B-to-C Events

In an effort to make a big splash for its first-ever venture out of the sock market and into boxers, briefs and boxer-briefs, GoldToe took New York City by storm on Sept. 16. The brand sent brand ambassadors clad only in underwear all over the city to excite consumers about the new line and direct them to Herald Square Park where the main event was going on from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. To build more buzz, GoldToe dressed some of Manhattan’s most iconic statuary—like the Wall Street Bull—in its new product, and sent 100 product-loaded gift baskets to key Wall Street firms.

Farmers Markets are the place to be in the summertime—and in the spring and fall as well. Nothing quite compares to the aromas, colors, tastes and textures of fruits and veggies straight from the farm, a fact that is not lost on its patrons—foodies and would-be chefs who tend to be well-heeled as well as well-fed. But besides the farm-fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, homemade breads and jams and other local fare, farmers markets have become a social scene, as shoppers mingle and music fills the air.

The Halloween season is one of the top 10 consumer spending periods in the retail space, according to the National Retail Federation, amounting to almost $5 billion last year. As we move into the spookiest time of the year, brands looking for opportunities to attract consumer dollars are exploring a series of haunting properties for attention-grabbing partnerships.

Michael McNally, brand relations director at LEGO, recalls being fascinated as an 11-year-old on a shopping trip with his mom at Columbia Mall, in Columbia, MD, where the LEGO World Show was on exhibit.

“I remember distinctly in the center court of the mall seeing the Mark Twain house, a red Victorian made completely out of LEGO bricks,” the self-confessed former LEGO kid explains. “For me, that was, wow, amazing. I looked at my mom and said, ‘I want to build that when I get home!’”

Event marketers are known for their ability to take an idea from concept to execution quickly. However, even they agree the turnaround times are getting tighter as program time frames continue to shrink. Are shaky budgets delaying sign-off on program costs? Is technology fueling the last-minute frenzy? Or, is it just the new speed of business?