On September 4, the renovated Riverside ballroom at Radisson Hotel & Suites Austin Downtown in Austin, Texas, was unveiled as part of the city's Taste of Downtown event. To underscore the theme of the food-centric happening, centerpieces contained produce such as artichokes and potatoes. The arrangements were held in fruit and vegetable cartons.
For Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, held in New York September 4 to 11, designer Bronson van Wyck created a V.I.P. area called the Star Lounge. Intended as a relaxing retreat for media, celebrities, and Mercedes-Benz customers, the space had a bar, flat-screen TVs with footage from the runways, and black-and-gold fixtures and fabrics.
Presented by MasterCard, the Magnificent Mile Shopping Festival took over the storied shopping strip in Chicago August 22 to September 1. To spread the word about the festival, organizers teamed up with Southwest Airlines to host the first ”Runway in the Sky.” Held in the aisle of a 737 traveling from New York to Chicago, the event featured Factor models wearing styles from Macy's.
Hive puts the craft cocktail experience on wheels, serving a full bar out of a retrofitted Airstream trailer. Partners Graham H. McKissock and Lance Davis work with hosts ahead of time to develop a drink menu that plays to an event’s theme and incorporates local spirits and seasonal ingredients.
Ice Beat Factory entertains event guests worldwide with an energetic art show that combines ice sculpting and live music with Âdifferent lineups, including a Chapman stick player, violin player, and Âdrummer. Groups can customize every show by incorporating brand logos into the sculpture on stage.
The J.C. Penney denim brand engaged teens with its bicoastal "Flea" event. On August 27, kitschy trailers at the Los Angeles event provided young guests with cozy—and Instagrammable—spots to relax after participating in the event's interactive stations.
At the New York event on August 20, colorful paper lanterns and Mexican-style paper flowers strung from the ceilings lent the event a fresh, youthful feel.
Old Navy worked with A2G to fuel buzz for its annual $1 Flip-Flop Sale by enticing consumers to tweet about the offer in exchange for a pair of free flip-flops dispensed from interactive vending machines stationed at 36 locations in Los Angeles and New York. The company generated 12 million social media impressions during the campaign’s run from June 24 to 26.
Cracker Jack kicked off its Surprise Inside Project, a nationwide campaign to help individuals pull off small surprises for family or friends, by taking over Herald Square in New York on June 26 with a 15-foot Cracker Jack box. The activation also included photo opportunities with Sailor Jack and free samples of the snack.
Urban Adventure Quest turns the city of Dallas into a giant board game. Part Amazing Race, part city tour, the scavenger-hunt-style pursuit is guided via smartphone, and teams try to solve clues and complete challenges all over town. Private groups can participate on their own schedules.
For an otherworldly performance, two illuminated creatures, with laser beams shooting from each finger, appear from a starry background. Combining laser technology and choreography, “Light Beings,” created by Living World Entertainment, is available as a full-stage production or as individual extraterrestrials that can interact with the audience. To book, contact Orlando-based Key Artist Group. Pricing is available upon request.
“Electric Disco Starz” from Tryon Entertainment involves a four-member crew wearing sleek suits and disco-ball-shaped heads with LED scrolls that can be customized to display a brand message or event name. The squad of performers can act as greeters or interact with the crowd during an event, as it has done annually since 2011 at the Allstate Life Insurance New York 13.1 Marathon. Pricing is available upon request.Â
Marriott launched its Moxy boutique hotel brand at Nokia Plaza L.A. Live in January with a program targeting millennials. The event included the creation of a paint-by-numbers-style piece hinting at the secretive behaviors in bars and hotel rooms.
In a V.I.P. area, guests could have their photos snapped inside the "Bud Light Lolla-Scope." The machine took rotating, 360-degree photos of guests, who then posted the images to their social media accounts. The images were automatically populated with the phrase: "And this happened at Lolla 2015," along with the #UpForWhatever hashtag.
The third annual III Points Festival—focused on music, technology, and art—returned to Miami's Wynwood arts district October 9 to 11. The entrance to the Main Frame stage was constructed of illuminated poles that bounced sounds back and forth. The video sculpture was designed by artist Jason Boogie AV8 and titled "Theoretical FrameWork."
