| NEWS 03.25.09 1:16 PM |
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In the News: Hollywood Wants Junkets Back, Economy Doesn't Slow Product Launches
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Hollywood Wants Junkets Back: Surprising fact: An estimated 90 percent of film junkets take place at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, with most of the remaining 10 percent falling elsewhere in Beverly Hills. The developers of the new W Hotel in Hollywood are hoping to bring some of that business back to film's birthplace, when they open at the iconic crossroads of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. The Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency, which is in charge of overseeing Hollywood's redevelopment, is looking at more than a dozen proposals for venues that could also woo junket planners. [NYT]
Fashion Cuts Back on Charity Events: Flagging profits for fashion houses mean charity endeavors and sponsorships are falling under question. Liz Claiborne Inc. and Tommy Hilfiger, in particular, have reportedly reduced their budgets for charity events. This means participation in larger-scale events, like New York's Costume Institute Gala, which may have to reduce table prices this year to fill seats. A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Museum of Art doesn't anticipate matching last year's record-breaking $7.3 million haul. [WWD]
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Junkets, W Hotels, Four Seasons, Liz Claiborne, Tommy Hilfiger, Costume Institute Gala, Metropolitan Home, Showtime, The Tudors, Gourmet magazine, Spray 'n Wash, 2016 Olympics |
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| GUEST QUESTIONS 02.18.09 10:15 AM |
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Fashion Week Attendees Approve of McDonald's Lounge, Stress Importance of Sponsorships
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 | Barbie's display in the tent lobby
Photo: BizBash |
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Fashion Week is well under way, and despite the economic crisis crippling many corporations, IMG's tents at Bryant Park are packed with booths and promotions from various companies. Ranging from McDonald's first appearance to the return of car displays from Mercedes-Benz and a coat check booth by Chambord, the in-tent sponsorships serve to attract the attention of designers and fashion editors, who mostly agree that the branding is keeping the biennial event alive. Here's what they had to say when we asked for their take on all the marketing gimmicks.
"I actually love this little McCafé booth. I'm here working on a story, and I think I'm going to camp out here all week. I rarely have coffee, but I came in and the cappuccino was very good. Will it bring me to McDonald's? I don't know, maybe if I pass by one. At Fashion Week this year, you've got lots of sponsors, and it seems to get bigger and bigger every season."
—Kelly Carter, reporter, People
"I think it's great that this is happening and that this many sponsors are coming to be a part of it. Whatever it took IMG to get them here, thank God, because we need this to boost the economy and get us back on track. As for the McCafé, I don't drink coffee, but if I did, I would be in here drinking my McCoffee and not eating meals every day."
—Kelly Will, Six and the City columnist, Page Six magazine
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Fashion Week, IMG Fashion, McDonald's, Mattel, Barbie, Mercedes-Benz, Chambord, W Hotels |
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| EVENT REPORT 02.19.08 12:52 PM |
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Hotels Bring Back Old-School Games for Alternative Valentine's Parties
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 | The New York Helmsley Hotel's anti-Valentine's Day ball
Photo: Francine Daveta for BizBash |
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Amid the love- and couple-focused promos on Valentine's Day, some hotels generated publicity by hosting events for single people. The quirkiest of the bunch was the New York Helmsley Hotel's anti-Valentine's Day ball, an '80s-themed party open to the public (at $45 a pop) inside its ground-floor restaurant Mindy's. As much an opportunity to market the 27-year-old property as it was to upstage the efforts of other hotels, the throwback dance party was organized the hotel's general manager, Mark Briskin, and production firm MKG.
According to Briskin, the idea was not only to remind New Yorkers of the Helmsley but also to do something a little different and fun where guests could interact with one another. "[For holidays] hotels traditionally tend to keep to the straight and narrow—it's always the same run-of-the-mill menu, whether it's Mother's Day or Valentine's Day," he said. "Chocolate gets pushed in your face nine ways from Sunday.... We wanted to give them something kind of silly."
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New York Helmsley Hotel, W Hotels, Starwood Hotels, Jimmyjane, Vosges Haut-Chocolat, Valentine's Day |
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| EVENT REPORT 12.03.07 4:57 PM |
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Wired Store Returns With Bigger Space, More Gadgets
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 | Wired magazine's retail store.
Photo: BizBash |
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If the Bon Appétit pop-up was a way for the food-loving public to sample fare from high-end chefs, then Wired magazine's six-week store is the place for the tech-adoring consumer to ogle new gadgets. Now in its third year, the magazine's retail showroom in SoHo puts advertisers front and center, enabling its readers and other holiday shoppers to browse and test-drive new technology from manufacturers including Canon, Palm, and Nintendo. Planned by the magazine and designed by Tronic Studio, the pop-up opened on Friday, November 16, and will run through December 30.
The new Greene Street location—the store was previously housed on Wooster Street—has an extra 1,000 square feet of space, which the team at Wired filled with a wider selection of products. "Our strategy has been consistent.... [The store] has well over 100 products this year, so the production selection has grown and the diversity of the products has grown. It's deeper and broader than before," explained Jim Richardson, Wired's associate publisher of marketing. Prices also run the gamut, with some gadgets under $100 as well as more expensive devices like the $13,450 water bobsleigh. For convenience, a new addition this year is a Web site that allows shoppers to buy the featured items online.
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Wired, Pop-Ups, W Hotels |
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| GUEST QUESTIONS 09.12.07 5:37 PM |
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Tent Poll: What Was Your Favorite Gift?
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Fashion shows aren’t just about clothes—guests want free goodies, too. We went to the tents to find out who gave the best gifts.
What was your favorite gift from the shows?
“I don’t think I’ve received a gift bag yet. Someone’s been taking all the gift bags [laughs]. I like John Varvatos a lot; I got the Alice Cooper CD there. It was cool.”
—LL Cool J
“I love the Betsey Johnson gift bag. It’s very cute—and handy for any night out. It has her latest perfume, some underwear, and facial products.”
—Antonia, Elle Accessories
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RELATED TOPICS
Fashion Week, Betsey Johnson, John Varvatos, Rosa Cha, Anna Sui, Abaeté, Nars, Redken, Vivienne Tam, Havaianas, W Hotels |
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