To support its 2011 Sonata SE, automaker Hyundai in August launched a Sonata Uncensored experience that is traveling to 10 cities through mid-October. Consumers test drive the car and competing vehicles on a three- to five-minute closed course with a professional driver. Afterwards, they are encouraged to hang around under a large, white Hyundai-branded tent and share their thoughts about the car with friends on Facebook and Twitter using iPads provided on-site.

Health care company Medco generally spends about $3,000 per person at its annual 800-attendee sales conference, which brings together three of its markets—employer accounts, key accounts and health plans—for training and networking opportunities. But in 2009, when the unsettling economy caused companies to tighten their belts and Medco’s customers to cut travel budgets, its remedy was a virtual conference, the 2009 Market Group Virtual World (Unisfair, Menlo Park, CA, handled). The cost: a mere $62.41 per person.

When it comes to reaching a national audience it’s pretty hard to beat the raw power of television, with millions of eyeballs there for the buying. So why are the marketers at those valuable channels integrating more and more events into their marketing strategies to reach the consumers they need? Because, according to those networks doing it, the power of one-to-one engagement is the best way for them to get focused on key markets and demographics. TLC, Lifetime and WE tv lead the way this summer with a series of targeted tours.

With its new Hunt Across America Tour, which hits 27 GameStop and Cabela’s locations across the country this September and October, Activision is driving pre-orders and excitement for its new hunting-themed video game titles, Cabela’s Dangerous Hunts 2011 and Cabela’s North American Adventures for Wii, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Consumers that visit the tour will be among the first to play the new games.

Conventional wisdom dictates that the best way to woo those hard-to-impress c-suite decision makers is to fly them all to the Seychelles, put them up in the swankiest all-inclusive resort, buy them a few rounds of golf and along the way, chat up your product. The thing is, sometimes it’s better to leave the gravy at home and focus on the meat.