NEWS

SI swimsuit event brings models, exposure to Nashville

Jamie McGee
jmcgee@tennessean.com

Temperatures are in the 20s and the closest beach is 400 miles away, but it's a week celebrating swimsuits in downtown Nashville.

Beginning Wednesday on Broadway, Sports Illustrated is hosting one of two launch parties for its annual swimsuit edition. The two-day "Swimville" event will include live performances from Kings of Leon, Mikky Ekko and several other local artists, as well as showcase Nashville's restaurants and designers.

Through the partnership, Sports Illustrated has included a four-page spread featuring Nashville's musicians, restaurants, fashion leaders and sports teams in its swimsuit issue, a publication expected to draw more than 70 million digital and print readers and generate 4 billion impressions through digital programming, Twitter and the issue itself. While Sports Illustrated estimates 10,000 to 15,000 visitors will attend the event each day, the economic impact will be felt most through marketing exposure, said Butch Spyridon, CEO of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp.

"It's the kind of reach we could never get through our own marketing budget," said Spyridon. "We have never had an opportunity to reach as many people worldwide as we have with this.... This was a case where it was too big an event not to take advantage of."

Traffic issues

But with that attention comes some traffic barricades. The festivities will shut down parts of downtown streets as long as Sunday, disrupting traffic for downtown workers and visitors. With elaborate booths being built in the downtown tent, construction and teardown will require the road to be closed through the week.

Spyridon declined to share costs related to hosting the event, but he estimated that the four-page focus on Nashville typically would cost nearly $1.2 million in advertising, an amount, he said, that exceeded the visitors corporation's investment. The cost for security and for the magazine content was paid through the visitors corporation's advertising budget, which is supported by hotel tax revenue and membership fees. Sports Illustrated covered production costs, Spyridon said.

Rather than shooting models in glamorous settings across the globe, the 2015 issue has a "Made-in-the-U.S.A." theme. Each photo was taken in the U.S., with the cover photo shot at Blackberry Farm in east Tennessee. Given the emphasis on American cities, local model Lily Aldridge, who is featured in the swimsuit issue, recommended Nashville as home to the festival. Her husband, Caleb Followill, is a Kings of Leon musician.

"It just seemed perfect when we were taking a look at the United States, the city that was just so representative of what Sports Illustrated is, from its youth, its energy, its sports, its excitement and music," said Brendan Ripp, Sports Illustrated group publisher. "Nashville was just so reflective of the Sports Illustrated consumer, it seemed like an easy choice."

"Swimville" comes to Nashville

The issue launch typically centers around private parties in markets such as Miami and Las Vegas, but the publication chose to expand its scope with interactive fan events. The issue debuted Monday in New York at a "Swim City" fan festival; "Swimville" will mimic the events at Herald Square. The 2,500-square-foot tent will include a Schick razor shaving stand with professional barbers, Old Spice mocktails, Lexus cars and Maui Jim sunglasses. Attendees also can meet and pose for photos with the 25 models.

Kings of Leon will perform at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center Wednesday at 6 p.m. and the ticketed show will be broadcast on several digital Time Inc. platforms, including SI.com and PEOPLE.com. SI Now, a 30-minute talk show, also will broadcast from the festival. Local artists, including Chris Young, Holly Williams and Will Hoge, will play throughout the two days at a free venue.

Fifteen local restaurants will serve guests at a private party at Acme Feed & Seed; an afterparty will be held at Pinewood Social. The SI models will receive gift bags with goods from local businesses and designers, including White's Mercantile, Amanda Valentine, Peter Nappi and Ceri Hoover.

The swimsuit issue has long raised controversy with critics arguing the photos objectify women. Spyridon said the event will not include models in swimsuits and has been supported by both female and male artisans who are participating. He argued other events raise concerns, including the National Rifle Association's convention and the partying elements of New Year's Eve, and residents can choose whether to participate.

"Our job is to market the city. We don't judge," he said. "We've been very true to our brand and authenticity."

Images of women's body are prevalent throughout media and advertising, and Sports Illustrated is not the sole offender, said Bonnie Dow, an associate professor at Vanderbilt University and expert on women and media. The problem with this particular event, she said, is that it is held on city streets and sends the message that the city supports it.

"We have a culture in which the objectification of women is pretty widespread, but that doesn't mean the city should participate in it," she said.

Mayor's office spokeswoman Bonna Johnson said no city funds are used to promote the event.

"The CVC does a great job promoting Nashville and all it has to offer," Johnson said in an emailed statement. "We recognize there will be differing viewpoints, but hosting national events like this brings worldwide attention to our city and our unique entertainment district on Lower Broadway."

Downtown businesses said it was too early to tell if the event's location and traffic pains would interrupt activity, but were supportive of the festival, even if it could diminish sales for a few days.

"It's the exposure long-term we look at because usually the days themselves are not awesome," said Julie Rahimi, Robert's Western World office manager. "We definitely have nothing to complain about with the Music City Center and all that. That has been amazing for us. This is all part of it. We are growing and embracing it as much as we can."

Reach Jamie McGee at 615-259-8071 and on Twitter @JamieMcGee_.

'Swimville' events

Wednesday

6 p.m. Kings of Leon, Mikky Ekko will perform at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center.

The lineup for the free concerts includes:

11:15 a.m. Will Hoge

12:15 p.m. Nikki Lane

1:15 p.m. Sugar & the Hi-Lows

2:15 p.m. Chris Stapleton

3:15 p.m. Holly Williams

4:15 p.m. Moon Taxi

Thursday

11:15 a.m. firekid

12:15 p.m. A Thousand Horses

1:15 p.m. Rayland Baxter

2:15 p.m. The Ettes

3:15 p.m. Chris Young

4:15 p.m. The Weeks

Road closures

Beginning Tuesday, Broadway will be closed between Third and Fifth Avenues. Also closed: Fourth Avenue South between Demonbreun and Broadway, although local traffic can access the parking lots south of Broadway.

Wednesday and Thursday, Fourth Avenue will be closed between Commerce and Demonbreun streets from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., although local traffic will be allowed in to the parking lots and garages south of Broadway.

Friday, Broadway between Fourth and Fifth avenues will remain closed.