B-to-C Events

South by Southwest offers cutting-edge content, warm temperatures and all the barbeque you can eat. But when it comes to partying, this festival takes the cake. On March 16, the night before the music portion of the festival kicked off, The Macallan (makers of single malt scotch whisky) threw a party that mixed sampling with social media. The next day, Sirius Satellite Radio sponsored a VIP barbeque featuring live music by Canadian bands.

Taking advantage of the foot traffic from the many discussion panels on the fourth floor of the Austin Convention Center, Microsoft set up a chic booth (a black and white Audrey Hepburn print on the wall set the tone) divided into three sections showcasing its Windows 7 technology, Silverlight (a free, cross-browser, cross-platform plug-in that enables Internet applications and media experiences online) and its gaming offerings.

The Austin Convention Center is ground zero for the South by Southwest Interactive, Film and Music Festival and the central hub for sponsor activations. This week, EM toured them all (plus a few off the beaten path) and found a collection of laidback lounges where people could recharge, refresh, and in some cases, enjoy a nice cold drink. Here are some of the highlights:

AOL

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.

To build buzz for its coverage of the 2010 Winter X Games, ESPN launched the Snowcam experience on the slopes of Aspen, CO, in the week before the event, which ran January 28 to 31. The sports channel set up an "extreme" ski and snowboard track where brand ambassadors signed up skiers of all ages to strap on a pair of hi-def, helmet-mounted webcams called a Snowcam.