How to Incorporate Fall Flavors Into Your Event

How to Incorporate Fall Flavors Into Your Event

---

Planning on hosting an experiential event this fall? If so, then you may also want to serve up some fall-friendly snacks and treats to get your attendees immersed in the spirit of autumn. Whether you decide to set up food stands throughout your event space or simply pass out treat bags to your attendees, we've got some tasty and relatively simple fall snacks to consider serving up.

Apple Cider Doughnuts

Apple cider and doughnuts go together perfectly, allowing you to bring the joy of a day at the apple orchard into your event space! These are super easy to make, especially if you buy the doughnut mix pre-made. And don't worry; you don't need to fry them. You can purchase a doughnut baking mold that will allow you to pop these in the oven for easy, mess-free baking.

Pumpkin Energy Bars

Treat your attendees to a fall flavor with an added energy boost by whipping up a batch of pumpkin energy bars. These are easier to make than you may realize, and the pumpkin flavor comes from adding some canned pumpkin puree. Honestly, these taste a lot like pumpkin bread, but have added nutritional benefits and will provide the energy your attendees need to power through the day.

S'mores Cookie Bars

Shy of setting up an actual s'mores station at your event (which we totally recommend, if you can pull it off), these s'mores cookie bars are probably the next best thing. You can make these pretty easily by starting with your "typical" chocolate chip cookie dough (buy some pre-made from the store, if you prefer) and adding chunks of Hershey bars and marshmallow. Spinkle in a little cinnamon and chunks of graham crackers before baking, and cut into small bars once cooled.

Marshmallow Pops

Marshmallow pops make for yet another delicious and fall-friendly snack, and they're especially fun if you're going to have any children at your event. These are pretty simple to make. Simply begin with large marshmallows (like the kind you'd use for roasting) and dip them in melted chocolate before rolling them in sprinkles. You can use a toothpick or small skewer to hold them. Pop them in the fridge for about an hour, which will give the chocolate time to harden. Then, enjoy! If you want to get really festive, you can even melt white chocolate and add food coloring (we're thinking fall colors, like reds and oranges) to really pull of that autumn theme.

Fall Friendly Trail Mix

Who doesn't love a bag of trail mix as an energizing and filling snack? Incorporate fall flavors into your trail mix by starting with a store-bought bag of traditional trail mix. Then, add some butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, and pretzels. Season with a bit of salt, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Mix well and enjoy! You can serve these up in small bags to make them easy for your event attendees to grab and take with them. If you want to incorporate a little Halloween spirit (depending on when you're holding your event), you might consider adding some Halloween candy. Maybe stay clear of the candy corn, though. 

These are just a few ideas for snacks and treats you can easily prepare to bring some lovely fall flavors into your next experiential event. Your attendees will love these snacks, but don't be surprised if you get people stopping you to ask for the recipes. And of course, if you're still on the hunt for a great space to host your next event in the Miami area, be sure to check out Soho Studios!

How to Create a Sample Strategy for Your Experiential Event that Benefits You and Your Guests

How to Create a Sample Strategy for Your Experiential Event that Benefits You and Your Guests

---

There is simply no better marketing strategy for consumer-packaged goods (CPG) than a unique, fun, and interactive experiential event. For those in the food and beverage industry, you know that nothing can better promote your unique product and introduce guests to the flavor and personality of your brand than letting potential customers try it!

Whether you are promoting a new tropical daiquiri flavor, a delicious artisan bread recipe, or a well-aged whiskey, planning a successful sampling strategy for your next experiential marketing event can increase consumer engagement and boost sales for your brand. Here are a few tips from the pros for creating a sample strategy for your next event.

Tips for a Successful Experiential Sampling Strategy

• Show Your Versality to Reach a Bigger Market – Spotlight the versatility of your product by targeting a different demographic at your sampling event. Wholly Guacamole is a perfect example. They wanted to reach a slightly older crowd than they usually do, so they set up outside of a sporting event rather than a music festival. The new approach included the Guac Stop, where attendees could customize their guacamole sampling with 12 toppings. They also offered interactive events that appealed to their new consumer target like corn hole, giant Jenga, and even a Twitter vending machine that rewarded those who Tweeted about the event with prizes of brand swag.
• Go Where the Fans Are – If you want to reach a particular target audience, location is truly everything. Go where the fans are for an easy-peasy and successful event. Pepsi’s newest line, IZZE Fusions, wanted to make sure every teen around is aware of their new beverage. They made it a point to set up their summer sampling tour, which gave teenagers a taste of augmented reality, at popular teen events like music festivals, malls, and water parks. Giving teens a taste of the product and engaging with them on their level allowed Pepsi to get their attention and present a positive vibe to attract them with digital content and product.  The event included interactive play labs, refreshment zones, and immersive experiences like Camp IZZE.
• Keep it Simple and Spotlight Your Product – Sometimes you just have to keep it simple and show them what you’ve got to offer. That’s what High Brew Cold Brew Coffee did for their summer sampling event. Inspired by the brand’s travel/adventure messaging, they hit the road in a refurbished 1950’s coach bus to introduce and let millennials sample their ready-to-drink cold brew coffee. They made stops at trade shows, grocery stores, and festivals; offering a no-frills experience. Aside from a few bar stools and a sampling bar, the only other interactive option they had was an old-fashioned style post card station, where people could send a post card with a BOGO coupon to a friend.
• Change Your Brand’s Perception – If your brand is stuck in a rut and you want to change the way it is viewed by consumers, it’s time to change your brand’s perception. The Glenlivet Scotch had a reputation for being an “old school” drink best enjoyed in stuffy board rooms filled with old gents in leather chairs. To change this perception, their sampling strategy offered a sleek black and natural wood outdoor patio to drive their modern message about Scotch consumption. Popping up at food and wine festivals everywhere, this sampling showed that Scotch, especially when paired with the trending Scotch-inspired craft cocktails, is a good choice for all ages for all occasions.

To ensure your event is successful, be sure to do your research and be clear on the goals you wish to accomplish during your experiential marketing event. By spotlighting the taste and personality of your brand at a fun and interactive event with a clever sampling strategy, you will gain new customers who will help spread the word and help your brand grow, resulting in a win-win event for everyone!

How Cheetos and Chef Anne Burrell Blew our Mind

How Cheetos and Chef Anne Burrell Blew our Mind

---

Cheetos recently took both New York City and social media by storm with its pop-up Cheetos restaurant, the Spotted Cheetah. This installation featured recipes that included the brand's signature product that were devised and cooked by chef Anne Burrell. Seats sold out almost instantly, and over 1,000 people had tried to get tickets.

It's rare that a pop-up restaurant will gain such a huge response, but this one went viral almost immediately. It gained a prime spot as a Twitter Moment and was all over other sites as well. Many pictures were shared in all possible ways, and it even gained some TV coverage. By all accounts, it was a huge success for the Cheetos brand and its parent company.

For attendees, the experience started by walking up an orange carpet to get in through orange doors. Inside, they found a large HD screen with a smooth-talking Chester Cheetah, who greeted each guest by name. Once beyond him, they were treated not to a carnival-like outlet, but instead, an upscale dining experience that happened to include plenty of Cheetos and Chester Cheetah-themed accents. Orange cheetah-fur printed tablecloths, orange fabric hung from the ceiling, and even bright orange paw-printed toilet paper ensured that nobody forgot that this restaurant was, above all else, about Cheetos. Of course, it also served dishes that all included the product in some form.

A bar was also present, and many went to it to start their meals off with orange slushies which were described by the bartender as being like margaritas. The drink, however, was "just sweet enough to remind imbibers that the restaurant was … a temple of junk food" according to Forbes.

Unique Factors Surrounding the Spotted Cheetah Event

There were a few unique factors that made this event such a huge hit. One is that instead of trying to drive new interest, Cheetos waited until several brand-inspired recipes had already gone viral. This showed the brand that there was significant interest in the idea of using Cheetos as an ingredient, and therefore, that it would be easy to turn that interest into attention to recipes devised, made, and presented by a professional chef.

Another unique factor is the already-massive footprint the Cheetos brand enjoys. Even those who hadn't thought of using Cheetos in recipes immediately became curious about the idea, simply because everyone who hasn't been living in a cave knows what a Cheeto is and can imagine its flavor.

Finally, the idea of using Cheetos in the setting of recipes found in this sort of restaurant is inherently worth talking about. This made it very easy for the experience to go viral, complete with pictures taken on the spot by attendees. Of course, the brand distributed many professionally-taken photographs as well so that media outlets could show the event at its best.

Applying This Information to Your Event

While most brands don't enjoy a multi-billion dollar marketing budget, they can use at least some of the lessons offered by the Spotted Cheetah in their own efforts. One is that it's a great idea to piggyback on an existing related trend in order to draw more interest to your marketing idea. Another is to present your brand in a related, but unexpected, way. Also, make sure your presentation is unique enough to get people to share it without begging for likes or retweets. If what you do is cool enough, everyone will be talking about it.

Finally, be sure to choose a great city and venue for your experiential marketing effort. For an event in Miami, consider Soho Studios. We have plenty of both indoor and outdoor space that can be configured to meet your exact needs.

What Boozy and Sweet Culinary Creations are Trending in Experiential Events

---

What Booze and Desserts are Trending in Experiential Events

If you love a great adult beverage and a yummy dessert, you will definitely be excited about the new trends and sweet treats marketers of experiential events are dishing up that include both! Lucky attendees are swooning over the new boozy event fare that tempts them to taste this magical fusion of their favorite desserts and cocktails.

While alcohol-infused desserts have been around for a while in classic desserts such as decadent Tiramisu and the ever-popular Bananas Foster, some new creations have been seen in trendy restaurants over the past couple of years in the form of cakes, puddings, ice cream and more. This fun combination is so popular, it is now making its way to experiential marketing events and attendees are eating it up!

If you are looking for an amazing way to get attention for your next 21 and up experiential marketing event, check out these new ideas centered around fun and trending boozy desserts that are stealing the show and creating quite a buzz (Pun intended!) at recent experiential marketing events. What a fun and unique way to get the party started and get the attention of some new customers in the process.

Trending Boozy and Sweet Culinary Creations for Experiential Events

• Liquor Infused Ice Cream - Everybody loves ice cream and this new alcohol infused ice cream has event- goers eating it faster than it can melt. There are a variety of new companies specializing in these spiked ice creams that offer it in many delicious flavors from Vanilla Bourbon and Coconut Rum to Irish Cream and Vodka Key Lime Pie.
• Drunken Cupcakes - Cupcakes have always been a staple for any kind of party or event. Alcohol infused cupcakes kick this favorite treat up a notch and get the immediate attention of attendees. Popular concoctions include Chocolate Hennessy, Margarita, Pina Colada, Lemon Drop, White Russian, and more!
• Wine Infused Fudge - Recent culinary trends show that nothing goes better together than wine and chocolate. Many wineries have started to merge the two amazing flavors into an extraordinary treat. Fudge infused wine is growing in popularity. In fact, Alto Vineyards in Illinois indicates that their port wine infused fudge is one of their top sellers.
• Boozy Milkshakes – The perfect combination of sweet and spiked, adult milkshakes are a huge hit at experiential events. The long-time favorite treat is a great way to create a buzz around a product or as a unique catering detail to wow crowds. 
• Spiked Cakes and Pies – Get the attention at your next event with a vodka infused cake or a whiskey laden pie that is sure to please. From golden rum cake to chocolate bourbon pecan pie to Irish coffee cheesecake, spiked cakes and pies speak to everyone! There is simply nothing like taking your favorite cocktail and making it into a delicious cake or pie to star in your event.
• WineSicles – Sure to be a crowd pleaser, frozen wine popsicle treats, known in the food world as ‘WineSicles’ are very popular, especially with wine connoisseurs who are always looking for something new.  These make a great marketing tool and will definitely get folks taking about your event.

How the Pros Do It

Patrón Tequila Goodies

As one would expect, the team at Patrón knows exactly how to throw an alcohol infused attention getting event. Recent marketing efforts include experiential events that add a little sweetness to their premium tequila by using it in a variety of delicious and intoxicating dessert offerings.

The Patrón team recently presented the crowds with incredible Patrón Tequila infused truffles and Mocha Patrón XO Café Macaroons. The folks at Patrón are taking this new tend to heart and have even teamed up with a chocolatier to invent creative new ways to combine their tequila with dessert options. They also offered Silver Patrón infused popsicles and new “Muddle Your Mojito” bars where attendees choose their favorite fruit and muddle (smash) them while a bartender helps them mix the fruit and liquor to create their own personal sweet and fruity concoction. As a take-away, guests were given the muddler, which they could have custom engraved to their liking.

How and Why Taste of Home Upgraded its Tour

---

How and Why Taste of Home Upgraded its Tour

Taste of Home, a multi-platform producer of food-related information, has launched a new series of cooking events this year. This version has expanded greatly from prior iterations, and is going by the name Taste of Home LIVE. It began with a tour of 10 major markets, including Chicago and Atlanta, and by the end of the year, will travel through 40 different cities. Next year, it is slated to expand to 80 cities.

For the new model of events, Taste of Home has expanded to include more experiential marketing aspects, more sponsors, and a charitable experience. Many of the changes are geared for engagement with Millennial moms and other younger people, but is also working to please its core audience. To meet this and other objectives, it has made specific changes:

• On-stage experiences and social media sharing are now being prioritized. Millennials are more likely to be comfortable with getting up on stage – and sharing their experiences across multiple platforms. Therefore, the shows are offering plenty of on-stage experiences. To have a chance to participate in these, attendees must first post to Facebook or Twitter about the event.
• The show has partnered with Fusion Marketing, an experiential marketing agency, for "creative event activations." The companies will work together to provide a cohesive and powerful branding experience to the effort. Fusion will plan and execute each city's event.
• Taste of Home will support local charities. Ten percent of the proceeds from merchandise sales will be going to Feeding America, a hunger-fighting charity that operates in all of the markets where events will be held. Each event will also include a food drive. By choosing Feeding America as its beneficiary, Taste of Home can provide local support while dealing with just one main office.
• The events will still teach kitchen tips and food hacks to participants. It will also have advice from expert chefs. This will please long-time fans and make it easier for new cooks to get up to speed.
• Expert chefs will still prepare great meals at each event. This aspect is another one that is sure to be a winner with both long-time and new attendees. Everyone loves to see an expert at work!

By expanding its show to include more sponsored equipment and other features, Taste of Home will make its shows more interesting while sticking to its theme of creating great food. This tight adherence to its theme will make the branding aspect of the events more powerful, while the expansion and modernization of the presentation will bring in younger people and improve the event's word-of-mouth marketing. Taste of Home's new event style is sure to gain the brand many new fans.

If you're looking for a venue to hold a Miami stop for your company's event tour, consider Soho Studios. We have up to 70,000 square feet of indoor space that can be configured to your specifications. We also have two outdoor pavilions if you would rather have your expo in the open air. Our concierge service offers all of the help you want or need, so you won't have to search for local companies to assist you. Just give us a call for more information.