Discovery Communications and Hasbro are launching a joint venture, a new children's network known as the Hub, on October 10. A Los Angeles launch provided an early peek at the playfulness and fun the Hub promises to bring with its programming. The interactive offerings began with an entrance to the party space by way of a giant slide. Discovery Communications vice president of global events Jeff Kaplan oversaw the event from the company's headquarters in Maryland, where a team of about 10 serves as an in-house event agency for the group of networks. Connecticut-based Blue Flame worked with Discovery Global Events on the execution.
The Hub's partners and executives, plus celebrities and other invited guests of all ages—about 550 people in all—showed up at the Lot. "We did it at the Lot because we wanted it to be a real experiential event, for guests to really experience what the Hub was," said Kaplan, whose group worked with the local, Burbank-based Hub marketing and communications department. "That was the genesis of the slide. As you arrived, you were invited to find your inner kid."
Activities and entertainment included a Transformers photo opportunity, an interactive strawberry shortcake bar from caterer Global Cuisine by Gary Arabia, a ball pit, a caricature station, and a custom button-making station. Some of the games from the Family Game Night programming appeared at the party on a giant scale, including a huge Connect 4 board and a version of Operation that allowed guests to move game pieces with giant tongs. A Hub passport allowed guests to collect stickers at various stations and redeem them for a prize.
As was appropriate for a network launch, large HD video projections showed a sizzle reel looping network footage on the inside and outside walls.
