Call Sheet #288: Outing Planners Who Take Commissions, Microsoft's Secret Event Fizzles, Pinterest for Guys

BIZBASH CALL SHEET — #288 — Tuesday, 06.19.12

++ Sponsored by Event Leadership Institute ++

Compiled today by Beth Kormanik in New York
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TODAY'S CALENDAR: MoMA PS1 benefit gala in New York, The Americas Meetings & Events Exhibition in Baltimore (through Thursday)

* INCOMING *

1. PLANNER PRICE TRANSPARENCY: Preston Bailey is contemplating outing planners who charge vendor fees without telling their clients. The practice means the planners charge clients a discounted fee while vendors make up for it through the commissions. On his blog, Bailey encourages clients to ask planners to sign a written agreement against collecting additional fees from vendors. "I’m considering starting a new site where those interested in helping me to keep our industry honest and fair can submit the names of deceptive planners (anonymously). If I started such site, would you have the courage to name these shady vendors?" http://bit.ly/M15YeP

2. MICROSOFT'S MYSTERIOUS EVENT: The tech company tried to create buzz around the unveiling of its new Surface tablet in Los Angeles Monday, but by slowly releasing clues about the press event, such as the host city and venue, it caused more confusion and anger than excitement. The Atlantic Wire: "Unlike Apple, a company known for secrecy, Microsoft hasn't quite mastered this mysterious tech announcement thing, giving us too little information for its event." http://bit.ly/LW6HM8

3. PINTEREST FOR GUYS: New social network Dudepins aims to be the Pinterest for guys. The site, which launched in May, claims growth of up to 50 percent a week. Huffington Post: "A quick look at the 'Trending' page on Dudepins presents what you might expect: pictures of a fridge full of beer, a steak, a Ferrari and a delicious looking bacon taco." http://huff.to/Mo52M3

4. TWEET YOUR BID: Daniel Johnnes, wine director for chef Daniel Boulud’s Dinex Group, has launched a series of live wine auctions conducted on Twitter. The weekly auction features value-driven bottles to purchase for dinner at New York City's db Bistro Moderne in the following two weeks. On Mondays at noon, db Bistro Moderne’s sommelier Caleb Ganzer reveals the bottle via Twitter. Bids must be made in reply to Caleb Ganzer’s initial tweet (@Ganzer_Wein) and use the hashtag #dbwinebid. The auction ends Tuesdays at 5 p.m. with Ganzer assisting in making the reservation. The first Twitter auction offered a Louis Jadot Beaune Chouacheux 1996, which normally would sell for $145 but was auctioned for $105 during a test run June 11. Next on the block, the restaurant notes, is "a great white burgundy." Press release: http://bit.ly/KQviQZ

5. MARKETING WITH G.P.S.: A new advertising campaign is taking advantage of the often underused technology to market cruises. Mashable: "Carnival Cruise Lines and agency Arnold Worldwide have employed GPS to convey just how close you are at any given moment from hopping in a cab and starting your vacation. … The campaign also includes bus shelter ads that flash the latest temperatures in the Caribbean." http://bit.ly/PcgnmG

6. J.C. PENNEY EXEC OUT: President Michael Francis has resigned, the company announced Monday. Washington Post: "The move comes as the department store chain is scrambling to reverse a sharp drop in customer counts and sales after a new pricing plan that eliminates hundreds of sales events ended up confusing customers." http://wapo.st/Nbs2ml


++ A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR: Event Leadership Institute ++

Check out our newest mini-class: Alternative Projection Shapes & Surfaces, with Brandt Krueger of metroConnections. 21 minutes, 4 chapters. Take your event to the next level with tips from this class. www.EventLeadershipInstitute.com


* INDUSTRY NEWS *

ATIV Software has released the ISES EventWorld 2012 mobile conference app for this year's event in Dallas. Built on the EventPilot mobile platform, the app allows users to network and annotate the entire conference program, including  presentation slides. The app is native to iPhones, iPads, and Android devices, so it can be accessed on airplanes and other areas without Internet connectivity.

* TWEETED *

Alison Bossert (@AlisonBossert1): On Event Etiquette: Everything not nailed down is not a souvenir.

Johnson Publishing C.E.O. and former White House social secretary Desiree Rogers created a personal Twitter account this week. Her handle is @IamTHATDesiree.

* LOCAL NEWS *

BOSTON: Back Deck, which specializes in classic cookout fare, opened in Downtown Crossing on Monday. With three decks and backyard-inspired decor, the venue hosts private parties.

CHICAGO: During this week's TechWeek conference, First Street's online content manager Alex Bronstein-Moffly will host a panel on how technology is helping to make the government's collection of data more transparent.

LAS VEGAS: Attendance at InfoComm rose 4 percent over last year. The annual conference and exhibition for professional audiovisual buyers and sellers worldwide, held June 13-15, drew 34,268 attendees from more than 90 countries. MarketWatch: http://on.mktw.net/KOydcY

Exhibition World: "The IMEX Group is to introduce a range of new services and upgrades following extensive surveys and one-to-one feedback from both hosted buyers and attendees to last year’s meetings and incentives tradeshow in Las Vegas, IMEX America." http://bit.ly/Kw7o0m

LOS ANGELES: The L.A. Film Festival had a 30th anniversary screening of E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial downtown. On Friday, the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition recreated the film’s bike scene, with more than 100 guests biking to the screening dressed in a commemorative red sweatshirt. It's part of Universal’s 30th anniversary push for the move, and Universal's own centennial. http://bit.ly/MaJozG

Los Angeles Times: "The opening of the new 12-acre expansion at Disney California Adventure Park fueled big crowds and long lines at the Anaheim park this weekend. … Al Lutz, the founder of Miceage.com, an online blog about Disney, reported Monday that California Adventure drew a record 43,000 guests on Friday and a record 45,000 visitors on Sunday."

The Los Angeles tech community will host the first Silicon Beach Fest June 22-23.

Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA: The Miami Marlins are offering tours of the new ballpark on Mondays through Saturdays when no home game or other major event is scheduled.

Miami's Jungle Island zoological park cannot pay $2 million on for a federal loan, potentially saddling the city and county with a $40 million bill if it defaults. An outside investor could help, according to the park owner, but only under conditions such as an extended lease and options to sign on a hotelier, restaurants and retailers. http://hrld.us/NaKdZn

NEW YORK: We know of two openings (one entry-level, the other with some experience) at a big-deal wedding-planning firm. Interested? Email us at [email protected].

The New York Times: "The Central Park Visitor Center at Tavern on the Green—which for 18 months has occupied the building that held the once-glittering landmark restaurant Tavern on the Green—will close on Wednesday afternoon for more than a year for a $9.8-million renovation project that will prepare the structure for a new restaurant tenant, as yet unnamed." http://nyti.ms/McKuIs

Canard, Inc. will cater tonight's Diageo World Class U.S. Bartender Competition at the IAC Buidling. Twenty mixologists and bartenders will compete in four challenges judged by top cocktail luminaries, and one will be named the first Diageo World Class U.S. Ambassador traveling to Brazil to represent the U.S. in the global finals in July. Canard will create the passed hors d'oeuvres as well as the dishes for the food-pairing competition.

A new food truck selling the Japanese specialty okonomiyaki launches Friday. Follow Okadaman on Twitter (@OkadamanNYC)  to know more about the menu and the truck's location.

Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

ORLANDO: The Convention Industry Council is conducting its first census of certified meeting planners. Data collection begins this month and results will be released in the fall. There are 10,000 practicing certified meeting planners in 46 countries.

The Society of Incentive Travel Executives will hold its 2013 Site Global Conference at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Studios.

Mobile entertainment and DJ vehicles company Mix on Wheels has been nominated for the 2012 ISES Esprit Award for "Best Industry Contribution" for the MINI Cooper Xtreme Clubman.

SAN FRANCISCO: Nine four-star chefs, designated by The San Francisco Chronicle, will host a dinner at Michael Tusk's Quince restaurant to benefit the food banks of San Francisco and Marin. The nine-course menu will include dishes from participating chefs including Douglas Keane of Cyrus, Thomas Keller of the French Laundry, and David Kinch of Manresa.

TAMPA: The Tampa Bay Times reports that Jamestown Entertainment and Butter Group will create a pop-up club in Tampa for the Republican National Convention. The venue will be a 30,000-square-foot air-conditioned facility will room for 2,000 people. http://bit.ly/MZd82q

TORONTO: The Cooking Fire Theatre Festival is Wednesday-Sunday at Dufferin Grove Park, with performances by local and international theatre groups.

The Stop’s Night Market at Honest Ed’s is Wednesday, with food from local vendors including Babi&Co, Cowbell, Jack and Lils. All proceeds will go to The Stop's antihunger programs.

The Seafood For Thought fund-raiser is Thursday at the Toronto Zoo, with seafood dishes, wine pairings, and a chocolate fountain.

The Harbourfront Centre hosts the Franco-Fête festival Friday-Sunday to celebrate French culture with dancing and culinary demonstrations.

The third annual Paws for the Cause gala is October 11 at 99 Sudbury.

WASHINGTON: The Shakespeare Theatre Company filed a lawsuit last week against its landlord in part to maintain its home in the theatre in the Lansburgh building, the company’s home for more than 20 years.

Port City Brewing Company will celebrate the expansion and reopening of the Tasting Room with the first “Port City Pint Party” July 1. Renovations include a second Tasting Bar and an express growler filling station.

José Andrés's pop-up America Eats Tavern closes July 4.

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, and Alexandra Brandt, Rose Chevalier, Julia Elstrodt, Beth Kormanik, and Anna Sekula in New York.

BizBash Call Sheet is the must-read daily digest of event industry news from BizBash.com. 

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