Sundance: Danny Thompson’s Lounge Act
Power and Industry visionary Danny Thompson is looking forward to a big year at Sundance’s Indie Lounge. He chatted to Bill Gephardt about the movies in this year’s festival.
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“I don’t know much about movies except people watch them, people love them. This year they have a documentary series that is out of this world,” he said.
Thompson’s Indie Lounge has a track record of being one of the most successful lounges at the festival. One of the reasons for the popularity is Gift Suites. Considered to be one of the most effective methods of launching a whole new brand or perhaps a new product, Gift Suites get products into the hands of celebrities and other powerful people.
Thompson explains that gifting is a major focus at the Indie Lounge this year: just some of the gifts include a week’s stay at an Island Villa, luxury luggage from Olympia, and even a private jet company is participating in giveaways.
Thompson says that companies gain a lot through gifting because of what he calls “implied endorsement.” Once a celebrity comes into the gifting suite, photographers have carte blanche to take photos of the celebrities with products.
In addition to the gift element, entertainment is a major part of the Lounge, and one of this year’s big attractions is “An Evening With Donny Most.” Best remembered as Ralph Malph on “Happy Days,” Most was a jazz musician before he became an actor, and he performs a jazz tribute to singers such as Frank Sinatra and Bobby Darin and Dean Martin.
