Call Sheet #254: Silicon Valley Invades Washington, NATO Summit's Impact on Chicago, Pepsi Debuts Ad Campaign

BIZBASH CALL SHEET — #254 — Tuesday, 05.01.12

++ Sponsored by Event Leadership Institute ++

Compiled today by Beth Kormanik and Anna Sekula in New York
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* INCOMING *

1. TECH MEETS WASHINGTON: Silicon Valley's growing presence at the White House Correspondents' Dinner—as evidenced by Google's Friday night party and other tech executives' attendance at the events this weekend—represents the growing importance of tech companies in D.C. The New York Times: "Both government and Hollywood are struggling to find a connection to the average America, and technology companies' intimate, central role in their lives is something most politicians and studio heads can only covet." http://nyti.ms/IndBby

Read our coverage of the parties surrounding the White House Correspondents' Association's Dinner: http://bizba.sh/ILbigL

What observers thought of the actual dinner, featuring President Obama and Jimmy Kimmel: http://bizba.sh/Kn5gmb

2. NATO SUMMIT COSTS: The May diplomatic convention is expected to give Chicago's local economy a $128 million boost thanks to an estimated 21,200 visitors and related hotel stays and temporary jobs. The event itself will cost $55 million, and, despite concerns that the city will have to shell out more to cover the additional police presence, Mayor Rahm Emanuel assured taxpayers that they will not be on the hook to help cover the costs. The Chicago Sun-Times: http://bit.ly/IoQEIk

3. RELAUNCHING PEPSI: The beverage giant debuts its first global ad campaign "Live for Now" May 7, an initiative designed to link the brand with entertainment. Pepsi will partner with athletes and artists, including Nicki Minaj, and marry traditional TV advertising with social media efforts via its Pepsi Pulse platform. AdAge: "The platform is meant to be a Pepsi-curated 'dashboard of pop culture' ranking tweets, pictures, and news items from the world of entertainment by popularity…Consumers will be encouraged to tweet, "like," and pin items from the dashboard, as well as to participate in "challenges" issued by various celebrities. Through a partnership with a daily-deals site, Pepsi Pulse will also promote about 50 events and activities in markets across the country throughout the summer." http://bit.ly/IktVfP

4. DIGITAL DILEMMA: The digital NewFronts, designed to sell Web advertising, still have to work at being effective, as executives are "having a hard time justifying to clients that they should suddenly pull dollars away from ABC and put them into online video on YouTube or Yahoo…Does Web video add new viewers? Or just give you more heavy TV viewers?" AdWeek: http://bit.ly/IHyU5X

5. PROTEST POWERS: Two upcoming corporate meetings will test new police powers to stop and search people that Charlotte, N.C., implemented in advance of September's Democratic National Convention. According to the Charlotte Observer, the gatherings for Duke Energy and Bank of America are likely to draw protesters and have been designated "extraordinary events," which means "a number of items become prohibited inside a designated public area, such as crowbars, chains, and hammers." http://bit.ly/ISxKaY

6. SUNDANCE SATELLITE'S FUTURE: Organizers for Sundance London, which finished its inaugural run Sunday, have not committed to staging the festival for a second year, although several screenings and events sold out. The Hollywood Reporter: "The predominantly public fest certainly grabbed headlines with its mix of movies and music events littered across its four days and special guests including HRH the Prince of Wales Prince Charles, T. Bone Burnett, Minnie Driver, Josh Radnor, Paul Simon, and Martha and Rufus Wainwright." http://bit.ly/IByKCO

7. GLOBES LAWSUIT: The Hollywood Reporter: "Dick Clark Productions has won its legal battle with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and will remain producer of the annual Golden Globe Awards telecast…The court ruling means the Golden Globes will continue to air on NBC, which has a deal to carry the show through 2018. That contract was negotiated with Dick Clark Productions without the apparent knowledge of the HFPA, an arrangement that led to the lawsuit being filed." http://bit.ly/IBp7E0

++ A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR: EVENT LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE ++

The Event Leadership Institute is proud to provide the most progressive training and education for event planners in the industry, through on-demand video classes, biweekly webinars, white papers as well as interviews with industry leaders. www.eventleadershipinstitute.com

* COAST TO COAST *

The organizers of New York's LuckyRice are planning to bring the Asian food festival to the West Coast. Wall Street Journal: "This year the company plans to hold "Night Market" events in Las Vegas and Los Angeles June 23 and August 10, respectively, to offer locals there a taste of the festival." http://on.wsj.com/IL7MDc

* LOCAL NEWS *

AUSTIN, TX: After several years in New York and L.A. with the Brandman Agency and Murphy O'Brien, Laura Pettitt is leaving the travel PR agency side to become the new director of PR and marketing communications for the Driskill, a historic hotel in Austin.

BOSTON: The Institute of Contemporary Art's Party on the Harbor is Friday at the museum. DJs Kiss and M.O.S. will spin, and in-kind sponsors include PBD Events, Winston Flowers, and Be Our Guest.

CHICAGO: The Music Institute of Chicago will present Stephen Sondheim with the Dushkin Award at its gala at the Four Seasons tonight.

Author Erik Larson, who wrote Devil in the White City, will appear at tonight's "Facing History and Ourselves" benefit dinner at the Hyatt Regency.

Anne Trompeter has been named executive vice president and senior creative director at Live Marketing, and Kristin Veach has been named senior vice president of marketing and business development.

Rhett Lindsay is the new manager of fund-raising events at AIDS Foundation of Chicago.

LAS VEGAS: Vendingmarketwatch.com: "Vending and refreshment services operators converged on the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas April 25-27 for what many observed as the best turnout in many years for the annual National Automatic Merchandising Association OneShow." http://bit.ly/IPEMM9

Las Vegas Review-Journal: "More than 15 years after Wes Isbutt converted an abandoned warehouse into what became the heart of Las Vegas's incipient Arts District, the feisty artist turned frustrated businessman says he plans to leave town. Isbutt has long expressed frustration with city government [and it's] reached a boiling point…over special event security requirements he argues are excessive." http://bit.ly/JlMfjc

Following the launch of IMEX America in October, organizers have announced developments to the format and content of "Smart Monday," its preshow, one-day educational event. It will now be known as "Smart Monday, Powered by M.P.I." ETurboNews.com: http://bit.ly/JODjsh

The head coach of the U.N.L.V. basketball team, Dave Rice, will host a benefit for the university's center for autism spectrum disorders Friday at the Palms Casino & Resort.

Fine Entertainment named Mateo Reyes its new vice president.

LOS ANGELES: SoulCycle West Hollywood will host a benefit for Healthy Child Healthy World with a fund-raising class Saturday.

Jami Pennings is the new catering sales manager of theaters and clubs for the greater Los Angeles area at Wolfgang Puck Catering.

The Coalition for Humane and Ethical Farming Standards (Chefs), along with restaurants Mélisse, the Royce at the Langham, Lemon Moon, and Animal, will simultaneously host a six-course prix fixe benefit dinner May 14.

The International Makeup Artist Trade Show is June 23-24 at the Pasadena Convention Center with keynote speakers Rick Baker and fashion makeup artist Kabuki.

Hyatt Santa Barbara has completed renovations and updates to its 171-room oceanfront property.

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

MIAMI: About 1,500 cruise-specialist travel agents attended the Cruise3sixty conference last week at the Broward County Convention Center adjacent to Port Everglades. Among the news: "The new Celebrity Reflection, which will start sailing from Miami in December, will include a ballroom conference center with banquet service usable for meetings, weddings or other events on deck 4, different from business-focused conference centers on previous ships." http://bit.ly/Igijb3

A planned Asian restaurant in West Palm Beach is going to have to think of another name after state authorities refused to approve its first choice: fuku. Owners say the term means "good fortune" in Japanese, but the state denied its trademark request. http://bit.ly/IZXkJb

NEW YORK: LongHouse Reserve will host its annual summer gala July 21 in East Hampton with a musical performance by composer Philip Glass.

The 71st annual George Foster Peabody Awards will be hosted by Patrick Stewart at the Waldorf Astoria May 21.

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

ORLANDO: The Mission Inn Resort & Club hosts the Festivals of Speed this weekend. Events include a luxury vehicle test drive opportunity on Saturday, a wine-paired dinner Saturday night, and a display of 300 cars, motorcycles, and watercraft on Sunday from brands such as Ferrari, Bentley, McLaren, Rolls-Royce, and more.

TORONTO: The Scotiabank Pro Am for Alzheimer's is Thursday through Saturday. The seventh annual hockey tournament has teams raising $25,000 minimum to play alongside former N.H.L. players.

Toronto Fashion Incubator will celebrate its 25th anniversary at the Royal Ontario Museum May 4 with catering by Fidel Gastro and a performance by DJ KwikFiks featuring ATYEO.

WASHINGTON: Chef-owners of Black Restaurant Group, Barbara and Jeff Black, have teamed up with Nycci and David Nellis of "Foodie & the Beast" radio show to host a chicken fried steak showdown at Black Jack during a live tapping on Sunday. Proceeds will go toward a $200,000 fundraising goal to build a state-of-the-art kitchen at the Washington Nationals Diabetes Care Complex at Children's National Medical Center.

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 Anna Sekula, Beth Kormanik, and Rose Chevalier in New York.

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

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