CMA Marketing Events Cater to Enthusiastic Crowds in New York and Cincinnati

CMA's September marketing campaigns featuring modern German foods drew large and enthusiastic crowds at two of the most prominent traditional German-American events - New York City's Steuben Parade and the so-called "Zinzinnati Oktoberfest", commonly considered to be the US Oktoberfest.

With a crowd of an estimated 10,000 onlookers, this year's Steuben Parade on September 15 was extraordinarily well-attended since it marked the event's 50th anniversary. The "Zinzinnati" Oktoberfest started as a block party in 1976 but has since established itself as the largest Oktoberfest outside of Germany. With an average of over 500,000 visitors annually, it is second in attendance only to the original Oktoberfest festival in Munich.

More than 100,000 samples of modern German foods were given out to grateful mass audiences at these traditional German-American festivals. Visitors waited patiently in line at CMA's tent to receive free samples of German food products. The wide variety of foods sampled included the following popular German brands: Abraham ham, Burkhardt mustard, Champignon cheese, Hengstenberg pickles, Bahlsen cookies, Brinker and Mestemacher breads, Feodora chocolate, Grabower Schaumküsse, Niederegger marzipan, IQ Elements mints, Ritter Sport chocolate, Seitenbacher energy bars and Tchibo coffee. After tasting the sampled brands, many visitors wanted to know where they could purchase the German products.

The fall season with its typical harvest-themed holidays lends itself perfectly to celebrations around good food and good living. Events like the Steuben Parade and the "Zinzinnati" Oktoberfest also provide welcome opportunities to celebrate German heritage and traditions as well as the transatlantic friendship and long history which Germany and the United States share.

The Oktoberfest in Cincinnati opened with remarks by a representative of the Bavarian State Assembly and a speech by Honorary Consul Dr. Richard Schade. For its 50th anniversary, the Steuben Parade welcomed distinguished honorary guests, chief among them former US Secretary of State, German-born Dr. Henry Kissinger, and the German Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Klaus Scharioth. The City of New York also added a highly visible symbolic gesture to the event by lighting up the iconic top of the Empire State Building in the three colors of the German flag.