Innovative Events/Promotions

To showcase its new upper class suite—and the recent release of its founder’s book Like a Virgin: Secrets They Won’t Teach You at Business School—Virgin Atlantic hosted a pop-up discussion by the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. The airline hosted a Twitter competition, where those who posted the most original tweets using the hashtag #CloudConvos could pose a question to the panel, which included Sir Richard Branson.

On Saturday night, the Environmental Media Association took over the Warner Brothers Studio lot for its annual awards. Taking advantage of the warm weather, the theater-style ceremony was set up outdoors, and a dramatic stage had a towering tree decor piece evocative of a pastoral French countryside scene.

Hendrick’s Gin came to Chicago for a three-day promotion September 25 to 27. On two nights, the brand took over Salvage One for a whimsical activation called Hendrick’s Voyage Into the Unusual. A costumed actor dressed a botanist explained the 11 botanicals that are in the gin, and a greenhouse on-site also illustrated the floral properties of the drink.

From sunset on September 29 to sunrise the next morning, more than 150 art installations took over the streets of Toronto for the Nuit Blanche art festival. "All Night Convenience" was one of the most popular installations of the evening. At one point, visitors waited for more than two hours to peruse the fake grocery store, filled with glowing lanterns that looked like products. Visitors could take a lantern as a souvenir, so as the night went on, the store became darker.

Also at Toronto’s Nuit Blanche art festival was an activation from sponsor Chevrolet. The auto company set up a creepy, carnival-inspired “Fun House” on Bay Street and used its new Spark car to drive visitors through the installation.

As a quirky way to promote the healthy ingredients and nutritional value of its dog food, Merrick staged a mock Occupy Wall Street-style protest in New York’s Union Square on Tuesday. But rather than using people, the pet food company brought in more than 40 canines to hold signs and sit around tents—with their handlers, of course.

Target is, apparently, in the movie-making business now. On September 27, the retailer hosted an intimate premiere at the SLS Beverly Hills for its new film series, Falling for You, an event that included a Q&A with the stars and a five-course dinner menu designed by the Bazaar's José Andrés. Guests dined at two long alfreso tables, topped with autumn flowers and foliage.

At the second run of its Global Bazaar event in New York, Travel & Leisure invited attendees to highlight their next international destination by pinning a tag with their name on it to a map set up near the entrance.

The Sh*t Girls Say launch event took to West Hollywood's Palihouse on Thursday, feting the book that emerged from the Twitter hit-turned-video series that generated more than 30 million YouTube views. Playing up the content from the book, speech bubbles decorated a candy buffet with messages like, "Can you do me a huge favor?" and, "Shut up."

The women’s board of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra hosted the Symphony Ball on September 29. After a concert conducted by Ricardo Muti, guests headed to a dinner-dance at the Fairmont Chicago. To underscore the “Seize the Night” theme, designer Jeffrey Foster of Event Creative lit centerpieces of white orchids and Arabicum with glowing fiber-optics.

An actor wearing a fuzzy, monster-paw-like glove handed guests drinks from behind a curtain.