Given that my real world is all about creating unique marketing strategy, I have to hand it to Celebrity Cruises and the Newport Beach Film Festival for coming up with a classic winner.
On Sunday, in honor of the NBFF’s annual event, Celebrity Cruises has come ashore (so to speak) with a fantastic concept they’ve implemented on a few of their cruise lines – they call it The Taste of Film.
This coming Sunday afternoon in a private party, the ever-popular Chef Pascal Olhats (Pascal and Café Jardin in Corona Del Mar) is preparing an 8-course meal for a group of invited guests. Each of the eight courses corresponds to a scene in the movie, One Hundred Foot Journey, which we’ll be viewing as we simultaneously enjoy this fantastic “journey” in cuisine.
This was all Celebrity Cruises’ idea. Several months ago, the cruise line retrofitted their Celebrity Infinity and Celebrity Summit ships with new rooftop terraces that couple a large outdoor movie screen (and sound system … goodbye rinky dink speakers at your old fashioned drive in theater) with lounges and cabanas for easy viewing. Then, the ship’s chefs devise a multi-course meal that corresponds with the movie showing.
This is my definition of two great inventions coming together in united front. Apparently, many foodie people agree with me as the initial foray proved so popular that Celebrity is now finishing a third rooftop terrace retrofit on a third ship, the Celebrity Millennium. If you’re interested in the Taste of Film on one of their upcoming cruises, you can find more details here: Celebrity Cruises
A Perfect Way for the NBFF to Set Sail For its 16th Year
In its 16th year now, the Newport Beach Film Festival continues to grow in stature and status. With a commitment to showcasing a diverse collection of studio and independent films from around the world, this year’s NBFF will feature more than 350 films in just one week’s time, April 21st – April 28th. It’s amazing that they’ve managed to grow this event to the proportions it is now, and it’s a great, fun time for producers, directors, actors and film fans. Check out ticketing and times here: NewportBeachFilmFest