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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.

It’s a global phenomenon that just won’t stop.

The booming video game industry continues to grow as the world’s gaming leaders keep releasing new titles that are as addictive as they are immersive, as participatory as they are sophisticated—and as tethered to online community gameplay as they are to individual living rooms and basements.

Sunglasses brand Costa Del Mar has been a friend of the environment since 1986 when the company became the first official supplier of polarized sunglasses for conservation organization NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Since then, the brand has become a top supplier of shades and gear for anglers, boaters and adventurers alike, as well as a long-time supporter of philanthropies like the Coastal Conservation Association.

There is a group of consumers out there that is almost impossible to define demographically, but they are affluent, smart and growing more numerous all the time. They call themselves makers, lifehackers and inventors and they delight in recycling found objects to make something new. Their inventions range the gamut from handmade crafts, quilts and clothing to robots with flamethrowers mounted on top.