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| Photographs by Tamara Matthews-Stephenson; collage by The Decorating Diva |
During
the Architectural Digest Home Show two weeks ago, Veronika Miller and Tim Bogan
of Modenus
hosted 15 bloggers from England and around the United States for a whirlwind
tour of New York City interior design. This event marks the second trip for Modenus, and “Blogtour NYC” drew
international attention—the event's hashtag on Twitter, #BlogtourNYC, even
trended worldwide—demonstrating the power social media has to reach large
audiences and influence brands. While in New York City, this select group of design
and lifestyle bloggers was inundated with design inspiration, and wrote about
what they saw around the show and the city.
The
concept first took off last September when Modenus invited a group of bloggers on
an all-expenses paid trip to London to participate in and write about events
surrounding London Design Week. London Design Week takes place twice a year and
consists of multiple design shows including Decorex and Tent London, which are
spread across the city. In addition to tours of the design expos, Modenus also
organized dinners, meetings with design companies, and symposiums for the
bloggers to participate in and write about. I was one of the writers chosen for
the London trip, and it was an exciting opportunity. For me, Blogtour London was about more than just seeing
cutting-edge design and attending amazing venues and events, and it became an opportunity for collaboration with
like-minded designers and writers. The publicity we created with our tweets,
blog posts and magazine editorials caused quite a stir in the design community
as well. This model celebrates the idea of design-related tours sustained by
the influence writers and bloggers have built with their audiences. Design industry companies are taking
notice, and many have signed up to sponsor Blogtour.
During the New York trip, Modenus asked a few local bloggers
and designers to offer up their favorite showrooms and design experiences,
giving the group a unique insider’s glimpse of the city. Modenus plans to continue working with
local bloggers when planning future tours. Tours to Paris and London are in the
works for next year, and many are anticipating they will be chosen to
participate.
Social
media continues to develop as an important tool for networking and for growing
brands and businesses. I feel fortunate to have been part of both of these
tours and look forward to seeing how the blogging community grows and attracts
more opportunities like these.
- Written by Tamara Matthews-Stephenson, Nest by Tamara
