Spend New Years Day with Mercedes-Benz and the NFL

MIAMI -- The Miami Dolphins and New York Jets rivalry extends as far back as the merger of the American Football League and National Football League, when the two teams were placed in the AFC East conference, assuring they would always meet twice a year. Earlier this season, the teams met in week 6 for Monday Night Football on October 17. The score reflects a Miami Dolphins loss, with only six points on the score board verse the New York Jets 24. The teams will be reigniting their heated match-up on New Years day, with a 1:00 p.m. game time here in Miami’s Sun Life Stadium.

Mercedes-Benz will be in attendance of the exclusive pre-game tailgate, which will begin early in the morning on January 1^st. Linking Events is managing the activation and its sister company, Linking Promotions, is responsible for coordinating the promotional specialists that will be actively generating leads for Mercedes-Benz. The activation will be located in the recently opened Joe Robbie Alumni Plaza, a shrine located at Gate C that pays homage to original owner, Robbie, and nine Dolphins legends. This Walk of Fame features the names of greats Don Shula and Dan Marino, among others, on bronze plaques. Mercedes-Benz vehicles will be parked for viewing at this Sun Life Stadium tribute space.


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

KIA Motors and Linking Promotions Go Golfing

ORLANDO, FL -- Set up by the 18th hole, Linking Promotions product specialists Georgia and Elaina were prepared to represent the popular car brand KIA at a golf event in Orlando, FL. The two girls spent five days at The Villas of Grand Cypress Golf Resort talking to golfers about the KIA Optima and the KIA Sorento. The girls studied the ins and outs of the vehicles in order to be prepared to answer questions about the vehicles. There were also branded KIA key chains to give out to those interested in the cars.

Georgia, a Linking Promotions brand ambassador, promotional model and product specialist, described the event as "pleasant," commending the excellent weather and good turnout. Her most recent position was as a hostess for an event with the Orlando Magic on December 13. Georgia noted: “It was the perfect demographic, and the people seemed to have a genuine interest in the cars.”

Georgia says that most of the attendees enjoyed the panoramic sunroof and the heated and cooled seats in the front as well as the back.  “There are a lot of options in cars that are normally only in luxury vehicles and usually costs $20,000-$30,000 extra,” Georgia said.

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

Linking and UV Vodka at a Black Tie Gala

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL -- The annual Winterfest Boat Parade is just around the corner, and to kick off a season of festivities and holidays, the Seminole Hard Rock hosted the Premier Beverages Winterfest Black Tie Ball on December 3.  This party has the reputation of being the largest holiday gala of Ft. Lauderdale. Prior to the large-scale event, featuring dancing and entertainment, the JM Lexus Welcome Reception featured an expansive Fidelity Investments silent auction.

UV Vodka joined the party, featuring an icicle-inspired bar, and offered up samples of their celebratory Cake Mix flavor vodka. Linking Promotions provided promotional models for the event that mingled with guests and represented the UV brand.

UV has been a great example of the services Linking Promotions and Linking Events can offer, with requests ranging from staffing events to assisting in the marketing and promotional planning of a brand.

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

College Marketing: A Fun Way To Campaign

TALLAHASSEE, FL -- As a college marketing tool for a jewelry line, Lourdes of Florida State University, a Linking Promotions brand ambassador and product specialist, hosted weekly parties and contests on her college campus. The overall goal of the campaign was to get people  excited and aware of the brand by introducing the line to as many people on campus as possible.

One part of the college advertising campaign: once a week for three weeks Lourdes was instructed to host a first-look party for 25 girls to get a sneak peek of the jewelry. There, she would talk to the party-goers about the brand. Also, photo shoots were held on campus once a week and another 25+ girls that embodied the style of the brand would take pictures to be entered into a contest. As social media is constantly growing and is also a huge asset to most companies, Lourdes made daily Facebook and Twitter posts to help advertise the brand.

"I really enjoyed pushing the brand," Lourdes recalled. "I thought it was a lot of fun to be a part of this brand. I was able to see a lot of jewelry I liked and share it with my friends and sorority sisters."

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

Linking and Chevy Work with NASCAR

Miami Beach, FL – Between 8^th and 9^th street in Lummus Park on Miami Beach, sponsors of the 2011 NASCAR Ford Championship Weekend filled the sand on Thursday November 17 and Friday November 18. For the second year, the Outdoor Fan Festival featured many interactive booths, an outdoor bar and this year Blake Shelton performed a free concert on the beach. Linking Promotions provided eight enthusiastic promotional models for the interactive Chevy car display, which featured four of the company’s cars – including a stylish Corvette and the flashy convertible Camaro – alongside two race cars.

Promotional models ran the booth; they collected leads through a computerized system, which asked surveyors a series of questions to determine interests and favorite cars. Once complete, anyone that took a survey was given a Chevy t-shirt as a token of appreciation for participating. Two girls managed the photo taking – people were welcome to pose in front of the decked out race cars and get their picture taken by our models.

Throughout the two days, the girls worked together to collect over 1,000 leads. The event welcomed travelers from all around the world, and proved to be a great success!


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

Pay it Forward this Holiday Season!

From the Linking Promotions and Linking Events office:

As a “thank you” to our clients that allow us to coordinate events for them year round, and thus allowing for our company to constantly flourish, we have decided to demonstrate our gratitude by spreading happiness to those less fortunate. Our biggest project for the holidays is with His House Children’s Home.

His House’s sole mission is to restore joy in the lives of children, whom range in age from newborn to 17. The 230 children served by this program have been abused, neglected and abandoned, and Linking Promotion’s in-house staff is going to help put smiles on their faces by donating some time and some gifts to the children. More information on this program can be found at www.hhch.org

The Linking office has also made arrangements to assist some seniors in wrapping their Christmas presents!

Linking Events has been blessed by the work our clients give us and because their generosity has helped us, we believe it is time to help others! The giving does not just end with the holidays though: we have made it our goal to help others all throughout 2012. Thank you all again, and we wish you a happy holiday season!

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

Linking Teams with UV Vodka for an All-White Affair

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL -- As a kick-off to Halloween weekend, the Marriott Harbor Beach Hotel and Resort hosted the White Party on Friday, October 28, 2011, with the night’s featured liquor of choice being UV Cake Vodka. Guests dressed in white were greeted at the affair by Linking Promotion’s promotional models.

The two girls handed out shots of the headlining liquor mixed with pineapple juice in cupcake wrapper-style shot glasses with unlit birthday candles attached. A common reaction of guests, and much to their surprise, was that the liquor actually did taste like cake mix.

The party featured two fully stocked bars of UV products, including other flavors such as cherry. Buffet style food tables encompassed the room, featuring food from the Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale students and Anthony’s Coal Fire Pizza. Live entertainment lasted throughout the evening and two dressed up performers (often spotted in clown costumes and the like) mingled with the guests.

Linking Promotions and Linking Events have handled an account with UV for three years, providing staffing and assisting in growing the flavorful liquor brand. Linking and UV have worked at a plethora of promotional spots, including heavy-trafficked bars and lounges, Bartender Bash in Key Largo, FL, and an upcoming event at the Hard Rock in Seminole, FL.

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

Know Your Grapes, Miami Wine Fair Coming Soon

Understanding the types of grapes used in wine and their characteristics is vital for any relevant knowledge of wine. There are over 5,000 types of wine grapes, and each type gives wine its distinct flavor. Here we will discuss the most commonly known grapes and wines:

- Auxerrious grapes are used to make Malbec wines, and produce a fruity, soft and neutral wine.
- Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are known to make wines that taste like blackberries, and when aged, produce a good red wine because of the large amount of tannin.
- Chardonnay grapes make for a fruit-like wine, and often times have oaky characteristics.
- Merlot has less tannin that its red-wine counterparts, and often has soft flavors of cherry and honey.
- Pinot Noir grapes are used for red wines, but without their skins, they are sometimes used as a white ingredient in Champagne. Pinot Gris is a clone of this grape.
- Riesling grapes can vary in flavor, depending on how long they have been on the vine. The flavors vary from a dry, crisp, fruity wine to a honeyed, musky wine.
- Sauvignon Blanc, produced primarily in California and France, makes for a crisp, light white wine.
- Zinfandel grapes can produce either Red Zinfandel, when the skins are left on, or White Zinfandel when removed, and its taste ranges from fruity to spicy depending on age.

Sommeliers and wine enthusiasts around the globe always recommend trying as many different types of wines as possible. Wine fairs are happening throughout the country around this time of year. The Miami Wine Fair is fast approaching, and Linking Promotions is happy to staff hostesses for this great event for the past few years.

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

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Begin 2011 Season with Night Practices, Free to Public

TAMPA, FL -- After the lift of the NFL lock-out, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are preparing for the upcoming 2011 season. Their football season has begun with free fan events including training camps, night practices, and home preseason games verse the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins.

Stationed near the Buccaneers’ night practice location at the Raymond James Stadium is the Mercedes-Benz tent, complete with the sleek 2012 SLK 350 and Linking Promotions promotional staff and Linking Events management. The promotional specialists for the events will be responsible for speaking to football fans about the car on location and collecting leads for Mercedes-Benz. Events for the regular season will take place between the months of September and December, and all the preseason events last through August.

For the third consecutive year, the Buccaneers have opened their training camps to the public at One Buccaneer Place. Fans can expect optimal viewing on Field 3, autograph sessions, free parking, a merchandise tent, discounted concessions, and an appearance from the team’s cheerleaders and mascot, Captain Fear. Also, thanks to popular demand, the Buccaneers night practice happened this past Saturday, August 6th. While weather conditions consisted of rain and heat, the sun eventually came out and so did the fans.

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

TD Bank Guerrilla Marketing Campaign

Charlotte, NC - TD Bank has begun a guerrilla marketing campaign in North and South Carolina, and the four-day event in Charlotte, NC has just concluded. A campaign of this nature is effective in reaching many people in multiple areas throughout a major metropolitian city. A team lead and two brand ambassadors were hired to travel together around the city to different supermarkets and highly populated areas, in order to hand out recyclable bags. The three team members spoke to people about the TD Bank branches opening in their area.

This marketing campaign is expanding, and street team activations will be taking place in Florida next weekend.

Consumer responses to the promotion were positive. The children activity books in the bags were a huge success, and because a lot of the chosen activation locations were near supermarkets, the recyclable bags were put to good use. Consumers remarked that they will be switching banks, and that they are excited about the arrival of the branch.

Laila, a field manager for the event, shared some of the consumer remarks and pictures with us. Here’s what some consumers said:
“I'm from New Jersey; I didn't know TD was coming here!"
"I'm going to tell all my Canadian friends that live here that TD Bank is opening up here!"
"We already have an account there; we opened it yesterday!"

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

Mercedes-Benz and Linking Events Head to Katy, TX!

Katy, TX -  Linking Events is attending the Top Chef Tour 2011 in Katy, TX. Linking Events  coordinated the activation for Mercedes-Benz during these events, and provided promotion specialists through their in-house staffing agency, Linking Promotions. On display are the new 2012 SLK 350 and the 2012 CLS c550.

The Top Chef Tour, taking place today in La Centerra and Canyon Ranch in Katy, TX, is meant to replicate the Quickfire challenges from the Bravo show of the same name. There are cook-offs between two contestants, a judging panel, food tastings, gourmet tips and show secrets. There are four interactive shows throughout the day, and the panel consists of local press and a local chef or foodie.

The cars on display, the SLK 350 and the CLS c550, are new cars released this year. The participating dealers include Mercedes-Benz of Houston, Mercedes-Benz of Houston North, Mercedes-Benz of Sugarland and Star Motor Cars, as well as dealer Alex Rodriguez.

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

The 2010 Fiesta Tour: McDonalds Music Experience

Nationwide - Late last year, our sister company Linking Promotions worked with McDonalds during their ‘Fiesta Tour: McDonalds Music Experience Tour 2010’. Linking Promotions handled staffing for the nationwide tour, providing brand ambassadors in cities and states including Chicago, Connecticut, Dallas, Denver, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, New Jersey, and Miami.

The Fiesta Tour by McDonalds featured a traveling 50-foot exhibit that included a walk-through display of unique artifacts and memorabilia loaned by Latin musicians on the Red Carpet. The aim of the trailer was to be the “Ultimate Latin Music Moment” that included memorabilia from concert moments, special events and award shows. Inside the trailer, there was also an education wall where viewers could obtain information about the RMHC® /HACER® Scholarship Program. The Fiesta Tour featured a live DJ, music kiosks, kiddie area, and a photo center.

Linking Promotions staffed this large-scale promotion with bilingual males and females. One of the companies specialties is staffing for Hispanic Marketing, and has staffed many events of this nature. Because of the large amount of traffic, brand ambassadors were asked to be outgoing, proactive and knowledgeable on the event.

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

Linking Staff Takes Over the Sun Life Stadium with GM

Miami, FL - Gearing up for week #5 at Sun Life Stadium, Linking Promotion’s brand ambassadors are excited as ever for another weekend at the Marlin’s games. Linking  Events has been in charge of the staffing for the GM display, providing five promotional specialists working each week to speak to baseball fans about Chevrolet. Linking Promotions and Linking Events began work with this event during the first weekend of April, and will be working with GM at the Florida Marlin’s baseball games until the end of September.

Promotional specialists are asked to have an outgoing personality and a professional look. They are required to drive traffic to the display by being proactive in approaching potential consumers.

GM will be present at Sun Life Stadium for a total of 40 days between April and September. Along with these events, Linking Promotions also worked with GM to present Chevrolet cars at the Cuba Nostalgia event at the Miami-Dade Fair Expo Center near Florida International University. The event was for those who did not get the opportunity to see Cuba as it was, and was meant to bring back memories for those who had. Brand ambassadors for this event were required to be bilingual so they could present the Chevrolet vehicles to those who prefer to speak in Spanish.

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

Mercedes-Benz for a Good Cause!

Miami, FL - Linking Events recently worked with Mercedes-Benz at the PGA Saks Fifth Avenue for a Leukemia and Lymphoma Fundraiser. The event was sponsored by Mercedes-Benz and the artist and wife of the President of Mercedes-Benz, Petra Lieb, met with guests and auctioned off her paintings. Saks Fifth Avenue donated 10% of everything sold during the event.

Besides Lieb’s paintings being auctioned, people could bid on a few more items. These include: Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week tickets for Miami Swim, donated by Mercedes-Benz; $1000 worth of healthy Mediterranean cuisine catering; and a privately hosted wine party for 30 guests.

Linking Events was in charge of the activation for the Mercedes-Benz display. Promotional specialists were present to greet guests, invite them to enter in a Mercedes-Benz giveaway, and show guests the vehicle.

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

Mercedes-Benz Activation Display at the Gator Golf Gathering 2011

Doral, FL – The sun was beaming and the Miami summer heat was in full effect. Brand ambassadors, Catalina and Karina, were dressed in navy blue polo shirts and white linen pants, ready and excited to represent Mercedes-Benz at the Gator Golf Gathering at the Doral Golf Club. The vehicle - an S550 -  and our Linking Events activation was set up on a hill next to the 11th hole. The promotional models spoke to the 85 golfers about Mercedes-Benz and entered everyone in a sweepstakes. The winner of the sweepstakes received a Mercedes-Benz and Nike golf bag, lawn chair, set of golf balls and more prizes.

Linking Events has managed activations for Mercedes-Benz in order to collect leads and promote luxurious cars at many large-scale events including the Sony Ericsson Open, Super Bowl XLV, and the South Beach Wine and Food Festival.

Representatives that work the Mercedes-Benz events are trained on each car model on display and allow people to take a look inside the car to see the many features it offers. Along with talking about the cars, our representatives often register people in a sweepstakes, offering any number of prizes ranging from spa getaways to signed memorabilia from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Linking Events recently worked with Mercedes-Benz at the Saks Fifth Avenue in Palm Beach Gardens yesterday to represent the brand and collect leads.

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

Linking Staffs for Upcoming Liquor Promotions

Florida - This upcoming weekend, Linking Promotions is proud to be staffing for three major liquor brands as they hold tastings all throughout Florida. Jose Cuervo, Mike’s Hard Lemonade and Johnny Walker will be having promotions in cities such as Miami, Coral Springs, Pensacola, Panama City and Melbourne, along with many other locations. During these promotions, samples of Jose Cuervo Especial Silver Pomegranate, Mike’s Hard Lemonade Margarita and Diageo Johnny Walker Black will be provided.

At a liquor tasting, promotional models provide small samples of the product and socialize with potential customers. Tastings can take place in any number of locations, ranging from liquor retail locations to bars. A huge benefit to tastings such as these is that the models are located at the point of sale, and potential customers can become actual customers within minutes.

Linking Promotions has provided staffing for many liquor brand clients such as UV Vodka, Feckin Irish Whiskey and

Ed Phillips & Sons Prairie Organic Vodka. Tastings such as these prove to be a successful way to meet new customers and are enjoyable for all those working with the event.

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

Mercedes-Benz and Linking Events attend Scholarship Golf Tournament

Boynton Beach, FL – Linking Events, in charge of the display activation for the Mercedes-Benz booth, attended the 2011 Scholarship Golf Tournament on April 30 at the Cypress Creek Country Club. The event was sponsored by the Palm Beach County Gator Club, an affiliated organization of the Alumni Association of the University of Florida (UF).

The participating dealerships sponsoring the event include Mercedes-Benz of Palm Beach, Mercedes-Benz of Delray, Mercedes-Benz of North Palm Beach and Mercedes-Benz of Ft. Pierce.

The event was a Scramble tournament with the purpose of raising money for the club’s Scholarship Fund. The scholarship money benefits students from Palm Beach County that are attending UF. The Club will be rewarding $31,000 in scholarships this year.

During the college football season of 2010, Linking Events worked closely with Mercedes-Benz, as a regular attendee of all the home games. The Linking Events, Mercedes-Benz and Florida Gator relationship will continue this weekend at the 2011 Gator Golf Gathering on May 13. This upcoming event is hosted by the Gator Club of Miami and Association of Hispanic Alumni, and will take place at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa. For more information on the event, please visit http://www.miamigators.com/wp/?page_id=843.

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

Lunchables Hits the Road with Staffing from Linking Promotions

Nationwide – A great idea for kid-friendly products: interactive and clever activations to rally kids together! Hula-hoops (as pictured above), bounce houses, rock-climbing walls and enthusiastic brand ambassadors are just three easy ways to get kids to have a good time while becoming excited about a product.

Kraft Lunchables is preparing to launch a nationwide summer tour to bring awareness to the new healthy options that the brand is introducing, and Linking Promotions is excited to join them on the road in select cities. The tour will run alongside the Gold Cup soccer games, ending in Pasadena, CA at the Rose Bowl. Linking Promotions will be joining Lunchables in Detroit, Charlotte, Chicago, Kansas City, Miami, Tampa and finally in Pasadena.

Kraft Lunchables is proud to introduce their new healthy options to kids and moms alike. Along with their already successful line of easy-to-make lunches, Lunchables will now be adding mandarin oranges and pineapple slices in 100% juice.

Linking Promotions provided staffing for Lunchables last year, also. Along with Lunchables, Linking Promotions has also staffed for the Boy Scouts of America for their 100th Anniversary Tour last summer. The goal of the tour was to rally people together and spread the enthusiasm of Boy Scouts while “Celebrating the Adventure, Continuing the Journey.” The Boy Scouts of America tour was an exciting experience that Linking Promotions was happy to provide the brand ambassadors for.

Tour season with Lunchables is fast approaching. The tour will kick off Arlington, TX, and Linking Promotion’s brand ambassadors will be joining Lunchables June 6 in Detroit, MI.

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

Kia Motors America & the Orlando Magic Head to the Playoffs!

Orlando, FL - Kia Motors America, an official sponsor of the NBA Playoffs this season, invites Magic fans to take a peak at their 2011 Kia Optima while visiting the new Amway Center for the big games.

Linking Promotions, our sister company, has coordinated the scheduling of the promotional specialists for the display activation during the entire 2011 season, working in conjunction with the Magic Sponsorship team. Our talent represents the car company in a professional manner to generate awareness about the car and all its advanced features. The basketball fans in attendance have been welcomed to take a look at the interior of the Optima on display, which Linking Events has kept up to perfection, and schedule test drives at a nearby dealership at their convenience.

Our model, Kelly, has enjoyed her experience working with Linking Promotions and Kia.

"Cristina and I have worked pretty much every home game since December, and it's a lot of fun," Kelly said. "There's always something new, and always someone new to talk to."

Our promotional models have gotten the opportunity to work at the new Amway Center, which held its opening ceremony October 10, 2010.

Located in Downtown Orlando, the Amway Center has nearly tripled in size from the original Amway Arena, and can seat 18, 846 people for these games. Along with events, the Amway Arena features artwork and multiple bars that overlook the Orlando skyline.

"The Amway Center is amazing. It is one of the prettiest venues I've ever done an event at," Kelly said. "It's a great place to just hang out at even if you're not going to a game."

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