Phoenix-area businesses compete for Super Bowl spending with ‘Instagrammable’ experiences

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - The food and drinks at the Spot at Arcadia are ready for your social media feed. “We have a printing machine that will print on food. We can print on espresso martinis, on beers,” said Scott Hibler, co-owner of the bar and restaurant. “If you’re a fan of the Chiefs or the Eagles, come on in. We’ll have a logo on your beer.”

It’s fun for football fans, and it’s a business opportunity. Customers likely wouldn’t post a regular cocktail on Facebook or TikTok, but they might if something makes it unique. “The influencer culture has really changed the whole game in our industry a lot,” Hibler said. “You really have to play to those levels.”

In Scottsdale, designer Sydney Crimmins created what she calls an “Instagrammable” experience at 50 Shades of Rosé. “Anywhere you can, the goal is to create moments,” Crimmins said.

A quick search through social media, you’ll see customers posting photos near the establishment’s green piano and in front of the walls, which are full of tens of thousands of stems of flowers. “People are being really mindful about where they’re spending their money. They want to be entertained and they want to feel like they’re a part of it,” Crimmins said. “For the business, that’s free marketing.”

Crimmins is working on several Super Bowl pop-ups, as businesses compete to cash in in the influx of cash into the Valley during the Super Bowl and WM Phoenix Open. According to the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, the Super Bowl could inject a billion dollars into the local economy.

“It’s really important for businesses to create this buzz,” Crimmins said. “A lot of people are on social media. It’s a huge missed opportunity if you’re not giving them something to post about.”

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