Our "Breakfast @ Tiffany's" Unintentional Interview
Mad Ave Editors: Before we begin, we have a question for you. We wanted your opinion. We're thinking about writing an article about it. You know, one of the reasons why we love Madison Avenue is because it's so inclusive, like the Big Apple. Did you know that some of our most notable "Native New Yorkers" are people who came here from other places? For example, Andy Warhol grew up in Cleveland, John Lennon from Liverpool, Madonna from outside Detroit and of course, Truman Capote from Alabama. We love there's no cultural snob-ceiling anyone with style has to contend with. Even fictional characters like Holly Golightly played by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast @ Tiffany's came from outside of the New York City boro...
Post Reporter: Excuse me, "boro" is singular. There are 5 boros in New York City.
Mad Ave Editors: Right, let us just finish. New Yorkers are so open minded that we've even elected an out-of-towner to the United States Senate to represent us, though we forget that person's name at the moment.
Post Reporter: Well, let me give you a hint. It's person who was elected to the Senate due to their being connected to a president of the United States. Does that help?
Mad Ave Editors: Yes, of course! Thank you. Mr. Robert Kennedy!
Post Reporter: That's correct, though that's not exactly who I was referring to.
Mad Ave Editors: Whatever. We know that the media capital of the world is New York. The point is, is it any surprise then that the ultimate 2006 New York media event will take place in Phoenix Arizona?
Post Reporter: What? Surely you're joking.
Mad Ave Editors: No. You obviously don't know about the 2006 World Pastry Team Championship. New York is so well-known for its world class restaurants. Doesn't that make this a "Native New Yorker" event? It's no corner-deli fast food operation. It's like the Olympics, it's global. For example our USA team is made up of our best pastry chefs. They're up against teams from 11 other countries the World Pastry Team Champion title. Carymax, LLC is the New York event company that founded it almost 10 years ago. Is that amazing? Check this out. The contenders have to make a chocolate showpiece, a sugar showpiece, three identical cakes, three identical frozen desserts, 14 identical plated desserts and an assortment of small cakes and bonbons. Team USA for 2006 are Chefs Ramirez, Lhuillier and Mullaney. They won it by making a four and a half foot chocolate rendering of the mythological horse Pegasus in milk chocolate. It also had white chocolate wings brushed with orange glaze, like the wings of Icarus flying into the sun. Can you imagine?
Post Reporter: That's very nice, though it sounds like something only for the trade. Can we begin the interview?
Mad Ave Editors: Yes, but one more thing. From a MadAve standpoint, even though most people never heard about it, they've had 18 trade sponsorships all sold out for years. Godiva's one of them. The cool thing though is that in 2006 it's going to be expanded for consumer marketer sponsorships, rights and merchandising. We're talking about category exclusivity, presenting sponsor opportunities. The whole kit and caboodle.
Post Reporter: Like what.
Mad Ave Editors: Like the chance schmooze with thousands of some of the most connected power-brokers from all over the world. This is like the Davos of desserts.
Post Reporter: Okay, now I understand. But, excuse the pun, but where's the sizzle?
Mad Ave Editors: Well, if you took the time to venture out of Staten Island – and we mean no ill-will against your ferry commuter readers – this is one happenin' event. It's the real deal. Chefs who compete have to get certification or re-certification by the ACF (American Culinary Federation) and the IACP-CCP (International Association of Culinary Professionals). We'll be interested to see what happens before companies like Starbucks negotiates the rights. It's got national and international buzz. The organizers have great taste. For example, it's scheduled to NOT interfere with French Tennis Open. You know what that is.
Post Reporter: That's all well and dandy. So what does this have to Breakfast at Tiffany's?
Mad Ave Editors: Do you know who Philip Seymour Hoffman is? You see, the pastry is deliciously decadent. Have you seen the film Capote? Breakfast @ Tiffany's? We'll give you a hint. The opening scene to Tiffany's has Holly window-shopping at six in the morning, after being up all night on a date with a married man. Get the point?
Post Reporter: So what does The Madison Avenue Journal have to do with this?
Mad Ave Editors: Nothing. We just heard about it from Clay Gordon, the chocolate critic. Do you know him? He told us about the connection between chocolate pastry, romance and marketing... Chocolate has caffeine in it. Do you know what a double tall non-fat latte is? Chocolate has theobromine, which monkeys with your serotonin.
Post Reporter: Sero-what? Even if it does, so what.
Mad Ave Editors: Clay told us that chocolate pastry has the chemical makeup to make you feel good. Can't you see the connection? Marketers like to associate with events that cause that kind of reaction in people. You know, as opposed to sponsoring something that makes people feel bad.
Post Reporter: Yeah but why is the picture of Marilyn Monroe here? You said before that Audrey Hepburn played the part.
Mad Ave Editors: You probably don’t know this but Capote originally picked Marilyn for the role of Holly. Truman and Marilyn shared a similar background. He thought she'd be perfect for it.
Post Reporter: How can I reach Clay?
Mad Ave Editors: His email is claygordon@pureorigin.com.
Post Reporter: Why do you keep referring to the film as "Breakfast @ Tiffany's. For your information, it's Breakfast At Tiffany's. It's "At", not @. There's no major connection between the Internet and the film or the event.
Mad Ave Editors: Let's talk about that later.
Post Reporter: Okay, one more before we do the interview. You said that many "Native New Yorkers" come here from out of town. You also inferred that people who come from Brooklyn, Bronx or Queens aren't really "Native New Yorkers" at all. I'll have you know Donald Trump grew up Queens.
Mad Ave Editors: Our point, exactly.
Post Reporter: What does that mean? Where are you going? I thought we were going to talk about new places for product placement.
Mad Ave Editors: Ahh, yeah. Sorry. We gotta go...
