Buick Heads to the Miami Beach Sand with Linking for the 2012 SobeWFF

For the 11^th consecutive year, the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by FOOD & WINE, the largest food and wine festival of its kind, hit the sand of Miami Beach for four days. Celebrity chefs from the acclaimed television network hosted demonstrations and parties throughout the past weekend, and Linking Promotions staffed for Buick inside the Grand Tasting Village. Culinary demonstrations took place throughout the day featuring personalities such as Rachael Ray, Emeril Lagasse, Bethenny Frankel, Anne Burrel and Anthony Bourdain. The Grand Tasting Village featured food from restaurants such as Rosa Mexicano, Fratelli La Bufala and Fogo de Chao Churrascaria. Liquor sponsors included Skinnygirl Cocktails, Cruzan Rum and the Robert Mondavi Winery.

The Buick tent featured many giveaways for this star studded three-day event. Our promotional models offered guests an opportunity to enter to win a free Buick of their choice, up to $65,000 in price, and get a firsthand look, as well as an opportunity to ask questions about the Regal GS and Enclave SUV as demonstrated by product specialists. Copies of the party planning book, Mermaids and Martinis, were given away with each entry. The book is a first for New York event planner, Hilary Pereira, who was on site signing the copies. Mermaids and Martinis officially hits stores April 24, 2012 and will feature planning ideas for a wide variety of events and holidays. Along with the book and car giveaway, guests were greeted with a Buick Blue Ice Margarita, a blend of tequila with sweet blue mixers such as blue curacao, for a refreshing drink in the hot Miami sun. People continually came back for more, some claiming it to be the best drink they had at the festival. On Saturday, a sand castle builder came to make a unique and custom Buick sign to attract guests and lounges were available by the booth so people could relax while flipping through their books and sipping their margaritas.


Be sure to visit our website at www.linkingpromotions.com. 

KIA Motors Activates for the NBA Season

KIA Motors is setting up activations in various basketball stadiums during the NBA season and Linking Promotions is joining them in Miami, at the American Airlines Arena, and in Orlando, at the Amway Center. As the KIA Optima is the official car of the NBA, it is only expected that the giveaways from the car brand be plenty: and they have been. In Orlando, during the Orlando Magic game, a fan could participate in a contest with the prize being a car. The contest required the fan to shoot and make three free throw shots and a half-court shot. Activations in Miami for the Miami Heat games will begin this Sunday and Linking Promotions’ promotional models will be giving away prizes for participating in interactive contests as well.

Training for the Orlando activation was prepared by Linking Promotions at the KIA of Orlando. On display in the Amway Center is the Kia Optima, and in the American Airlines arena there is a Kia Optima as well as the Kia Sorento. The Kia Optima is a sporty and modern 4-door car that features a heated steering wheel and bio care heated seats for those cold days. The Kia Sorento is a SUV that has a panoramic sunroof and a 6-speed gate-type auto transmission which can help save the driver up to 12% in fuel compared to other auto transmission styles.

Linking Promotions has been at the Amway Center for the entirety of the season so far. The Orlando Magic currently has a record of 13-9, with their next game being tonight at home verse the Cleveland Cavaliers. Joining Kia for the first time this season, Linking Promotions will be in attendance of the Sunday evening Toronto Raptors game, the old team of Miami Heat starter Chris Bosh. The Miami Heat currently holds a record of 16-6, with an away game this evening verse the Philadelphia 76ers.

Be sure to visit our website at www.linkingpromotions.com. 

Linking Promotions Staffs for a Special Vodka and Whisky at a Wine and Food Festival

The first annual Downtown Miami Wine and Food Festival took place in Brickell’s Central Park Miami on Sunday, January 22^nd, introducing an array of vendors and wine tastings to the constantly growing city. Along the line of participants were Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka and Fireball Cinnamon Whisky.  Linking Promotions staff assisted in the activation, giving samples to the eager festival guests that awaited a taste of these unique and flavorful brands.

The Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka lives up nicely to its name, achieving the sweet tea taste that blends well with the likes of lemonade to mimic an Arnold Palmer cocktail. The Fireball Cinnamon Whisky is a whisky with a spice and a slight bite, perfect for the crowd that visited the festival.

The Downtown Miami Wine and Food Festival began at 1 p.m., featuring wine tastings until 4 p.m., cooking demonstrations and musical performances. With the growth of the Brickell area in Miami, nine restaurants plus Johnson & Wales University participated in the festival. A portion of the proceeds benefitted Jorge Posada Foundation, which supports and provides awareness for Crainosynostisis, a condition that affects the growth of an infant’s brain.   

Be sure to visit our website at www.linkingpromotions.com. 

Our Tips for a Successful In-Store Demo

Here at Linking Promotions, we specialize in the activation and planning of promotional events of all types: trade shows, conventions, brand development, sporting events, automotive, retail, entertainment, and food demos. One of the many types of events would be sales driven demo that normally located in retail locations.

With eight years and countless successful events behind us, today we would like to share some our tips for a successful in-store demo.

DEMO TIPS
1. Professional and appropriate attire. Depending on the type of demo that it is, there are different wardrobe requirements. Some may ask for gloves, hair nets or aprons. Any part of the required outfit is important, and missing one part of it may appear unprofessional or even unsanitary.

2. A hospitable attitude. The ideal candidate for a demonstration is somebody outgoing that enjoys talking with people. The job demands demo models to be friendly and attentive to each person that approaches their station.

3. A knowledge of the product. People will ask questions about the product, and a demonstrator that is unaware of how to answer their question may turn somebody away from what you’re selling. Be sure to read and learn all informational tools that may be useful to your product.

4. An attractive set-up. A person casually walking through a supermarket or liquor store may not immediately notice a table with samples on it, as they are probably shopping with a specific purpose outside of what you’re trying to sell. Make sure that the table set-up is presentable, eye-catching and professional. This includes using tablecloths and brochures or signs of the product.

5. Punctuality. As important for any job, keep in mind that as a demo model you need to be on time! The less time that you are in the stores, the less people that will be approached to buy your product. As the saying goes, time is money!

Be sure to visit our website at www.linkingpromotions.com. 

SVEDKA Promotion Showcases Brand's Limited Edition Look

FLORIDA – Along with the excitement of the December holidays, Linking Promotions was offered the opportunity to staff for a number of liquor and wine promotions in cities throughout the state of Florida. Some brands included Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Constellation Wine, Banfi Rosa Regale and Crown Royale Canadian Whiskey. Some events took place in over 30 different locations in the state.

Our most recently staffed holiday promotion was with SVEDKA Limited Edition. The bottle sported the standard and recognizable blue SVEDKA logo, but in its opt-art design style, blue and white wavy lines circumference the otherwise clear bottle. The bottle is meant to be the brands “party bottle” for this festive wintertime season. To support the SVEDKA brands futuristic “2033” image, the bottle features the QR technology (the use of a barcode) so smartphone users can receive drink recipes formulated by the vodka company.

Linking Promotions with also be providing staff for additional upcoming promotions including a New Years Eve Smirnoff handsell and continue working the Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio demo in January.

Be sure to visit our website at www.linkingpromotions.com. 

Linking Promotions Celebrates the Holidays

Miami, FL – To celebrate the wintertime holidays, the Linking Promotions and Linking Events staff left the office Friday, December 23, to spend some quality time with their co-workers. The office enjoyed dinner at a nearby restaurant and exchanged gifts with their Secret Santas. The company party also included dessert to celebrate the birthdays of Lyndsay and Mari.

The Linking Promotions staff wishes you a very happy holiday season and a successful and enjoyable 2012!

Be sure to visit our website at www.linkingpromotions.com. 

Linking Promotions Staffs for KRAFT Display at AYF Championships

KISSIMMEE, FL -- In attendance at the American Youth Football Championships the first week of December, the Kraft Sampling Experience was designed to drive awareness to the new and existing Kraft brands. Linking Promotions staffed the street team that consisted of a labor crew, multiple brand ambassadors, back-ups and two costume characters: the popular Kool-Aid Man and Stuffy, a giant Oreo.

Jade, a first timer as a mascot, played the role of the Kool-Aid Man. Claiming she would participate in this event again “in a heartbeat,” Jade comments: “I enjoyed seeing all of the smiling faces and it was rewarding to know that I was a part of that.” She describes her responsibilities as: “I walked around the event fields and interacted with children and families, posed for pictures and got the kids excited by interacting with them through dancing, high-fives and hugs.”

In 2010 and 2011 we had the pleasure of being associated with events of this caliber by providing staffing for these family-oriented brands. The events have been thrilling and innovative - enjoyable not only for the guests but the staff as well.


Be sure to visit our website at www.linkingpromotions.com.