Sep 7, 2015

New #NYNOW initiatives generate buzz at summer show

Bloggers and social media influencers created high-impact and online buzz to complement the many outstanding product finds at NY NOW, the Market for Home, Lifestyle + Gift, with three new #NYNOW social media initiatives — #NYNOW Bloggers Choice Awards, #NYNOW Social Media Lounge and Innovations-Inspired Giveaway – helping to spark conversations and connections before and during the recently concluded summer edition, Aug. 15-19, 2015, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

Blanketing NY NOW’s three collections and ten sections, online enthusiasm confirmed NY NOW as the market that delivers products with a focus on design and functionality. While individual reports were varied in terms of content and focus — with some reports highlighting multiple products, some pinpointing a single product and some showcasing key brands overall — NY NOW’s focus on design, functionality and innovation was a common theme in blog coverage and social media reports.

This August, NY NOW expanded its popular Bloggers’ Choice Awards beyond the confines of Accent on Design, to encompass the entire market, with representatives from alternate and emerging media channels identifying top home and lifestyle products as “the next big thing.” Top product picks, from the first-ever #NYNOW Bloggers Choice Awards include: Sass Brown of EcoFashionTalk’s spotlight on “beautiful…. entirely handmade and completely unique” enormous cascading chandeliers by Hellooow Handmade; Gail Gasteua of The Tea House Times’ selection of the “innovative…. creative, superlative, form, function” of BEAN ME UP by finum; Sarah Colton of SarahColton.coms selection of “hard-working and cheerful, flirtatious, and witty” Parfums Lubin’s new Grisette; Harold Abrams of Brand New Day Designs’ choice of The Happy Mat and Happy Bowl by ezpz, as “functional… beautiful, well-designed options — at reasonable price points – that make a statement and express your home life and personal style”; and Antonia Burke of Antonia’s Favorites showcase of Peridot 18k earrings by Suzy Landa Jewelry, “a statement piece of your outfit and also can be used for events that need an extra pop of color.”

Beyond these individual product selections from #NYNOW Bloggers Choice participants, other bloggers reported broadly on design and style trends across NY NOW, as well as in specific product categories, such as social stationery and children’s products. Highlights from blogs, as well as social media platforms, such as Instagram and Twitter, include: Karen LeBlanc from The Design Tourist, Kim Maycraft from MadeByMommy,Lynda Johnson from KidStyleSource, Tara Flanagan from House of 1000 Fabrics, Nole Garey from OhSoBeautifulPaper and Tory Johnson from ToryJohnson.com. (NOTE: For a complete listing of NY NOW reports from the blogosphere, visithttp://www.nynow.com/press/bloggers-choice/)

In addition, a first-ever #NYNOW Social Media Lounge, sponsored by HGTV Magazine’sBlogger Block Party – which ran concurrently with NY NOW — also helped to facilitate the buzz and online sharing during the Market. In advance of the Market, a new #NYNOW Innovations-Inspired Giveaway sparked online conversation about product innovation connected with NY NOW. Registered attendees who shared and tagged product information, using hashtags #NYNOW and #Sweepstakes were eligible to win one of four NY NOW “Inspiration” prize packs, each of which include a Socialmatic’ Wi-Fi Digital Instant Polaroid Camera, The Oliver Gal Artist Co. gift certificate, Beatriz Ball 4-by-6-inch Jason Frame and a pair of NY Giants pre-season tickets. Winners were: @Perchhome; @natedogreimer; @terrarosaithaca; and @earthandstate.

The winter 2016 edition of NY NOW, the Market for Home, Lifestyle + Gift, will run Jan. 30-Feb. 3, 2016, at New York City’s Javits Center. NY NOW’s three comprehensive collections — HOME, LIFESTYLE and HANDMADE, as well as NEW! exhibitors — will encompass 100,000 products.

Information and registration will be available online at www.nynow.com.