participated in the BizBash Expo and Awards Wednesday at the Fort Lauderdale Convention Center. Here is a look at some of the new products displayed on the show floor.

10 Ideas for Corporate Summer Entertaining in Miami/South Florida

]]> New ideas for group outings, catering, rentals, corporate entertaining, gifts, and entertaining summer associates in South Florida.

10 Group Activities and Teambuilding Ideas in Miami and South Florida

]]> To get corporate groups out of the office and interacting in 2012, here are 10 new group activities that can work for teambuilding, meeting breaks, incentives, and other kinds of corporate outings.

South Florida's Top 100 Events of 2011

]]> With South Florida’s large population of artists, culinary experts, musicians, and socialites, it’s no wonder why Miami and its surrounding cities are home to some of the country’s biggest, most well-received fairs, festivals, and fund-raisers. Take the Ultra Music Fest, for example. The now three-day event drew 150,000 music-goers in 2011, more than 100,000 than the year before. Sporting events also broke attendance records like the Sony Ericsson Open and World Sailfish Championship, bringing in more spectators than in years past over multiple days. Here, we look at the area’s top noteworthy happenings.

Sports Events
1. Discover Orange Bowl is the ultimate college football fan event where the top two college teams in the Bowl Championship Series face-off with over 73,000 spectators. January 4

2. Up From 5: Sony Ericsson Open tournament features the world’s top-ranked men’s and women’s tennis players. A top-tier event on the Women’s Tennis Association tour, the tourney broke records this year with over 316,000 visitors to the Tennis Center at Crandon Park, including a men’s final record of 14,625 visitors on April 3. The tournament is covered by more than 600 credentialed media outlets from 36 countries. March 19-April 1

3. AMG Miami Beach Polo World Cup, presented by Nespresso, saw a 12,000 people over four days with an expanded V.I.P. area and beer garden. April 26-29

10 Ideas for Company Holiday Parties in Miami/South Florida

]]> The company holiday party season has arrived. If you’re still searching for entertaining ideas for corporate groups in Miami/South Florida—whether you're hosting an office party, after-work drinks in a bar, or a big blowout—check out these resources for food, entertainment, gifts, event decor, rentals, group activities, and more.

Pedro Pablo Peña Brings Dancers From Around the World to Miami for 17-Day Ballet Festival

]]>Each September more than 11,000 dancers, critics, and fans, gather for 17 days of events in the International Ballet Festival of Miami. In the past 13 years, founder and artistic director Pedro Pablo Peña has created what is billed as “the most successful ballet event in the United States” in a city not known for its artistic endeavors. He spoke with us about his vision for the festival, its future, and importance to Miami and the ballet community.

What is your primary goal for the festival?
This year it's the same as every year, which is to continue with this festival so that people know the importance of dance in the world. The principal function is for people to know what the new dances are, who are the new stars, and what the new style for the different ballets is going to be for the upcoming season. This is the only dance festival in the classical style in the city. It’s the only opportunity during the year for the audience to see the dancers, choreography, companies, styles, and the techniques.

SwimShow Director Brings on New PR Firm, Trims Show Length to Cut Costs

]]>The Swimwear Association of Florida’s annual SwimShow is the largest swimwear trade show in the country, with more than 2,500 lines represented. Originally encompassing 100,000 square feet of exhibit space at the Miami International Merchandise Mart when it was founded, the show moved to the Miami Beach Convention Center in 2004 and now has more than 250,000 square feet of exhibit space for its 27th annual show, which is scheduled to take place July 18 through July 21. Along with returning labels such as Max Mara, Diana von Furstenberg, and Billabong, multiple new European labels will use the show to launch in the United States. SwimShow executive director Judy Stein spoke with us about the grassroots marketing efforts that have helped her continue to grow the trade show, despite economic setbacks.

How do you promote the show to potential exhibitors and attendees?
Our direct mail, advertising, and marketing campaigns assure them that this is one-stop shopping. There’s no way at a regional market that they’ll be able to see the caliber and variety of lines that are at the show, so if they’re in the swimwear industry, this is the trade show they need to come to. We’re constantly pounding the pavement to make sure we bring in the resources that we feel our retailers want, which is based on word of mouth and what we read about in publications. Having a new [exhibitor] come on board is something that’s exciting to us—we know the retailer will be excited as well.

Making His Mark: Elliott Stares

]]>Born into a family of journalists in the U.K., Elliott Stares knew that his innate extroverted charm wouldn't let him get stuck behind a desk. Since coming to Miami, Stares has not only spearheaded several projects for heavy-hitter public relations firm Tara Ink as its entertainment and hospitality division manager, but has also successfully launched his own one-man company, Elliott Stares Public Relations Inc.

BREAKING INTO THE INDUSTRY Upon graduating from University of Southampton with a degree in communications, Stares began his formal training in the industry at Hill & Knowlton, There, he managed U.K. accounts for Adidas' sponsorship of David Beckham, Procter & Gamble, and the pan-European launch of Gillette's Mach3 razor.

That last job eventually brought him to host his first event in the U.S., where he single-handedly brokered and orchestrated his first event on U.S. soil-a successful attempt to break the world land-speed record, sponsored by Gillette MACH3.

Making Her Mark: Alexis Knapp

]]>Alexis Knapp, principal of Treskoi PR-a Miami-based firm specializing in public relations, brand management, and special events-puts self-promotion aside to concentrate on what she sees as the main target: the client.

BREAKING INTO THE INDUSTRY A New York native, Knapp attended college at the University of Indiana, double-majoring in communications and journalism while spending her summers as a club promoter for Empire Events in Miami. Executing events at venues such as the Forge, B.E.D., Mansion, and Prive, Knapp was able to learn event production firsthand.

"Though I wouldn't say it makes or breaks an individual, for a publicist it is very important to work in a special events sector," says Knapp, who worked with Empire over six years. "We coordinated a lot of themed and charity events."

Permanently moving to Miami in 2000, she continued to work for Empire and in 2004 signed on with Tara Ink., a top public relations firm, where she worked with national brands such as Evian and locals like Sushi Samba Dromo, who hosted an event in conjunction with the MTV Video Music Awards in 2005.

Quick Poll: What do you have to have with you during your event and why?

"My toolbox for event day contains a range of items from scissors to a lighter to fishing line, but something that really amazes people when I pull them out are ceiling clips. These are made for metal tracks on tiled ceilings so that you don't damage the ceiling when you hang things up. That's important to me because managers I work with know Eventions will put up elaborate decor-but also know that I won't damage their facilities." Felina Martin, president, Eventions, Tallahassee

"For me every event, I take a first aid kit. I carry a small one with me, and you'd be surprised how many times I've had to use it." Sheila Banks, event planner, Baptist Health Foundation, Miami

"A BlackBerry to communicate via voice, fax, and email." Jeff Wagstaff, director of integrated marketing, Clear Channel, Orlando

Flavors of Fort Lauderdale Food Festival Coming in November

]]> There's no shortage of competition among food festivals, but organizers behind the new Flavors of Fort Lauderdale, which debuts November 8-11, felt there was a missing link between one-day street-food fairs and high-end events like the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival.

"I don't think there's anything in the middle there that really speaks to the local culinary lifestyle and easy way of living that epitomizes South Florida," said Robert Hulsmeyer, executive producer of Flavors of Fort Lauderdale, which was announced Tuesday. "The event itself really has the personality of the city in the beach area. It's not a street fair or [a festival with] imported celebrities that create buzz for a short amount of time. Our job is to create a sustainable memory of the culinary offerings available to locals and tourists in the Fort Lauderdale area."

The idea came from conversations with Fort Lauderdale hotel executives who were looking to create an event to drive tourism during the slow season. A culinary event seemed like a winner, as long as it focused on local chefs rather than bringing in "boldface names," Hulsmeyer said. That would reinforce the goal of branding Fort Lauderdale as a culinary destination even after the festival ends.

The festival lineup includes a prix fixe dine-around on Thursday at various restaurants with an after-party sponsored by the South Florida chapter of ISES. A V.I.P. kickoff party at the Westin Beach Resort & Spa is planned for Friday. Saturday night is "Flavors After Dark," an evening of entertainment and food truck fare at the Las Olas Marina, and Sunday afternoon will be a grand tasting also at the marina.

Sponsors will have a chance to create pavilions featuring restaurants, gourmet foods, and lifestyle goods that fit their brand, Hulsmeyer said. For instance, sponsor Royal Caribbean will have a pavilion that supports the cruise lifestyle. "We're creating more of an experience as opposed to a line of stalls with sponsors," he said.

While organizers expect a group of largely local attendees the first year, Hulsmeyer said he hopes that the event expands to people within the driving market and even beyond in future iterations of the event.

AmEx Luxury Summit: Storytelling, Experiences Keys to Marketing Top Brands

]]> With a national vocabulary that now includes phrases like “the 1 percent” and “the 99 percent,” it might seem like a difficult time to market to consumers of luxury goods. However, the 250 invite-only attendees of the 10th American Express Publishing Luxury Summit this week exuded optimism as they shared new marketing strategies and discussed the changing face of luxury, according to vice president of communication, Jill Davison, who oversaw the production of the event.

“We wanted to address a realistic picture of the environment for marketers,” Davison said. “It’s really important for them to understand what’s happening in a national and global context. They are focusing on a group of individuals who are affected psychologically by what’s happening in the world.”

The summit, which met Sunday through Tuesday at The Breakers in Palm Beach, brought that context in with speakers representing luxury brands across several sectors, as well as journalists and political commentators. Participating brands included Audi, Channel, Estée Lauder, Marriott, and Patrón Spirits.

One key takeaway was that luxury today is about engaging with customers through experiences, storytelling, and social media, Davison said, as well as providing “luxury they can believe in.”

The summit provided one of its own unforgettable experiences: a Monday lunch sponsored by South African Tourism and prepared by Xoli Ndoyiya, Nelson Mandela's personal chef since 1991, and Anna Trapido, a food historian and author. As guests ate, they narrated the menu of dishes important to Mandela’s life. The starters included umphokoqo, maize meal and amasi soured milk, chicken wing and tshakalaka relish, dombolo bread in the style of Winnie Mandela, and butternut soup that was served at the wedding of Nelson Mandela and Graça Machel.

The choice of entrées were lamb bredie with roti bread and mint raita, a dish smuggled to Mandela when he was imprisoned, or umngqusho, Mabel Mandela’s corn and bean mélange topped with wild mushrooms. Dessert was koeksister and fruit, which combined a syrup-infused fritter by Betsie Verwoerd (wife of apartheid architect Hendrik Verwoerd) with Ndoyiya’s dried fruit compote.

Beyond the keynotes and panels, events included an opening cocktail reception in the hotel’s Mediterranean courtyard followed by dinner at The Circle restaurant and a Monday dinner at the hotel’s Beach Club with a Grey Goose-sponsored after-party outside. Small-group activities included a cooking demonstration at Cafe Boulud, a golf clinic with American Express Publishing president and C.E.O. Ed Kelly, test drives of Hyundai’s new luxury-model Equus, and a speed-networking session.

At BizBash Expo: Planners Report Business Growth, Confidence in Economy

]]> Event professionals are optimistic about the coming year, despite the scandal around the General Services Administration that threatens to drag it down, according to planners gathered at the BizBash Expo & Awards Wednesday at the Fort Lauderdale Convention Center.

At a roundtable discussion, planners shared their views on the economy and their own businesses during a session on the state of the events industry led by BizBash C.E.O. David Adler.

In a real-time poll of the planners using handheld technology from IML, 41 percent said they were optimistic about the direction of the economy, with 28 percent very optimistic. Only 7 percent thought the economy wasn’t as good as people think.

The proof is in business volume. Thirty-five percent said business is up 20 percent this year compared to 2011, and another 35 percent reported a 10 percent hike. Customers remain as demanding as ever, though, with shorter lead times. They also are looking to trim their budgets, with 56 percent of planners saying that clients are cutting back on decor elements, followed by 29 percent on entertainment. Clients are not skimping on food and beverage or speakers, though.

With more work, planners said they expect to hire more staff, with just over half planning to add to their teams in the next six months. The staffing mix has changed, though, with nearly half of planners saying they have relied more this past year on freelancers or event companies rather than hiring full-time staff.

One cloud over the optimism could be the growing scandal surrounding the General Services Administration’s 2010 conference in Las Vegas. The $820,000 event was the subject of congressional hearings this week. Many planners hadn’t heard much about the scandal—it is high season in South Florida, after all—but those following the news said they thought it had become a black eye for the entire industry and the fallout would complicate business for all planners, especially those working on government events. Others were having flashbacks to President Obama’s 2009 comments criticizing corporate meetings in Las Vegas, which hospitality leaders condemned and blamed for hurting tourism to the city.

Many people do not realize that incentive trips have a business purpose, planners said, and the public needs more education on the benefits of these meetings. They thought the goal of the conference was lost amid the details, such as the mind reader hired for entertainment. Others thought the conference sounded like an exception, not indicative of widespread problems in the industry. “No one just throws money at me,” one producer said.

Vendors also share responsibility in making sure an event hits the right notes, planners noted. Vendors should steer clients toward appropriate activities and help make sure each event has a clear return on investment.

At BizBash Expo: 3-D Projection Mapping, QR Codes Highlight Event Technology Revolution

]]> Technology continues to fuel rapid changes in the meeting and event industry, and planners should learn how to use these technologies to make their events more effective and expand their knowledge base. That was the message from presenters during the afternoon general session at the BizBash Expo & Awards Wednesday at the Fort Lauderdale Convention Center. The “Event Technology Revolution” overview offered brief presentations from seven speakers.

Felix Pike, production manager for Media Stage, opened the program with a visually stunning demonstration of 3-D-mapping techniques and explained how a combination of projectors and software can create three-dimensional images on nearly any surface. “The key to creating visually striking effects is to think three-dimensionally,” he said. “We are only limited by our imaginations.” He asked planners to keep in mind that these projects can require up to three months to create the projection surfaces and animations.

Don Mogavero, art director for Q Creative, described 3-D mapping as “the next generation of business theater that enhances content and brings the audience into the message.” Every meeting and event is an information delivery system, and how the content is packaged can make it more meaningful and memorable, he said. The final decision should come down to whether the message is worth the cost of a high-tech delivery system.

QR codes are another hot technology tool for planners. Red Fish Media’s Tim Tilson, director of new programs, and Laraine Hart, director of marketing and social media, shared examples of their company’s work on custom QR code campaigns for events hosted by DKNY, Rachel Zoe, and BBC America. “QR codes are your mobile engagement gateway,” Tilson said. For BBC America, the company created a QR-code-based scavenger hunt for attendees at Comic Con. The codes lead participants to various BBC America booths at the event and also captured contact information so the company could send a follow-up text message to participants. Hart said QR codes campaigns are most effective when there is clear, concise signage that explains the payoff for scanning, such as “scan to win."

Event Leadership Institute executive director Howard Givner demonstrated the company’s online training programs. Topics include business ownership, event management and technical production. The training is available as unbundled micro-learning, meaning each class is broken down into three- to five-minute segments that can be viewed in any order. Givner also demonstrated the Super Planner App, a tool for iOS and Android systems that provides calculators to determine food and beverage, audiovisual, and venue capacity needs. Givner said a new version will be released this summer.

Erik Mintz, director of event marketing for Constant Contact, focused on the importance of securing permission when using social and mobile technologies to connect with potential clients and fans. “Permission is the gateway to engagement,” he said. Permission can come in many forms, such as a person liking a brand’s page on Facebook, following on Twitter, or opting in via an email.

BizBash general manager Aram Fischer demonstrated tools available on the recently relaunched BizBash.com. The site now allows users to create idea books that save articles and photos gathered from anywhere on the site. This summer more new features will be added, including the ability to create mood boards and new search functionality across more than thousands of BizBash articles, photos, and vendor listings.

At BizBash Expo: Barton G. Talks About Innovation, Inspiration, and Expanding His Empire

]]> Barton G. Weiss will be the first to tell you he does not know a thing about golf. Yet the founder and C.E.O of his namesake company has worked for the P.G.A. since 1993 and is able to create memorable events because “I know their brand and understand their brand parameters.”

Weiss shared insights from his career—from his start as a professional ice skater to his work in women’s fashion, event production, restaurants, a hotel, and a magazine launching next month—during a conversation with BizBash Media president Richard Aaron during a general session at the BizBash Expo & Awards in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday. (He also made BizBash's list of the most innovative people in events earlier this year.)

All clients—no matter how corporate or conservative they might seem—love innovation, Weiss said. The trick is to have a clear purpose and tie it back to the brand.

“At the end of the day, no matter what medium I'm working in, it’s about making your client a memorable event or moment that they will remember for years and years to come,” he said. “Nobody needs the same thing every day. Nobody needs what they’ve already seen. What they need, and this is my motivation in the industry, is something that they haven’t seen, and they’re going to leave there and remember you.”

Even setbacks have turned into successes. Weiss initially was turned down for a concessions contract at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, but three years later—with his first eatery, Barton G the Restaurant, open—he won the job. He said he “reinvented what concession food is all about.” From there, he expanded to open the pre- and post-theater Prelude by Barton G. restaurant inside the arts center with an online reservation component that was unique at the time. His third restaurant is in the Villa by Barton G., a boutique hotel he created in the former Gianni Versace mansion in South Beach.

Weiss credited his success to his team of 450 employees. “Their success is really the success of the company," he said. "I am not really the success. I am the ideas guy and [I] constantly push them. They’ve been trained, they’ve lived the Barton G. life, they talk the Barton G. life, and they see everything from a different perspective. And that is taught from the top down.”

One lesson Weiss teaches his staff is to look at what they are trying to achieve and work backwards, all while focusing on the customer’s needs.

“It’s really about the client and their brand,” Weiss said. “Even though Barton G. has a brand, it’s not really about Barton G., it’s about you and your brand. I'm just the platform and the springboard where the ideas come from.”

And where do those ideas originate? Weiss said there is no one source, and his inspiration comes from each task.

“If I see an opportunity that I want to go after or a piece of business that our company is bidding on, it’s looking within me and saying, ‘How are we going to answer an R.F.P. and make something unique where they have to need us?’” he said. “You have to keep reinventing yourself. You constantly have to open your minds to see things completely different. The greatest problem I see is everyone thinks in a box. In my world, there is no box. Because what was right for yesterday or today is not going to be right for tomorrow. The key is to be trained to visualize something that is a fantasy that really is a reality.”

Weiss’s fantasies-come-to-life include five-foot forks sent out with restaurant dishes and building a 30,000-square-foot house in the middle of a Super Bowl party. Still, Weiss insisted that not everything he does is outrageous.

“You don’t want to be over the top. And you also want to make your client feel comfortable with what you’re presenting,” he said. “I believe there is a fine line with going over the top, and there is a fine line with going to the edge, and then there’s safety. We all know, as event professionals, that there really is no safety in our industry. Everything is taking a chance. And don’t be scared of a chance if you believe in it.”