Happy Year of the Fire Rooster!

The year of the Fire Rooster is upon us! The 4,715th Lunar New Year's celebrations will begin this week to usher in a new year starting January 28, 2017 and ending February 15, 2018. What does this year have in store?

According to Chinese Astrology, 4715 will be an excellent year for Dragons- those born in years 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012. Are you a Tiger or Goat? Never fear, as amethyst and topaz will bring luck and success for all in the next year. All zodiac animals should wear colors complementing the fire element, especially purple or lavender. 

Rooster years are filled with integrity and efficiency, meaning hard work and patience are the key to achieving success. Channelling your energy effectively will help you make great improvements in your life and help you stay productive. This year will also serve as a wake up call to further explore your intuition and areas of your life that need to be transformed.

Spending time in solitude and harmony with family and friends is very important in this Yin year. So take some time this New Year’s to be with your loved ones.

Happy Year of the Fire Rooster!
-DTE Team

Photo Credit: foreverconscious

Award Season Activations

Experiential activations are on full display during awards season and we are always keeping our eyes open for great ideas. With the Golden Globes this last Sunday, we were inspired by some very engaging new activations.

As the official Champagne for the Golden Globes, Moët & Chandon started off the evening with a gold and black checkered bar at the end of the red carpet. In addition to being a great first touch for guests, this activation contributed to the greater good with Moët & Chandon’s “Toast for a Cause”. Celebrities were asked to give a toast with Impérial mini bottles and in doing so, the French Champagne company donated $1,000 to the charity of the celebrity's choice. Once in the Beverly Hilton, Lavazza created a pop-up cafe where celebs tasted their signature Coffeetail No. 51 or the famed Coffee Caviar. Kafa, a single origin product that will be re-launched in 2017 in the US, was also served to the lucky few in black cups with real gold detail, designed specifically for the event (image below).

The Weinstein/Netflix Golden Globe Party showed first-hand some important event trends for 2017. Paying homage to this year’s Pantone of the year- Greenery- the event space was covered in hanging plant life. Moët & Chandon was once again present with their very own vending machine (image below, and we want one in our office!) Guests were given golden tokens in order to get their very own bubbly apéritif. If guests wanted something a little less bubbly to drink, Lindt offered themed cocktails using ingredients inspired by its chocolate bars.

We're excited to see what other brands will create for the rest of award season.

Cheers to the winners!
-DTE Team

Photo Credit: Moët & Chandon USA, Event Magazine, Beverly Hilton

Happy New Year!

2016 was filled with eye-opening travel, delicious food and rewarding partnerships which allowed us to create unforgettable event experiences for our clients. From cacti-covered Arizona to sun-soaked Pier 26 in New York, the nine photos above are some of our favorite moments from 2016.

We are taking this momentum with us to 2017 to make it the best year yet.

We wish you health and happiness for 2017!

Happy New Year!
-DTE Team

Greenery Named Pantone of 2017

With 2016 coming to a close, we want to start the new year feeling revitalized and inspired. What better way than getting inspired by the Pantone Color Institute for the Pantone of the Year. 2017's choice is a refreshing and revitalizing shade that is symbolic of new beginnings, exactly what we need!

Greenery has been announced as 2017 PANTONE® Color of the Year. “Greenery bursts forth in 2017 to provide us with the hope we collectively yearn for amid a complex social and political landscape. Satisfying our growing desire to rejuvenate, revitalize and unite, Greenery symbolizes the reconnection we seek with nature, one another and a larger purpose.” In addition to connecting with nature, preservation of the environment is of utmost importance to a growing number of people. Choosing such an natural color indicates the growing concern and attention to the environment in the coming years.

Natural greenery has frequently been an element in events, from living greenery walls and step & repeats to leaf place cards. With this Pantone announcement we anticipate seeing more natural elements incorporated in events, both in the use of Pantone 15-0343 and with green initiatives to help preserve our earth.

Here’s to a rejuvenated 2017!
-DTE Team

Photo Credit: Pantone, BizBash

Holiday Experiences (in Gingerbread)

There are many holiday-themed activations this time of year. With family visits and time spent with loved ones, a special experience can make 2016's holiday season stand out. How about a couple ideas of the Gingerbread variety? 

First, let's visit the desert. How much material does it take to create a larger-than-life Gingerbread house? Our friends at The Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain have the answer: 400 pounds of honey, 856 pounds of sugar, 350 pounds of flour, 100 pounds of ginger powder, 50 pounds of cinnamon, 250 eggs and 10 pounds of nutmeg! With it’s own working fireplace and dining room furniture, guests are flocking to this desert oasis for a one-of-a-kind dining experience. Those lucky enough to secure a reservation are able to host up to 6 people in the mega-sized house.

While tourists flock to New York City for the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center, this year a new attraction garnered quite a bit of attention. In Madison Square Park, guests engaged in an interactive experience on Gingerbread Boulevard. Lined with life-sized gingerbread houses, guests could virtually decorate a Christmas tree or create a marshmallow snowman.

Hope these ideas inspire your own Gingerbread-flavored experiences!

Happy Holidays!
-DTE Team

Photo Credit: Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain, TimeOut