| 1. EUROVISION SONG CONTEST PLANS U.S. EDITION: European song competition Eurovision Song Contest plans to develop a North American version of the event, with a tentative launch in 2021. The televised music competition has long been a popular event in Europe, with the finals of the 64th edition airing Saturday in Tel Aviv. The Hollywood Reporter: “The European Broadcasting Union (E.B.U.) has trusted Swedish production company Brain Academy with the exclusive license for the format to be shopped in the U.S. and a goal to hold the inaugural U.S. contest in 2021. … The long-rumored North American version of the annual European mega competition event is officially being developed as the American Song Contest for the U.S. market with an estimated launch in 2021, the EBU confirmed. While still in development, the U.S. adaptation will presumably see American states compete against each other in a gradual competition over several shows, narrowing down the field all the way to the finale.” 2. BOTOX COMPETITOR BRINGS DOCTORS TO PARTY IN CANCUN—BUT ATTENDEES FAIL TO NOTE COMPANY’S EVENT SPONSORSHIP: Earlier this month, plastic surgeons and doctors gathered at the Ritz-Carlton in Cancun to learn about Jeuveau, a wrinkle-smoothing injection, which hits the market this week and is being launched as a rival to Botox. Attendees gushed about the luxurious event on social media, but most failed to note that Evolus, the company that manufactures Jeuveau, paid for their trips. The New York Times: “More than a dozen top doctors gushed about the event on social media—using the company’s preferred hashtag, #newtox—without disclosing that Evolus had paid for their trips. The Federal Trade Commission requires social media users to disclose relationships with companies when promoting their products on social media, which has emerged as a potent platform. Medical experts also said the tactics carried echoes of an earlier, anything-goes era of pharmaceutical marketing that the industry largely abandoned after a series of scandals and billion-dollar fines. There was poolside socializing, free gifts, and an oceanfront dance party, an atmosphere that one Manhattan plastic surgeon told her 187,000 followers was ‘everything Fyre Fest was supposed to be.’” 3. TICKETMASTER LAUNCHES DIGITAL ENCRYPTED TICKET PROGRAM: Ticketmaster has launched SafeTix, a next-generation digital ticket program that creates an encrypted barcode that can be scanned at a ticketing turnstile. The program was created to fight ticket seller fraud, as barcodes on mobile tickets can be copied with screen grabs and sent to multiple people. The program will be introduced at N.F.L. stadiums beginning this summer. Billboard: “The technology ties in with Ticketmaster's Presence software for venues and gives promoters and venue operators more control over how tickets are bought and shared, according to company officials who say it's easier to understand who is in the building on an event night because each ticket is tied to a fan's mobile phone. … SafeTix will also include communication tools that will ‘allow event owners to communicate directly with event attendees, providing fans with relevant venue or event-specific instructions or personalized food and beverage or merchandise offers while they are on site, and engaging with them after an event is over,’ according to a release.” | 