Sonia Andresson-Nolasco

Health insurance company Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida returned to the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival in Miami (Feb. 23 to 29) this year as a title sponsor of the SOBE Fun and Fit area where it encouraged families to pursue a healthy lifestyle through activities that focused on a healthy, locally based diet. The brand transformed its 900-square-foot area into an “edible” tent that resembled a mini farmers market where it held hands-on cooking demonstrations and educational seminars with celebrity Chef Aria Kagan.

Been to any good concerts lately? How about a concert with a killer brand sponsorship program that made a meaningful connection with you before, during and after the live event? Concert tour promotions are a staple in the brand marketer’s bag of tricks, but the engagement model is getting a much-needed overhaul as marketers and promoters have found more engaging ways to integrate the investment across multiple online and offline channels.

Jerry Preyss
Vice President of Global Innovation and Brand Marketing
Hertz
Campaign: Moving with Music
Hobby: Writes country-western song lyrics for fun

To promote its Toast-Chee Homepacks in cities where it sees potential for growth, sandwich cracker brand Snyder Lance is deploying grassroots activations at local events and retailers that include a push to Facebook. On Feb. 4, its Snack Patrol Street Team handed out samples and coupons from its Snack Patrol vehicle at the Winter Carnival TWILIGHT Parade in Minneapolis/St. Paul. The team also set up shop at local retailers where it engaged families with a photo-activation called the Lance Cracker Snacker Face using iPads.

It’s not easy to teach old dogs new tricks, but at 135-year-old construction company Ballast Nedam, they were willing students. The Netherlands-based company has been making a transition over the past five years from being solely a contractor to a company that is responsible for the complete construction process with an emphasis on sustainable innovation.