| 1. SAG AWARDS MOVE DATE TO AVOID GRAMMYS CONFLICT: The 2020 Screen Actors Guild Awards have moved from January 26 to January 19, to avoid airing at the same time as the Grammys. The 26th annual SAG Awards will air live on TNT and TBS. The Hollywood Reporter: “In addition, organizers said they have extended their deal with TNT and TBS to broadcast the live event. Submissions are being accepted from July 29-October 21, with balloting opening November 14 and closing at 5 p.m. December 8. Nominations will be announced December 11, with voting opening December 17 and closing at noon January 17. While organizers did not cite the Grammys (or any other specific reason) for the move in their announcement, the date change didn't come as a surprise to some observers, as networks look to make the most of the live and special-event programming they have rights to in the Peak TV era.” 2. ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL WILL RETURN TO DOWNTOWN MIAMI IN 2020: Ultra Music Festival is officially returning to downtown Miami. Commissioners on Thursday approved an agreement to allow the electronic dance music festival to return to Bayfront Park in March 2020. The vote reverses the unanimous decision in 2018 to kick out the event from the park. Miami Herald: “The vote provided another sharp turn in a yearlong roller coaster ride for Ultra’s organizers and fans, downtown residents who vehemently oppose the festival’s presence in their backyard and a business community that felt the positive economic impact when Ultra was in downtown. This time, the anti-Ultra argument was framed by suggestions of political favors—multiple commissioners have received campaign contributions from Ultra—as well as accusations of poor deal making and the contention that the city was allowing special exceptions to its laws just to accommodate the festival.” 3. SUPERFLY BOOSTS EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING DIVISION AFTER SELLING BONNAROO: Superfly, a New York-based production company known for founding festivals including Outside Lands and Bonnaroo, is growing its experiential marketing division after it sold its remaining share of Bonnaroo to Live Nation. One of the agency’s recent projects includes “The Seinfeld Experience,” a yearlong event in New York for comedian Jerry Seinfeld and Warner Bros., which will open this fall to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the sitcom’s pilot. Advertising Age: “‘We look for gaps in the marketplace,’ says Rich Goodstone, one of the four founders of Superfly along with Rick Farman, Jonathan Mayers, and Kerry Black. ‘Brands are looking to achieve the type of influence we’ve been able to achieve with Bonnaroo and Outside Lands.’ This week, Superfly acquired a majority stake in a self-proclaimed sensory experience company called Listen. The company, founded in 2012, has done artist collaborations with Brian Eno, Childish Gambino, and St. Vincent while also producing experiential and voice marketing services for brands such as Microsoft, Paypal, Ford, Virgin, and Cisco.”
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