Chinese Winter Festival

Every year on either December 21, 22 or 23, China celebrates the Winter Solstice, also known as the Winter Festival. The specific celebration day depends on which day the sun lays at a longitude of 270°, which equates to the shortest day (and longest night) of the year.

The Winter Festival is a time when families come together and go to a place of worship to pray for their ancestors. The celebrations culminate with a large dinner and the cuisine during the festival is very specific. 

In the North of China, the tradition is to eat hot dumplings or soup as this is how in ancient times people brought warmth to their bodies. In the South of China, the tradition is to eat red bean and glutinous rice to ward off evil spirits. If a family member or friend extends an invitation to their Winter Solstice celebration, remember to look up the family history as this will clue you into the food you should bring to the table! 

Stay Warm!
-DTE 

And The Award Goes To...

Once in a while, we will review the most recent issue of BizBash (THE publication for event planners & experiential marketers) and share our perspective with you! The 2015 BizBash Events Style Awards winners were recently announced. Categories range from Best Corporate Event Concept with a budget under $250,000 to the Best Guerrilla Marketing Campaign. Here are a couple that stood out...

An invitation is the first impression of an event. Who wouldn't like getting this oversized engraved chroma key invitation (which won Best Print Or Digital Invitation Design) in the mail? There is an impressive amount of detail, including laser cut Alice in Wonderland (AIW) characters and a bed of turf simulating the AIW forest floor. This invitation stands out immediately, gives guests a taste of the event to come and makes a bold statement. Receiving an invitation like this sets the guests' standards high and should intrigue them enough to not miss your event!

Our other select won Best New Event Product Or Service and it is the Catchbox Pro, a wireless microphone hidden inside a soft cube. What we like about this product is that it can turn a conference into an interactive experience while sharing the (box) mic. Being a plush cube, it is safe to toss from attendee to attendee. Not only does it add a fun element to your event, it can quite literally make your brand fly across the room. Each cover can be branded or personalized.

What do both of these winners have in common? Details...it’s all about the details!

Congrats to the winners!
-DTE   

The Sky is Not the Limit

As you're preparing to sit down for a Thanksgiving meal, imagine your table elevated 50 meters off the ground. You would be dining in the sky... it's a real thing! You and your friends, harnessed into your seats, suspended around a table, for a full dinner service. 

Beyond the breathtaking views and the endless opportunities for the perfect selfie, there are many forms of entertainment for you and your guests. If you prefer the gentle sounds of Bach or Mozart, elevate a piano next to your table. If you would like a more upbeat tune, elevate a DJ and turntables to spin throughout the night. If you're hosting a corporate dinner, instead of elevating music why not elevate your product? This is a great opportunity for experiential marketing. The sky is no longer the limit.

Talk about once in a lifetime. Next time you want to bring your meal to the next level, literally, think about eating in the clouds. We are all about sharing unique experiences and making anything you think is impossible, a reality.

Up, Up and Away!
-DTE

A Night at Trump Soho

For the U.S. launch of a modern mixed-used development in Bangalore, India, we immersed guests in a luxury environment and made them feel as if they were actually visiting the site. The SoHi room on the 46th floor of Trump Soho offered incredible views through floor to ceiling windows and let guests feel like they were overlooking Bangalore aka India’s "Silicon Valley.”

To bring the building to life, we filled the event space with floor plans, blowups of renderings and maps, samples of unit finishes and looping slideshows showcasing additional features in the high-rise luxe residential building. Guests saw all the details and had enough information to imagine themselves living or investing in Bangalore.

To create a cohesive visual brand aesthetic, modern touches and blue tones consistent with the development's logo were used throughout. This included everything from the flower arrangements to the gift bags. To see more photos from this event go here. If you want to be inspired to create an immersive brand experience, call 917.371.8878 or email hello@dianatsao.com.

Happy Branding!
-DTE

Happy Singles Day!

China is home to tens of millions of single men and women. As 2/14 is a celebration of couples, 11/11 (aka Singles Day) is a celebration of single people in China. 11/11 is called Singles Day because the date is comprised of four solitary "1"s. While some singles go out hoping to meet their perfect match, nearly all of them shop online that day... and spend a lot. 

On 11/11, singles are encouraged to celebrate themselves! Singles Day shopping is a little similar to Cyber Monday except it's bigger… MUCH BIGGER. Alibaba, China’s massive e-commerce company, processed over $9 Billion in sales last year on Singles Day alone! Incredibly, Singles Day is now the largest online shopping day in the world.

Want to join in the shopping fun here in the U.S.? As of last year, Dealmoon.com started offering Singles Day deals. Don’t forget to mark your calendars for 11/11 and buy your next party outfit!

Happy Shopping!
-DTE