After a long Oscar night, host Seth MacFarlane's official after-party included a station from Tkees, which encouraged guests to check their heels (similar to the way they would at a coat check) and pick up a pair of flip-flops—in gold, appropriate to the occasion.
Guests arriving at USA Network's event atop the High Line in New York last summer found a receiving line of umbrella-wielding staffers, who provided shelter all the way to the entrance of the covered bash.
At Lacoste's Coachella pool party in the blazing desert sun, cigarette-style girls, clad in Lacoste gear, passed Kiel's sun-protection products.
When the weather unexpectedly turned sour at South by Southwest this year, ponchos from Warner Brothers served as protection from the rain as well as an opportunity to promote CW television series Arrow.
Bonnaroo attendees could relax in hammocks and enter to win V.I.P. passes in the "Great State Lounge" hosted by State Farm. The insurance company also provided what it called "Bonnaroo Roadside Assistance"—free services such as help with flat tires and dead batteries.
At the WWD Beauty C.E.O. Summit in Palm Beach, yoga on branded mats on the lawn allowed guests to relax and unwind.
More than 80,000 people traveled to a remote 700-acre farm in Tennessee June 7 to 10 for the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. Knowing the attendees would be outside day and night listening music on multiple stages, brands such as Garnier Fructis provided practical services such as free hair-washing and styling in a 40- by 40-foot air-conditioned tent.
Things tend to get messy at food festivals, tastings, and other events with lots of grub, so Delta provided toothpicks, hand wipes, and mints at the 2010 New York City Wine & Food Festival, a smart way to get the brand in front of attendees.
During Upfront Week in New York last year, Turner Broadcasting held back-to-back late-night events and, to help transport guests from the Adult Swim party to the shindig for TruTV, provided a fleet of pedicabs offering free rides.
For a recent press event in Los Angeles, Paul Frank brought Starring Fragrances for a station that gave guests the chance to take home custom fragrances, made on the spot according to their individual tastes.
At the FN C.E.O. Summit in Miami, guests could charge their smartphones in a luxe lounge—a stylish, discreet solution to manage the task that everyone wants as a convenience at events. The centerpieces during the education sessions were framed instructions on how to reference the summit on social media and log on to the hotel's Wi-Fi network.
MSNBC also had a flip-flop station at its White House Correspondents' Association Dinner after-party, providing relief for folks who had been on their feet all evening.
Following the presentation, guests headed to the luncheon at Espace. The reception focused on Univision's new tagline, "One For All," and included branded catering trays with iPads playing shows, red velvet cake pops in the shape of the network's tulip logo, and a photo booth filled with silly props. One section offered makeovers themed after telenovela personalities.
AMC staged its first upfront on April 17, an immersive tour of shows like Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and The Walking Dead set up at the 69th Regiment Armory. Produced by Empire Entertainment, the event saw attendees make "crystal meth" in a makeshift lab, get chased by zombies, and watch auditions.
A&E Television Networks returned to the Tent at Lincoln Center for its May 8 outing, flaunting its successful rise in ratings with a festive presentation and party that put shows in the spotlight. A Bates Motel–themed check in was a nod to A&E's buzzy new drama, a colorful coat check backdrop played up Lifetime's popular show Project Runway, and a bar filled with curios and knickknacks referenced History's hit Pawn Stars.
To promote the final season of Dexter last year, Magnolia Bakery concocted a gory treat to honor the show's namesake sociopath. The Killer Cupcake topped red velvet cake with spattered caramel "blood" and "glass" shards made out of sugar.
At Stella McCartney's Electricity-Free Carnival in New York in 2012, a mac 'n' cheese station was set up as a two-part offering: guests could either select a mini serving on a spinach cone from a Ferris-wheel-shaped stand, or opt for a full cup that could be customized with toppings such as veggie bacon bits, truffle oil, jalapeños, scallions, or sriracha sauce.
At Washingtonian magazine's AT&T's Best of Washington party in 2012, Amaryllis designed the space to evoke the ambiance of a vintage ice cream parlor. Ted's Bulletin offered samples of its homemade Pop-Tarts—cinnamon and brown sugar, strawberry, and chocolate—that the company displayed in tall glasses filled with each flavor's ingredients.
Spin-Spun (which was formerly called "Spun") is a Chicago catering firm that specializes in cotton candy. Using organic sugar and either organic or natural flavors, founder Seth Bankier spins the treat in nearly 20 flavors including bacon salt, salted caramel, lemon-coconut, and truffle oil.
Guests lined up at the event's MasterCard-sponsored bars to receive margaritas served in glowing glasses.
On Saturday night, chef Todd English hosted a late-night walk-around tasting at the Plaza Food Hall. Food Network Star winner Justin Warner was on hand to promote General Mills's "Hello, Cereal Lovers" campaign. In addition to pop-art installations made with Trix and waitresses wearing mod dresses covered in images of Cheerios, Warner served cereal-inspired cocktails to guests.
Pier 94 was packed with brand activations, food sampling stands, and drink stations on Saturday and Sunday for the festival's Grand Tasting. Coffee brand Illy brought its Push Button House, an enormous shipping crate that opens up into a mobile café space at the push of a button. The "house" hosted book signings and chef tastings, and guests could tag selfies taken inside with #IllyCoffee and #NYCWFF for the chance to win prizes, like a coffee maker.
Tables in the Illy Push Button House displayed centerpieces of fresh red roses arranged among coffee beans.
To promote its new Guy Fieri-hosted show Guy's Grocery Games, the Food Network booked the Shopper Chopper, a nine-foot-tall drivable shopping cart. In addition to touring around Manhattan, the on-brand cart made a pit stop inside the Grand Tasting.
The Do AC campaign brought its two-story pop-up experience, designed by BMF Media, to the Grand Tasting floor. Each cubicle emphasized a different interactive experience themed around Atlantic City's offerings, including a gambling table and free mini massages.
The Do AC activation also included a Twitter-activated vending machine. Eventgoers tweeted using a specific hashtag to receive a free T-shirt and a chance to win a free trip to Atlantic City.
Pier 94 also hosted a series of KitchenAid-sponsored culinary demonstrations by Food Network personalities throughout the weekend. The audience was able to easily see what the chefs were doing thanks to a reflective mirror placed above the cooking area.
Featuring a rustic farm aesthetic dotted with freshly picked floral arrangements, Buick's setup was dubbed the Honey Garden. Attendees could sign up via iPad to win a car, plus sample cocktails made with honey-flavored syrup.
Every year for Essence magazine's annual Black Women in Hollywood event—an award luncheon that takes place during the week before the Oscars—producer Caravents creates a gallery of framed oversize portraits that are also pictured in the magazine's special issue. The artistic tributes hang in the Beverly Hills Hotel's grand stairway, which acts as the entrance to the celeb-mobbed event.
The Gene Siskel Film Center honored Gwyneth Paltrow at its 2013 fund-raiser at the Ritz-Carlton Chicago. Instead of simply presenting the actress with an award, the evening included an hour-long onstage Q&A session. Amanda de Cadenet, host of Lifetime TV's The Conversation and a friend of Paltrow's, led the discussion. The event's menu also included dishes inspired by Paltrow's films.
