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.
At his final show for Louis Vuitton at Paris Fashion Week, Marc Jacobs delivered a bang—and not just with the clothes. The October 2 spectacle at the Cour Carrée du Louvre tent saw the fashion house recreating many of the sets from Jacobs’s 16-year tenure, including a fairground carousel.
Dior’s Spring 2014 show, held September 27 in the gardens of the Musée Rodin and produced by Bureau Betak, used a custom-built metallic framework set that spanned 16,146 square feet. As guests arrived, they met an imposing venue façade seemingly inspired by Patrick Blanc’s iconic vertical garden. The striking landscape (98,425 feet of creepers and 3,229 square feet of branches), reminiscent of a relic overrun by nature over time, set the tone for what was in store inside.
On October 1, a seven-foot sandcastle heralded the start of a major residential construction project in Miami. Aria Development Group celebrated the groundbreaking of its luxury condominium, 321 Ocean, with a ceremony for city officials, buyers, and friends and family. Guests gathered around the sandcastle—which was a whimsical replica of the forthcoming property—for a toast, then headed to nearby restaurant Estiatorio Milos for a reception.
At the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic October 5, a 70-foot-long wall of letters spelled out the brand's name and was meant to recall the Hollywood sign.
Aiming to increase foot traffic and engagement at its 2013 Advertising Week activation inside the lobby of the Times Center in New York, Microsoft invited clients to touch, hear, and experience the company’s computing products and services from a consumer standpoint. To highlight a creation theme and the software company's partnership with 3-D printer MakerBot, attendees could watch as the machine printed take-home gifts such as a comb or a bracelet.
At the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner October 5 in Washington, a multitiered stage backdrop of three 28- by 50-foot video screens showed inspirational videos of the H.R.C’s work in Washington, memes of its logo, and live feeds of the night’s speakers and performers.
MaxPoint, a digital advertising agency, promoted its line of work with a drolly somber activation during New York Advertising Week. On September 23, a procession inspired by a New Orleans–style funeral wound through the streets of Manhattan. In addition to holding signs with phrases such as “Ink Fades Away” as well as the stunt's official hashtag, #GoodbyePrint, the performers carried red umbrellas, twirled handkerchiefs, and played horns and drums. Barkley Kaplak Agency produced the event.
Accommodations booking site Airbnb found a unique and experiential way to highlight its offerings to consumers in Los Angeles. Called Hello L.A., the five-day campaign had celebrities host and design pop-up listings and experiences in iconic places around the city. Moby hosted an event at the Viper Room and shared unreleased tracks from his new record, Innocents. At the pop-up, a so-called "silent disco" provided the soundtrack for guests in headphones.
The Hamburger Hop took place on the rooftop of Chicago's Harris Theater on September 27. A kickoff party to Chicago Gourmet—the high-end food fest presented by Bon Appétit—the hop centers on a competition in which prominent chefs battle to create the best burger. A prop cow stood sentry at the entrance to the meat-centric event.
Gluten, wheat, dairy, nuts, soy, shellfish—dietary restrictions are everywhere these days. Meeting planners can try to please everyone by handing out prepacked “Free From” break boxes from Savorfull. Nutritionist Stacy Goldberg selects the healthy, allergen-free snacks in each box, which can be shipped anywhere in the continental United States.
