Now at the halfway mark, the 2012 Sundance Film Festival has seen a number of brand activations, ploys designed to get products in the hands of the many celebrities out and about in Park City. Sponsored lounges, gifting suites, music venues, interview studios, pop-up salons, and private dinner parties abound, bringing a wide array of marketers—from Nintendo and AT&T to Bertolli and Puma—to the snow-covered slopes of the Utah town.
The Sundance Channel has harnessed more media than ever before to share the indie film experience with fans at home, including nightly programs on the channel, live online streaming through Livestream, partnerships with Newsweek and The Daily Beast and the social magazine app Flipboard, as well as a bevy of social media platforms.
This year's iteration of the festival kicked off on Thursday, January 19, and runs through this Saturday. Here’s a look inside some of the most buzzed-about private events and activities in and around the festival.
Photo: Dale Wilcox Photography/DWP
Sundance Channel's Film Festival Headquarters
Precision Event Group worked with the Sundance Channel to create Sundance Channel HQ for the second year in a row. The team transformed Park City's Hope Gallery on Main Street into a consumer experience and production space.
Photo: Dale Wilcox Photography/DWP
Sundance Channel's Film Festival Headquarters
Sundance HQ served as a hub for festival media coverage and played host to several private events. The first 100 people to check in to the location on Foursquare received a beanie hat. The 500th person to check in will receive an Amazon Kindle and a Sundance swag bag. (They were at 384 at press time.) The space also featured an installation by emerging New York artist David Schoerner.
Photo: Dale Wilcox Photography/DWP
Freecreditscore.com's Café at Sundance Channel's Film Festival Headquarters
Freecreditscore.com sponsored the HQ Café, which offered free coffee and charging stations.
Photo: Dale Wilcox Photography/DWP
Stella Artois and Grey Goose Vodka's Bar at Sundance Channel's Film Festival Headquarters
The HQ Bar was sponsored by Grey Goose Vodka and Stella Artois.
Photo: Dale Wilcox Photography/DWP
Nintendo 3DS Experience
Nintendo created the serene Nintendo 3DS Experience lounge in Park City’s Meyer Gallery.
Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images for Nintendo
Nintendo 3DS Experience
At the Nintendo lounge, the gaming company displayed its gaming devices as art on the gallery walls. Photos of the exterior of the space and three-dimensional atmospheric shots of Park City became 3-D art on 3DS.
Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images for Nintendo
Nintendo 3DS Experience
Stila provided makeup touch ups at the Nintendo 3DS Experience for guests like actor Agnes Bruckner of The Pact.
Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images for Nintendo
Nintendo 3DS Experience
Celebrities like actor Scott Wolf (pictured, left) stopped in at the Nintendo 3DS Experience to play games.
Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images for Nintendo
Chefdance
The five-night dinner series Chefdance returned to Sundance for the ninth year. A different celebrity chef provided the menu each night for premiere dinner parties for films like Save the Date and Red Hook Summer. Sponsors included Yogurtland, Diageo, Sotheby’s, Cascal, Nicholas & Co, Sorel, and Voss Water.
Photo: Angela Weiss/Getty Images
Chefdance
Chefdance’s roster of celebrity chefs included Top Chef Season 3 winner Hung Hunyh, Iron Chef judge Donatella Arpaia, and Chad White and Jeff Bonilla of Sea Rocket Bistro in San Diego.
Photo: Angela Weiss/Getty Images
Yogurtland at Chefdance
Self-serve frozen yogurt brand Yogurtland hosted a yogurt station at Chefdance.
Photo: Angela Weiss/Getty Images
Puma Social Lounge at T-Mobile Village at the Lift
The Puma Social Lounge was part of the T-Mobile Village at the Lift, produced by Best Events in partnership with PMK-BNC and Strategic Group. The two-story, 30,000-square-foot venue included a café, nightclub, restaurant, and portrait studio.
Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images for Best Events
Carhartt's Backcountry Club Pop-Up
Apparel brand Carhartt hosted the Carhartt Backcountry Club, a pop-up retail store by day and an invitation-only hospitality club for filmmakers and artists by night.
Photo: Dustin Hartman
Carhartt's Backcountry Club Pop-Up
The Slamdance Candy Girls helped celebrate the concurrent indie film fest Slamdance at a kick-off party at the Carhartt Backcountry Club on Friday.
Photo: Dustin Hartman
Carhartt's Backcountry Club Pop-Up
Mother Load Canyon Band performed Friday night at the Carhartt Backcountry Club.
Photo: Dustin Hartman
Bertolli's Meal Soup Chalet
Actress Alia Shawkat enjoyed some soup at the Bertolli Meal Soup Chalet, a private lounge hosted by Gen Art.
Photo: Seth Browarnik/startraksphoto.com
Bertolli's Meal Soup Chalet
Actor Mark Webber (pictured, right), who has three films at the festival, was interviewed at an “Inside Soup” session at the Bertolli Meal Soup Chalet.
Photo: Seth Browarnik/startraksphoto.com
Bertolli's Meal Soup Chalet
Actress Andie Macdowell showed support for Bertolli’s Ladles of Love program benefiting Feeding America by ladling a bowl of soup, signing, and posting her ladle on the Ladles of Love wall at the Bertolli Meal Soup Chalet.
Photo: Seth Browarnik/startraksphoto.com
Bertolli's Meal Soup Chalet
Actress Byrdie Bell indulged in skincare treatments courtesy of Lumene at the Bertolli's activation.
Photo: Seth Browarnik/startraksphoto.com
Soltice Sunglass Boutique at Bertolli's Meal Soup Chalet
Actress Laura Prepon tried on some shades at the Solstice Sunglass Boutique inside Bertolli's chalet. Solstice and Safilo USA offered guests a daily chance to win a pair of sunglasses from the retailer’s new Spring 2012 collection, and also conducted sunglass fittings for V.I.P.s during the festival.
Photo: Seth Browarnik/startraksphoto.com
Bertolli's Meal Soup Chalet
Tic Tac encouraged guests, like actor Casper Van Dien, to “shake it up” at the venue as part of their new partnership with Gen Art. The breath mint brand debuted a comedic short by actor Jareb Dauplaise during the festival.
Photo: Seth Browarnik/startraksphoto.com
Acura Studio
Acura, the official vehicle sponsor of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, transformed the Park City Museum on Main Street into the Acura Studio, which played host to private cast premiere dinners for several of the festival’s films, including The End of Love on Saturday night.
Photo: Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Acura
Acura Studio
Visitors to the studio got a look at the Acura Super Car, which will be featured in the upcoming film, Marvel’s The Avengers.
Photo: Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Acura
Acura Studio
Elijah Wood doubled as guest and DJ at the Acura's experiential offering during the private premiere dinner for Celeste & Jesse Forever on Friday night.
Photo: Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Acura
Park City Live
The former Harry O’s music venue, which closed last year, reemerged as Park City Live for Sundance hosting live events throughout the festival, including Ludacris on Friday.
Photo: Andrea Hanks
Park City Live
DJ Deadmau5 appeared on Sunday at Park City Live, which was sponsored by Axe Hair and Mario Barth.
Photo: Andrea Hanks
Vevo PowerStation and Sorel Suite
Continuum Entertainment Group produced the Vevo PowerStation and Sorel Suite, which was designed by David Mast for Dwell. The space hosted press conferences and DJ sets, and also offered space for guests to unwind, charge their electronics, and enjoy drinks from custom cocktail company Snake Oil Mixologists and burgers from Fuku Burger.
Photo: Todd Williamson/Getty Images for Continuum Entertainment Group
Vevo PowerStation and Sorel Suite
William H. Macy was one of the celebrity guests in the Vevo suite who signed a snowboard that will be auctioned off for charity.
Photo: Todd Williamson/Getty Images for Continuum Entertainment Group
Vevo PowerStation and Sorel Suite
Continuum Entertainment Group also produced the Fresh Lounge inside the Vevo PowerStation and Sorel Suite, which offered a menu of beauty services to guests.
Photo: Todd Williamson/Getty Images for Continuum Entertainment Group
The Variety Studio
For the fifth year in a row, Variety created the Variety Studio at Sundance.
Photo: 2012 Getty Images
The Variety Studio
Variety editors conducted interviews with Sundance talent and streamed them live on variety.com as part of their annual Sundance filmmaker video series.
Photo: 2012 Getty Images
The Variety Studio
Modern Family star Nolan Gould goofed around at the Emergen-C Photo Kiosk at the Variety Studio. Other sponsors included Woolrich, Vita Coco, Burt’s Bees, the Sierra Club, The Illinois Film Office, and the Waldrof Astoria Chicago.
Photo: 2012 Getty Images
Oakley's "Learn to Ride" Promotion
Actor Aaron Paul snowboarded during the Oakley Learn to Ride event “powered by” AT&T's League of Super-Fast Things, where guests received one-hour private sessions from top-ranked pros.
Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Cytosport
Oakley's "Learn to Ride" Promotion
After hitting the slopes as part of the Oakley event, Aaron Paul and other participants were gifted with sponsors’ products, including AT&T tablets, Oakley gear, and Muscle Milk drinks.
Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Cytosport
Festival After Dark at Sugar
Mary J. Blige hosted the after-party for The Invisible War on Friday as part of the Festival After Dark concert series at Sugar Lounge, a new 6,300-square-foot event space on Main Street.
Photo: Todd Credaroli
Festival After Dark at Sugar
Express presented Tuesday’s after-party for Luv with a special performance by Common as part of the Festival After Dark concert series at Sugar Lounge.
Photo: Todd Credaroli
Miami & Beaches Tourism Board's Miami Oasis
90210’s AnnaLynne McCord was spotted at Miami Oasis, a suite organized by Miami & Beaches Tourism Board to bring the Miami experience to Park City. Patrón hosted a build-your-own mojito station, and guests could get tattoos by ink artist Jason Hoodrich. Other sponsors included shoe designer Carlo Pazolini, liquer brand Disaronno cocktails, Sabra hummus, Burt’s Beeswax, and Vita Coco Vitamin Water.
Photo: Courtesy of NickyDigital.com
Miami Oasis
Socialite Tinsley Mortimer sampled UDI's Gluten-Free Foods, another sponsor of the Miami Oasis suite.
Photo: Courtesy of NickyDigital.com
Element Electronics Après-Ski Retreat
Actor Justin Long unwound at the Element Electronics Après-Ski Retreat, where guests tried cocktails from New York restaurant Mulberry Project. Stylists from West Hollywood’s Nine Zero One Salon also offered hair and makeup services at the invitation-only lounge.
Photo: 2012 Michael Kovac/Yield Media L.L.C.
Element Electronics Après-Ski Retreat
Actor Laura Prepon picked up new kicks from the rykä Sneaker Bar at the Element Electronics Après-Ski Retreat.
Photo: 2012 Michael Kovac/Yield Media L.L.C.
Grey Goose Blue Door
Josh Mond and his costars from the film Simon Killer took over the Grey Goose Blue Door bar at their premiere party on Saturday. Grey Goose used the invitation-only lounge to give guests a taste of their newest flavor, Cherry Noir, which debuts this spring.
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
