LAST YEAR COULD BE CALLED the year of the handout. For eight hours on Feb. 3, Denny’s restaurants gave away two million free Grand Slam Breakfasts—two pancakes, two eggs made to order, two sausage links and two strips of bacon. Snack-cake maker Little Debbie last fall gave away one million cupcakes (125,000 cartons holding eight cupcakes each. Yummy).

IF YOU WANT TO EXTEND THE LIFE of your event programs through social media but you can’t tell a “retweet” from a “wiki,” you probably need some help. You could let an agency handle it, or, (shudder) automate your posts. But brands like Dunkin’ Donuts and Kodak have decided that the best way to stay on top of the fast moving, ever-evolving social media landscape is to hire a dedicated staff.

THE IPHONE, BLACKBERRY, PALM, ANDROID and other smartphones are, according to some experts, slated to become the device of choice among consumers, bypassing even the personal computer and laptop over the next year. As always, in-the-know brand marketers at companies like Autodesk, MillerCoors and eBay are riding the knife-edge of progress and creating exclusive branded apps that tie into their live events and keep their brands top of mind among consumers.

No, your procurement department (or strategic sourcing, strategic spend management, purchasing or marketing services), isn’t going away. If anything, especially in daunting economic times, its influence is growing as companies seek to cut costs and reduce waste. While its role varies depending on the company, procurement most likely is involved in the RFP and RFI process. Other roles include managing and sourcing vendor lists, benchmarking agency rates, negotiating contracts and more.
What’s a marketer to do?

Virtual events are one of the fastest growing platforms in the event industry. Yet despite their slick graphics, 3D environments and high-tech appeal, the pervasive question remains: How do you engage with attendees if you can’t see, touch or talk to them?