B-to-C Events

EVENT MARKETERS have heard all the myths. Events can’t generate the revenue needed to cover their costs. Events are just for brand building maybe product launches—output investments that don’t contribute much to the bottom line. But what if one of the toughest money making models—nonprofits—could find significant fundraising success in the form of an event program? Nonprofits base their reputation on keeping overhead percentages as low as possible so if they can find success through events who can’t?

Who she is: Litzow is charged with ensuring that SAP’s 3 000-plus annual events offer a consistent brand and customer experience throughout the world. Those events range from large customer conferences such as Sapphire which in May attracted 15 000 attendees in Orlando and another 10 000 in Berlin to Tech Ed conferences for developers and technical audiences that will take place later this year and smaller trade shows and seminars.

On Aug. 8 Hyundai stopped by New York’s Financial District to offer consumers a first-hand look at the automaker’s first luxury performance sedan the Genesis. Visitors could hop in the passenger seat and take a spin with a professional driver on a special course located just off of Wall Street. (At larger events consumers take the wheel.) The event was held in conjunction with the annual Financial Community Day Festival.

To spread awareness of its Just Picked Just Caught Just Joe promo in August chain restaurant Not Your Average Joe took its chefs to local farmers markets to demonstrate their skills on cooking from scratch.  

To get viewers revved up about the Sept. 3 premiere of its new original series “Sons of Anarchy ” the FX Network had 50 Harley-Davidson riders hit the streets of Beverly Hills Hollywood Los Angeles and New York City all wearing t-shirts branded with the show’s information.

“Getting people talking about it was our goal and I think we succeeded with that ” Kenya Hardaway director integrated promotions at FX Network told Buzz. “We wanted that watercooler buzz right before the day comes to an end and people determine what they’re going to tune in to that night.”