Seacoast products part of 'swag bags' for Emmy awards
PORTSMOUTH — Val Wilson, a Portsmouth native, has bagged a big one. Off the Wall Promotions, the business she and her husband, Mike Liston, own and operate in Bedford, landed the gift bags account for the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' Emmy Awards.
"This is a good opportunity that just got in front of us," Wilson said.
The couple is in New York City delivering and promoting the bags for tonight's Daytime Emmy Nomination Party at Hearst Towers. This morning, their bags, which include products from six New Hampshire businesses, will be featured on the fourth segment of NBC's "Today" show.
Off The Wall's National Academy contract runs through 2010 and includes the nomination party and the Emmy Awards in Los Angeles in September. The big-deal bag job literally landed in their laps, Wilson said.
"Our company has worked with NBC for the last few years. And a guy from NBC (Frank J. Radice) recently became president of the Academy. He thought of us for the gift bags ...; and called us back in February," she said. "We never even tried for it. It was an invitation. ...; I literally broke into tears. I could not believe such a huge project would just come to us. But it's a reality."
Off The Wall hauled 160 oversized micro-fiber yoga bags to tonight's New York City event, each valued at $2,500. "We put it together, we present it and actually give it to the celebrities and VIPs," Wilson said.
Gifts include a night in a Bermuda resort and another in Key West, Fla., on a private island. There's an airline voucher, books, truffle oil, and items from New Hampshire and Seacoast companies.
It made sense to share their good fortune with other businesses, Wilson said. The first to come to mind was The Little Hat Company in South Berwick, Maine. Wilson said she met the owners at a Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce dinner and was impressed.
"We really liked them. They're young entrepreneurs ...; so on fire," Wilson said. "We thought they might be good candidates. Their enthusiasm inspired us to go for other New Hampshire companies."
Jennifer Houghton, Little Hat's founder and co-owner, said the opportunity would help build "brand" for the small company.
"We really need a high-profile person to fall in love with the hat, and say, 'This is the next up-and-coming thing,'" Houghton said. "The hats are made in the United States, by at-home moms, are of beautiful quality, and the company betters our own situations and our community's."
The company created the Cog Hat, as in "incognito," specifically for the bag.
"A huge piece of being included is the validation," Houghton said. "It builds your own story."
Livin' Out Loud, a Hampstead business, is also in the bag, with T-shirts.
LunaChics of Exeter, a clothing and accessories shop owned by Dana DeNiro of Rye, also has a product in the bags.
"I chose a boy-short; basically, it's undergarments — not traditional," DeNiro said. "It was tricky to find a product that doesn't just sit in the bag."
DeNiro recently redesigned her Web site, and this was a perfect opportunity to help launch it. Each piece carries the site address. "For the investment, it's great advertisement," she said.
Other state companies represented are Weeping Willow Designs of Hopkinton, Ava Marie Chocolates of Peterborough and Just Naturals of Amherst.
The September Emmy Awards will require 2,000 bags for guests and 60 for presenters. Off the Wall hopes to include more New Hampshire businesses. Participating businesses pay a product fee for inclusion. The nomination party package includes local and national television exposure, as well as additional regional news, and they will be on display at tonight's event.
"I can see ('Today' show celebrities) having a good time pulling out the hat, and the underwear is interesting," Wilson said. "This is all a great opportunity."
For more information, visit www.offthewallgifts.com.
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