Online magazine xoJane hosted a party at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, this year that rewarded guests with fame at the event for snapping selfies. In an upstairs portion of the party space, guests were encouraged to take selfies with mirrors. The shots were then printed to add onto the "Shameless Selfie" wall and were projected in the event's main space, where MKG used neon masking tape and ultraviolet lighting for pops of bright color. The event promoted the pub's "Shameless Celebrity" list.
Not all selfies are spontaneous; offering a reward can incentivize guests to take and post them. The New York International Auto Show gave out free tickets to opening night to the first 100 people who posted a selfie with a show poster, found in New York's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
Bud Light, the N.F.L.'s official beer sponsor, abandoned its five-year-old Bud Light Hotel this year in favor of something new. Named the Bud Light House of Whatever, the new activation took over a downtown Phoenix hotel and played off the brand's marketing tagline: "The Perfect Beer for Whatever Happens." Produced by Mosaic, the experience ran from January 30 to February 1, and organizers aimed to treat guests to "Up for Whatever," or unpredictable, experiences.
The marketing campaign's hashtag appeared in colorful, lit-up letters at the House of Whatever. In order to gain access to the experience, consumers aged 21 and over were invited to film short videos of themselves finishing the sentence: "the perfect beer for..." Potential guests then posted their videos to social media using the hashtag #UpforWhatever. Some 4,000 winners were selected.
At the house, the "Up for Whatever" experiences included a "Super Fry." In the activity, characters dressed up as superheroes served guests various deep-fried dishes.
On January 30, guests donned animal masks to attend a party-boat-theme concert with headliners Nicki Minaj and Kongos. The performance took place under a massive marquee tent decked in Bud Light's signature hues: blue and white.
Guests played vintage games at the on-site Pac-Man arcade, which was lit up with black lights. The activation tied into the brand's Super Bowl TV spot, which featured a life-size Pac-Man maze that Bud Light marketers built in downtown Los Angeles.
Longtime Super Bowl activation sponsor DirecTV did not host its Celebrity Beach Bowl this year, but instead presented the new Super Fan Festival at the Pendergast Family Farm in Glendale, Arizona, from January 28 to 30. Acts including Snoop Dogg, Calvin Harris, and Imagine Dragons played on the DirecTV Super Fan Stage.
Performances were also staged in the smaller HGTV Lodge, where acts included American Authors (pictured).
The brand brought back its private Super Saturday Night party on January 31. Hosted by Mark Cuban's AXS TV and former N.F.L. star Michael Strahan, the event also took place at the Pendergast Family Farm. CL22 once again designed the event and described the theme as "Diva Rocker Glam" with a look meant to channel a "shimmering, gold and diamond adult playground."
Rihanna headlined the bash, which also featured a surprise performance from Kayne West.
Another first time event was The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard Pre Game Party, which took place in a Scottsdale Airport hangar splashed with gobos on January 31. The invite-only event drew celebrities such as Chrissy Teigen and John Legend, and host Usher drove a Mercedes GTS into the event. Mercedes was a sponsor.
The first-time Neon Carnival event (not associated with Coachella's Neon Carnival), took place on January 30 at Castles n Coasters in Phoenix. With carnival rides and games, the night featured an "Airstream Speakeasy," which was a mobile bar housed in an Airstream trailer. Tequila Don Julio drinks were prepared by New York-based mixologists Marshall Altier and Ben Scorah. Cocktails included the "Big Game Buck," made with orange and lemon juices, ginger syrup, bitters, and tequila.
Animal Planet, which hosted its first activation at the Super Bowl last year, returned to present the Puppy Bowl Cafe. The activation took over a café at CityScape in downtown Phoenix, which was decked in Puppy Bowl-inspired branding. Aired before the Super Bowl on Animal Planet, the Puppy Bowl features puppies playing on a miniature football field.
Guests could watch a replica of the Puppy Bowl live at the downtown activation. Organizers worked with the Arizona Humane Society, which brought in litters of up-for-adoption puppies to the event.
ESPN also returned to host a large-scale Super Bowl bash on January 30 at WestWorld of Scottsdale. Lauren Robinson, ESPN's associate director of sport management, worked with 11-time event producer Tony Schubert of Event Eleven to produce and design the event. The party was meant to conjure a "hip desert retreat" and was decked with mid-century furniture, planters holding cacti, floating staircases, and shadowboxes showcasing sporty images. Other vendors involved in transforming the center into a party-ready space included Felix Lighting, Sound Image, Accurate Staging, Zac Hartog Events, Primo XL, and V Squared Labs; Hired Gun Publicity & Consulting handled publicity.
The event had 400 feet of floor-to-ceiling projections that featured desert scenery and time-lapse content. Tashman handled audiovisual production.
Event Eleven built a 30-foot-tall, 300-foot-wide hand-carved rock wall. Sponsor Mercedes-Benz displayed its AMG GT vehicle in front of a tunnel visual embedded into the wall. Nearby, fellow sponsor Ciroc hosted a circular bar that doled out specialty drinks with thematic names such as the Kickoff. Engine Shop secured sponsors for the evening and handled social media on site.
Other sponsors' names—including Coors Light, Curve Sport, and Omnia Nightclub by Hakkasan Group—appeared on a desert-inspired step-and-repeat that had a sandy tan carpet in lieu of a red one.
Rolling Stone, which has hosted Super Bowl activations in years past, hosted Rolling Stone Live on January 31 at the Venue Scottsdale. Toast, Bookem Danno, and Talent Resources Sports produced the music magazine's event, which had a “raw, gritty, motorcycle-inspired theme with just a bit of Grindhouse,“ according to Toast partner Kimberly Krouse. The event featured rows of Harley Davidson bikes parked at the entrance—“just to let guests know they're not the first ones to the party,” Krouse said.
The evening's headline act was Steven Tyler. Charlie XCX also performed.
Miller Lite was a sponsor, and 24-ounce cans of the product formed an eight-foot decorative wall at the entrance to the venue. As guests entered, brand ambassadors wearing biker-inspired costumes handed them a can.
The event included a "Rock Shop" filled with thematic items available for purchase. Goods included a signed painting of Steven Tyler, a framed Rolling Stone cover of Katy Perry, and a Les Paul guitar bearing Elvis Presley's autograph. A portion of the proceeds benefited the charity Angels on Patrol.
Playboy, a familiar brand on the Super Bowl party scene, hosted its bash at the W Scottsdale on January 30. Sponsor Mini USA brought in three display vehicles of its Mini Hardop 4 Door and staged them front a photo backdrop that depicted the Playboy Mansion. Guests could pose for photos in the space, which was also attended by costumed Playboy Bunnies.
Tabasco sponsored the Maxim Party, held January 31 in a private airport hangar in Scottsdale. The hot sauce brand provided plenty of branded elements, including a bar that doled out drinks including a Tabasco-infused michelada cocktail.
Chef Aaron Sanchez of the Food Network show Chopped created a menu that incorporated ample doses of Tabasco. Items included meatball sliders with jalapeño aioli and Tabasco chipotle sauce.
Servings of Oreo cheesecake came with a folded napkin and spoon, making for smoother service in the dine-around format. The dessert, from Tru Tru Cakes and More, was served at the Farm to Table Brunch February 22 at the Palms Hotel & Spa.
Color-blocked beverages offered an appealing visual at the Farm to Table Brunch. The beverages, from American Harvest Organic Spirit, were the red-hued Peppered Mary with purees of tomatoes and red bell peppers; the yellow-hued Saved by the Bell with yellow bell pepper and green chili; and the green-colored Local Harvest, with basil leaves, lime, cucumber, and agave.
A display of spirits and yellow and red cherry tomatoes provided on-theme decor at the Exploring the Bloody Mary tasting seminar February 22 at the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach.
For the second course of the Tribute Dinner, guests poured potion bottles of red fruit soup over lobster in a dish by Spanish chef Quique Dacosta, whose eponymous restaurant boasts three Michelin stars. The February 21 event at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel honored Basque cuisine pioneer Juan Mari Arzak as well as Ted Baseler, president and C.E.O. of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates.
A dessert bar at the Tribute Dinner included cheesecake and guava cones. Celebrity Cruises created the treats.
A treelike tower of biscuits made for clever decor at Chicken Coupe host’s Andrew Carmellini’s station. The event was held February 20 in the ballroom at W South Beach.
Cronut creator Dominique Ansel presented a new dish at the Death by Chocolate dessert party: a chocolate “oyster” shell filled with milk chocolate cream, coconut gelée, and a pineapple “mignonette.” Ansel hosted the February 21 event poolside at the National Hotel.
Josh Gripper from the Dutch at W South Beach served a white chocolate and dark rum creation served in an angled glass that made it easier to reach the contents with a spoon.
During the cocktail hour at the Flavors of India dinner, chef Amol Agarwal of host venue Ritz-Carlton, South Beach served chicken chaat in mini cones.
Chef Asha Gomez had a pretty plating for her first course of coconut and vegetable stew. A baby vegetable medley was artfully piled on the side of the bowl.
Clothespins provided an unexpected serving presentation idea for a dish at the Flavors of India dinner.
Edible flowers made for an unusual garnish on a taco from Miami Beach’s Huahua’s Taqueria at the Tacos After Dark event on February 19 at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel.
Presenting dishes family-style? Colorful presentation helps, like the dishes served at the Culinary Odyssey: An Israeli Dinner event February 19 at the Ritz-Carlton Residences Miami Beach. Chef Michael Solomonov prepared the dinner with two visiting Israeli chefs, Meir Adoni and itan Vanunu. The dishes included twice-cooked eggplant, beets with tehina, Moroccan carrots, tabbouleh with quinoa and walnuts, and Bulgarian-style pepper salad.
Bar Lab created handcrafted cocktails for the dinner to pair with each course. The snow-like garnish on champagne flutes set the beverage apart.
Star fruit and flowers added artful accents to brandy snifters for another one of Bar Lab’s cocktail pairings.
A particularly bountiful and colorful dessert buffet was decorated with whole and cut fruit at the Chef After-Party February 20 at Thompson Miami Beach hotel.
Befitting its Polynesian theme, drinks at the Art of Tiki: A Cocktail Showdown were served in a variety of kitschy vessels along with bamboo-style straws. Emeril Lagasse hosted and was among the judges at the cocktail competition February 20 at Shore Club.
Chefs Masaharu Morimoto and Anita Lo contributed to the decadent dishes at the February 21 dinner at the Shelborne Wyndham Grand South Beach. Among them was a lobster and sushi combination that was prepared in front of guests at the alfresco event.
At the Oyster Bash, host Island Creek Oysters presented an Instagram-ready version of its dish—oyster sliders with chili aioli and a scallop ceviche. Island Creek’s Jeremy Sewall hosted the event with Ming Tsai and Josh Capon on February 20 at Lure Fishbar.
In a twist on a traditional seated dinner, guests saw their food prepared at their table during the Interactive Dinner February 21 at the Biltmore Country Club Ballroom. Chef Marc Randazzo hosted the Italian-theme event, and guests got into the spirit by wearing toques with title sponsor Barilla’s logo.
Served during the reception at the Harlem Shake Dinner, compressed watermelon with feta cheese “snow” had a striking color contrast. Chef Marcus Samuelsson hosted the event with Charles Gabriel, JJ Johnson, and Christopher Lee on February 20 at the Forge restaurant.
Pickled onion was a colorful garnish choice that broke apart the beige tones of fried chicken and waffles from Root & Bone. The dish was served at the Southern Kitchen Brunch on February 22 at Loews Miami Beach Hotel.
A Perfect Pairing Brunch started with bite-size portions of deviled eggs, crostini, and meatballs served atop wooden platters. The February 22 event took place at the Dutch at W South Beach.
At the reception for the Tuscan Trio Dinner February 20 at Siena Tavern, chef Fabio Viviani served mini coccoli—crispy dough, stracchino cheese, prosciutto di parma, and truffle honey.
To mark the launch of a collaboration between Mindy Weiss and Wedding Paper Divas on a new collection, the well-known social event planner and the social stationer hosted an intimate, feminine luncheon at Los Angeles's new Lombardi House on February 25. Guests created their own terrariums using succulents, moss, and twigs for a D.I.Y. take on the trend of incorporating living elements into wedding decor.
In another activity area, guests painted cookies with watercolor paints. Cookies came from Joanie and Leigh's Cakes.
Guests could also create their own bags of custom potpourri.
Shutterfly—which creates personalized gifts, cards, and decor—hosted a D.I.Y.- theme holiday event in November at Sopra in New York. The event offered crafty projects including a design-your-own pillow station.
Guests could also create personalized holiday canvas prints at the festive event.
At TEDActive in Palm Springs in 2013, the so-called Sovereign Nation of You station encouraged attendees to make representational flags for creative expression using felt and other materials.
At the 2014 event in Toronto, guests were invited to participate in a doughnut-decorating challenge that let them customize their own treats with toppings such as chocolate and sprinkles.
