On Thursday, March 14th, NBC opened the Olivia Benson Plaza experience in the heart of New York City to celebrate the 25th anniversary of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”
I got to cover the experience early Thursday morning for the press preview. The entire experience was a true love letter for SVU fans and appreciation for the series, cast, producers and entire Law and Order production.
Throughout the day Law & Order super fans poured into Rockefeller Plaza on opening day to immerse themselves in the iconic series and to catch a glimpse of their favorite characters from the show including Ice T, Octavio Pisano, Kevin Kane and Ryan Buggle. Additional attendees included Al Roker and New York Nico.
Guests interacted with tons of photo-opportunities, Fun-Fact stations, delicious complimentary coffee, some free merch and exclusive items at the pop-up gift-shop. Fans could also create their very own #DunDunMoment in a photo activation inspired by the series intro.
As fans entered Olivia Benson Plaza, they were greeted with photo opportunities in front of a larger than life “Law & Order” sign and an iconic ‘DUN DUN’ sign. After passing through subway inspired turnstiles, fans found themselves fully immersed in the world of “Law & Order,” with complimentary coffee and tea beverages from Benson & Co. Coffee truck provided by La Colombe. Drinks provided by the truck honored the series iconic characters including Benson’s Captain-ccino, Carisi’s Classic Americano, Cup of Joe Velasco, and Fin’s Ice Tea—each with a custom Law & Order logo printed on the foam courtesy of Ripple.
Attendees were also able to purchase exclusive 25th anniversary merchandise, including personalized “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” bracelets from Little Words Project, along with custom t-shirts and mugs. Fans also had the chance to engage with a dedicated 25th-anniversary wall displaying key memorabilia from the show and participate in a photo opportunity mirroring the opening sequence of the series.
Located on the north end of 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, the Olivia Benson Plaza experience is free and open to the public and will run through Friday, March 15th from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM ET.
I literally grew up watching Law and Order, SVU, and Criminal Intent. Olivia and Stabler are true iconic New York characters that have inspired fans across generations within one of the most popular crime procedurals on TV. Special Victims Unit addresses social issues and raises awareness through storytelling and is the longest-running primetime live-action series in the history of American television. Each episode delves into sensitive topics and important issues. Watching SVU viewers get to see people care deeply about others and perhaps offers a comfort that there may be someone out to fight for injustices.
The Law & Order: SVU 25th anniversary experience at ‘Olivia Benson Plaza’ was created by NBC in collaboration with NVE Experience Agency.
ABOUT LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT
Created by Emmy Award-winning producer Dick Wolf, “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” is the longest-running primetime drama in the history of American television. Now in its 25th anniversary season on NBC, this hard-hitting and emotional series chronicles the lives of the Special Victims Unit of the New York City Police Department, an elite squad of detectives who investigate crimes of sexual assault, child abuse and domestic violence. “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Wolf Entertainment. Follow Law & Order social: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, NBC.com #SVU25
ABOUT WOLF ENTERTAINMENT
Wolf Entertainment, led by Emmy®-winning television producer Dick Wolf, produces scripted and non-scripted content for all platforms. In conjunction with Universal Television (UTV), Wolf Entertainment produces NBC’s award-winning “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” the longest-running primetime scripted series on television, which is currently in its 25th season. The company also produces “Law & Order” (S23), “Law & Order: Organized Crime” (S4), “Chicago Fire” (S12), “Chicago PD” (S11) and “Chicago Med” (S9); CBS’ “FBI” (S6), “FBI: Most Wanted (S5) and “FBI: International” (S3). These shows alone brought in over 75 million viewers across the 2022-23 season finales. Wolf Entertainment’s upcoming half-hour drama “On Call’ for Prime Video, marks the company’s first streaming original. Wolf Entertainment also produced “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” which ran for 11 seasons on NBC and the Emmy-winning HBO film “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.” In the non-scripted space, Wolf Entertainment produces NBC’s LA Fire & Rescue,” CBNC’s “Blood and Money,” and Oxygen’s “Nightwatch,” “Cold Justice,” “Criminal Confessions” and “Murder for Hire.” The company also produced the Academy Award-winning documentary “Twin Towers” and the Grammy-winning documentary about The Doors “When You’re Strange.” Wolf Entertainment has also released two scripted drama podcasts, “Hunted” and “Dark Woods,” the latter is being developed as a scripted series with Universal Television. Over the past few years, Wolf Entertainment has accumulated over 1.2 million followers on TikTok and 1.3 billion social video views across platforms. You can find the latest news from Wolf Entertainment at https://wolfentertainment.com/.
ABOUT LA COLOMBE
La Colombe is a leading coffee roaster in pursuit of excellent coffee for all since its inception in 1994. Through ethical trade with growers, advocating for equity, and empowering their communities, La Colombe continues to be a pioneer and raises the standards for outstanding quality coffee. The company is known for providing beloved signature blends, exceptional single-origin coffees, and the world’s first-ever textured canned cold latte. La Colombe owns and operates 32 cafés across Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, Austin, and Washington, D.C.. La Colombe’s celebrated coffees are also available in cafés, hotels, restaurants and retailers worldwide. For more information on La Colombe, visit www.lacolombe.com.
ABOUT LITTLE WORDS PROJECT
Founded in 2013 by recent college graduate Adriana Carrig, from her parents’ basement, Little Words Project creates handcrafted word bracelets with words of kindness and motivation. The brand has a cult following of loyal customers and boasts celebrity fans including Lizzo, Eva Longoria, Kourtney Kardashian, and more. In 2021, LWP opened its flagship location on Bleecker Street in Manhattan’s West Village with plans to expand nationwide. In 2022, Little Words Project has raised over $150k for charity and continues its commitment to giving back through its Little Words, Big Impact initiative.
ABOUT JOYFUL HEART FOUNDATION
Founded by Law & Order: SVU actor, director, producer and advocate Mariska Hargitay, the Joyful Heart Foundation has been a leading national organization with a mission to transform society’s response to sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse, support survivors’ healing, and end this violence forever. Contact [and additional] information is available at: https://www.joyfulheartfoundation.org/.
ABOUT THE SHOP AT NBC STUDIOS
The Shop at NBC Studios is home to exclusive merchandise from all your favorite NBC shows. Located in Rockefeller Center, guests can shop official apparel, accessories, and home goods from classic shows like “The Office” and “Law & Order,” late night favorites including “Saturday Night Live” and “The Tonight Show,” NBC News programs, and more. Learn more at:https://www.nbcstore.com/collections/the-shop-at-nbc-studios.
Gotham Geek Girl 