Politico hosted its inaugural "50 to Watch" cocktail party last night in recognition of the notable politicians, fund-raisers, media members, and political movers and shakers profiled in its annual issue of the same name. The red, white, and blue event at Barcode brought out nearly 200 Washingtonians, including this year's honorees—like actor/senator Fred Thompson—and 2010's profile subjects.
The company's executive director of events, Beth Lester, took inspiration from the venue and the party's purpose to create an interactive element to engage guests. The events team placed oversize cards with the "50 to Watch" logo on each table, along with lists of the night's honorees. Trivia questions about the 50 politicos bordered the cards, with QR codes under each question; guests could scan the codes with their phones and discover the answers. "We wanted to tie in where we are with Politico, which is very techie, so we though of a fun way to engage guests to be part of the party," Lester said.
