Propel Co:Labs Joining the Healthy Pop Up Movement

Propel has launched a pop-up studio program that is quickly becoming one of the hottest exercise trends today. Being in celebration of their flavored water (with more electrolytes), Propel is touring their Propel Co:Labs in New York so more workout enthusiasts can understand what the brand is all about. So with a Propel Co:Lab setting up another brand experience, we're going to give you a sneak peek in regards to what the event is about and what could be expected at a Propel event. With this being said, here's a look at what Propel Co:Labs has to offer. About Propel Co:Labs

The previous Propel Co:Labs opening was such a wild success in Los Angeles that Propel has decided to launch an event in New York. The initial Los Angeles Propel launch went as follows:

• Taking place in a private home located in Venice Beach, the Propel's four day event transformed the home into every fitness fanatics' dream. The Propel Co:Lab was open 12 hours a day and allowed customers to sign up for free fitness classes (the classes themselves were one hour long) that were held by fitness personalities and Propel partners. Classes included Modelfit, Yoga for Bad People, Speedplay, Cobra Fitness Club, The Class, and Y7 Studio. One of the many fitness personalities on board included Gunnar Peterson, who is well known as a trainer for the stars.
• When the customers arrived, Bandier (a fitness apparel brand) offered outfits that included accessories and other products for their first level purchase. In addition to this, a 3D photo booth was provided so that the customers could place themselves into their desired Propel advertisement and share them with friends/family.For their "Science of Propel" space, Propel set up messaging that explained the scientific explanation of the ingredients and how the electrolytes effect your body.On the rooftop, a DJ was spinning records and a bar served smoothies that were made with Propel.The fitness classes themselves were held in the modern studio spaces of the LA home.
• On the opening day, the event held an influencer night that featured fitness media, local fitness bloggers, and a surprise performance by none other than Nick Jonas. Driving the buzz for the event was a Q&A with Gunner Peterson and an organized lunch. In addition to this, Electric Flight Crew dropped by (a savvy fitness club on social media) and shared their experience at the event.

In consideration of the information above, it's safe to say that the sky is the limit if Propel happens to come to your town.

Want to create a fun pop-up fitness event in Miami?  Contact us today for a tour of our studios.

The Pop-Up and the Consumer Experience

One of the latest trends in experiential marketing are pop-up shops. But they're not merely a fad. Rather they're one of the most effective ways to promote brands. Here's a few examples of how companies have used pop-up shops to create effective experiential marketing campaigns, as well as the advantages of how these events can help individual businesses.

Why Give it Away, When People Will Pay

When Organic Valley sought to create an event to let consumers know more about their organic half and half cream, the choice to serve coffee seemed obvious, as nothing goes better with half and half than coffee. But while coffee shops across the country give away the half and half, they do charge for the coffee. So they planned a twist, they would charge visitors $2 for the half and half, and give the coffee away for free. While if anyone asked, they'd have gladly given samples of the half and half, no one complained at the $2 charge. Instead, they were too busy enjoying themselves at the two day pop-up cafe in NYC's Nolita neighborhood, which included hosting by food stylist and writer Sweet Paul, and included talks from organic farmer Gerrit van Tol about organic farming and cows.

Advantages

Pop-up shops aren't so much about turning a profit as they are about creating brand awareness and education. But while giving samples can be great marketing, charging for a product at a pop-up sends the message that not only is your item worth paying for, it links the buying of the item with a fun experience. When you give a sample, you reach a potential customer who may choose to buy your product down the road, but when a person pays for your product at a fun event, you've just gotten a new customer, one who has positive associations with your brand from the point of sale.

Changing Perceptions

Women feeling ashamed of their monthly periods is becoming a thing of the past, and who better to take notice than U by Kotex. Inspired by a NYC college student's blog post, U by Kotex chose to launch their Period Project Campaign with The Period Shop for three days on New York's Fifth Avenue. Selling home goods, accessories and beauty products by female artisans, and of course U by Kotex products, the shop also had a truth booth featuring women talking about their period. The hip shop was the perfect place to reach the target audience of savvy young women, but U by Kotex loved the broad appeal of the shop and its contribution to making everyone comfortable with the topic of a women's period.

For Chobani, the largest seller of Greek yogurt in the United States, expanding their customer base isn't about competing against other brands so much as it is about changing the habits of their customers. Europeans eat a much larger volume of yogurt annually than Americans, and yogurt is a regular part of all three meals, while Americans limit their yogurt consumption to breakfast. By introducing Americans to all the possibilities in creating savory yogurt dishes, Chobani is confident it can expand much further than its already impressive growth. There's really no better way to do that than experiential marketing, which Chobani knows well; in addition to a permanent NYC flagship café, the company hosts events 52 weeks out of the year. Getting people to try yogurt in entirely new ways is the surest way to grow the company, and pop-up shops are an integral part of Chobani's marketing plan.

Advantages

Getting people to change their perceptions and habits is hard work for any brand, and it's definitely best done using a "show don't tell" model. Allowing consumers to experience these different ways of doing things first-hand in the fun environment of a pop-up shop is the surest way to achieve success.

Capitalizing on Place

Boohoo.com, a major online fashion retailer in the UK, chose to host a two week pop-up shop in Los Angeles' trendy Westwood neighborhood. With a music festival theme and a location close to UCLA which represents its female college student target demographic, the choice of location served two purposes. It helped expand into a new market as Boohoo.com seeks to have a larger presence amongst American buyers, and it did so strategically, as the brand is highly influenced by Southern California style, and felt there was no better place to begin its expansion to the US. What is more, by being in Westwood and using a west coast music festival theme, the brand was able to capitalize on these things for marketing far beyond the pop-up. In using social media and broadcasting the event to their followers, the brand becomes associated with the hip neighborhood and an authentic West Coast vibe.

Advantages

By strategically using place, brands are able to connect with consumers on the most intimate level, from inside the communities where they live. Additionally, companies can use the associations of a place, whether it be a hip neighborhood or one that will best resonate with their target audience, to create a stronger brand. Our event spaces, at the heart of Miami's Arts District, are the perfect place for hosting any kind of pop-up shop. Give us a call to learn more about how your brand can most benefit from a pop-up shop.

Audi Presents LED Art Exhibit at New York City Club

Since inventing LED daytime running lights back in 2005, Audi has been at the forefront of LED technology. With this achievement in mind, the company recently sponsored a truly unique art installation entitled Bold Notion: Art of Innovation. The exhibit, created by New York artist Matthew Schreiber, is built around the physical structure and geometry of one of New York City's most elite clubs, CORE:club. In this method, Schreiber uses LED lights to transform an ordinary building to interactive exhibition in a modern and playful way . The lights crosshatch through entryways, hallways, and walls, each one tailored specifically around the structure of the building to create a spectacle for the eye. To accomplish this feat, he turned off all of the main lights in the building to give more focus to his red lasers.

The design features over 400 individual diode lasers which shoot out across the space, challenging viewers to become part of the artwork as they move about the room. According to Schreiber, he intended for the lights to be daunting at first as a challenge to those who wanted to enter. His inspiration for the piece centered around his desire for attendees to be scanned when they entered the exhibit. In this way, he hopes people attending should feel slightly uneasy at first, as if they are not welcome, because this represents the clubs exclusivity as well as a challenge they must overcome.

In order to promote the exhibit, CORE: club held a public reception for the first time in their history, allowing non-members to peruse the art. The event included vaporized cocktails and drinks with LED ice cubes to match the theme of the evening. Finally, Schreiber also was available for an hour long question and answer session to inform the audience about his work and its purpose. Finally, a dinner was held that offered several courses of fine delicacies to choose from.

This exhibit is actually the seventh of its kind to be hosted by CORE:club. The Bold Notion series is committed to offering artists a space to unleash their creativity in unusual ways, much like Soho Studies. Previous events have included paintings, application of light, and even iconography.

CORE:club is not the only venue that can offer such a versatile space for exhibits. Ready to host your own unique event in a space that can be matched to your needs? Consider renting our Pavilion, Armory, or Parliament studios. For more information, do not hesitate to contact us.

Sources: www.audi.com, www.thecoreclub.com

Why More Brands are Joining the "Maker Movement"

Custom Circuit Boards, robots, 3D printing. What do these things have in common? The Maker Movement! All over the country, tinkerers, amateur engineers, and tech hobbyists are creating, and what they make is useful. The Maker Movement is gaining momentum because the price for Arduino printed circuit boards, 3D printers, and CNC machining are falling into reach of the typical consumer. Projects that once were out of reach for the garage engineer because of cost have, over the past few years, become accessible. The how-to resources have exploded, too. YouTube videos exist to teach anyone how to solder, 3D print, and even design a simple circuit. That means a mentor is at your fingertips, and they're available 24 hours a day.

Brands are getting involved, too. In November 2015, Barnes and Noble sponsored mini-maker faires inside their stores. Makers were given space and allowed to demonstrate their creations to anyone who happened to drop into the store. Once customers engaged, how-to books were right there, available to buy.

Innovation occurs when makers get their hands on the right tools, and maker faires are where these creations are put into the spotlight. Major tech companies are getting involved because they recognize the innovation happening inside garages and on kitchen tables. Major tech companies like Qualcomm, Atmel, and Intel were among those attending a recent faire in San Mateo, California.

Makers are people who enjoy rolling up their sleeves and diving into a project. There has always been a segment of the population who enjoyed working with their hands. Dad out in the garage working with his scroll saw, an uncle out in the barn rebuilding an engine, or a brother-in-law hooking a television up to an oscilloscope, makers have always been around. It's because accessibility has improved since the turn of the century that the builder movement has really exploded.

It's not just for the techies. People are making jewelry, clothing, and other creative items. Websites like Etsy and Amazon's Maker Marketplace provide a platform where makers can sell their creations. General Electric continues their Garages program, where engineers educate makers on production technology. Michael's craft stores is allowing customers to participate in products and brand.

Corporations in many industries are learning to Participate in the maker movement. That helps the makers by legitimizing their work, but it also helps the corporations as they gain the trust of makers and improve their own product lines. Not all innovation is financed by shareholders. A great deal of creativity is alive and well in the hands of self-financed makers building gadgets and crafts in their garage, and the world is a better place because of it.

Are you putting together a Maker event?  Contact us today for more information about hosting your event at our studio!

Engaging Millennials to Increase Exposure

The Millenial generation, also known as "Generation Y," is composed of those born from 1980 to the early 2000s. A corporation's events can become more successful by attracting a broader base of attendees. This generation is quickly becoming more and more critical to an event's success, as they're known as the young professionals in the company. Many of them, though still young, are real power players and significantly influence the company's success. Check out these four strategies to attract Millennials to an upcoming event.

1. Keep it casual.

Most Millienials aren't into the frills of a formal affair. Their generation is sometimes noted for wearing jeans in the work environment and enjoying open offices that allow for easy collaboration with colleagues. Make the event appealing to them by keeping it informal and in a relaxed environment.

2. Make the event an interactive experience.

Group interaction and collaboration are very important to most millennials. Make sure to extend the invitation with a "+1," so they can bring a friend or partner along. About 70% of Millennials have never married. Consider making the event even more interactive with a concert or some type of fun race.

3. Place a strong emphasis on social media.

Prior to the event, market it with social media. Offer discounts to followers. Post related videos and photos to build excitement for the event. Include content that is interactive and shareable. Develop a hashtag specific to the event. At the event, attendees can then interact and post messages with the company's brand. Once the event has ended, send a blast out with thanks, results of the event, or promotionals. Grab even more Millenial attention by inserting a QR code on all marketing materials. Such a code can scan the user directly to the registration or company's home page.

4. Make the event one with social awareness.

Millenials are aware of the greater social good. Make the event a "green" event to appeal to the environmentalists. Having a portion of the proceeds designated to go to local charity is another way to appeal to Millenial's sense of social awareness.

If all these strategies are implemented, the event is likely to be filled with those wearing high tops, men with buns or ponytails, and young eager faces. Considering this population makes up approximately one-third of the workforce in the United States, this group simply cannot be left behind. Make sure you make it a point to bring in the young, professional and fun crowd to have a successful event!

Unique Cocktail Branding Ideas For Your Next Happy Hour

Looking for some unique and share worthy marketing ideas for your bar, restaurant, or catering business? Want to go beyond the tired old branded coasters and cocktail napkins? Hospitality business owners are coming up with some creative and memorable ways to spice up their cocktails with these exciting branding ideas. Say It N-Icely

Nearly every cocktail has one thing in common, they all come with ice. Rather than let this blank canvas melt away unnoticed, your brand can be stamped into each cube. Press a brass stamp into the ice and your logo or message is instantly created without the need for molded ice trays. The branded ice looks best on large disks or cubes that float on top of the drink.

Make It A-Peeling

Ordering your drink with a twist just got a little more interesting with heated branding stamps. Logos and messages can be burned into orange, lemon, or lime peels and placed in the cocktail or on a garnish pick. The burned image will also give off a little extra scent of citrus, adding to the sensory sensation.

Burn It into Memory

One upscale cocktail lounge is taking coaster branding to a whole new level. Using thinly sliced rounds of pine, the bar burns their name into the coaster as part of a theatrical drink making process. The smoke from the freshly embossed pine is then used to smoke the inside of an overturned glass and filled with a signature cocktail. The coaster becomes a unique souvenir that will likely not get tossed away like so many inferior paper coasters.

Give a Token of Appreciation

Retro drink tokens are making a comeback in a big way. Once popular in casinos and corner bars, drink tokens can be turned in for one free drink. However, the most unique and creative tokens are often seen as collectibles and never exchanged for a drink. Tokens are usually made out of metal, plastic, or wooden disks. They are perfect for handing out at events or given to special guests by your bartenders and servers.

Add an Old Fashioned Twist

Of course, sometimes the old way of doing things is still the best way. Every drink needs a swizzle stick or garnish pick, so take advantage of this branding opportunity by creating custom designed drink stirrers. Incorporate your logo or brand message into uniquely shaped plastic stir sticks for social media shareworthy opportunities. You can also create custom designed garnish picks for branded cocktails and appetizers.

These are just a few interesting ways you can market your brand during any cocktail hour, party, or event here at Soho Studios. By giving each drink that extra wow factor, people will remember your message long after the ice melts.

Sources:

nytimes.com/2016/05/18/dining/bars-advertising-cocktails

cocktailbrandalism.com

brandingirons.com

royercorp.com/products/beverage-stirrers/

drinktokens.com

White Hot HEAT week 2016

Although the Miami Heat lost to the Toronto Raptors in game 7 on May 15, 2016, they started off the season with a bang!  The White Hot HEAT 2016 week began on Sunday April 10th, with a host of activities for all HEAT fans to enhance and enjoy more of their HEAT playoff experience. White Hot; the 2016 HEAT Playoffs presented by Miccosukee & Gaming, urges all HEAT fans to embrace their roles throughout the post-season by dressing in white. This is to support HEAT in all the daily activities, especially in its playoff games.  Many companies got into the spirit and participated in the weeks events as well. The weeks’ schedule was packed with activities for all ages!

April 10th- Fan Appreciation Night

At 6.00 pm

The week kicked off with a fan appreciation night at the AmericanAirlines Arena as the HEAT took on Orlando Magic in the final home game of the regular season. HEAT fans got the chance to win player-autographed memorabilia and HEAT giveaways among more.

April 11th- White Hot HEAT Playoffs car Decal event presented by Metro Signs Inc

6.00am -10.00am

If you stopped by the AmericanAirlines Arena during this time, fans got a free White Hot Heat window decal fitted on their rear windshield. Burnie, Heat dancers and the Xtreme Team will also present to take photographs.

April 12th- White Hot Heat road rally presented by Bacardi

6.30 pm

The first in a pair of seamless White Hot Heat road rallies got a chance to be at the Tarpon Bend in Ft. Lauderdale.  While there fans joined the Xtreme team, Miami HEAT dancers, In-Area host Uptown Dale, Michael Baiamonte, In-Arena Announcer and other HEAT fans and watch FOX Sports’ Sunday telecast of the HEAT playing the Detroit Pistons.

April 13th- XFINITY East Plaza White Hot Heat road rally presented by Bacardi

7.00 pm

Fans enjoyed the HEAT experience outdoors as White Hot Heat road rally took to the XFINITY East Plaza located on the AmericanAirlines Arena, and overlooking the beautiful Miami skyline. The festivities which included; delicious Bacardi drink specials, HEAT giveaways, and chances to win some HEAT playoff tickets.

April 14th-HEAT After Dark

7.00pm-11.00pm

The HEAT fans over 18 years got the chance to engage in the excitement of playing a pickup basketball game on the Miami HEAT hardwood, at the AmericanAirlines Arena. The event was hosted by the In-Arena Host as well as Uptown Dale, and fans enjoyed music, hoops and a special lighting along with entertainment from HEAT dancers, the Xtreme Team and Burnie. HEAT fans received a free HEAT t-shirt while supplies lasted.

April 15th- White Hot Heat Bar Crawl presented by Miller Lite

6.00pm-8.00pm

All the Miami Heat dancers, Burnie, Uptown Dale, and the Xtreme Team hit the streets on FOX Sports Sun HEAT Fan Express for a White Hot Heat bar crawl in the Wynwood area. Fans received giveaways and other fan kits from HEAT.

If you missed it check out @MiamiHeat on twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat to see all the highlights of the week.

Four Ways the Smartwatch Will Impact your Next Event

As the technology industry continues to evolve, the events industry must continue to keep up with the demand as well.  One of the products to hit the market, and become popular, in the past few years is the smartwatch. Since Apple,Inc., released its version, the popularity of this connected wearable technology has continued to grow more popular every year.  With so many spectacular events occurring on a daily basis,  each event experience must be better than the last.  It's a given that organizers know these little gadgets will be at their next event.  But what type of effect will they have?  Here are a four ways that the smartwatch can and will affect your next event.   Sharing In An Instant

One of the best parts of the smartwatch movement is how connected everyone is to social media. Not only do they log on constantly to check updates on various events and “likes”, but people are more willing to share what they are up to in an instant. This ability to tell the world exactly what are you doing at all times is even easier with a smartwatch on your wrist. Attendees can update their Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook accounts in real time.  They can also send photos and stream live on apps like Periscope.  This can help create a buzz about your event and generate a greater interest in the company.

Scheduling Made Easier

With all the apps geared towards scheduling, an event marketer is able to get their entire team on board quicker to make their event run smoother. If things need to be changed, all your attendees can be notified as quickly as possible with the connect-ability of the smartwatch. It’s much better than trying to run around and track everyone down when you can just send out a group message to get all your people on the same page.  

An Integrative System

Not only does the smartwatch work well on its own, but the variety of integrated systems you can connect with at events and trade shows are amazing. Think about scanning codes with the flick of your wrist, and being able to check-in an attendee in less than 5 seconds, thus cutting down lines and wait times.  Need to make an important announcement?  Attendees can get up-to-the- minute information sent to their wrists while you are attending the event.

The Ease of Video Marketing

It’s a snap now for event planners to incorporate videos into their events and presentations. If everyone has a smartwatch or even a smartphone to access these video presentations, it allows more information to be shared through all the attendees with ease.  Sell more sponsor ads and get your attendees involved.  If something is missed at the event, you can easily look it up on your integrated smartwatch later on.

These are only four ways that smartwatches will make an impact.  With technology and innovation changing everyday, there are plenty more reasons to come.  What are some of the ways you think it will make an impact next?

Southwest Airlines, Millennials and Music

Wouldn't it be great if companies could tap into the ideas of student entrepreneurs, and bring to the forefront brilliant ideas that the Millennials have in business? And then take those ideas and bring them into fruition? It sounds like a far-fetched idea, but that's exactly what Southwest Airlines did in their Recess 2016 Spring Tour.

Mix Music and Business to Attract New Entrepreneurs

Mid April (April 5 through April 18) Southwest Airlines reached out to 18 universities and colleges to find current student entrepreneurs. Southwest Airlines gave the students the opportunity to meet with the biggest investors and venture capitalists in the country to pitch their startup ideas. These entrepreneurs were then entered into a bracket style competition to compete for a cash prize of $250,000.

After each stop on the tour, the students were invited to an after party concert which featured artists such as Tory Lanez, GoldLink, and Lil Dicky. The concerts and party atmosphere of the competition's after party attracted students to consider the message that Southwest Airlines had to offer: “Your ideas are important and we want to know what you think is important to your generation.”

A Win-Win Situation for All Involved

In Southwest Airlines' Recess 2016 Spring Tour, everyone who participated was a winner. It encouraged Millennials who are naturally more attracted to innovation to team up with investors and venture capitalists, thus networking the two groups. It helped Southwest Airlines develop loyalty among the Millennials that are the most brand loyal generation to come along. Southwest Airlines fostered further loyalty with offering round-trip airline tickets as giveaways.

By introducing new companies and new brands to college students, it is likely to foster brand loyalty in those students throughout their lives. This is vitally important when considering that college students are often the business leaders of tomorrow. By introducing the college students to investors and venture capitalists, it gives the students a deeper understanding how business works and what's required to take their brilliant idea all the way to a product or service. At the very least, it gives the college students inroads into investors and venture capitalists.

Creating Loyalty through Innovation

Because the Millennials embrace technology and innovation more than previous generations, it's important for companies to position themselves as innovators. Millennials look for new technology when considering their brand loyalty. Consumers often form their brand preferences while they are young, which is why it is imperative to reach the Millennials now. Through Recess 2016 Spring Tour, Southwest Airlines has created an appealing way to reach Millennials in an unique venue.

Friskies Teams up with Grumpy Cat at the 2016 South by Southwest Festival

On March 12 and March 13, 2016, at the South by Southwest interactive (SXSWi) festival, Friskies well known mascot, Grumpy Cat, graced the crowd with an appearance to promote its most recent wet cat food product, Cat Concoctions. This new product has unusual flavor combos for the curious cat, like cod in cheesy bacon flavored sauce and chicken in creamy crabby sauce. The Inspiration Behind Cat Concoctions

“For the launch of Friskies’ Cat Concoctions, we really thought it was important for people to understand the product proposition—the fact that this line of cat food was inspired by cats,” said the brand manager at Friskies, Jessica Nichols. “And since people aren’t actually eating the product, having this tangible, physical event really helps bring that concept to life. Live experiences allow us to connect with media and consumers in a fun and unique way that really resonates.”

Friskies at South by Southwest

This year marked the fourth year that Friskies and Grumpy Cat teamed up at SXSWi to form a fun experience for consumers. Feline fans were able to enjoy food, music and fun photo opportunities. Music sensations Ryan Cabrera and Blake Lewis combined talents and stopped by to sing a soft, endearing rendition of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" that almost turned Grumpy Cat's frown upside down. Check out the You Tube video for the sweet harmonies of a Platinum selling recording artist and a runner-up from season six of American Idol. Very calming indeed!

Some Frisky Photo Ops

A fan favorite of the event was the official Friskies' spokes cat herself being on hand for a meet and greet. Quirky, fun props were available for fans to pose with alongside Grumpy Cat. Some of the silly items included a hat in the shape of a clamshell and crab claws you can slip on. There were also signs with phrases such as, "Strike a frown." For even more photo fun, a selfie station was available. At the station, participants were able to do a mash-up so that their faces were combined with Grumpy Cat's world famous scowl.

Ultimately about 1,600 festival goers attended the Friskies event. Those who could not attend were able to follow all the fun on Friskies' Instagram and Snapchat accounts or to join the online activity with #CatConcoctions. Social channels also featured Nala and Waffles, Grumpy Cat's fellow friends.