For the season three premiere of HBO’s weed-theme comedy High Maintenance, the network partnered with experiential company Grandesign to serve free CBD (cannabidiol) lattes, drip coffee, and cold brew to passersby in Venice, California, and Williamsburg, Brooklyn, on January 19. Lattes were served from a branded truck by ambassadors wearing green flannels and helmets, inspired by the show’s main character, who delivers weed to customers on a bike.
Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International held its annual Adrian Awards dinner reception and gala on January 23 at the New York Marriott Marquis. The event, which recognizes excellence in travel advertising, public relations, and digital marketing, drew more than 850 industry professionals. Sequence produced the event.
On January 21, 20th Century Fox debuted an experience at FAO Schwarz’s flagship location in New York to celebrate the film The Kid Who Would Be King, which puts a modern spin on the classic tale of the Sword in the Stone. The experience features a replica of the sword in the stone from the film, made from a concrete construction block with rebar. Cast members including Sir Patrick Stewart, Rhianna Dorris, and Louis Ashbourne Serkis were on site for the opening.
To celebrate the premiere of the musical Hamilton in Puerto Rico, American Express curated a themed experience in San Juan for 100 of its card members. The weekend experience, which took place January 11 to 13, featured a pre-show dinner curated by José Andrés at the historical La Arcada venue. The outside of the dinner venue displayed a lyric from the Hamilton song “That Would Be Enough.”
Decor elements inspired by the show included a quill and inkwell placed over elegantly scripted letters.
The post-show reception included a meet-and-greet with Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. One photo backdrop displayed a quote from the Hamilton Mixtape with a reference to the American Express brand.
For a guilt-free cocktail idea, Civana, a wellness resort located just outside of Scottsdale, serves the Citrine. The cocktail features whiskey, simple syrup, 20 mint leaves, fresh carrot juice, and ginger beer.
A fresh take on the traditional chocolate truffle, San Francisco-based TinyB offers Brazilian brigadeiros as a unique sweet treat. The smooth and creamy confections are preservative- and gluten-free, and are available in flavors like passion fruit, pineapple, cayenne pepper, and Brazilian coffee. Cleanly packaged in a robin’s egg blue box, the sweets range in price from $12 (for four) to $135 (for a three-box tower of 75). Additionally, the premium chocolates are available with branding options for corporate gift giving. The minimum order is 25 gifts, with a two-week lead time, plus additional set-up rates for a branded box sleeve ($175) and a hang tag ($125).
Orlando-based company See Magic Live focuses on corporate events such as cocktail hours for organizations with interactive close-up magic services, ranging from $500 to $3,500 (depending on the performer). There is also a group magic show option for more in-depth event entertainment. The company’s group shows are designed for after-dinner events, sales meetings, and award nights, and are structured as a sit-down performance with comedy, theatrical mentalism, and mystery elements. Depending on the performance and the length of the show, fees range from $1,500 to $7,500.
Austin's Catering with a Twist found a crowd-pleasing hit in its new starter boards. Each board is priced from $9 to $12, depending on the chosen items. Rosy-hued starter boards are laden down with nibbles like raspberries, pimento cheese, smoked salmon pate, and beet chips.
