Sandra O’Loughlin

For event organizers, the thought of going digital can be a scary one. What if attendees no longer come to the live event? Suppose they opt to stay home and log on in the comfort of their pjs? Could a virtual program be the death knell of the live portfolio?

To raise awareness and educate serious photographers about its PIXMA PRO series of printers, Canon on Sept. 26 launched a three-city series of interactive galleries called City Senses. The first event took place in New York City, then moved to Chicago. The series wrapped in San Francisco on Oct. 8.

“The whole idea behind the events is to show the power of the printed image in a unique way,” Jim Booth, supervisor, marketing ITCG Printer/Consumer Product Marketing Division at Canon, told Buzz.

Merrell, the outdoor footwear and apparel brand, as part of its title sponsorship of the Merrell Down & Dirty Mud Run & Obstacle Series, is activating an event footprint on each stop of the series that engages attendees and informs them about the Merrell brand, particularly its new M-Connect product.

Kia, the auto brand best known for its affordable cars, earlier this year launched a series of “dine and drives” to raise awareness for the 2014 Cadenza, its entrée into the luxury car market. The eight-city tour dubbed The Cadenza Experience, took place at high-end restaurants and offered four-course meals prepared by a celebrity chef, and a truly high-end experience. 

Negra Modelo, a dark, Munich-style lager that is brewed and bottled in Mexico, on August 22 held the Negra Chef Challenge at the Palace Ballroom in Seattle, WA. The luncheon cooking event was followed by an evening food-centric Twitter chat, #FoodieChats, also sponsored by Negra Modelo.