B-to-C Events

Ever since the Swedish home store IKEA first set up shop on American soil more than 25 years ago, it has offered customers not only its furniture, but its full-fledged Scandinavian shopping and dining experience. (Swedish meatballs and a glass of lingonberry juice, anyone?) Thanks to its early efforts in innovating a unique retail experience, IKEA has earned a loyal following. But for those new consumers getting their home furnishing cues from experts in magazines, online and on TV, the brand has had to amp up its efforts.

When it comes to brand name recognition, it’s tough to compete with the “verbs.” Like Google, the search engine that became so synonymous with surfing the web that the Oxford English Dictionary made the company’s name a bonafide verb in 2006.

Whether you’re activating a consumer event, a trade show or a conference, Twitter can be a highly effective way to generate excitement, increase awareness and keep in touch. But that’s hardly all the social media tool is capable of. Today, event marketers are pioneering ever more innovative ways to use the power of Twitter to broaden reach, boost consumer engagement, leverage strategic partnerships and drive trial.

Read on for seven fresh ways to transform Tweets into tactics.

 Finnish tech brand Nokia brought its state-of-the-art research and development laboratory to the South by Southwest Interactive, Film and Music Festival (SXSW) last week in the form of the Nokia Lab. From the outside, the three-domed, otherworldly space evoked the brand’s Scandinavian roots, partly thanks to the very aggressive exterior bubble cannons that created a downpour of bubbles resembling snow over the long lines of eager SXSW attendees trying to get inside. Once through the doors, guests got hit with some hot music and two drink tickets for the in-house bar.

The event industry seems to already be moving faster in 2012 than it did in 2011. If that’s possible.

With strategies set and most budgets finally approved, watch for first-half action across all categories.