B-to-C Events

High-tech and experiential trends came together last week in New York City at an interactive pop-up called CNET Gotham: A Live Holiday Guide. Held in the city’s trendy Nolita neighborhood, the five-day pop-up showcased favorite products of the tech media website’s editorial staff. Interactive displays from sponsors Energizer, LG, Canon, Dell and Adobe and were also part of the experience, as well as special programs and evening events.

National soup and sandwich café chain Panera Bread in September launched a college ambassador program for the 2011 Fall semester at eight colleges across the country including Boston University, University of Cincinnati, University of Michigan, University of Missouri, University of Nebraska, Ohio State University, Purdue and University of Wisconsin. The brand hired four students at each school to act as brand ambassadors or “Breaducators,” as they’re known internally.

To drive awareness for its all-new computer generated animated TV series “Transformers Prime,” The Hub network partnered with Hasbro, Blockbuster, Dish Network, Paramount and Universal Studios Hollywood to design The Hub of Transformers: Great American Tour to coincide with the three-part season finale of the show on Oct. 1. It also promoted the “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” Blu-ray and DVD release on Sept. 30. 

The East and West Coast four-week, eight-city tour, which wrapped on Oct.

In our Then and Now series, EM revisits old event marketing trends to find out where they’ve gone since we first reported on them. Are they old hats and has-beens? Or is that past up-and-comer a future best practice that’s now an industry standard? In this eco-installment, we re-examine in-home events, which we began covering in 2007.

There’s no one like a trusted friend to give you advice, about your relationships, your job or the best place in town for ribs. It’s an emotional connection that is truly authentic, and one that brand marketers try to duplicate with brand advocates. These are people who may not necessarily be your friends but that you can relate to, people who want to share their love for a product or service.