August 9, 2016: How the Olympics Will Emphasize Virtual Reality, Measles Outbreak Hits U.K. Music Festivals, the Word "Bespoke" Has Reached Peak Usage

1. HOW THE OLYMPICS WILL EMPHASIZE VIRTUAL REALITY: NBC and Samsung announced a virtual-reality partnership last month, stating that 85 hours of Summer Olympics competition would be available in VR for Samsung Gear headset users. The move is expected to give the technology a chance to shine during the entirety of the Games. Adweek: "The VR footage will include action from men's basketball, gymnastics, track and field, beach volleyball, diving, boxing and fencing as NBC will offer highlight packages for those sports. The content will be supplied to NBC, which will help distribute it through the NBC Sports app. To protect NBC's TV interests, the virtual reality programming will be presented on delay, so, for instance, Samsung VR owners did not see Friday night's opening ceremony until Saturday. But the immersive, 360-degree experience should give sports fans a whole new perspective. 'Olympic fans can be transported to iconic venues such as Maracana Stadium for an unprecedented view of the opening ceremony, and Copacabana Beach for an immersive beach volleyball experience in the sport's ultimate setting,' said Gary Zenkel, president, NBC Olympics, in a statement a few weeks ago when the Samsung partnership was first disclosed. At any rate, how popular VR proves to be during the Olympics should give marketers a healthy perspective on how far along consumer adoption has come for such experiences." http://bit.ly/2b7MxWd

2. MEASLES OUTBREAK HITS U.K. MUSIC FESTIVALS: After 36 suspected measles cases were found in young people who attended music festivals in the U.K. this summer, Public Health England has issued a vaccination warning to anyone attending more live music events. The Guardian: “Public Health England says anyone visiting a music festival should ensure they have had two shots of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Some younger people may be at risk because they were not vaccinated as small children, after the scare generated by the suggestion of the now discredited scientist Andrew Wakefield that there was a link between the vaccine and autism. Glastonbury – the biggest music festival of the year – had the most cases, at 16. There were seven cases reported from the NASS festival near Bristol; six at the Triplicity festival in north Devon; three at Tewkesbury medieval festival; two at Nozstock: the Hidden Valley in Herefordshire; two at Noisily in Leicester; one at the Secret Garden Party near Huntingdon; and one at Yeovil Show. At least three of the cases were people who had measles symptoms but decided to go to the festival anyway rather than staying at home. PHE is anxious to avoid further spread at festivals and gatherings where thousands of young people are in close contact and some may be susceptible to infection. Measles can be more complicated in teenagers than in small children.” http://bit.ly/2auSTgZ

3. THE WORD "BESPOKE" HAS REACHED PEAK USAGE: The word "bespoke," which means made to order, has become so popular that brands now use it to describe everything from wines and cocktails to tattoos and yoga. But the mass effort to entice consumers with the term is also causing it to lose its significance. The New York Times: "Though the term began in Britain, Americans have savored its snob appeal. 'Americans associate it with the British upper class,' said Deborah Tannen, a linguistics professor at Georgetown University. At the same time, she said, the idea behind the word plays into something deeply American: 'Our individualism. We want everything made special for us. Even when it comes to salad bars.' Also, the word 'sounds old-fashioned and traditional,' Ms. Tannen said, naming two qualities common to the hipsterish faith that earlier generations did things in a more natural, and so, more righteous, way. Along the way, the term’s meaning has become muddled. For a party hosted by the music public relations firm Shore Fire Media, the invitation advertised 'bespoke cocktails.' But the drinks weren’t tailored to the individual. Guests could choose from several predetermined concoctions. A popular new restaurant in the West Village, Bespoke Kitchen, may allow diners to choose their own protein and flavor profile (rich or light), but from there, the chef makes most of the decisions. Diners also have the option of leaving the composition of their meal entirely up to the chef—the exact opposite of a bespoke experience." http://nyti.ms/2aG3f95

* LOCAL NEWS *

COAST TO COAST:  The Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience will launch a 28-city tour from February 15-April 2, 2017. Produced and promoted by Live Nation in partnership with HBO Global Licensing, the events will be headlined by Game of Thrones composer Ramin Djawadi and feature a full orchestra and choir along with footage from the show and images created exclusively for the tour. Cities include Kansas City, New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Boston, Las Vegas, Vancouver, Toronto, and Seattle.

CHICAGO:  Local family-friendly music street festival Retro on Roscoe will take place Friday to Sunday.

LAS VEGAS:  Charlie XCX will headline the 18th annual Pride Night Parade after-party concert on October 21 at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center.

LOS ANGELES:  The Nisei Week Japanese Festival will take place August 13-21 at various venues. The two-weekend event celebrating Japanese culture will feature martial arts performances, flower arranging, and a parade that ends with the Nisei Week Queen coronation.

For information on upcoming events in Los Angeles, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  Hilton Worldwide and Baptist Health South Florida have signed a franchise license deal to open Hilton Miami/Dadeland, a full service, 184-room hotel on the Baptist Hospital campus. Scheduled to open in late 2018, the hotel will have 150 guest rooms, including 34 rooms tailored to guests staying for longer periods; a wellness center; a farm-to-table restaurant; a 6,200-square-foot ballroom; and more than 2,000 square feet flexible meeting space. The hotel will be operated by Interstate Hotels and Resorts.

Visit Florida, the state's tourism marketing organization, has created an online Zika information page. The resource, which includes details regarding symptoms, diagnosis, and prevention, comes in the wake of news that people have been infected with the mosquito-borne illness in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood.

NEW YORK:  The NYC African Food Festival will take place Saturday and Sunday at the Brooklyn Navy Yard Center. Highlighting African cuisine, the event will feature bites from more than 25 restaurants and a Sunday brunch party.

Village Voice's sixth annual Brooklyn Pour Craft Beer Festival will take place September 24 at the Brooklyn Expo Center. The event will feature more than 100 beer samples from more than 65 national breweries, as well as a food court and a DJ.

Associated Luxury Hotels International has expanded its global sales team by appointing Elaine Morena as regional vice president of sales for the Northeast U.S. region.

Subscription-based cocktail app Hooch has appointed former Bacardi and Diageo marketing professional Angela Gee as vice president of brand partnerships.

For information on upcoming events in New York, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

PHILADELPHIA:  Austin-based events company Brass Tacks has opened a Philadelphia office, led by Beth Koenig. She is also president-elect of the International Live Events Association's Philadelphia chapter.

TORONTO:  This year's Canadian National Exhibition will take place August 19-September 5 at Exhibition Place.

SAN FRANCISCO:  The Grand National Rodeo, Horse, and Stock Show will take place October 14-15 and 21-22 at Cow Palace.

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  Friends of the National Zoo will present a Grapes With the Apes event on September 1 at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. The event—which is open to people ages 21 and over—will include animal demonstrations, live music, a selection of wine, food trucks, unique animal art, and a chance to win zoo-themed prizes.

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With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin and Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Carla Hay, Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, and Ian Zelaya in New York.

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