NEW YORK, NY – July 6, 2010 – IFC (www.ifc.com) and foursquareTM (www.foursquare.com) have partnered to create the first-ever crowd sourced virtual travel guide, "The IFC Always On. Slightly Off. Guide to America." The Guide, which will live on foursquare.com, embodies IFC’s indie perspective by spotlighting the restaurants, bars and other hangouts in local communities across the U.S. that share its off-kilter sensibility. The Guide’s entries are a collection of recommendations from foursquare users and IFC fans, along with Thu Tran, host of IFC’s original series "Food Party." The Guide is available exclusively at www.foursquare.com/ifc.
"This partnership gives IFC the opportunity to connect with viewers across the country on a local, grassroots level, and do so with the network’s brand at the center of the conversation," said Kent Rees, Senior Vice President of Marketing for IFC. "This Guide is a way for IFC to deepen that relationship by hearing directly from the audience about what’s ’always on’ and ’slightly off’ through an ongoing peer-to-peer dialogue."
Users were asked to submit their favorite "Always On. Slightly Off" spot at www.ifc.com/foursquare. The 100 best entries were culled into the Guide. Once foursquare users check in at three of the Guide’s destinations they will receive the "Slightly Off" badge. To generate entries, IFC featured a custom spot, on-air and online. Click here to view the spot: https://www.ifc.com/foursquare/index.php
A sampling of The Guide’s entries are below:
@ Whiskey Town: The phrase "Always On, Slightly Off" might as well have been created to describe Whiskey Town’s signature beverage, the Pickle Back: a shot of whiskey followed by a pickle juice chaser.
@ Burger Joint at Le Parker Meridien: Le Parker Meridien Hotel is a white marble minimalist palace. So it’s surprising that it stinks like burgers. Hidden just off the lobby is the best burger in mid-town.
@ The Other Side Cafe: The Other Side on Newbury Street may be Boston’s terrarium for the mustachioed elite, but the veggie chili transcends the cool-kid ambience. Watch out for drunk bike messengers!
@ Charlie’s Kitchen: Charlie’s Kitchen is part old-fashioned diner, part old-fashioned dive bar. They’ve got one of the best juke boxes in town and their famous meatloaf pairs nicely with a cold, cheap beer.
@ Cardullo’s: Cardullo’s is a European chocolate shop that happens to have the best ham sandwiches in Harvard Square. Go figure! It also has those chocolate eggs with the toys inside. Surprise!
@ Cabazon Dinosaurs: The giant roadside dinosaurs who were featured in Pee Wee’s Big Adventure and The Wizard were recently converted into a creationist museum for children. O-M-G.
About foursquare
Founded in 2009, foursquare creates mobile phone applications that are designed to make cities easier to use and more interesting to explore. Foursquare combines friend finder functionality with social city guide elements, and uses game mechanics to reward people for seeking out new experiences. Visit http://foursquare.com/ for more information.
About IFC
IFC creates and champions authentic, original content that is "Always On. Slightly Off." Since 1994, IFC has cultivated television programming that challenges the conventions of storytelling. Today, IFC continues to embrace content with an indie perspective. Original series – headlined by brand-defining scripted and sketch comedy – air alongside an extraordinary collection of films and cult TV shows. Long and short-form original content inspired by music, web, gaming, animation, news, and culture is available on multiple platforms. IFC provides viewers access to must-see festivals and events around the country, like the Film Independent’s Spirit Awards and SXSW. IFC.com features exclusive video, podcasts, blogs, news and reviews cultivated and written by industry experts. The network’s On Demand offering, IFC Free, gives fans the opportunity to watch select content from IFC whenever they want. IFC is a subsidiary of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC.
About Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC). Rainbow Media owns and operates some of the world’s most popular and award-winning entertainment brands, including AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel, WE tv, Wedding Central and IFC Entertainment (IFC Center, IFC Films, IFC In Theaters, IFC Midnight and IFC Productions). Additional information about Rainbow Media’s multiplatform brands is available at www.rainbow-media.com.