Poolside on the Las Vegas strip is not where you want to be if you're not feeling so great about your body. But the location draws enough people who are eager to show off theirs that Us Weekly selected the city as the spot for its Hot Bodies consumer event on May 30. "Vegas was appropriate given that it's a celeb hotspot," said the magazine's integrated marketing director, Heawon Yoo, who oversaw the event and tapped Caravents to produce and design it. "And guests come to flaunt their own hot bodies. It's the only event we do in Vegas, and it's the most appropriate for the subject covered in the issue."
The Saturday afternoon event at Tao Beach was open to consumers at the venue during the event hours. Mel B—who was promoting her fitness DVD Totally Fit, and who stars in the new "Peepshow" at Planet Hollywood—served as its host.
Servers passed beverages in logo cups from sponsor Sonic, and reps from the brand captured images of guests to upload to its Web site. To represent sponsor Skechers' new Shape-Ups shoes, a fitness instructor gave fitness tips and encouraged guests to enter a drawing to win a pair of the shoes. Nail technicians offered manicure and pedicure touch-ups. The emergency contraception pill Plan B offered branded travel kits filled with travel-size toiletries and informational brochures.
A photo station allowed guests to snap photos in front of a green screen with sunglasses and hats as props. Pictures were printed on site, in branded sleeves from sponsor Nivea, putting guests on fake covers of the Us Weekly “Best Bikini Bodies” issue.
Massage therapists were on hand for head, neck, and back massages, and water-filled misters from sponsor Air Optix Aqua allowed guests to cool off with a sprtiz. Models wearing summer outfits from Old Navy encouraged guests to spin a prize wheel for a chance to win purple Us Weekly beach towels, Old Navy flip flops, Sonic gift cards, and tickets for "Peepshow." A branded Skinny Cow ice cream cart offered frozen treats on the hot day in the desert. And a hosted bar offered MGD 64 beer—a beer marketed for its low calorie content.
“We made sure to offer premium items that party goers would really enjoy on a hot day," said Cara Kleinhaut of Caravents. "And from a design perspective, it was the perfect combination of products people could get excited about and actually use at the party, while still maintaining a party atmosphere. The Nivea photo station was a big hit with the image-conscious crowd."
