B-to-B Events

The event industry seems to already be moving faster in 2012 than it did in 2011. If that’s possible.

With strategies set and most budgets finally approved, watch for first-half action across all categories.

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.

This will be a big year for the auto industry if the rising sales figures are any indication (welcome back to the top spot, GM!), and accordingly, several brands have put the pedal to the metal for this year’s auto show season. Technology is a star player for the brands seeking to draw press, industry and consumer attention, but the experience is what’s keeping the heat on and helping them broadcast the message that they’re back in a big way and ready to roll into the new year. EM brings you the highlights of this year’s auto show circuit.

Every conversation in the event marketing industry eventually comes around to technology. You want to know what tools are out there to make your jobs easier, make your programs more successful and most crucially, make your target consumers love you the most. We have heard your clarion calls for help and now, with this new monthly series, EM’s own Ken Briodagh will collect and codify the hottest, newest, most interesting, best (and sometimes worst) technological doohickeys available to you.

Trip Advisor for Business, the b-to-b division of travel site TripAdvisor, in January held a master class for members of the hospitality industry at Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. The division, which launched in May 2010, gives hotel operators, restaurants and attractions access to TripAdvisor’s 50 million monthly visitors.