Green and Gold
Olympic Possibilities and Green Profit Pastures

Cheers to all you bloggers in nightclub and bar territory. Consider this my monthly printed log a hardcopy blog conversing about topics, trends and issues that might make for good discussion on your respective blogs out there. Before we thrust our nose into 2008 aspects of the nightlife industry where the faint of heart fear to tread, we think it would be well for all of us to step back, catch our collective breath and wish everyone within earshot a happy, productive and fruitful New Year.

Days of Our Lives
It is not too soon to look ahead at what this year, that begins to close out the first decade of the new millennium (remember when even reaching the second millennium seemed like such a big deal?) has in the offing and how we can take advantage of what’s happening around the corner and around the planet to help achieve our goals and in the process earn coin of the realm. Mr. Webster, the biggest blogger of all time, defines the millennium as a time of happiness and prosperity. I’ve got to believe we haven’t blown the good times wad in a little less than 10 years.

Summer Olympics in China
It will be feast and festival in the Olympic Village and surrounding arenas on an epic scale, as people from over 160 countries gather to witness the grand sporting spectacle organized for their enjoyment. But what about here? You can be certain the fat is on the fi re, and plans for tying in with the Summer Olympics are cooking in just about every lifestyle product board room coast to coast. Owners and marketing types associated with restaurants, bars, nightclubs and lounges in every Main Street USA nook and cranny will be bombarded with Olympics promotion materials in the coming weeks. Will you be equal to the occasion? This golden opportunity comes around only once every four years and goes way beyond sports bars. Is your venue going to be left out of the saturation promotion blitz? How will you create a Summer Olympics identity? Brainstorm ideas, friends, brainstorm! By way of a few thought starters, consider fundraisers for USA Olympic coffers. Hold a fete for local athletes who will be competing in China and attract a crowd to your premise. Take charge arranging a trip to the Summer Olympics for your patrons, possibly as a prize at a local event drawing. Sponsor a “building bridges” letter writing project with a local bank for young people in your community and arrange for their expressions of handwritten letters of love and support to appear on display at your venue and the bank or post office and see they get mailed to U.S. athletes at the Olympic Village. What type of Olympic signage works in your venue? Cost parameters, always a factor, suggest many variations: Paper product brand name flags for ceiling or front window decor to festive olympic medal cakes served on special theme night occasions, or olympic theme photo murals or posters displayed.

Going Green
How aware of the nationwide going green promotion grid are you, over and above 2008 car ads featuring alternative fuels? Rockefeller Center installed solar heating panels on its Christmas tree street rooftop to conserve energy and got a rocket ride of saturation coverage. Solar-driven water heating units will be coming by the boatload (yep, from China), saving money and making King Sol the good guy. Affordable going-green homes soon will be available with the shipping containers they come in providing the actual housing frame. Daily newspapers announce new solar energy projects every week in local communities, and the Internet has got the latest ying and yang covered. There are no excuses if we allow our industry to miss the going-green boat. Recycling, changing light sources and other energy/cost-saving steps you take make good sense and good business.