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As if these last few months haven’t been difficult enough, we have been faced, once again, with the incredible injustice of yet another (and another and another) black life taken at the hand of a police officer. And while acts such as these – and others – have incited anger and frustration in the past, what we have witnessed this last week is of a magnitude only comparable to the civil rights uprisings of the 1960s. Finally. Finally we have protested as a nation not only against such inhumane acts as these unnecessary deaths but to continue to raise awareness of the basic, human ideal that not being racist is not enough. That we must be anti-racist. And that means taking long, hard looks at ourselves and our communities and finding strength to push the limits of what we know and what we have done in the past. To find the willingness to speak out against those who speak out against other human beings., even if they are friends or family. To take the time to reflect, to research, to read and to commit to learning and most important, to doing.
We are also examining how we can support and enact change as an agency. At Bullfrog + Baum, we have already begun the process of evaluating our actions both internally, as individuals, and externally, as a company, to identify what we must do proactively. We know we can do better and are committed to doing so for the long-term. To start, our Newsletter will feature more diverse content and news, highlighting more BIPOC voices and stories that tend to get overshadowed. We will support even more Black-owned businesses and we will expand our volunteer and recruiting efforts to make sure that EVERY potential partner or team member has access to our offerings and support. And that’s only the beginning.
We know this is an ongoing dialogue, and one that we’re open to engaging in. If you have any feedback and suggestions, we would love to hear from you – you can email us at news@bullfrogandbaum.com, or by simply replying to this email.
We encourage you to join us in finding ways to have these conversations in your life and workplace. We’ll continue to educate ourselves and understand how we can act to make lasting change – and we invite you to do the same.
– Jennifer Baum
- Introducing three new services from B+B. The world has changed as a result of the global pandemic, and the hospitality industry has been enormously affected. To help meet your marketing communication goals in these challenging times, we’re launching three new programs. Read about Amp, Bullhorn and Leap, and drop us a line to learn more.
- New client alert: We’re excited to welcome two Dallas hotels to the B+B family! Nestled in the Cedars District, CANVAS is steps away from the best the city has to offer and celebrates its vibrant local art culture. The Beeman will soon debut its stunning renovation, bringing stylish interiors, artistic details, pet-friendly suites, and its uniquely Dallas attitude to the Park Cities neighborhood. Keep up on the latest news from these properties via @canvasdallas and @thebeemanhotel.
- A Father’s Day gift for the carnivorous dad. Katz’s Deli offers the ultimate package for the meat-loving dad in your life, filled with pastrami, brisket, corned beef and all the fixings. Available to be shipped nationwide, bring a true taste of New York straight to your living room. (Due to high demand, we encourage you to place orders by June 5 to ensure delivery by June 21.)
- Good news: restaurants are still opening. Bel-Fries makes its debut as NYC’s newest Belgian-style takeout fry shop specializing in artisan fries and sauces. The grab-and-go frites concept focuses on high quality, fresh ingredients sourced from local farmers, using Old World techniques that don’t cut corners. The Pineapple Club is a tropical-inspired cocktail bar and restaurant in the East Village offering delivery and takeout. The cocktail menu offers eight bottled cocktails, with a focus on clarifications, house-made cordials, and infusions, while the food menu includes the PC Burger, Fried Jerk Chicken and homemade chocolate chip cookies. monthly newsletter
- When we’re ready to travel, consider a stop at the World’s Best Airport. Singapore Changi Airport has received the top accolade for the eighth consecutive year at the 2020 Skytrax World Airport Awards. It also won the World’s Best Airport Leisure Amenities, which makes sense when you think about all of its incredible attractions as part of Jewel Changi. Find the full list of winners here, and for tips on how to properly explore Changi Airport check out this New York Times article.
- Street art for a good cause. Support restaurant workers through Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer’s new initiative, Order Up! Street art has always been a part of the Black Tap experience, with each location featuring unique murals designed by top street artists from around the world. Black Tap has now teamed up with their favorites to create a limited edition print series for sale. Each print is available for a two-week run, and 100% of net proceeds will be donated to the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s (NRAEF) Restaurant Employee Relief Fund, which goes directly to support restaurant employees. A piece from Patch Whisky is live now – check it out here.
- Capella Hotels looks to give back to healthcare workers. Until travel resumes at normal levels, Capella Hotels & Resorts has pivoted to focus on ways they can support their local communities and frontline workers. Capella Sanya and Hainan Tourism Association are offering a complimentary stay to local frontline healthcare workers. Capella Shanghai is preparing special gifts for local doctors and nurses who have had to delay their weddings to help fight the pandemic, including a complimentary stay in their Shikumen Villas and their choice of three high-end wedding dresses provided by a local bridal designer.
- New cocktails to-go along with stellar burgers. HALL by Chef Hiroki Odo continues to offer to-go cocktails, which launched in May, along with their popular signature burgers, omakase, and daily specials. Drinks change weekly and are sold in 16 oz. bottles (about four drinks), and are already diluted, so you just need to decide whether to drink them on the rocks, or with a mixer or soda. Order via Grubhub here.
- Calling all interns! Our summer internship program is going to look a bit different this year. Introducing BBU: a multi-week webinar series designed to engage and inspire the next generation of marketing & communications minds. Sign up to learn what agency life is like, how the communications world has evolved, what “public relations” really means, and what you should be doing now to get yourself ready to take on your first entry-level job in this competitive field. Email bbu@bullfrogandbaum.com to learn more.
- JUNE 12 What does Mercury in retrograde actually mean (it begins on June 18!), and what does your horoscope for June say? Join astrologist to the stars Joann Reeves on BBTV at 12:00 PM ET for a live horoscope reading on Instagram Live. monthly newsletter
- JUNE 13 Celebrate Global Wellness Day with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, when they host a 24-hour livestream on @mo_hotels, featuring different well-being experiences every hour from their various properties around the world. It kicks off at 12:00 BST on Saturday, June 13 through 12:00 BST, June 14. Check out the full schedule here.
- EVERY MONDAY THROUGH JUNE 29 Join Ketel One Vodka this month for #MarvelousMondays, a virtual industry series focused on education, followship, and conviviality, creating a space for bartenders to connect while bars and restaurants remain closed. Watch as various bartenders go live with hosts Amie Ward and Fanny Chu on Portland Cocktail Week’s Facebook page, sharing industry tips + tricks, and applying their expertise to execute marvelous and elevated twists on classic Ketel One cocktails, like the ketel Soda, Martini, Bloody Mary, and more. monthly newsletter
- If you’re saying Black Lives Matter, support Black businesses. Chef JJ Johnson wrote a powerful piece in Esquire to say enough is enough, and what the white culinary world and its patrons can do more than just talk. [Esquire] monthly newsletter
- Here’s also a list of Black-owned restaurants you can support. Rachel Karten, associate director of social media at Bon Appetit, has pulled together a list of Black-owned restaurants in NYC that you can order from. Not in NYC? You can also download the EatOkra app, which helps you find Black-owned restaurants near you, or this crowd-sourced list that offers resources across major cities.
- Remember that food isn’t apolitical, and there are ways you can help to amplify and improve existing systems. The Museum of Food & Drink has compiled a comprehensive list of resources amplifying Black chefs and food producers, Black-owned businesses, and organizations helping during protests and COVID-19. Food Tank shares a list of individuals and organizations aimed to build stronger Black communities and food systems. Civil Eats has also put together a round-up of groups working to strengthen food justice, land access, and food access in the Black community that you can help support.
- Singapore uses Animal Crossing to become a virtual destination. Although now over due to Singapore’s circuit breaker measures expiring on June 1, Singapore’s Sentosa Island became a virtual destination hot-spot on Nintendo Switch’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons these past few months. With virtual recreations of actual attractions and hotels on the island – including yoga on the beach, nature hiking trails, wedding altar, and hotel suites from Capella Singapore among others – it was a fresh new take on “armchair travel.” [Condé Nast Traveler] monthly newsletter
- Menus as we know them may be changing. Barpay, a Los Angeles-based company, has launched digital menus for restaurants looking to instantly and remotely implement contactless menus. These digital menus, which are activated via QR codes, may make the paper menu a distant memory. [Bar Business Magazine] monthly newsletter
- What will travel look like going forward? Travel will be back – but it’s likely going to be inching back, unlike how things used to be. CBS Sunday Morning examines how procedures at hotels and for air travel are changing after the pandemic, from hygiene practices to social distancing measures. [CBS Sunday Morning]
- 2020 might be the year of drive-in theaters. While movie theaters grapple with how to get audiences back in again, the pandemic has also brought back drive-in theaters (perfect for social distancing!). Some lucky theater-goers may even be able to buy burgers from a local food truck vendor. But those who are still fans of sneaking food into the theater won’t have an issue here. [CNN]