B-to-C Events

In year one of a four-year partnership with Vail Resorts, Cadillac in December activated a brand experience called Cadillac Ice Drive. The program, which took place Dec. 21-23, showcased the luxury vehicle’s safety technologies on slick surface conditions to vacationers at the upscale resort.

On Jan. 20, vodka brand New Amsterdam kicked off its old school barbershop experience targeting millennial males at the opening night party at the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. The 10-foot by 20-foot experience features a dark wood bar, shaving stations and a shoe shine chair. It will be traveling to various markets in the coming months. 

Madria Sangria, an E&J Gallo Wines brand, has been hitting non-traditional venues to showcase its fruit flavors with its Fruit Stand sampling experience. The brand hit the Houston Tamale Festival, Oktoberfest and Step Up Women’s Network Members Celebration in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Ski and Wine Expo, Taste of Orlando in Florida and The Wedding Salon Bridal Expo in New York City. The stand was a basic sampling program, but Madria says it finds that its fruit flavors draw in people (mostly women) who are looking for a more refreshing beverage at the events.

To promote in-state vacations, the New Mexico Tourism Department this summer had residents downloading a GPS-based app and searching the state for the legendary Billy the Kid (he was played by an actor) for a shot at $10,000. Dodge challenged consumers to use clues found on YouTube to hit the road and find “the first search engine for the real world”—a.k.a. the Dodge Journey—in a month-long national campaign to increase awareness of the crossover vehicle. What made these digitally enhanced and geographically challenging scavenger hunt programs a hit?

 Art and fashion magazine BULLETT on Dec. 8 celebrated its one-year anniversary by turning its winter issue "The Secret" theme into a live secret garden party at the gothic revival synagogue Angel Orensanz Foundation on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The secret garden theme started with an invitation to guests announcing the magazine’s anniversary party at an undisclosed location, which was revealed near the date. The package included a skull amulet giving guests access to the party.