BIZBASH CALL SHEET — #181 — Thursday, 01.19.12
Compiled today by Jana Schiowitz and Anna Sekula in New York
Feed the Sheet: [email protected]
Subscribe: http://info.bizbash.com/callsheet.html
* INCOMING *
1. MARKETING WITH INSTAGRAM: Brands are taking notice of the mobile photo-sharing app, which has attracted 15 million users since its launch in October. Companies like Starbucks, Red Bull, and Burberry, as well as events like the Oscars and President Barack Obama's re-election campaign are among the early adopters of the app. Ad Age:
http://bit.ly/zOgEqS
In other Instagram news: In an effort to harness the attendee experience at Sundance, the festival is inviting participants to share photos on Instagram with the hashtag #sundance. They will be sharing their favorites on their feed (http://bit.ly/A1EYi3) and on the Sundance Festival Web site throughout the 11-day event, which kicks off today.
2. GRAMMYS GET A HOST: LL Cool J is set to host the 54th annual Grammy awards, marking the first time in seven years that the event will have an official host. The show will be supported on radio worldwide via Westwood One/Dial Global and covered online at grammy.com, CBS.com, and a dedicated YouTube channel. Scheduled for February 12 at the Staples Center, the music awards ceremony will announce additional performers, presenters, and special segments soon.
3. SUPER BOWL'S BUD LIGHT HOTEL: The Bud Light Hotel, a returning Super Bowl activation, will take place at a 180-room, downtown Indianapolis hotel February 2-5. The venue will host parties from EA Sports and "Playboy," along with concerts from 50 Cent, Lil Jon, and Pitbull on Saturday and the Barenaked Ladies on Sunday. The Saturday concert will be broadcast live on Omg! from Yahoo, a celebrity news site, and on the new Yahoo Screen, the company's video destination.
Bud Light is hosting an open video casting call through Facebook to find an official Bud Light Hotel correspondent, who will appear in a series of videos that provide a behind-the-scenes look at the EA Sports and "Playboy" parties. Applicants can upload videos through a special tab on the brand's Facebook page through Friday, January 20, and followers can "like" their favorites.
4. FLATWARE PASSÉ?: Eating with your hands is coming to a fine dining establishment near you. New York Times: "A glimmer of this idea has even made it to the White House. When the New York chef Marcus Samuelsson prepared the state dinner for India’s prime minister in 2009, he included a bread course (unusual at such events) of naan and corn bread with dips. ‘What could be better than for people who don’t know each other, from all over the world, to break bread together?‚’ he said. In fact, Mr. Samuelsson expects that as American fine dining evolves, flatware may become more and more optional. “I think there will be a four-star restaurant where knives and forks are used, but not for every course,‚’ he said.”
http://nyti.ms/w2AOne
5. TIC TAC'S NEW CAMPAIGN: The company has launched a new multimedia and experiential campaign targeting millennials and will sponsor Gen Art's lounge at the Sundance Film Festival. "Additionally, initiatives will include a Facebook engagement program with updates to the Tic Tac USA Facebook page, an instant win sweepstakes and tips on how to break out of the mundane."
http://bit.ly/zNeKiz
6. CHARITABLE GIVING TRENDS: Ad Age reports that 83 percent of people polled in a Cone Cause-Evolution Study want brands to support causes.
http://bit.ly/ylBsQq
* LOCAL NEWS *
BOSTON: Van Shabu & Bar is now open in Dorchester. With communal tables, the spot offers Asian hot pots and small plates of items such as beef tongue. Eater.com:
http://bit.ly/x4LPz5
According to the Boston Globe, smoking dishes table-side is a new trend in local restaurants. At new Winchester restaurant A Tavola, a glass cloche filled with smoke is lifted off a dish of smoked pork. The Boston Globe:
http://b.globe.com/w01V5Y
Magners Irish Cider will host a kickoff party for its comedy festival at Improv Asylum January 24.
Area Four launches a weekend brunch Saturday. Menu items include pancakes baked in the wood oven, bananas foster French toast, and farm eggs.
CHARLOTTE: The Ritz-Carlton is offering a meeting promotion for planners whose meetings and events are scheduled between January and May. For 75 or more new room-night bookings, six incentives may be selected, while for 50 to 74 new room-night bookings, five choices are available. Four incentives may be selected for bookings of 25 to 49 room nights, and 10 to 24 room-night contracts qualify for two selections.
CHICAGO: Urban Union will open Wednesday in Little Italy. With small plates and wine, the space has a 10-seat chef's table and a private dining room for six.
Redmoon's Spectacle Lunatique fund-raiser is March 17 at the Hudson Club. The invite promises "102 Moments of Spectacle."
LAS VEGAS: Las Vegas Sun reports on the reasons why the International Consumer Electronics Show and the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo are being held on separate weeks this year.
http://bit.ly/xxtFfK
Las Vegas Sun reports that lawmakers are being asked to exempt farm-to-table events from food regulations.
http://bit.ly/AFsQJ8
Producer Cort McCown has moved his comedy show lineup, now titled Empire Comedy, to Napoleon’s Lounge inside Paris Las Vegas.
Flightlinez is holding a fund-raiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, donating all revenue from zipline rides January 25 from noon to midnight to the group.
LOS ANGELES: The Entertainment Publicists Professional Society will be holding its semi-annual reception at the Hollywood Museum in the historic Max Factor Building January 19.
As part of an ongoing celebration of Paramount's 100th anniversary, the studio hosted a special screening of "Wings," the first film to receive the Best Picture Oscar, at the Motion Picture Academy Tuesday.
Unicomm LLC announced that its seventh annual Los Angeles Travel & Adventure Show, held at the Long Beach Convention Center January 14-15, set a new record with close to 26,000 attendees. That makes it the highest-attended travel event in the United States, according to the Unicomm.
http://bit.ly/z8jmGJ
Movieguide announced that its picks for the best 2011 movies for families will be presented at the 20th annual Faith & Values Awards Gala and Report to the Entertainment Industry on February 10 at the Universal Hilton Hotel.
MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA: The Pawpurrazzi Gala is tomorrow at Jungle Island. Sponsored by South Motors, the event will benefit the Human Society of Greater Miami.
NEW YORK: Predictions on what this morning's event from Apple will announce: Cnet:
http://cnet.co/x3PiuL
Fox Business interviewed Ryan Simonetti and Chris Kelly of Sentry Centers about converting empty office spaces into temporary conference venues.
http://bit.ly/z6uAOK
The Javits Convention Center is partnering with American Express, launching the first American Express Open Business Lounge at the venue. The space is opening in the spring and will offer coffee, tea, light snacks, seating, Wi-Fi, and laptops.
The Tahrir Square Foundation is hosting the Black Swan of Cairo luncheon with author of "The Black Swan," Nassim Taleb January 25. The event will be held in Harvard Hall at the Harvard Club of New York.
http://bit.ly/AEJqCJ
Mitchell Davis of the James Beard Foundation will be speaking at Tedx Manhattan's "Changing the Way We Eat" January 21.
The Meadowlands Chamber of Commerce has named executive board member David Meredith as its new chairman.
ORLANDO: The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival will take place March 7 through May 20. The festival includes the Flower Power concert series, with singers such as Jose Feliciano, Chubby Checker, and Davy Jones performing every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Celebrities from HGTV will also be at the festival each Friday through Sunday to offer tips and demonstrations.
PHOENIX: Cities around Arizona are celebrating the state's 100th birthday with dozens of events set to take place through the end of the year. Phoenix will host an exhibit of landscape art by artist Merrill Mahaffey and a slew of events honoring the city's influencers at the Stockyards.
http://bit.ly/lcixU8
TORONTO: Oliver and Bonacini confirmed on Wednesday that its new event space, the Arcadian Loft, will open on March 8. The L-shaped Loft can be divided into five rooms and can accommodate up to 400 guests.
http://bit.ly/AwtK5L
On Monday, Grolsch was named the official beer sponsor of the Toronto International Film Festival. The new partnership will provide Grolsch with a platform to introduce Canadians to Grolsch Film Works, a program that supports independent cinema.
http://bit.ly/w1MwsW
The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television announced the nominees for the 32nd annual Genie Awards on Tuesday. The awards will be held on March 8. The venue has yet to be announced.
http://bit.ly/obIFN
WASHINGTON: Paul Jameson of the Jameson Wine Experience is leading a tasting comparing wines made from the syrah grape, January 23 in Arlington. Light fare will be served.
YOUR NEWS: What are you doing? Tell us: [email protected].
With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, Carla Warrilow in Toronto, and Jana Schiowitz and Anna Sekula in New York.
BizBash Call Sheet is the must-read daily digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.
Feed the Sheet: [email protected]
Subscribe: http://info.bizbash.com/callsheet.html
