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The digital age has helped transform the typical event staff from warm bodies to tech-savvy, data-collecting machines. More and more, brand ambassadors are being asked to collect consumer information with a handheld device or to report back via web-based software. They’re also being trained to add subjective feedback to objective data captured, oftentimes reporting it back to the brand immediately so that it can tweak the program before the next day’s event. The bar has definitely been raised.

National mall owner Taubman has partnered with Broadway musical “Wicked” in a two-year program that will put displays and promotions in seven Taubman malls in markets where the musical will be on tour. The promo kicked off on March 12 at Sunvalley Shopping Center near San Francisco, then in mid-April will travel to Northlake Mall in Charlotte, NC, then make five additional stops before wrapping up next fall.

Dove Chocolate partnered with women’s internet site iVillage and Gallo wines, among others, to create an Afternoon of Indulgent Moments. The four-hour event, held on Mar. 9 at New York City’s Chelsea Market, offered busy women a feminine, relaxing, friendly and sophisticated environment that served as an oasis from the stresses and challenges of city life.

When it comes to generating buzz through live events, the nation’s biggest cities are often a brand’s first choice. But even in a busy metropolis like New York City, host to countless annual parades and marathons, it takes extra attention to detail to minimize the disruption.

Getting a few of the right reporters to cover an event used to be good enough. These days, companies are adding blogger- targeted experiences to their p.r. and event programs in order to give their message extra reach and credibility. But once bloggers are on site, it takes more than a swag bag to keep them tuned in. Brands need to show that they read the blogger’s blogs, they know what’s going on in their lives and they understand their unique interests and needs. Sound like a lot? It is.