Wednesday Buzz: Rebuilding a Fictional Town

It’s not easy to build buzz for something that’s long been dormant, but when Gilmore Girls was revived earlier this month, Netflix was up to the task.

A big element of that buzz, notes BizBash, was a series of live events  (opens in a new tab) that brought the vibe of Stars Hollow, Connecticut—the show’s hometown—to Los Angeles. Netflix teamed with the experiential marketing firm MKG to create a real-life version of the fictional setting.

For three days before the show’s premiere last week, Netflix hosted a variety of themed events, targeting both the red carpet and consumers at large.

“The Festival of Four Seasons,” the consumer event set up around UCLA’s Dickson Court, did much to evoke warm memories of the show before its return.

“Popular businesses from the show were represented with booths around the square, and on-theme event decor and props embraced the Gilmore Girls aesthetic,” BizBash’s Alesandra Dubin wrote  (opens in a new tab). “Catering drew inspiration from the show: Staff wore ‘Al’s Pancake World’ T-shirts; lo mein was served in Al’s-branded Chinese takeout containers; Taylor’s Olde Fashioned Soda Shoppe served desserts including freshly made cider doughnuts and pop tarts; and, of course, coffee came from the show’s beloved Luke’s coffee shop.”

It was an elaborate strategy that got folks talking. At Glamour U.K., writer Kat Brown could barely contain her excitement  (opens in a new tab) at the real-life rendition of Stars Hollow.

And it wasn’t the first time Netflix went down this road, either. Back in October, Netflix held a promotion at coffee shops around the country, turning them into versions of Luke’s Diner  (opens in a new tab)—and handing out free coffee.

Post-Politico

Well, our new company has a name: Axios. Pls read our theory of the case at https://t.co/ZIfb5eWoCE  (opens in a new tab). https://t.co/2UFGV9fBqC  (opens in a new tab)

— Jim VandeHei (@JimVandeHei) November 30, 2016  (opens in a new tab)

For years, DC-based Politico has defined the news media’s approach in the nation’s capital and beyond. Now, two of its architects, Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen, are looking to offer up something new under the brand name Axios.com. Over at Vanity Fair, VandeHei and Allen discuss their strategy  (opens in a new tab), built on the idea of a news outlet unburdened by old models.

Other Links of Note

Should you bring your family to your next conference? This GIF-heavy post at Health eCareers is firmly in the “no” camp  (opens in a new tab).

Finding the right hashtag for your event can be a challenge. The Social Tables blog offers considerations  (opens in a new tab) to keep in mind when picking that all-important Twitter tag.

How Slack eats its own dog food  (opens in a new tab), according to Fast Company.

Stars Hollow, as it appeared in Los Angeles earlier this month. (via the Gilmore Girls Facebook page)