See and Be Seen They may be backstage, but the products in this celeb retreat won't be secrets for long.
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
As a former awards show talent coordinator, Karen Wood, 45,understands the importance of celebrity endorsements. But gettingunknown products into the hands of Hollywood's elite isn'talways easy. So Wood, founder of BackstageCreations, a product placement company in Santa Monica,California, created The Retreat, a hip, luxurious backstage"gift room" at awards show rehearsals. At The Retreat,the rich and famous can sip champagne, relax, mingle--and check outa select array of free, hot products from both small and largebusinesses.
Wood's clients love the direct access to high-profilepotential customers, and talent coordinators appreciate that TheRetreat encourages stars to show up on time to special events, fromthe Screen Actors Guild Awards to the Teen Choice Awards. SaysWood, who projects sales of $12 million in 2006, "We alwaystry to wow celebrities with [designers and products] they may notknow of."
