When MTV's Video Music Awards come to town this weekend, so too will the annual proliferation of gift and hospitality suites competing for attention from the celebrities and media outlets swirling around the awards. Hype Marketing hopes to differentiate its House of Hype weekend setup by taking it to a Hollywood home—only minutes from the awards venue, Paramount—that might be enough to stagger even the most seasoned swag collector.
The House of Hype will take over a private eight-acre Hollywood estate. It features a grotto pool, a sand volleyball court, an outdoor bar and grill, 270-degree city views, and a 100-person nightclub. "The venue for us is always very critical," said co-producer Sam Keywanfar. "The venue that we've selected is seven minutes away from the awards, so it's very convenent for our guests to get there. We've got an entire mountainside." A lineup of performers will entertain the lounging and free-stuff-sifting crowd.
Among the other gifting opportunities will be Miami Marketing Group's Verizon Wireless Style Villa, which will take to 10,000 square feet of rooftop poolside cabanas and event space at the Thompson hotel in Beverly Hills. Among the high-end perks there for the 100 celebs expected to meander through: trips from Antigua's tourism board.