Vienna Swells During 2009 Life Ball: An estimated 40,000 people visited Vienna, Austria, over the weekend to take part in the 17th annual Life Ball, Europe's largest H.I.V./AIDS charity event. The night ended up something of a combination between a black-tie benefit and Mardi Gras, with Bill Clinton and Eva Longoria Parker speaking to the crowd about social responsibility and Pamela Anderson and Katy Perry dressed as sea creatures in an ocean-themed runway show. Held at Vienna's town hall, the event also included a pool filled with more than 600,000 gallons of water, filled with dancers dressed as sea monsters, jellyfish, and mermaids. [NYT]
Obama Administration Keeps Celebrities in Washington: Obama's presidency has brought a resurgence of celebrities to Washington—and not just for big events like the inauguration and the White House Correspondents' Dinner. From official White House events to local campaign stumping for Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe, celebrities including Will.i.am, James Earl Jones, and actor-turned-White House staffer Kal Penn have not been strangers to the town's social scene. Event planners in Washington should strongly consider beefing up their step-and-repeats. [Examiner]
Louis Vuitton Jumps on Public Art Installation Bandwagon: First Chanel debuted—and then dismantled—its mobile art pavillion, then Prada erected its elaborate Transformer art space in Seoul, and now Louis Vuitton joins the ranks of designers making major art marketing forays by wrapping the Hong Kong Museum of Art with giant replicas of pulp novel covers. The brand teamed up with artist Richard Prince for the stunt, which heralds this summer's arrival of a new exhibit, "Louis Vuitton: A Passion for Creation." This project marks one of the first public art installations in Hong Kong's history. [WWD]
Ad Age Ranks Entertainment Marketers: Advertising Age recently assembled its list of top entertainment marketers for 2009, and few of its entries should come as a surprise. Efforts from Bravo, Gossip Girl, and the History Channel are all included in the top 10, their efforts in events or experiential marketing contributing to their success. Bravo has made a mark with pop-ups and stunts across the country, cast members of Gossip Girl seem to see more parties than their show sees viewers, and the History Channel has made big steps in interactive advertising. [AdAge]
