Mastercard Priceless Miami with Chef Steve Santana

MasterCard cardholders have a very special opportunity to meet Chef Steve Santana for tortilla making lessons at his Miami restaurant, Taquiza, on March 18, 2016. The restaurant is located in the heart of South beach, in the HI Miami Beach Hostel (the old Eva hotel.) The charming street style taqueria has exploded in popularity since its 2014 launch. The tacos at Taquiza continually earn a spot on the "best of" food lists for Miami restaurants, drawing visitors from not only the Miami area but from all over the United States. In Mexico, a

Taquiza is a special event. Essentially, it means that people invite their friends and family over for a casual taco party. This casual gathering includes piles of fresh corn tortillas and all the tortillas ingredients on a central table where people can serve themselves. Chef Santana wanted the concept of this Mexican social gathering to carry over to his new Miami restaurant, and so Taquiza was born. Diners can order and eat at the restaurant, or they can order a to go package that includes everything needed for a traditional taco party in their own home.

By owning a MasterCard, you will earn earn entry into a truly unique experience - a tortilla making class with Chef Santana. Following the lesson, you'll enjoy a fun family style meal at Taquiza that includes pulled pork shoulder along with a menu of sodas from Mexico such as Agua Fresca and Jarritos. Tortillas are handcrafted from scratch every day, using only responsibly sourced ingredients. The blue masa corn that comes from Michoacán, Mexico is the centerpiece of the tortillas at Taquiza, and you'll learn how to create these culinary delights yourself.

The lesson will include not only a tortilla making tutorial and meal, but also an education on the different types of corn used in tortillas today and tips on how to recreate these amazing tortillas on your own at home. The most essential part of the taco is undoubtedly the tortilla, so the type of corn and the way that it's used is extremely important. Traditional Mexican tortilla making is truly an art - a lost art in many places - and that art is what Chef Santana will discuss and demonstrate during this lesson.

The tortilla making lessons will start on March 18 at 10:30 a.m. and will cost $15 per person. To learn more about the tortilla making lessons at Taquiza, visit the website today.

Amtrak and Mastercard Promote with a Digital Teleporter

Penn Station in New York City is a prime space for travel marketing. Its 100-year-old architecture is a structural mainstay, and its busy rail lines have hosted a slew of creative innovations, flash mobs and brand promotions in the past. Amtrak train travelers, in September, were greeted with the company’s newest promotional strategy: the Teleporter.

Enter Time and Space

Amtrak’s futuristic Teleporter experience whisked travelers away to alternate digital locations, activating a flurry of traveler interest. The display, held between September 14th and 25th, assisted Amtrak’s Guest Rewards card promotion. Partnered with Bank of America, Amtrak’s attention to the consumer’s love of speed, optimization and travel became a winning strategy.

Regular travel and flexible spending are big benefits of the Guest Rewards cards. Bank of America has created similar innovative approaches in the past, granting its loyal customers the chance to achieve great spending and saving power. With Amtrak as a partner, Bank of America’s limits were extended well beyond the train station’s ceiling.

Into the Cities

Visitors taking part in Amtrak’s Teleporter experience need only place one hand on its slim and savvy touch screen. The screen’s panel then activated a virtual adventure. Fans were met with blasts of air, flashes of light and a premium rundown of America’s greatest cities. A countdown began the charge, and consumers waiting in line were prompted with a “who’s next?” style of affairs.

Two 90-inch screens within the display hosted the Amtrak-selected video. Animations erupted, creating an in-cabin feel for virtual reality riders. Each animation simulated famous American locations, including Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and Boston. The screen’s scenery similarly provoked attention with iconic cityscapes, favorite tourist destinations and bustling nightlife.

Arrival and Rewards Sign-Up

Consumers then “arrived” at their destination, witnessing an additional slew of memorable in-city locations. The Amtrak display then ushered visitors to the event booth’s exterior, where prizes were presented. Prize giveaways were generous, including neck pillows, branded water bottles, luggage tags and even commuter travel kits.

Of course, Bank of America held a strong presence at the event’s end, too. Following the engagement, attendees were welcomed to sign up for Amtrak’s promoted rewards program. Upon doing so, they were gifted free bonus miles and a personal thank you from Amtrak and Bank of America. Both brands carried a healthy supply of ambassadors, which assisted attendees with sign-ups and questions. Fully equipped with iPads, handouts and computer kiosks, brand informants were well-stocked to assist in a variety of ways.

The Amtrak approach to on-location experiential marketing is inspiring. Event-runners were highly excited to launch the new card program, enticing consumers with new possibilities, new destinations and new ways to save. Focused on fueling sign-ups, the Teleporter succeeded in creating a totally out-of-the-ordinary experience. Amtrak and Bank of America both harnessed a potent experience—one worthy of the books. It was engrossing, innovative and fast. Like a train, Amtrak’s Teleporter brought riders to the destination quickly, ensuring they’d enjoy every leg of the trip.

Eat and Treat with SOBE

The South Beach Wine and Food Festival is one of the most popular venues in the world that combines food enthusiasts, television and media, and renowned chefs for a great time of food and fun. According to Biz Bash, this is the #1 food and restaurant industry event in the US. Next February, the festival will present Eat and Treat with SOBE, a media-only event where chefs and TV personalities who will be participating in the South Beach Food and Wine Festival give reporters and media an exclusive look at some of the dishes prepared and activities that will take place. This event will have a number of sections, based on food prep and types of food. Different restaurants and TV networks will also be set up with their booths to feature and highlight famous dishes, items to purchase, and of course, chefs that represent their best interests. In these booths, chefs will give demonstrations on how to prepare certain dishes and what makes their culinary talent so special. A picture booth will be set up for individual photos and book signings.

Food distributors will also be on hand to discuss any new offerings they have slated to be introduced during the festival, and there will also be a new chefs’ booth introducing any newcomers on the scene. The media will be able to sample the food and wine, with direct access to the internet for any food critics to post their opinions for the masses who will not be able to attend.

Events at the festival include book signings, Wine Spectator Trade Day, Amstel Light Burger Bash, Barilla’s Italian Bites on the Beach, seminars that include the Bank of America Lifestyle Seminars on Wine & Cheese, Beer, Sip and Sea, Sweets & Spirits, and the Past meets Present Winery.

Sponsors include The Food Network, Cooking Channel, Food & Wine, FIU Chaplain School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, Southern Wine & Spirits, MasterCard, Lowes Miami Beach Hotel, Barilla, The New York Times, PMG and Delta Airlines among others.

Tickets for this event and the SOBEWFF are now on sale online.

The Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by FOOD & WINE is a national, star-studded, four-day destination event showcasing the talents of the world’s most renowned wine and spirits producers, chefs and culinary personalities. Hosted by Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida and Florida International University (FIU), the Festival benefits FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management and the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center. To date, the Festival has raised more than $22 million for the School.