StitchesnDishes.com, an online platform for mobile food operators and their fans has announced a drawing to give away two Apple iPad 2 Wi-Fi handheld devices at the WFA Imagine 2012 Convention and Trade Show on January 8 – 12, 2011.
Stitches ‘n Dishes (http://www.stitchesndishes.com), the brain child of Christopher Ford, a fashion, entertainment and food photographer, and event promoter, and his business partner, Andrew Nicora, an aspiring film director with a family lineage in food and beverage services, is the first marketing, advertising and public relations consultancy to offer services specifically catered to the mobile foods industry in California. While at the Alameda County Fair this Summer, Ford and Nicora recognized an absence of a single source that provides a platform where people can discover new mobile food dining options, reviews and high-quality food photography, and they found even fewer resources available to mobile food operators to connect with their fans. Enter Stitch, a seven-month-old American Staff. Terrier mix / Bichon Frise puppy who inspired the creative duo with his name and his quirky penchant for food.
Like the patches in a quilt, Stitches ‘n Dishes combines social networking, blogging, mobile media, press, print distribution and video, creating a buzz and a following that brings people to their favorite dishes. The blog site and newsletter, “The Dish!” provides original articles, reviews and photography, and Ford and Nicora plan to add video and a magazine to its growing distribution this Fall. The website includes information about California county fair dates and events at each of 78 venues, with photos, schedules and Twitter feeds, as well. In today’s web-savvy generation, it made sense to Ford and Nicora to include iPad products in its arsenal.
“We’re giving away an iPod Touch 4th Generation mobile device in our Share it to Win it Drawing in November. It’s our way of not just thanking our loyal readers, but showing them how they can use the iPod to discover great mobile dining experiences, and follow their favorites. The mobile food industry is completely changing the way people dine, and by design, it fits squarely in the fast-paced, information superhighway. And, that’s where we can help. We bring mobile foods directly to the consumer with social networking, mobile media, video, internet and traditional advertising, and in print. The iPad 2 Wi-Fi handheld device provides a powerful Point-of-Sales and credit card payment processing tool for mobile food operators, as well as the food reviewers who sample their dishes, so we’re giving two of them away at the WFA Imagine 2012 Convention and Trade Show in January,” said Christopher Ford, co-founder of Stitches ‘n Dishes.
The iPod Touch 4th Generation device is only one of “Stitch’s Treats”, the free give-a-way prizes Ford and Nicora periodically award to readers of the blog and newsletter. Details about the drawing can be found on the Stitches ‘n Dishes website (http://www.stitchesndishes.com). Ford and Nicora plan to partner with mobile food operators and venues to offer discounts, prizes and giveaways as a means to promoting their businesses and venues, and plan to expand across the country by 2013.
Stitch, donned in trademark chef’s hat will make his debut public appearance at the WFA Imagine 2012 Trade Show and Convention on January 8 – 12, 2012 in Anaheim, CA where the two iPad 2 Wi-Fi handheld devices will be given away as prizes.
Ford and Nicora worked with Ovations Food Services, a national food and beverages service, providing alcohol, catering and concessions at California county fair grounds and entertainment venues across the country, photographing the 2011 Inaugural Reception for California Governor Jerry Brown in January, and the making of the World’s Largest Commercially Available Hamburger at the Alameda County Fair in July for the Guiness Book of Records. Their relationship with Ovations was, in part a key factor in their decision to offer services to the mobile foods industry.
“Stitches ‘n Dishes is creating a buzz around mobile foods and entertainment venues that gives people the opportunity to find events at any of the California fair grounds and their favorite food vendors on one website; it creates a following that increases customer loyalty and fair and event attendance. The industry needs this service,” said Nick Nicora, Vice President of Business Development, Western Region at Ovations Food Services.
More than 1,200 fair CEOs, directors, staff and fair-related professionals, representing more than 150 fairs, festivals and special events from the western United States and Canada are expected to attend the 89th annual WFA Convention and Trade Show at the Marriot Anaheim for four days of education, networking, awards ceremonies and entertainment in January.
Sponsored by Alameda County Fairgrounds, The Big Fresno Fair, RCS, Hot Dog on a Stick, Sonoma County Fair, California State Fair, California Mid State Fair, Kern County Fair, Ventura County Fair, Davis Goldmark Jewelers, Wilson Events, Coca-Cola, etix, Antelope Valley Fairgrounds, Ovations, California Department of Food and Agriculture, CFSA, HELM, Lori’s Concessions, Midway Souvenirs, and San Diego County Fair, the WFA Imagine 2012 Trade Show and Convention will feature keynote speaker, Garrison Wynn who will speak on changing markets and changing times, and featured speaker, Kelly McDonald, a nationally recognized marketing expert, with deep specialization in multicultural and diversity marketing, will speak on new market segmentation.
Education is the primary reason that most attendees gather at the WFA Convention. The association has made it a priority during the economic downturn to provide its members with tools for the future. With its focus turning back to grass roots, this year’s educational program will include more than a dozen topics, including Building a Volunteer Network, Capturing the Media’s Attention, Forming a Nonprofit, Mobile Marketing: What You Need to Know, and many others.
“I am very excited to have Stiches ‘n Dishes as an exhibitor at our 2012 WFA Convention and Trade Show and I believe our industry guests will have a great time getting to know them. It is obvious that they are very passionate about what they do. The WFA Convention and Trade Show will provide Stiches ‘n Dishes with a great networking opportunity to meet with key decision makers in the event industry including fair CEOs and all the major food vendors in the west,” said Carrie Wright, Marketing Director at the Western Fairs Association.
Visit the 89th annual WFA Convention and Trade Show, “Imagine 2012” website http://www.wfaconvention.com/ for ticketing and registration information.
Ford and Nicora believe that their holistic approach, combining traditional elements of marketing and advertising with a constantly shifting social networking paradigm bridges a gap between loyal consumers and the mobile food industry. The consultancy will exhibit its family of marketing, advertising and public relations services packages, specifically designed around the needs of the mobile foods industry, at the convention and trade show.
“We understand that our readers have embraced today’s mobile technology and that it plays an integral part in how they make decisions regarding their mobile dining experience, and they share those decisions with their friends and families. I grew up in the food and beverages industry; I understand the challenges vendors face, and I think that Stitches ‘n Dishes is the premier resource that addresses those challenges head on. Stitches ‘n Dishes allows the mobile food operator to do what he or she does best – create incredible dining experiences, while we work behind the scenes to build a following and secure that customer loyalty you can only find at the grass roots level.” said co-founder, Andrew Nicora.
One drawing will be held on each of the two trade show exhibit dates at the WFA Imagine 2012 Trade Show and Convention. The first drawing will include entries from food bloggers not in attendance at the show, and the second drawing will be for trade show attendees only. Details about the Apple iPad 2 Wi-Fi giveaway can be found on the Stitches ‘n Dishes website at http://stitchesndishes.com/stitchs-treats/win-ipad2/
About Stitches ‘n Dishes:
Stitches ‘n Dishes, the creation of Christopher Ford and Andrew Nicora, and inspired by “Stitch”, an American Staff. Terrier mix / Bichon Frise, provides marketing, advertising and PR services to the mobile foods industry and it provides consumers with a single source for original articles, reviews, food photography, California fairs and events, discounts, contests and giveaways.
Stitches ‘n Dishes is California’s first provider of a platform that stitches a link between food lovers, entertainment venues and mobile food operators, and the first fully dedicated marketing, advertising and development resource available to mobile food vendors in California.
About Western Fairs Association
Western Fairs Association builds better fairs by presenting the very best business partners to fairs for services, supplies, concessions, entertainment and commercial exhibitors. Founded in 1922 and incorporated in 1945, WFA is a nonprofit trade association serving the fair industry throughout the western United States and Canada. WFA assists in maintaining the highest professional standards within the fair industry through a voluntary network of individuals and organizations, and promotes the prosperity of fairs through educational activities, training programs and legislative advocacy.
Currently, WFA serves more than 800 members, representing fair-related businesses, fair management, fair-board directors, festivals and industry association. This membership is represented by a 21-member elected board of directors that governs the activities and policies of the association.
Website: http://www.fairsnet.org
About Ovations Food Services:
Ovations Food Services, L.P., is a subsidiary of Comcast-Spectacor, Inc. As a division of Comcast-Spectacor, Ovations offers clients the financial strength and stability of being part of the $54 billion Comcast family of companies.
Comcast-Spectacor, the Philadelphia based sports and entertainment firm which owns the Philadelphia Flyers, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Philadelphia Phantoms, the Wachovia Center and Wachovia Spectrum, Flyers Skate Zone community ice skating and ice hockey rinks and Comcast SportsNet.
Comcast-Spectacor is also the principle owner of Global Spectrum, the fastest growing firm in the public assembly management field New Era Tickets, a full-service ticketing and marketing company for public assembly facilities; and Front Row Marketing Services, a commercial rights sales company.
Website: http://www.ovationsfoodservices.com
Contact
Christopher Ford, Co-Founder
Stitches ‘n Dishes
916-612-9954
By Alex Miranda
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