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Madison Square Park Conservancy’s application to conduct a special event in conjunction with HSBC’s Shared Values Campaign on Thursday July 16, 2009
WHEREAS, Community Board Five takes its role in the review of applications for Parks Special Events seriously and requests an opportunity to review the application before a permit is granted by the Parks Department Special Permit Office; and
WHEREAS, Madison Square Park Conservancy has submitted an application seeking permission to conduct a special event on Thursday July 16, 2009, between 12:00 PM and 8:00 PM which would require set-up to begin on Wednesday July 15 at 9:00 PM to continue overnight and requiring dismantling and clean-up to be completed by 12:00 AM on Friday July 17, 2009; and
WHEREAS, The proposed event is being created by LeadDog Marketing in association with J. Walter Thompson Agency on behalf of HSBC; and
WHEREAS, HSBC proposes to conduct a multi-purpose event/survey/commercial shoot on Thursday July 16, 2009, in the southern end of Madison Square Park which will consist of:
- Media spots on morning television shows beginning at 4:30 AM
- A private commercial shoot to be conducted in Madison Square Park from 6:00 AM until 9:30 AM
- Interactive public activities to be conducted from 12:00 PM until 8:00 PM. These will include a “public soapbox” where participants are videoed speaking about an assortment of “values”; completing a survey for a chance to win one of several give-away; a t-shirt making station and the opportunity to participate in painting a mural with a local artist; and
WHEREAS, Although corporate signage is minimal, there is no actual sale of merchandise, and some of the activities have participatory components, this event still has an excessive commercial nature with dubious public benefit; and