Indianapolis may host an iconic annual auto race in which the contestants drive in a circle for 500 miles, but it is home to zero pop-culture reality shows.
There's never been a "Real Housewives of Indianapolis", an "A-list Indianapolis", or even a "Real World, Indy." With this weekend's Super Bowl bringing the pop culture focus to the Midwest, the question for many marketers who considered hosting events is: "If Bravo's never been there, is it worth going?"
For media and entertainment brands with a major stake in the NFL, like DirecTV, ESPN, and Audi, and even some without – like print outlets Rolling Stone and Maxim– the answer remains yes.
Many of the smaller brands which typically populate the hospitality lounges and gifting suites during film festivals and Hollywood awards week are sitting on the sidelines. They're looking ahead to March's South by Southwest Festival in Austin, or even the New York City Super Bowl, which should be super-sized in 2014.
For those who are here in Indy, however ...
“If you can pick one celebrity to be walking down your red carpet this weekend, it’s (Tim) Tebow, Tebow, Tebow, and more Tebow,” says Brian Gordon, CEO of lifestyle marketing firm Engine Shop and a veteran of thirteen Super Bowls.
Last year's Super Bowl host city Dallas completely failed to cope with a massive snow storm and the transportation problems it caused. The hangover from that has plainly affected event planners in Indianapolis.
It helps that downtown Indianapolis is smaller and more compact. But the trend for Indianapolis is fewer but bigger events hosted by those who already have a big stake in the league. For logistics, many chose locations within shouting distance of Lucas Oil Stadium, where the game will be played, and made them consumer-friendly. About half make tickets available to the public, but they don’t come cheap.
Here’s a round-up of the ones that will be trending topics in the pop culture coverage of the weekend:
Open to the Public:
DirecTV
Looking for free and open to the public? This is the best bet. As an NFL broadcast partner, DirecTV is bringing in more than a million pounds of sand to create an indoor football field for its annual Celebrity Beach Bowl on Saturday afternoon. The Fray will perform after the game.
By night, Mark Cuban, Peyton Manning, and Cuban’s HD Net host a private bash featuring Katy Perry.
Last year, Usher’s headlining performance on the stage tipped off his surprise appearance during the Black Eyed Peas halftime show the next night. This week, M.I.A. tipped her appearance with Madonna and Nicki Minaj at the halftime show on BBC1 radio, putting an end to speculation that the blue-haired Perry might fill a similar role.
The most awkward photo opportunity of the weekend is unlikely. Andrew Luck, the projected top NFL draft pick who could replace the lame-duck hometown hero Manning on the Colts, is not expected as of publishing.
