Beth Kormanik

Surprise content, concierge service and a sense of place and mission—these were among the elements that led to the success of the Essence Festival of Culture, which took place as a hybrid event over two weekends, June 25 to 27 and July 2 to 4. The hybrid gathering combined elements of Essence magazine’s wildly popular […]

The Sweets & Snacks Expo—a gathering that draws the biggest brands in candy, chocolate and snack foods sold at major retailers—made a sweet return as the first post-pandemic food show, taking place June 23-25 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. For the first time in the show’s history of more than two decades, it […]

Right now, Godiva figures we could all use some good cheer—and chocolate. Recalling a post-World War II stunt in which Godiva founder Pierre Draps repainted delivery trucks a bright pink to spread good cheer throughout Brussels, the premium chocolate brand sent a pink-hued vintage truck to hot spots around New York City for a sampling […]

For consumers who have spent the past year drinking at virtual happy hours—and the hospitality workers whose businesses has suffered—Tequila Don Julio wanted to make this year’s Cinco de Mayo memorable. And thanks to its own digital currency and an ATM—that’s Automated Tequila Machine—the brand prevailed. Don Julio took a thoroughly modern approach to the […]

The hottest event space is no longer the ballroom, it’s the balcony. For Freeform’s “Cruel Summer” premiere event on April 15, the network booked 80 hotel rooms at the Beverly Hilton hotel and invited talent, executive producers, press and influencers to watch the show on a giant screen from their balconies.