BIZBASH CALL SHEET — #73 — Friday, 08.05.11
Compiled today by Jana Schiowitz & Courtney Thompson in New York
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* INCOMING *
1. OSCAR PRODUCERS ANNOUNCED: Brett Ratner and Don Mischer will produce the 84th Academy Awards telecast, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president Tom Sherak announced Thursday. The Hollywood Reporter: "Ratner, a surprise choice who has directed such movies as the Rush Hour series and X-Men: The Last Stand, said that he suspected one reason that Sherak and the Academy's new C.E.O. Dawn Hudson turned to him is his love of comedy." Both men insist they have not yet decided on a host for the program, but it will be their first order of business.
http://bit.ly/qna2KS
2. VIRGIN AMERICA RUNS TWITTER SCAVENGER HUNT: To celebrate its fourth anniversary, Virgin America is hosting a Twitter promotion dubbed “Virgin America Day” on Monday at AT&T Park during the Giants-Phillies game in San Francisco. Attendees following Virgin America on Twitter and the #FlyTheBeard hashtag will aim to locate flight attendants (wearing beards in honor of Giants pitcher Brian Wilson) hiding in the ballpark via photo clues. Throughout the past few months, the brand has used other social media outlets like Facebook and Foursquare to promote specials, prizes, and flights to customers. Mashable:
http://on.mash.to/pUOWSv
3. OBAMA’S BIRTHDAY AT THE WHITE HOUSE: President Obama celebrated his birthday at the White House yesterday, first with aides in the Blue Room, then in the Rose Garden with family and friends. White House chefs were seen cooking chicken and burgers on outdoor grills. The president is said to be continuing the celebration at Camp David this weekend. The New York Times:
http://nyti.ms/oSu4BP
4. HARVEY & ANNA’S OBAMA FUND-RAISER: Page Six is reporting that Harvey Weinstein and Anna Wintour are hosting a $71,600-a-couple fund-raiser for President Obama next week at Weinstein’s West Village home. Similar to the event Wintour threw at her home last summer, the dinner will reel in high-profile guests like Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Martin, Tory Burch, and Quentin Tarantino and will comprise only four tables, allowing each guest access to the president. Page Six:
http://nyp.st/nftx9u
5. TECHNOLOGY DISRUPTS MEETINGS: Microscope: "Technology might well have helped us become better connected and able to work more flexibly but it has also led to an increase in workplace rudeness with the humble business meeting the main victim of wandering minds. Next time someone disrupts a meeting by tapping away on their phone or feels the urge to sends tweets through the CEO's quarterly update remember that according to research they are far from unusual."
http://bit.ly/piO8Aq
* UPCOMING *
August 25 marks the beginning of Event Camp Twin Cities, a two-day thinktank in Minneapolis. The program includes sessions on integrated gaming, social learning, mobile technology, and innovation.
http://bit.ly/9lHXkg
* SOMETHING TO PONDER OVER THE WEEKEND *
Orlando bureau chief Mitra Sorrells attended the Trade Show Exhibitors Association’s Red Diamond Congress in Orlando this week, and reported on the topics exhibitor managers and show organizers are concerned with, what they want to see more of, and the need to bring costs down. Read her full story here:
http://bit.ly/nm7QKI
* FRIDAY BLOG ROLL *
Highlights of this week's event-related blog posts:
Butts in Seats: 5 Tips for Event Marketing Using Social Media [Ceci Dadisman/Palm Beach Opera]
http://bit.ly/nEwSfE
5 Collaboration Tools Demonstrate How the Future Web Will Act [John Jantsch/Duck Tape Marketing]
http://bit.ly/o7kU0M
Six Steps to Successful Sponsorships [William Rosen/Arc Worldwide and Laurence Minsky/Columbia College Chicago]
http://bit.ly/nLFGp0
It Was a Dark & Stormy Night: 4 Tips for Better Storytelling [Donna Kastner/Enlighten 123]
http://bit.ly/ruCVdl
* LOCAL NEWS *
BALTIMORE: Today marks the beginning of the National Aquarium's 30th anniversary celebration. For three days, the aquarium will showcase music, dancing, face painting, art projects, and zumba instruction.
BOSTON: The Native American Summer Festival will be held tomorrow on Georges Island. The event will feature performances, storytelling, and educational exhibits.
http://bit.ly/pMdM0U
CHICAGO: The Trade Show Exhibitors Association announced new additions to its 2011-2012 Board of Directors. Ann Pennino, CME, Praxair, Inc. took over as Chairman of the Board along with four new Directors-at-Large. Exhibitor News Network:
http://bit.ly/oBLXLR
LAS VEGAS: Aria and Bellagio will host the second annual Food & Wine All-Star Weekend October 21-23, hosted by the magazine's Gail Simmons along with a lineup of big-name chefs, sommeliers, and mixologists.
The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino is gearing up to host "Star Trek Convention 2011: The Celebration of the 45th Anniversary," from August 11-14.
http://bit.ly/pON6hh
LOS ANGELES: Chef David Myers announced plans to open an Italian pizzeria restaurant at Hollywood and Vine in Spring 2012.
Xbox 360 will sponsor a Call of Duty XP event September 2-3 that will include a Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer tournament with $1 million in cash prizes.
http://bit.ly/pfU9zM
Line 204 is hosting an open house at its new warehouse and offices in Hollywood August 6. It will include appetizers, drinks, a raffle, and a DJ.
http://bit.ly/qgmExa
MIAMI: Kevin Aoki will open his second South Florida location of Doraku Sushi later this year. The 3,500-square-foot space will seat 80.
The Key Largo Food & Wine Festival wraps up this weekend with "A Lobster How To" cooking demonstration tonight, the grand tasting event at Rowell's Marina Saturday, and brunch events on Sunday.
http://bit.ly/pAGk4b
NEW YORK: The New York Times' long profile of Danny Meyer details how the successful restaurateur builds his business on a day-to-day basis, how "excruciatingly hard" it was to close Tabla last year, and his new company Hospitality Quotient "franchises not food but Meyer’s style — franchises, in effect, his eye contact, handshaking, infectious capacity for pleasure. As Meyer put it, hospitality is 'the degree to which it makes you feel good to make other people feel good.'"
http://nyti.ms/pCUVo4
Including an attempt to break the Guinness World Record at events and promotions seems to be a growing trend these days. At public event inside the 69th Regiment Armory yesterday afternoon, Mars Chocolate America built the world's largest pinata to mark one year since it introduced pretzel M&Ms. The 46-foot-tall piece was a replica of the orange M&M Pretzel character and filled with packets of the chocolate candies.
A fire under the Waldorf-Astoria broke out yesterday, forcing employees and guests to evacuate. New York Post:
http://nyp.st/n8h4Rt
ORLANDO: Walt Disney World is preparing to reopen the Enchanted Tiki Room at Magic Kingdom August 15. The updated show will combine the traditional audio-animatronic birds with new lights, sound, and production systems.
http://bit.ly/rkmhIL
TORONTO: Three kilometres of the Danforth will be closed to traffic today through Sunday for Taste of the Danforth. The 18th annual street festival attracts over 1.3 million visitors and celebrates the food and culture of Greektown.
http://bit.ly/q6ZB9
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 Erica Petri, Jana Schiowitz, Anna Sekula, and Courtney Thompson in New York.
BizBash Call Sheet is the must-read daily digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.
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