Whom You Know: The Manhattan Cocktail Classic to Elevate Social Media Interactivity with NFC Technology at the Opening Night Gala

Thursday, May 3, 2012

The Manhattan Cocktail Classic to Elevate Social Media Interactivity with NFC Technology at the Opening Night Gala

In mere days, the third annual Manhattan Cocktail Classic will let loose upon New York City, offering up a decadent, cocktail-fueled flurry of nearly 100 events spread over 5 days and 4 boroughs. The festival kicks off on Friday, May 11, with its now legendary (and impossibly sold out) opening night Gala at The New York Public Library. While the event will deliver all the usual mayhem and mischief Gala devotees have come to expect, this year the Classic is layering on a cutting-edge digital component to the Gala experience: providing all 3500+ guests with NFC (Near Field Communication) enabled bracelets with which users will be able to track their drinks, upload photos, check in on Facebook, and more - all with a simple tap of the wrist. Then, on Monday morning, all NFC users will receive a customized email curated by TastingTable.com containing detailed recipes for each drink they sampled.

"What we're able to do now with NFC technology is truly mind-blowing," says festival founder and director Lesley Townsend. "Beyond just merely keeping track of cocktails sampled - a feat in and of itself - this just opens up a whole new world of social connectivity, with really limitless potential." Gala guests will even be able to tap-to-Like selected guests' outfits - styled and NFC-enabled by Bonobos - in a beautiful marriage of technology and fashion. Often citing SXSW and TED as sources of inspiration for the Classic, Townsend brought on a new marketing agency this year, ClearHart Digital, specifically to ramp up the "innovation" angle of the festival. In addition to the NFC integration at the Gala, there's a full docket of "Mixology + Technology" app demonstrations slated for the Industry Invitational (the Classic's invite-only trade conference headquartered at the Andaz 5th Avenue Hotel).

With nearly half of this year's events already sold out and festival attendees still begging for more, the Classic has just announced an ambitious new addition to the calendar on Saturday, May 12: The Gentleman's Cocktail Crawl, presented by Bonobos. This "black-tie-optional" crawl includes over a dozen of New York's most famed and fanciful hotel bars, and is open to both men and women, despite the name. In addition to Bonobos, the festival has added a number of premium non-endemic sponsors, including Virgin Atlantic Airways, Perrier, and Heineken - all of whom will be featured in unique activations at the aforementioned opening night Gala.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.manhattancocktailclassic.com.

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Peachy Deegan is a gem. She is wonderful to feature our Irish brands in 'Whom You Know'! The articles are beautifully and passionately presented, bringing products and brands to life, making both relevant and fun for her many faithful followers to read. I am immensely proud for our hand-crafted products to be included in this venue!"

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"As you know from my past features, Peachy Deegan and I were in the same class at Boston College prior to either of us becoming entrepreneurs. When we played together on the BC Alumni softball team in Central Park years ago, she mentioned she could not find a great dentist in Manhattan and could often be found networking on her phone in the outfield hiding from the ball. She was my second patient ever in 2006 when I opened my dental practice; I was one of the first sponsors on Whom You Know and the first Mover and Shaker featured in 2009 and have worked with her continuously since. She's even talked her friends that are doctors into being my patients, and they subsequently send their hospital colleagues. I don't know anyone that is as great of a networker and writer as Peachy, nevermind that she is upstanding and always good for her word. Cosmopolitan Dental is so happy to be in the company of the caliber of major brands she works with today, and although she will tell you a million ways to get your teeth dirty between Peachy's Picks, Terrific Takeout and Peachy's Pantry, Peachy Deegan will tell you there is only one way to get your teeth clean!"
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