Kenneth Briodagh

Whether you're presenting at the premiere industry event of the year (Event Marketing Summit, anyone?) or calling for votes on this year’s “American Idol,” you want, no, you need to know what the folks listening in are thinking, and they need to know you give a damn. In the world of digital audience interaction and response tools (you’re not still using paper, are you?), there are two options: dedicated handheld systems or attendee-owned mobile devices.

Most people remember with nostalgia the tinny strains of “Pop! Goes the Weasel” floating through their childhood streets and running around the corner with their friends like rats out of Hamlin toward that iconic symbol of neighborhood friendliness: the ice cream truck. Now, smart marketers at companies large and small are looking to tap into that feeling of trust and sweet, gooey love by branding, repurposing and rolling out trademarked tasty treats all over the country.

The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue is one of the most anticipated magazines in the publishing year, but the Sports Illustrated Group, a subsidiary of Time Inc., was looking for more than just fleeting newsstand sales. So over the next few years, the magazine plans to turn the issue into a saleable asset.

At January’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, LEGO unveiled the LEGO Universe Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG), which is expected to bring the brand to life for thousands of online players all over the globe when it is launched later this year. The toy brand’s goal is to put the focus on building and creativity, this time by bringing the LEGO brick online.

IF YOU WANT TO EXTEND THE LIFE of your event programs through social media but you can’t tell a “retweet” from a “wiki,” you probably need some help. You could let an agency handle it, or, (shudder) automate your posts. But brands like Dunkin’ Donuts and Kodak have decided that the best way to stay on top of the fast moving, ever-evolving social media landscape is to hire a dedicated staff.