BizBash
  • Production & Strategy
  • Catering & Design
  • Event Tech & Virtual
  • Venues & Destinations
  • Meetings & Trade Shows
  • Sports
  • Advertise
  • Events
Topics
  • Production & Strategy
  • Catering & Design
  • Event Tech & Virtual
  • Venues & Destinations
  • Meetings & Trade Shows
  • Sports
  • Advertise
  • Events
  • Industry Buzz
  • BizBash Lists
Resources
  • On-Demand
  • White Papers & E-Books
  • Podcast
  • Magazine
  • Events
  • Awards
  • Subscribe
User Tools
Follow BizBash
Instagram iconLinkedIn iconFacebook iconTwitter X icon Pinterest iconYouTube iconTikTok
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Get Featured
  • Press Releases
  • Newsletter Signup
  • Subscribe to Magazine
Follow BizBash
Instagram iconLinkedIn iconFacebook iconTwitter X icon Pinterest iconYouTube iconTikTok
  • Production & Strategy
  • Catering & Design
  • Event Tech & Virtual
  • Venues & Destinations
  • Meetings & Trade Shows
  • Sports
  • Advertise
  • Events
  • On-Demand
  • White Papers & E-Books
  • Podcast
  • Magazine
  • Events
  • Awards
  • Subscribe
  1. Production & Strategy
  2. Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships

Girls, Girls, Girls

For its annual Friday night Super Bowl party, Maxim trucked in girls (loads of \'em) and offered suprisingly innovative sponsor integrations in a sprawling new space.

Courtney Thompson
February 2, 2008
FROM SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. When presupposing what a Maxim party will entail, it’s a good guess that a girl or two will be on-site. And last night's Super Bowl weekend bash at Rande Gerber's new Stone Rose lounge in the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess fulfilled that expectation. The lad mag packed the 2,500-person guest list with the usual celebrity suspects (reality stars, rappers, and athletes), as well as hundreds and hundreds of pretty young things. Donning teensy weensy dresses and gobs of makeup, the girls could be seen running from one outdoor heater to the next to escape the evening’s 40-degree temperature.

In and around Stone Rose, the party’s massive footprint was mostly outdoors, spilling into the hotel’s main plaza and pool area. Produced by Maxim senior director of events Jordan Rothstein, TK New York’s Tracy Kessler, and Houston-based Eli Marketing’s Fontaine Swope, the event eschewed a theme this year in favor of an upscale look. “Last year was Hotel de Maxim, which was very much a hotel theme,” said Rothstein, adding that this year's party doubled as Stone Rose’s grand opening. “This year we decided not to theme the event, to just go with a very high-end, beautiful environment that reflects our brands and our partners.”Going beyond the usual logo-bedecked pillows and key-chain giveaways, the team created innovative and interactive sponsorships. For Samsung, guests could pose in front of a green screen, then walk through a tunnel of 55 flat-screen TVs, each showing their picture in a far-off environment, like skiing in the Alps or surfing. “It’s a rounded tunnel, so they’re enveloped on all sides with the Samsung experience,” Rothstein said.

Also on-site was a Patron T-shirt bar, where guests could choose one of several either/or debates to be printed on their shirt, such as "New England or New York" or "Blonde or Brunette." The event’s logo and date was on the front, with the Patron logo (“Some perfection is debatable. Some is not.”) on the back. The biggest surprise was that the shirts came in all sizes, from women’s small to men’s extra-large—a long-overdue sign that Rothstein & Company realized that the usual one-size-fits-all mantra at events is outdated.

Production for the event was extensive. A temporary staircase was built to facilitate traffic flow, as was a 45- by 45-foot dance floor over the pool area and a 600-foot custom stage, complete with monster speakers and trussed concert-esque lighting. DJ AM entertained in the earlier part of the evening, with surprise guests T-Pain and Akon taking over for a startlingly short performance—10 minutes, tops—around midnight. Sound difficulties abounded, with the speakers shutting off during AM’s performance and Akon’s mic not working at one point. And while the dance floor over the pool looked beautiful, its bouncing and swaying could also be disconcerting.

The event—Maxim's first Super Bowl party under its new owner, Alpha Media Group—seemed to be the biggest draw in town, with everyone from Tom Petty, Diddy and Nick Lachey to Larry David, Evander Holyfield, and Spike Lee present. Even Ludacris stopped by, presumably after his performance at the ESPN the Magazine party a few miles down the road. “We find that most of the other events that go up against us on Friday are more consumer events and less celebrity-driven,” Rothstein said. “And we’ve noticed that a lot of the other major events are focused on Saturday, as to not go head-to-head with us.”
Hundreds of Maxim-ready girls attended the event.
Hundreds of Maxim-ready girls attended the event.
Photo: Alexandra Wyman and Theo Wargo/WireImage
An arc-shaped V.I.P. area, bedecked with heaters, gave celebrities a bird's-eye view of the concert.
An arc-shaped V.I.P. area, bedecked with heaters, gave celebrities a bird's-eye view of the concert.
Photo: Alexandra Wyman and Theo Wargo/WireImage
Maxim models wearing Patriots and Giants jerseys posed with celebrities like man-about-town Jerry O'Connell and his brother Charlie.
Maxim models wearing Patriots and Giants jerseys posed with celebrities like man-about-town Jerry O'Connell and his brother Charlie.
Photo: Alexandra Wyman and Theo Wargo/WireImage
DJ AM played his signature mix of '80s songs on the outdoor stage.
DJ AM played his signature mix of '80s songs on the outdoor stage.
Photo: Alexandra Wyman and Theo Wargo / WireImage
The Samsung television tunnel flanked the entrance.
The Samsung television tunnel flanked the entrance.
Photo: Alexandra Wyman and Theo Wargo/WireImage
Maxim created a floating (albeit wobbly) dance floor in the Fairmont pool.
Maxim created a floating (albeit wobbly) dance floor in the Fairmont pool.
Photo: Alexandra Wyman and Theo Wargo/WireImage
V.I.P. guests could try on and pre-order event sponsor Under Armour's new products.
V.I.P. guests could try on and pre-order event sponsor  Under Armour's new products.
Photo: Alexandra Wyman and Theo Wargo/WireImage
Hundreds of Maxim-ready girls attended the event.
Hundreds of Maxim-ready girls attended the event.
Photo: Alexandra Wyman and Theo Wargo/WireImage
Event sponsor Perry Ellis created a sand-filled setting where models offered guests a sniff of the Perry Ellis 18 fragrance. The brand also had floating product displays in the pool.
Event sponsor Perry Ellis created a sand-filled setting where models offered guests a sniff of the Perry Ellis 18 fragrance. The brand also had floating product displays in the pool.
Photo: Alexandra Wyman and Theo Wargo/WireImage
Rapper T-Pain opened for surprise performer Akon.
Rapper T-Pain opened for surprise performer Akon.
Photo: Alexandra Wyman and Theo Wargo/WireImage
Latest in Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
Disney+ hosted a Throwback Experience for fans June 12-15 in Los Angeles.
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
Disney+ Leaned Into Y2K Vibes for a 'Throwback' Pop-Up Experience in LA
2025 Industry Innovators Article Image Brands
Brands & Event Pros
Industry Innovators 2025: 10 Brands That Took Experiential Marketing to a Whole New Level
LinkedIn's Rooftop & Studio
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
Cannes Lions 2025: 90+ Bold Builds and Big Ideas From the French Festival of Creativity
Visitors embark on a rescue mission with a team of fellow Minecrafters.
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
Block Party: See How Minecraft Was Transformed Into an IRL Video Game
Related Stories
DWS Scudder's Beverly Hills ski slope
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
Snow Day
L2 Lounge hosted Imperia Vodka on Wednesday.
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
A Moscow Meet
Brooke Primero
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
Publicity Made Personal
Gatorade's baseball-inspired wall
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
Thirst Quencher
More in Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
Disney+ Leaned Into Y2K Vibes for a 'Throwback' Pop-Up Experience in LA
Millennials, this one's for you. The streamer welcomed thousands of guests during a four-day experience celebrating its beloved '90s and '00s IP.
Disney+ hosted a Throwback Experience for fans June 12-15 in Los Angeles.
Brands & Event Pros
Industry Innovators 2025: 10 Brands That Took Experiential Marketing to a Whole New Level
These companies broke through the noise with creative activations, events, and experiences that engaged attendees, fans, and consumers.
2025 Industry Innovators Article Image Brands
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
Cannes Lions 2025: 90+ Bold Builds and Big Ideas From the French Festival of Creativity
LinkedIn, Spotify, Canva, Pinterest, Meta, and dozens of other top brands showed up in a big way at the world’s most creative week. Take a look inside their splashy activations.
LinkedIn's Rooftop & Studio
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
Block Party: See How Minecraft Was Transformed Into an IRL Video Game
The popular game has been turned into an interactive in-person experience that just opened in Canada.
Visitors embark on a rescue mission with a team of fellow Minecrafters.
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
50 Cool Event Ideas You May Have Missed From Liquid I.V., Martha Stewart, Foot Locker, and More
Here’s a look at some steal-worthy ideas we spotted in June 2025.
The pop-up brought the magazine to life through live hair demonstrations by local stylists, along with immersive moments designed to honor the legacy, creativity, and versatility of Black hair.
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
See Inside This High-Tech, Multisensory Experience from Don Julio
Part guided tasting, part interactive art experience, the latest activation from the spirits brand immersed guests into the culture of the popular tequila.
During the experience, guests traveled from the red clay fields of Jalisco to the heart of a modern Mexican celebration.
Most Popular
Brands & Event Pros
Industry Innovators 2025: Sephora
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
Cannes Lions 2025: 90+ Bold Builds and Big Ideas From the French Festival of Creativity
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
Disney+ Leaned Into Y2K Vibes for a 'Throwback' Pop-Up Experience in LA
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
50 Cool Event Ideas You May Have Missed From Liquid I.V., Martha Stewart, Foot Locker, and More
Brands & Event Pros
Industry Innovators 2025: 10 Brands That Took Experiential Marketing to a Whole New Level
Sports
See Inside Sport Beach—The Game-Raising Activation That Had Everyone Talking at Cannes Lions
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
This Event Turned Home Decor Into a Celebration of Latinas' Life Moments
Walmart and Apartment Therapy teamed up to celebrate the Becky G & Alejandra home collection—while also spotlighting the often-overlooked personal milestones of Latina creators.
The 'Mainstays Mujeres' event, which drew 32 Latina content creators, transformed a private residence in Venice, Calif. on May 30.
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
Gov Ball 2025: 25+ Eye-Catching Brand Activations From the NYC Music Festival
The annual music festival featured sponsorship firsts and lots of colorful experiences from brands like Kiehl's, 7-Eleven, and Coca-Cola.
It included an iconic cassette tape photo backdrop.
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
Summer Lovin': See How These Brands Celebrated Romance
From prebiotic soda to laundry appliances, brands are cashing in on the feel-good vibes of coupledom.
Them x Destination DC's WorldPride DC Kick Off Event
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
Brands Are Backing Out of This Year's Pride Events—But Some Are Stepping Up
Facing political pressure, some companies are cutting back on public and financial support for LGBTQIA+ events, while others remain strong.
Washington, D.C., is hosting this year’s WorldPride celebration.
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
50 Cool Event Ideas You May Have Missed From TOMS Shoes, Mattel, Barstool Sports, and More
Here’s a look at some steal-worthy ideas we spotted in May 2025.
Max's 'Mothers of Max' Art Installation
Brands & Event Pros
Industry Innovators 2025: 11 Experiential Experts Reinventing How We Experience Brands
Meet the boundary-pushers, rule-breakers, and big thinkers shaping the future of experiential marketing.
2025 Industry Innovators Article Image Experiential2 B
Page 1 of 135
Next Page
BizBash
Follow BizBash
Instagram iconLinkedIn iconFacebook iconTwitter X icon Pinterest iconYouTube iconTikTok
  1. Privacy Policy
  2. CCPA: Do Not Sell My Personal Info
  3. Contact Us
  4. Site Map
© 2025 Connect Biz, LLC. All rights reserved.