Re: Party Famine
If Eli’s buddy thought things were bad inside the Paramount at the launch party for Seattle Metropolitan, check out this email from someone who was waiting in line outside the Paramount…
Last week I received an invitation in the mail to the SEATTLE METROPOLITAN launch party. It is the latest glossy, newsstand publication to target the elite, aging Seattle consumer (45+), similar to SEATTLE MAGAZINE. The invitation included a ticket to the launch party event at the Paramount - for Saturday, February 25th from 7PM to Midnight. No RSVP was required nor any mention that space was limited.Upon arriving at the Paramount at 8:15 PM, invitees were faced with an over capacity venue and a line that circled the block with hundreds of ticket holders that were instructed to wait patiently for entry. No one from the publication’s staff was available to pacify the crowd, only a few surly security folks that refused to explain what the situation was to the enthusiastic patrons.
As party-goers exited the event complaining of hour long lines for weak libations and Tom Douglas created finger foods, no one was allowed entry from the ticket bearers line, that included current advertisers of the publication, local ad agency staff members, Seattle dignitaries, contributing writers, local television and radio representatives, etc. This went on for 2 hours with no explanation or status updates. No staff member of SEATTLE METROPOLITAN ventured outside to extend apologies or, in the very least, to distribute copies of their first issue that we ventured out to support and celebrate.
Ultimately, no one was let in, as the venue was over capacity by 200+ attendees. The disgruntled crowd slowly dispersed - vowing never to support the publication.
I left at about 10:30 and stopped back by at 11:30. By then the venue was nearly empty and was still refused entry with no explanation as to why my ticket would not be honored.
Just thought you would want to know that SEATTLE METROPOLITAN has launched a publication in the market, while alienating most of their desired readers, advertisers and media supporters.
I did finally pick up a copy of the first issue of SEATTLE METROPOLITAN that had been discarded on the street outside the venue. Sadly, it is a clone of SEATTLE MAGAZINE and brings nothing new, fresh or exciting to the market.This was a double disappointment to those that came out to this event to celebrate the debut of this publication.
The cover proclaims “65 Best Ways to Love Our City”. I can thing of 65+ reasons why NOT to love SEATTLE METROPOLITAN. All I can say is, “good luck” to this fledgling publication. SEATTLE METROPOLITAN has lost not only my support, but much of the community of readers and advertisers they sought to embrace through their negligence and lack of respect.
I think a lot of the sour grapes comes from people just wanting to get their free food and free drink on. Ha!
As for the local dignitaries forced to wait outside with the unwashed masses? The HORROR! I can only hope John Curly was not forced to suffer such atrocities.
Let me just be the first to warn you in case anyone plans on attending a free event like this in the future: These things are always crowded, understaffed, the drinks are stiff and the food is gone in the first 15 minutes.
But, you get what you pay for.