The Sweet Service Award goes to Spier for its most unusual invitation to the launch of the ‘Great Gatsby’ show to be performed at the wine estate from 20 November – 31 December, based on the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. The book has been adapted to be performed with a cast of ten on a specially built stage at Spier, with dancing, jazz, foxtrot, singing, and more. The era of Prohibition, Speakeasy, Bottlegging, Rum-Running, Giggle Water (bubbly), Moonshine (illegally distilled spirit), and Hooch (poor quality bootleg liquor) are recaptured. Bloggers and journalists were invited to the launch earlier this week, were dressed to suit the Gatsby theme if they hadn’t come prepared, and the cast performed three numbers from the show. The show price of R630 includes Gatsby-themed food and Spier wines. One is encouraged to be Gatsby-inspired in one’s dress. The beautiful car was parked outside 12 Spin Street, the venue of the launch.
The Sour Service Award goes to the City of Cape Town, which has blood on its hands after 19 fans were injured and one died (Florentina Heaven-Popa) after an advertising billboard for Lucozade erected especially for the Linkin Park concert at the Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday took off in a gale-force South Easter gust. The City is focussed on making as much money out of the Cape Town Stadium, its key loss-making asset, having recently created a Tourism, Events, and Marketing Directorate to market Cape Town via events involving the Cape Town Stadium in the main. This was one of the first projects of the new Marketing department, and has left a terrible mark on brand Cape Town, and its ability to organise safe events for its residents and tourists!
The WhaleTales Sweet & Sour Service Awards are presented every Friday on the WhaleTales blog. Nominations for the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be sent to Chris von Ulmenstein at info@whalecottage.com. Past winners of the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be read on the Friday posts of this blog, and in the WhaleTalesnewsletters on the www.whalecottage.com website.
Tragic event at the concert. Does arrogant Anton Groenewald really thinks he can turn around events in the city? Anton Groenewald is a disaster in the making and his so-called expert TEAM will prove to be as ineffective as Cape Town Routes Unlimted.
I think we should give Rory Viljoen a chance to show his marketing muscle Anne.
Anything he does can only be better than what Cape Town Tourism is (or not) doing, e.g. sponsoring the ‘100 Women 100 Wines’ ‘wine judging’ tomorrow, an event which was heavily criticised last year for its sighted tasting (interesting that, given that Neil Pendock is a silent partner in the venture, and is quick to point a finger at Platter ad nauseum!).
But pushing income for the City’s problem child Cape Town Stadium, leading to a death and many injured, will not be the way to do it. Heads must roll for this disaster!
Chris