Monday Morning Pick You Up!

I wanted to reprint this email I received today from MarketingProfs. It made me feel inspired on a Monday morning were I wasn’t feeling it! I have several creative projects to write today and this is exactly what I needed. Hope it inspires you to go do something creative and change someones day! ~mike

It’s an average morning at the train station in Liverpool, England, with travelers crossing the main hall on their way to platforms or the street. And then, seemingly out of nowhere, 400 people break into a precisely choreographed dance as a medley of toe-tapping songs blares from the public-address system. They have two instructions: remember your steps, but don’t forget to invite everyone around you to join in.

While 10 hidden cameras capture the scene for a T-Mobile video, delighted onlookers observe, take photographs and begin to dance. By the end of the video’s two-and-a-half minute running time, everyone in the crowded space seems to be dancing.

A “making of” video shows how organizers created the event around the tagline “Life’s for Sharing.” They undoubtedly achieved their goal. “I felt a moment of love,” says a young man who joined in the dancing. “It was connected. For five minutes everyone was relaxed for a second. It was happy. It was nice.” An older woman—likewise swept into the moment—shares similar sentiments. “I was in a bad mood when I came here,” she says with a smile. “I’m in a good one now.”

The T-Mobile video delivered Marketing Inspiration by putting over 11 million YouTube viewers in a good mood, and by illustrating its tagline in an authentic, yet unexpected, way.

Bill Marriott Says Lets Meet

202px Marriott Logo.svg Bill Marriott Says Lets MeetImage via Lets Meet

Saw this post on the cvent blog which made me happy that the industry leader are still getting out he word that meetings are important.

Bill Marriott, chairman and CEO of Marriott International, took to The Washington Post yesterday to share his thoughts on the state of today’s hotel industry, saying simply to business, “Let’s meet.”

Marriott shares that his Half Moon Bay Resort in California employs 500 people, many of whom used to be seasonal farmworkers. In the past few weeks the resort has seen cancellations from over 32 groups.

“That means we’ve lost millions of dollars of expected business, the city has lost tax revenue and, sadly, some people have lost their jobs,” he writes.

Marriott recognizes that in today’s economy, not all meetings can go on as usual. However, canceling them out of fear of media criticism will have far-reaching negative effects.

“Marriott, like many businesses, is making tough choices,” Marriott writes. “Indeed, we have scaled back on some of our meetings and travel. Making those cuts was the right thing to do. But canceling meetings and events to dodge unwarranted criticism is shortsighted and will have a detrimental effect on the U.S. economy.”

 Bill Marriott Says Lets Meet

Some Good News for the Travel & Events and Meetings Industry

Tom Hillmer had this sent to him at Creative Group Inc last week. Finally some good news!!!

Travel Industry Partners:

“White House Says it Encourages Business Travel” – Associated Press, March 12, 2009

If last week was a turning point in the debate over business-related travel activities, this week we began to see the dividends. A positive meeting with President Obama, followed by comments from his press secretary yesterday, helped put an exclamation point on the progress our industry has made.

WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK… [Read more...]

Top Holidays & Events for Planners to Know About

2009 calendar of holidays and special events Top Holidays & Events for Planners to Know About

The following calendar of 2009 holidays and special events identifies many important dates that event planners should keep in mind when planning and scheduling events:

January 2009

* January 1 (Thursday), New Year’s Day
* January 19 (Monday), Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
* January 26 (Monday), Chinese New Year

February 2009

* February 1 (Sunday), Super Bowl
* February 12 (Thursday), Lincoln’s Birthday (U.S.)
* February 14 (Saturday), Valentine’s Day
* February 16 (Monday), President’s Day (U.S.)
* February 16 (Monday), Washington’s Birthday (observed)(U.S.)
* February 22 (Sunday), Academy Awards
* February 24 (Tuesday), Mardi Gras
* February 25 (Wednesday), Ash Wednesday
* Black History Month (U.S.)

March 2009

* March 8 (Sunday), Daylight Savings Time starts (U.S.)
* March 17 (Tuesday), St. Patrick’s Day [Read more...]

Paul Cicerone is the man

Look what I found today!

Paul Cicerone describes their unique promo super glitz ‘events’ for gaming and computer companies: Rock concert on Alcatraz, or a five-state, simultaneous concert to introduce a cell phone co’s new service, and more. Cicerone started with Bill Graham Productions but his whole team moved to a little boutique company called Branduin Creative who comes up with amazing concepts to promote services and products of the new industries.

I thought this was a really cool video of my old pal Paul Cicerone. I need to hook up with him and have a beer find out about his cool family. He and I were friends when we were kids. Smart guy, creative guy and a really great salesman.

I did love listening to this because I worked with him on a few of the case studies like the T-Mobile concert on Alcatraz and the massive PeopleSoft party. It is funny how incestuous our niche is. It is interesting that the large shows he talks about were not when he was with Branduin but with Bill Graham Special events. And unfortunately he does not work for BrandUIn anymore but Delphi Productions in Alameda.

Meetings Podcast 1

The Meeting Planners podcast source for what’s new and exciting in meetings and events industry

This is the first installment of The Meetings Podcast.

I hope you enjoy it.

www.MeetingsPodcast.com [Read more...]

Beach events

How to stage an impromptu event for a captive crowd.

20-30 people all on beach chairs relaxing, drinking and sunning. Suddenly 10-12 drummers appeared and a juggler. The drumming started and the crowd looked first surprised. (some terrified) Two pretty hippy girls walked around with donation hats and smiled at the beach goers. I was not sure if the people paid quickly to make the rhythmic drums leave them in peace, but the practice was effective. After two songs the group stopped people clapped and they were gone down the beach.
The center of town a small marching band of 3 people came around the center of town playing music. around them were two little girls grabbing donations from anyone walking around.
Where most event marketing is geared to getting a large crowd to your event these folks have flipped it around and are going to the crowds.

Events

bloggslogo Events

As this is a “Events & Media blog” for Grass Shack Events & Media we have been known to show our successes with clients, fun resources and things we found interesting on the Internet. This past weekend was a reminder of how short life is and things can be put in perspective quickly.
This past weekend we had to put one of our dogs to sleep. he was sick and it was terminal. His name was bear and he was a great guy. We spent a ton of time agonizing over what to do. but putting him to sleep was the best answer. So bear had a large steak dinner and breakfast with our other two dogs. The whole family went to the vet and the kind doctor over dosed bear on Anestassia. We told hm want a good dog he was as he slipped away. It was really hard on everyone.
As we left the vet I received a call on my cell phone our vacation rental we have been working away on for the last 2 years had 2 pipes break in the ceiling and it fell in and filled the whole house with water. A complete loss.
We got in our car stunned and drove up to Coloma where the house is. As we got on the highway a truck cut in front of us and a large rock flew up and cracked the windshield of our new Toyota Prius. We all broke out in laughter as the tears finally ran out.

So in closing, all sorts of events happen. Sometimes you can prepare and sometimes shit just happens. Just love your whole family like crazy and carry lots and lots of insurance. We do.

Second Life meet-ups

bloggslogo Second Life meet ups

I attended a get together in Second life yesterday. It was put on by iVillage.com. One thing that I find fascinating is the different people who are drawn to Second life. I was invited by the people from http://overtonecomm.blogspot.com/. They have a monthly get together called Second Thursday in Second Life. CC Chapman met us at Crayonville for the meeting place then we shot off to the iVillage loft.

ivillage Second Life meet ups

(That’s me in the blue top and jeans)

About 22 folks (avatars) sat around in the ivillage loft and talked about companies in Second Life. Seems as if marketers, companies and PR professionals are learning to create experiences in virtual environments, versus destinations, which up to now has been the focus. With Linden Labs releasing the Second Life code to open source, this should make the Second Life platform even more interesting to developers and companies trying to build their brands there. Pretty exciting stuff. Remember when companies said they didn’t need a website? Know a company that doesn’t have one now? Landscape is changing!