B-to-C Events

Automotive journalists travel frequently, moving from one vehicle launch event to the next. So to give a memorable experience to writers attending its mid-March media drive program for the launch of the redesigned Chevrolet Impala, General Motors introduced them to the vehicle in a location where they would immediately associate it with iconic style and design: renowned architect and avid car collector Jonathan Segal’s eighth floor penthouse apartment in San Diego.

The South by Southwest Interactive, Film and Music Festival might be over, but the buzz is still reverberating for 3M. In addition to the brand’s Post-It Big Pads booth in the trade show hall (this is the brand’s second year at SXSW, but the first year in the convention center), people are still talking about the brand’s technology on display in the 3M Interactive Lounge, specifically “Jenny,” the brand’s holographic virtual presenter.

Every conversation in the event marketing industry eventually comes around to technology. You want to know what tools are out there to make your jobs easier, make your programs more successful and most crucially, make your target consumers love you the most. We have heard your clarion calls for help and now, with this monthly series, EM’s own Ken Briodagh will collect and codify the hottest, newest, most interesting, best (and sometimes worst) technological doohickeys available to you.

Mountain Dew on Feb. 25 launched a 20-week mobile tour to promote its new product Kickstart, a sparkling, fruity, caffeinated beverage it hopes will become the go-to morning liquid refreshment of choice among younger male consumers looking to “kick” their day off right.

The Macallan single malt scotch whisky brand is using a series of influencer events called Raise the Macallan to survey and then recruit a select group of consumers who will then be invited to a second, more exclusive series of tasting events called The Finest Cut. The two-part program is designed to help the brand identify and then educate prospective brand fans in the hope that they will spread their preference for and knowledge of the scotch whisky among friends and family.