The 2009 Ex Awards Friday, June 19, 2009 You are just a click away from 90 of the best event marketing campaigns of the year. No, wait! Don’t click yet!  Allow us to set the stage: Take a look at this year’s Ex winners and you’ll see that strategy has indeed taken the lead and flawless execution has become merely an offshoot of the idea. Brands aren’t looking at events singularly, they’re enhancing a fully integrated use of the discipline. Marketers aren’t launching one-offs, they’re building experiential “platforms” from which they can connect with customers and prospects. And virtual? Get ready, baby. That rocket hasn’t even launched yet. Get ready to go inside 90-plus campaigns that pushed all the right buttons. Forward-thinking strategy fueled the programs, but solid execution and measured returns for every dollar invested sealed the deal. As always with our annual Ex Award guide, you’ll find some interesting common denominators. This year you’ll notice marketers are fusing b-to-b and b-to-c as they attempt to achieve multiple objectives with each marketing dollar. You’ll also find companies are complementing national event programs with extremely local elements in a bid to add some ground troops to the air support now in place. Check out the physical structures comprising the immersions and note the evolving impact of design on the brand experience. And note the role of the Internet, now used to begin a conversation before a live event and then continue it long after the load-out. In some cases, forever. Gone are the days when an event provided a one-shot tangible conversation. It is merely one pearl on the engagement string. Introducing the best event campaigns of the year, the 2009 Ex Award winners. Grand Ex Best mobile marketing program (consumer) Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best mobile marketing program (b-to-b) Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best activation of a sports sponsorship Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best activation of an entertainment sponsorship Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best activation of a cause sponsorship/tie-in Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best mall event program Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best multicultural event campaign Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best nightlife marketing campaign Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best pop-up store Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best retailtainment event Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best press event (b-to-b press) Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best press event (consumer/mass media) Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best production of an event (consumer) Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best production of an event (b-to-b) Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best single-venue/single-market event (consumer) Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best single-venue/single-market event (b-to-b) Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best multi-venue event (consumer) Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best multi-venue event (b-to-b) Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best proprietary property (consumer) Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best p.r. generating event Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best b-to-b hospitality element Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best integrated trade show campaign Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best vehicle design (less than 18 wheels) Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best vehicle design (18 wheels) Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best trade show exhibit/b-to-b environment Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best consumer exhibit/environment Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best green event/trade show campaign Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best virtual event/expo Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best event-related web site or portal Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award Best use of technology Ex Award Gold Award Silver Award