Miami Music Week 2017

Let's get this party started Miami!  Picking up from where it left off in 2016, Miami Music Week 2017 promises to be the place to be this March 21st through the 26th.  In 2016, there were more than 1,180 artists performing at over 260 events that were hosted at 78 plus venues and the event planners hope to top that during Miami Music Week 2017. For the past 7 years, Miami has transformed itself during the MMW into a dance music paradise.  This is a week-long marathon of non-stop parties and concerts featuring all the major artists in the electronic dance music scene.

Soho aka "The Miami Music Week Hotel" is the place to be during this year's MMW.  Located right in the heart of Delano, the prestigious urban resort, in South Beach.  This will be the epicenter of the parties throughout the week and the gathering place, both day and night, for music fans from all over the world.  These promise to be the best parties Miami has to offer the dance music enthusiast.

During the grand finale, also known as the world's premier electronic music festival or "Ultra Music Festival" which is held over the course of the final 3 days of Miami Music Week expect to join more than 165,000 fans from over 90 countries during the culmination of this amazing week.

Miami Music Week's 2017 highlights:

At Soho check out:

Marshmello and Friends. 10 p.m. Wednesday, March 22, at Soho Studios, 2138 NW First Ave., Miami; 305-600-4785; sohostudiosmiami.com. Tickets cost $40 via ticketfly.com.

or  Mosaic. With Maceo Plex, Marcel Dettmann, Stephan Bodzin, Mike Servito, North Lake, and Danyelino. 9 p.m. Saturday, March 25, at Soho Studios, 2138 NW First Ave., Miami; 305-600-4785; sohostudiosmiami.com. Tickets cost $20 to $40 via residentadvisor.net.

Some other hot spots that week include:

Party all night on March 21, 2017with Firebeatz & Friends and Special Guests from 11:00 PM til 5:00 AM at FDR at the Delano

M.A.N.D.Y. will be at Do Not Sit on the Furniture on the 21st from 10 PM till 5:00 AM. Ticket prices are $20 and up.

Axtone's throwing a major Miami Pool Party on Wednesday, March 22nd from 2:00 PM till 11:00 PM.  Hosted by Delano Beach Club, the Tickets start at $48.

For those looking for free fun, there is a night with S E R A F I N and Friends happening on Wednesday, March 22nd.  Check them out at the Foxhole located at 1218 14th Court, Miami Beach.

Ultra Music Festival begins on Thursday, March 23rd  and runs through Saturday, 25th.  This show will feature headliners such as: Cypress Hill, Ice Cube, and Underworld.

You do not want to miss year's Miami Music Week.  Check out the whole schedule online at www.miamimusicweek.com.  We at Soho can't wait to see you in the house.

What's Next: Super Bowl for Cars?

A Food and Drink Extravaganza

Enlisting the help of Chef Ramsay, Nascar has created an eight-hour eating event which gives eventgoers a taste of everything meat. Pork butt and party-ready sliders are only two inclusions. Already, Fox has altered the presentation to glorify local affiliates alongside delectable displays.

Fox’s plan for the Daytona Day promotional blitz is to present six recipes, a pit-stop cocktail entry and—of course—more food. Sweet potato tater tots, chocolate cake and bourbon are main entries. The booze front, itself, is highlighting the culinary-competition series. Nascar’s dedication to food isn’t necessarily unique, but it sets it up to reach new heights as an entertainment provider.

Nascar as the New Super Bowl

The intention, here, is to replicate a Super Bowl Sunday experience. The Daytona race might seem out of reach to those not following Nascar, but it’s a surprisingly stable location for top-10 America events. Fox is expecting its ratings to spike on Sunday, if only by visibility alone. The Daytona Day campaign has already kicked off, and Fox has already introduced its audiences with a customized “Simpsons” theme crafted to tease upcoming festivities.

Fox has a lot of resources, and its massive off-air marketing campaigns are likely to make a big splash. Race-day promotions via UberEats, for one, will benefit this effort. Sunday’s meal-delivery services will similarly boost the Daytona Day parties. Hardcore Nascar fans can expect a lot of attention on in-depth brand representation. Comcast Xfinity, too, will be present—sponsoring Nascar’s minor league circuit. The Daytona 500 can easily be “eventized,” as its leaders say, and it’s a perfect marketing opportunity. Eventgoers needn’t understand race intricacies, either, to have a good time.

Both die-hard and casual fans alike will be at Daytona Day, celebrating Nascar with food, drinks and parties. The floor is open for affiliate marketing success, too, which will only boost the event’s visibility. On the bottom level, however, Nascar already benefits from a great deal of popularity.

Beyond the Music: What Makes a Festival a Truly Memorable Event

Music festival sponsorships have long been parts of marketing, but all too often, the audience only remembers the band after it's all over. This is because companies tend to stick to boring signs of sponsorship, such as banners on fences, that do nothing to engage the audience. Even if a banner is plastered across the top of the stage, it fades from notice the moment a hot band strikes the first note. What can you do to ensure that your brand actually becomes part of the show instead of another thing in the background? The key is to give the audience a serious chance to truly interact with your products or services in a way that matches the look and feel of the rest of the event. Toyota is a master of this, and looking at what they've done should spark some ideas for your own events.

The Cars Are Really Parts of the Event

Many automakers do no more than park their cars around when they host an event. This isn't the case for Toyota, though: They made their vehicles an interactive part of one of their music festivals lately. There, patrons partook in activities like competing to see how many objects they could cram into the cargo area of a car or minivan, using the back of a minivan as a climb-in vending machine, and more.

Interactive Zones

Say goodbye to boring souvenir stands with standardized trinkets. Toyota had guests make their festival mementos on the spot using Shrinky Dinks and other such craft items. This gave everyone who got one a unique memory to go with the experience, so they'll remember this part of the event for a long time. Of course, all mementos were also branded so everyone will always have that extra reminder of the sponsor's identity.

Taking the Test Drive Up to 11

At exciting events like these, it would be a letdown to just have people putter around in a regular car. Yet, it is important to get people into Toyotas in driving situations so they're one step closer to buying. The solution? Have the people take the company's trucks over an off-road course. Logs and ramps make the vehicles' maneuverability come to life as drivers have fun.

Choosing a Venue

Music festivals can be held in all sorts of venues, ranging from arenas that are fully under roof all the way to fairgrounds that are entirely outdoors. When you want to be under roof in Miami, consider Soho Studios. Our venue offers up to 70,000 square feet and can be configured any way you'd like.

Once Again, SOBEWFF Delights its Guests

The South Beach Wine & Food Festival, more commonly known to its fans as the SOBEWFF, celebrated its 16th anniversary in Miami this past weekend. Even though the event just ended, we can still look to it to see this year's top trends and adapt them for our own events in the upcoming months. Here are some of the things that took the spotlight:

Tastings and Demonstrations

This year's tastings didn't stop with serving up food to curious attendees. The Grand Tastings were all accompanied by demonstrations by KitchenAid so people could see how to make the dishes at home. Of course, doing so would presumably involve buying some KitchenAid products. These were integral to the demonstrations, and many people who view such demos come to the feeling that they have to have the items shown within them. Needless to say, that's the plan.

Intimate Dinners Hosted by Well-Known People

While the big A-listers of Hollywood weren't hosting dinners, SOBEWFF did get some notable personalities to do the honors. Each dinner featured a different person or group who, for the most part, are known for their food or wine expertise. This type of dinner has been trending for a few years now, and many people are fans. Importantly, the term "intimate" doesn't refer to the sort of dinner that caters to lovebirds. Instead, it's a chance to talk to the hosts in a setting that is far more personable, or intimate, than the typical stage-to-audience speech setup.

Fitness Events

Companies have tried to make fitness into a trend for years, but it is now finally catching on. Two "Buddhas and Bellinis" events happened over the course of SOBEWFF and drew plenty of people to the yoga-themed mass classes. Other fitness-related events were geared toward families, and some included healthy cooking. It's clear that people are still interested in fitness and healthy food, and that the longstanding association between these things and deprivation dieting is continuing to fade.

Celebrity Chef Talks and Signings

A couple of decades ago, the very idea of a celebrity chef was all but unheard-of. Now, there are several making the rounds. People always love to get closer to celebrities, so it was a hit for SOBEWFF to bring in well-known chefs and home experts. The topics were highly varied, with one on the future of restaurant operations on all sizes and another that claimed that political discussion outright belongs at the dinner table.

While it's hard to match the scale of a festival like SOBEWFF, you can make your event a big hit by using it for inspiration. The other thing you need is a great venue. Try our flexible 70,000 square foot space here at Soho Studio for your own Miami extravaganza.

How to Spice Up that Boring Sales Luncheon

Business luncheons are great ways to attract customers, recognize existing ones and make your brand a hit. Sometimes, however, run-of-the-mill luncheons can become boring. It isn’t every day a business owner attracts new customers with great possibilities, and it isn’t every day a lunch proposal is dished out with an awesome event tie-in. Spice up the age-old luncheon, and tie in these awesome ideas:

One: Get High-Grade with Luxury Cars

Sales luncheons, kick-off dining dates and food-centric events pair well with luxury cars. You can promote your brand alongside, leading models, using videos, posters and racing wear to represent your business’s finer aspects. You can even use a car dealership to represent your event, getting down to the nitty gritty, car-wise, with test drives and enthusiast discussions.

Two: Make a Survival Game

Survival-based media is in. If you’re a fitness brand, an outdoor-centric provider or a booming business involved in lifestyle marketing, a survival game can greatly impact your customers. Design strategies to fit your customers, and help them uncover hidden business opportunities via desert, urban and park-based survival games.

Three: Take it to the Food Factory

If you want to add a unique angle, try bringing your luncheon-goers to a food factory. Consider chocolate factories, breweries, gourmet food factories and similar locations. By showing an appreciation for the industrial process, you’ll get your points across easier. You’ll also stick out as one of the more interesting luncheon’s your potential buyers have had. Unique experiences are bred by unique locations, and your entrees, appetizers, and desserts needn’t be confined to a restaurant.

Four: Let Them Build

No, you won’t sacrifice entertainment and food for hard work, but a little creative building goes a long way. Imbue your event with a construction theme, a puzzle theme or an artistic theme. Then, offer events to help build constructive team relationships. As for the food, it is a luncheon. Make sure you prioritize the food, because it still holds prevalence over venues housing dramatic architectural designs.

Five: Give a Blast from the Past

Sometimes, your business’s old CEOs should have a seat in current sales luncheons. Provide a reunion, and invite old employees, managers and business impactors. If your potential buyers are in the B2B realm, consider inviting old industry impactors, social leaders or cross-market representatives. The more the merrier, right?

Your business luncheon can be action-packed, enticing, mysterious and even memorable. Studies show surrounding events impact one’s perception of food taste. If you can outfit your event’s every aspect, you’ll impress the guests. You’ll give them a reason to come back for more.

The Pop-Tarts Pop-Up Café Gets Experimental

In New York, Pop-Tarts has gotten adventurous. Kellogg’s is offering unique flavor taste tests in one of the more interesting pop-up stands we’ve seen. The menu isn’t your typical assortment of pastry options, as it’s an assortment of high-tart tacos, Pop-Tart pizza and chili Pop-Tart fries. For a drink, visitors can sample the Pop-Tart milkshake—blended from the pastry. Times Square has always been an area conducive to exploration. Now, it’s an area of opportunity for Kellogg’s.

The Times Square Cereal Bar

The Pop-Tarts Café arose last Tuesday. It’s acquired the brand’s Time Square cereal bar space, taking advantage of the Times Square traffic and adventurous New York pedestrians. The Kellogg’s creative menu aimed to reinvent the way consumers eat Pop-Tarts, mixing, mashing and combining a variety of flavors to create new experiences.

Why? Kellogg’s felt its brand required a new, finer attention to detail. It wasn’t necessarily about branding new tastes, it was about presenting a new method of consumption. In an effort to connect with consumers, promote the pastries and revamp the age-old “breakfast snack,” Kellogg’s has turned Pop-Tarts into an any-time-of-day meal. Birthday Fiesta Nachos and Chili Pop-Tart Fries, in particular, made appearances as the brand’s go-to, around-the-clock meal options.

Other Locations

You guessed it: Time Square wasn’t the only Pop-Tarts Café location. Taste-goers wanting to try something new can check out Kellogg’s locations in Chicago and Philadelphia. A lot of Pop-Tarts lovers are having difficulty resisting the variety of concoctions, engaging the brand at unprecedented rates.

Oddly enough, the flavor combinations work. Those hungry for pizza can dig into a Personal Pop-Tarts Pizza, crafted with frosted brown sugar cinnamon crust, frosting “cheese” and strawberry “marinara” sauce. While event-goers may be weirded out by the presentation, each Pop-Tart pastry shape is incredibly tasty. By mixing fresh mint, a variety of fruit flavors and the Pop-Tarts signature crust, Kellogg’s has snuck in new line favorites to its trusted customers.

All About the Swag

Few events can survive without a little swag. The Pop-Tarts Café offered small surprises to perfect every order, crafting creative lists from a variety of mashups. All too often, popular food brands overextend themselves. They’re too generic; too focused on pleasing everyone. The Pop-Tarts Café certainly offers something different. While the flavors are classic and instantly recognizable, Kellogg’s has proved that presentation counts.

The Kellogg’s The Pop-Tarts Café packs 18 delicious Pop-Tart eating options, served a-la-carte. Eventgoers who’re having difficulty committing to a singular food item can take advantage of Pop-Tart flights, expanding their dining options with numerous eating options. In the realm of experiential marketing, Kellogg’s proves that experimental works, too.

EverBlock: Bringing Dreams to Reality

Every kid has dreamed of being able to get life-sized LEGO that can be used for real buildings. Now, thanks to EverBlock, this concept has become a reality. EverBlock makes what is generically known as "modular building blocks." Each one is approximately the size of a concrete block, but with some very important differences: They're made of light concrete, and they're as easy to put together as the toy versions. This development is revolutionizing the events industry since it allows organizers to construct and take down displays within hours, while making the same sort of displays with the same sturdiness would ordinarily take days. Not only that, the blocks can be used over and over again - a feature that saves organizers thousands of dollars over time.

In a recent video, EverBlock showed how an entire "ice castle" shell can be made in just five hours by a small crew. The construction itself became part of the experience for those who saw it going up, and passers-by were taking selfies with the work-in-progress before they even knew what the finished project would be. Once the castle was fully up, it attracted even more attention.

Making Your Own Displays Pop

While speedy setup and take-down are important, the most important aspect of any display is its eye-catching creativity. Using these blocks makes it easy to bring almost any idea into 3D reality. As with toy building blocks, the first step is to plan out the design. This way, you know you'll have enough blocks in all of the right colors. Do this far enough before the show to allow you to buy any more that you might need – you'd hate to run out and have a big gap in your construct come showtime!

Then, you need a large enough space to put up your planned set. This is where venues like ours here at Soho Studios in Miami come in. While a block structure can be set up outdoors, you'll most likely want to have it inside instead. An indoor location makes your event immune to bad weather, greatly reduces the chance of vandalism, and extends the potential viewing hours in the day.

Other Uses for Modular Blocks

Many exhibits are divided into separate areas to allow for different themes, help guide people through in specific patterns, and similar reasons. Modular building blocks are great for erecting temporary walls that look professional and are sturdier than the normal thin partitions. They also come in many colors, so you can easily stick to a theme or mix them up for a fun look.

When it's time for you to have an exhibit in Miami, contact us here at Soho Studios. Our 70,000 sq. ft. venue can be divided up to meet the needs of almost any size of show.

How to Create a Buzz Worthy Event

Every company wants its event to create plenty of buzz. In fact, it's usually the entire point of putting on an exhibition or other show. Despite this, hundreds of events pass by almost unnoticed every year. How can you make sure that yours is remembered and talked about instead of fading into obscurity? Set Your Goals

Your event needs a goal beyond simply entertaining people. As an event planner, you need to ask your clients what they want to accomplish with their expo. Do they want to introduce a new product, increase buzz about an older one, or promote their company in a more general way? By having a clear end-goal in mind right from the start, you'll be able to better focus your event.

Know Your Audience

An internal, corporate audience will respond to a far different type of presentation than a crowd from the general public. Playing to the media requires a presentation style all its own. For corporate audiences, keep things crisp and concise so they don't start thinking of other things they could be doing. The public and media, on the other hand, may be glad to immerse themselves in your show for hours if it's compelling enough.

Plan

One of the biggest dangers of putting on an event is that it'll seem aimless. The other danger is that it'll end up beset by snafus. Worst of all is some combination of the two. Avoiding these issues is as simple as planning everything down to the last detail. Everything from the venue to the brochures on the tables should be carefully thought out. Be sure to have backup plans just in case you have to adapt to unexpected changes in your original one, too.

Be Ready for On-Site Surprises

All of the best planning will go awry if you aren't prepared for the inevitable turns of events that occur whenever big crowds come together. Make all of your props and sets resistant to jostling, spilled drinks, and other such things. No matter what happens, keep your cool – you want attendees to focus on the event itself, not your reaction to an unplanned surprise.

Assign Clear Roles to All Staff

In order for a team to work efficiently, everyone must know what their responsibilities are. A team without clear roles is like a football team where nobody knows who's supposed to be the quarterback – it wouldn't be remotely effective. Make sure everyone has a clear plan for their own individual roles.

Host Your Event in the Proper Venue

Our 70,000-square-foot venue here at Soho Studios in Miami can be configured for both small and large events. If you're hosting an exhibition in the area, be sure to stop by. You'll find that it's perfect for both corporate and public events.

How your Catering Menu Will Make or Break Your Event

Your event is much more than a cool display collection. In the business world, successful events are experiences. The food you serve, whether it’s at a corporate meeting, a tech expo or a major industry extravaganza, will give your consumers a specific feeling towards you as a provider. Keep in mind: Your catering menu is important. It can make, or break, an event—and we’re here to tell you why.

Reason One: Time

Time is of the essence. Before we get to the attendee’s mindset, we need to talk about the clock. If you hire a catering company, make sure the prepared menu is simple, delightful and memorable. Make sure you don’t need a ton of time to plan, cook, serve and pick up the dishes. You’d be surprised how much can go wrong if an event’s menu is overcomplicated.

Reason Two: Versatility

Second, versatility should be considered. A versatile menu—one with detailed options—can inspire creativity from the get-go. A rigid menu, however, may turn your attendees off, food-wise. Make sure you’re offering at least three main courses, and sprinkle a little creativity atop the side items and appetizers. Remember: It’s an event. Your attendees will be hungry, but they’re more likely to indulge in savory apps than a full-course mean.

Reason Three: Dietary Needs

The biggest way to kill event dining interest is to lack specialty options. No, not diverse options—specialty options. We’re talking diet food versions, vegan options, soy-free food and vegetarian dishes. You shouldn’t assume your eventgoers are a diet-free crowd. Offer dietary accommodations, and set yourself apart from leading competitors.

Reason Four: Spice Diversity

Oddly enough, spices tend to be “make or break” topics for event-goers. Offer dish variety with spices. From side items to meats, a lot of cuisines can be changed based upon their included spices. Italian, Indian and Mexican cuisines, in particular, are highly susceptible to various spices.

Reason Five: Complimentary Items

No one likes a stingy event provider. A catering menu can shatter interest if it doesn’t offer a few free side items. No, you don’t need to ditch the RSVP, but you should be flexible when guests ask for more bread, soda or similar inexpensive items. If your event has dips, consider implanting a buffet bar for pre-entrée experiences.

Your event isn’t defined by its catering menu, but it can certainly benefit from a good one. At the same time, a poorly constructed, restrictive or otherwise uncreative catering menu can destroy an event’s legitimacy. Food can define a brand’s quality, attention to detail and willingness to include attendees. Make sure you do it right, and contact Soho Studios today. Our in-house Starr Catering Group is here to help, and it's fully packed with exclusive kitchen amenities, time-tested-and-true recipes and today's latest, greatest menu options.

How Demos Can Boost Your Brand Awareness

In the world of marketing, brand awareness is paramount. More often than not, product and service demos are solid foundations. If you want to boost sales, increase awareness and maximize your outreach, you’ll need to prioritize presentation, usability and—most of all—excitement. Check out the top reasons brands are demonstrating with demos, and redefine your marketing strategy from the ground up.

Reason One: Higher Sales

Using demos is smart, sales-wise. In fact, a lot of brands are optimizing their expenses to streamline in-store samples and demos. Studies prove that in-store demos boost same-day sales, brand franchise sales and long-term consumer habits. Even if you’re not a food provider, samples exist in other forms. That said, food-based samples alone can greatly impact sales. As an example, Costco samples reportedly boost sales by approximately 2,000 percent.

Reason Two: Lead Generation

Today, everything is digital. Because your consumers are using smartphones, Facebook and instant-access eCommerce portals, you’ll need to prioritize your brand’s lead generation power. How? By inviting consumers to receive special deals via SMS, email and social media posts. Consumers love free demos—especially if there’s little work involved. By offering demos, samples and discounts via a digital marketing strategy, you can boost your brand’s lead generation before buyers show up.

Reason Three: More Testimonials

In our highly digital world, positive online reviews are must-haves. Brands capable of inspiring high emotional intensity, on average, achieve three times as many positive reviews as other brands. Highly differentiated brands, too, earn positive word-of-mouth. If you can woo your customers with solid demos, exhibits and free trials, you’ll be set. Prioritize your brand’s emotional appeal, first. Then, focus on general marketing tactics.

Reason Four: Ongoing Sales Security

A solid demo campaign can boost sales over time. This is why marketers often take the experiential route—as they can reduce expenses by combining PR campaigns with on-location demo events. Immediate sales are important, sure, but they’re incomparable to ongoing sales-centric campaigns. If you can offer a solid demo, you can ensure registry sign-ups. From there, you’re established to re-promote, gain more followers and ensure future success.

Reason Five: Immediate Feedback

Because today’s feedback channels are often brand forums, review websites and social media, a little on-location feedback never hurts. Ask your demo crowd if the product works. More importantly: Ask them what they liked specifically. If they don’t purchase the product after, ask them why.

In any event, more information is better. Consumer participation is incredibly valuable, and it can power long-term brand campaigns. In the marketing world, getting experiential never hurts. In fact, it’s becoming a mainstream approach for many companies. When everyone can promote digitally, hands-on demonstrations are highly memorable.