B-to-C Events

As part of a strategy to become more accessible and reach a broader audience Honest Tea in May will launch a yearlong 10-city guerrilla sampling tour. In addition a partnership with Jamis bikes will allow the brand to give away 1 000 bikes in random drawings as part of a retail and online sweepstakes that supports the effort.  Originally sold only in health food and specialty retailers the bottled organic beverage brand is opening distribution to mainstream supermarkets and Sam’s Clubs. Coca-Cola purchased a 40 percent interest in the company earlier this year.

Levi’s is building excitement for the grand opening of its fourth New York City location this time in Times Square by commissioning 3-D sidewalk chalk artist Julian Beever to create an original piece of art for the event.

“The Levi’s brand is loved by many different communities out there—and Julian’s artwork is very participatory and about making people part of his art so we thought if there was a way to take some of Levi’s’ iconic elements and marry them to Julian’s art it could be a match made in heaven ” Doug Sweeny director-brand marketing Levi’s told Buzz.

7-Eleven and Activision have partnered with Coca-Cola and Microsoft in a marketing blitz to promote the new Full Throttle Frozen Blast Slurpee drink and to generate interest for Activision’s new game Guitar Hero: Aerosmith which will hit retailers in June. The integrated program includes online and radio contests grassroots events and traveling street teams all designed to reach music loving videogaming techno-savvy 18-34-year-old guys.

Sony Computer Entertainment America leveraged its first-ever sponsorship of The Bamboozle Festival—a two-day alternative music festival at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford NJ—this weekend with a variety of activations surrounding its PlayStation brand.

“The consumer there is very young creative and forward-thinking ” Donna Armentor senior manager-lifestyle alliances and consumer events at PlayStation told Buzz. “It’s a great match for the PlayStation brand.”

Early Times leveraged its sponsorship of the Kentucky Derby this year by creating what the company claims is the World’s Largest Mint Julep a six-foot tall glass filled with the traditional drink of the Derby ornamented with a sprig of mint and an Early Times branded stirring stick.

The brand commissioned Indiana-based Weber Group to create the giant glass which took about four weeks to manufacture. It was not only attention grabbing but functional too serving as a pouring station. From its base attendees could fill glasses with the tasty mix.