direction tour marketing + promotion blog » Holidays

Happy Holidays!!!

Micah Taylor — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:16:22 +0000

On behalf of the staff of direction tour marketing we would like to wish you a very happy holiday season and extend our best wishes for the new year. 2009 has been full of ups and downs which has made us stronger and made us even more appreciative of our wonderful clients over the year. Thank you for your patronage and thank you for creating and producing such wonderful events!

361 Experiential, A Red Orchid, Action Marketing Group, Advice Agency, Allied Live, American Theatre Company, Art Institute of Chicago, AWR Music, Back Garage, Beam Global Spirits, Blue Man Group, BMF Media, Broadway in Chicago, Carol Fox & Associates, Chamber Opera Chicago, Chicago Children’s Theatre, Chicago Dancing Festival, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, Chicago History Museum, Chicago Human Rhythm Project, Chicago Improv Festival, Chicago Loop Alliance, Chicago Opera Theatre, Chicago Reader, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Cinema Chicago, Court Theatre, Eighth Blackbird, Empty Bottle, Giantstep Marketing, Goodman Theatre, Grant Park Music Festival, Ground Control Streetmarketing, Harris Theater for Music & Dance, Hatchetman Presents, Hopera World, IMAX, Infamous Commonwealth Theatre, KAW Marketing & Communications, KMA Management, League of Chicago Theatres, Lifeline Theatre, Lillstreet Arts Center, Live Nation, Lookingglass Theatre, Madison Square Garden Entertainment, Mandalorian Marketing, Massimo Gallatto Productions, Media Consultants, Metro / Smart Bar, Millennium Park, Milwaukee Art Museum, Mirrorball, Museum of Contemporary Art, Museum of Science & Industry, My My My, Navy Pier, Newberry Library, Next Theatre, Noble Fools Theatricals, Northlight Theatre, Old Town School of Folk Music, Piccolo Theatre, Quad Communities Development Corp., Rainforest Learning Center, Remy Bumppo, River North Dance Company, Schubas, Second City, Shout Marketing, Steppenwolf Theatre, Stevens Adveritising, The Actors Gymnasium, The House Theatre, The Shrine, The Vitalist Theatre, Theatre Council Productions, Theatre Wit, Victory Gardens Theatre, Wilmette Theatre, Working Well Massage, World Science Festival, and Writers Theatre

January at the Chicago History Museum

Zeb Resman — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:22:33 +0000

2009 is almost gone, and soon, a new year and new decade will be ushered in. What better way is there to start off than visiting the Chicago History Museum! For the first month of 2010, CHM will be hosting some very exciting and unique events including Compañeras a film profiling America’s first all-female mariachi band, Vino in the Village which features food, wine, and history, and lastly, a very special celebration of Martin Luther King Jr Day on January 18th.

We are working on prnting and distributing materials for all of CHM’s upcoming events. Keep an eye out for all of the handbills at your local businesses, and take advantage of all the great events next month!

Visit www.chicagohs.org for more informations.

Get your holidays all wrapped up!

Micah Taylor — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 22:54:42 +0000

If you happen to be in Salt Lake City over the next two weeks come visit us at Provo Towne Centre, South Towne Center, or Fashion Place Mall and have your holiday gifts wrapped by the Utah Jazz Dancers! We’ve teamed up with 361 Experiential and will be working with them to execute 3 mall activations in Salt Lake City on December 12th and December 13th.

Qwest Communications will be hosting the Utah Jazz Dancers who will be wrapping your Christmas gifts for a small donation to the South Valley Boys and Girls Club. While in line, Qwest is offering to review your bill to see if they can apply any savings on your account. Regardless if they find savings or not, you’ll get a pair of tickets to an upcoming Utah Jazz game.

For more information log onto www.qwest.com/jazzupyourgifts.

American Buffalo @ Steppenwolf Theatre

Zeb Resman — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:22:36 +0000

The Steppenwolf Theatre continues it’s 34^th season with David Mamet’s classic American Buffalo. In a cluttered, run-down Chicago junk shop, three small-time crooks plot to steal a valuable coin collection. As the heist unravels, the men’s frustration and paranoia intensify. American Buffalo stars Francis Guinan, Tracy Letts, Patrick Andrews and is directed by ensemble member Amy Morton.

We first mentioned American Buffalo a few months back while we were distributing Steppenwolf’s seasonal brochures. Now, we are doing a full blown poster distribution in support of this exciting new production. Be sure to catch it while you can!

American Buffalo is at Steppenwolf Theatre in the Downstairs Theatre December 3rd through February 7th.

Amahl and the Night Visitors @ Cindy Pritzker Auditorium

Zeb Resman — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:34:40 +0000

Chamber Opera Chicago brings back one of the most popular operas for the holiday season. Amahl and the night Visitors is the story of a crippled boy whose life changes forever when he sees an amazing star in the sky. Soon, three kings following the star encounter Amahl and his mother and, miracles ensue. Chamber Opera Chicago is proud to present this classic tale for a limited time only, so be sure to venture out to see it. We’ll be doing our part to make sure posters for this perfromance are in the most highly visible places in the city including theaters, stores and other highly trafficked locations.

Amahl and the Night Visitors is at Harold Washington Library Center in the Cindy Pritzker Auditorium December 5th & 6th.

Winter Wonderloop 2009

Zeb Resman — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:09:42 +0000

The holiday season is underway, and we are excited to be working with the Chicago Loop Alliance in promoting Winter Wonderloop. With deals and special events at restaurants, stores, and hotels, Winter Wonderloop is the premiere guide for all your downtown holiday events.

If you were in the loop late late last week, you probably received a Winter Wonderloop brochure from one of our staff members. We had teams out in full force distributing thousands of brochures to commuters, shoppers and pedestrians. Be sure to look for us this Thursday and Friday, and we will also be out on the infamous “Black Friday” distributing brochures to all of the Christmas shoppers. Be sure to say hello, and grab a brochure!

For more information, please visit www.winterwonderloop.com.

Wired Magazine Pop-up Store NYC

Micah Taylor — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:02:36 +0000

Once again, we’ve teamed up with BMF Media Group and this time we are working together to promote the Wired Holiday pop-up store in NYC. The Wired Store opens this Saturday, November 21st and will be open Wednesdays through Sundays through December 27th in the Meatpacking District. You’ll find all that’s new & next in the world of WIRED: Cutting-edge technology & design… The latest in games & gaming… Cool new music & books… Hot new gear & gadgets… Indoor & outdoor inspiration… Products to help you lead a greener life… And the opportunity to own your very own WIRED-branded stuff.

We have activated our NYC street teams and will be distributing handbills throughout the city on the weekends over the course of the next three weeks. Our street teams will be driving traffic to the store and announcing daily promotions and events.

The Wired Store is on 13th between 9th and Washington. Store hours are Wednesdays through Sundays, noon to 9PM and will be close on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

34th Annual Holiday Show @ Lillstreet Art Center

Zeb Resman — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:13:38 +0000

I’m sure I’m starting to sound like a broken record but Lillstreet Arts Center is such a great place to take a call and try your hand at ceramics, painting, printmaking or metalsmithing. Classes aren’t only fun but an inspiration to releasing some of that creative energy. Take a class over the holidays or give a class as a gift to friends and loved ones.

The winter season not only ushers in a new semester at Lillstreet, but their 34th Annual Holiday Show as well. Between November 16th and December 31st, stop by Lillstreet to view and purchase the wares of Lillstreet alums. These unique items make great holiday gifts and proceeds support independent artists!

Lillstreet Arts Center is located at 4401 N. Ravenswood and the 34th Annual Holiday show is open through December 31st. An Open House featuring free workshops for adults and kids’ activities is on December 5th from 12PM through 5PM.

The Santaland Diaries @ Theater Wit

Micah Taylor — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:56:58 +0000

We’re extremely excited to be working with Theater Wit again as they present their holiday sensation, The Santaland Diaries. We’re currently wrapping up our retail and campus distribution that covered much of our citywide coverage areas and have since exhausted our supply of promotional materials that were printed at our very own printworks.

In it’s sixth year of production The Santaland Diaries opens at the Theatre Building on November 27th and once again starring Mitchell Fain who played to rave reviews and soldout houses in 2008. A celebration of the desperation of unemployment, the insanity of Christmas shopping and the ineffable “cheer” of the holiday spirit and seen by over 18,000 theatergoers, this is a do-not-miss holiday event for Chicago.

Tickets for The Santaland Diaries are on sale now and can be purchased by clicking here. The Theatre Building is located at 1225 W. Belmont.

Forever Plaid, Plaid Tidings @ Noble Fool Theatricals

Micah Taylor — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:39:19 +0000

It might be a long trip from the city to St. Charles but Noble Fool Theatricals has a long history of being the center point of theatre in the western suburbs. Their home, within the Pheasant Run Resort makes for a a great opportunity for dinner, after show cocktails, and hell, staying the night! Forever Plaid, Plaid Tidings , their holiday production, is back to sing songs of the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, and a “Plaid-erized” version of Christmas specials to fulfill their mission of creating a little harmony in a troubled world. direction tour marketing will be distributing posters and handbills to our suburban retail locations in St. Charles, Naperville, Bartlett, and West Chicago, to name a few.

Forever Plaid, Plaid Tidings is running through December 27th at Noble Fool Theatricals in St. Charles, IL. Tickets are on sale now and dinner packages are available. More info can be found by clicking here.

High Holidays at the Goodman Theatre

Micah Taylor — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:47:30 +0000

This Saturday, the world premier of Alan Gross’s High Holidays will be opening in the Owen Theatre at the Goodman. This darkly comic, boisterous look at growing up in the Chicago suburbs during the early sixties is the story of 13-year old Billy Roman and the rollicking, anxiety-riddled preparations for his Bar Mitzvah. When Billy’s rebellious older brother returns from college during the Jewish high holidays, his family—the little Roman Empire—begins to wobble and crack as it is forced to examine some hard truths about coming of age in America.

High Holidays opens on Saturday, October 31st and will run through November 29th in the Owen Theatre. For tickets, click here.

Silent Night of the Lambs @ Mary's Attic

Zeb Resman — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 21:08:03 +0000

Non-traditional Christmas shows are becoming more and more the norm. But every time we think that every story has been taken and parodied, another new production emerges. Hell in a Handbag Productions is proud to present it’s mix of Silence of the Lambs and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. This is our first venture with Hell in a Handbag and we’re excited to be a part of this show, which has already been getting great reviews. If you’re sick of the usual holiday swill, and are a fan of campy horror, be sure not to miss this.

Silent Night of the Lambs is at Mary’s Attic from now until Jan. 3rd.

Jazz it Up with Qwest Communications

Zeb Resman — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:53:34 +0000

This past weekend, we had the privilege of working a unique event in Salt Lake City, UT. Qwest Communications and 361 Experiential collaborated offer the opportunity for people to come and get their holiday presents wrapped by members of the Utah Jazz Dancers at South Towne Center. The event was a huge success and were able to raise a sizable donation to the Boys and Girls Club of South Valley. At direction, we’re able to staff and execute events all over the country, even as far away as Salt Lake City. We offer the same services and customer satisfaction there as we do in our hometown of Chicago.

The Snow Queen @ Victory Gardens Biograph Theatre

Zeb Resman — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:55:29 +0000

Returning for it’s third year here in Chicago, the Snow Queen is a wonderful holiday show for the entire family. Based on the classic tale by Hans Christian Anderson, the Snow Queen is brought to life on stage with a wonderous musical score and amazing puppetry that will entertain audiences of all ages. This is the first year since Victory Gardens has taken over the legendary Biograph, and looks like they will wrap up the year with much critial acclaim.

The Snow Queen is at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theatre from now until December 28th.

The Seafarer @ the Steppenwolf Theatre

Zeb Resman — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:54:20 +0000

Steppenwolf brings another of Conor McPherson’s stories to life onstage. The Seafarer is a tale set on Christmas Eve in Dublin about a man who unknowingly enters a card game where the stakes are his soul. Bosting an all star ensemble cast including Chicago native John Mahoney, The Seafarer is a must see for those who wish for something different than the typical happy-go-lucky Christmas shows in town this season.

The Seafarer is at the Steppenwolf Theatre December 4th-February 8th.

Amahl and the Night Visitors & Chamber Opera Chicago

Zeb Resman — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:53:43 +0000

Chamber Opera Chicago brings back one of the most popular operas for the holiday season. Amahl and the night Visitors is the story of a crippled boy whose life changes forever when he sees an amazing star in the sky. Soon, three kings following the star encounter Amahl and his mother and miracles ensue. Chamber Opera Chicago is proud to present this classic tale for a limited time only, so be sure to venture out this weekend to see it.

Amahl and the Night Visitors is at Harold Washington Library Center in Cindy Pritzker Auditorium December 5th-7th.

Pooch on Scrooge @ the Goodman Theatre

Zeb Resman — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:17:39 +0000

Ever wanted to sit on Ebenezer Scrooge’s lap? Me neither, but your dog sure does! On November 29th, as part of their annual Christmas Carol production, the Goodman Theatre is offering the chance for people to bring in their pet to have their picture taken with Scrooge. This is another unique promotion we at direction are involved in with the Goodman, and because this event is “petcentric”, we’ll be hitting all of the establishments on our Pet Store Route to ensure that dog owners and lovers are in the know.

Pooch on Scrooge is at the Goodman Theatre on Nov. 29th from 9:30am-11:00am. A donation of $10 is recommended benefiting Season of Concern. Your dog must be leashed, and well behaved.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang @ The Chicago Theatre

Zeb Resman — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:10:40 +0000

As Christmas breezes through the city, holiday themed performances make their way into Chicago. One of them is Ian Flemming’s classic story of an inventor, his flying car, and the adventure that ensues.

We’ll be promoting Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and several other events all at the Lights Festival this Saturday. Events like this offer a fantastic opportunity to reach children and families and allow our brand ambassadors to personally connect with consumers and engage them in conversation about events and products.

Other upcoming events like this include the State Street Thanksgiving Day Parade, Holiday on the Plaza Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, and Mayor Daley’s Holiday Sports Festival. Sporting events are also a great place to promote and connect with consumers. The Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks are all in the middle of their respective seasons and present a wonderful opportunity to reach thousands of people.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is at the Chicago Theatre Feb. 11th-15th 2009

The Santaland Diaries & Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol

Zeb Resman — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:21:17 +0000

Every year, Chicagoans can count on Theatre Wit’s holiday staples, The Sanatland Diaries and Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol to help them get through the Christmas season with a laugh. This is our first promotion with Theatre Wit, and 2009 looks to be a very promising year for them as they move into their new home this month, the Baliwick Arts Center. We are all very exited to be a part of these shows, and look forward to working with Theatre Wit in the future.

The Santaland Diaries and Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol both begin Nov. 22nd

Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol
Thu-Sat 8:00pm
Sun 2:00pm

The Santaland Diaries
Thu-Sat 7:30pm
Fri-Sat 9:30pm
Sun 3pm & 7pm