B-to-C Events

 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.

Though the majority of brands activating at last fall’s three-day Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Food & Wine were food and beverage products, there were a couple of non-endemic brands that took a seat at the table, too. All turned out to take their best shot at connecting with the tastemakers, and generally higher income consumers that can afford to shell out $195 a pop for a ticket to the Grand Tasting—just one of several paid experiences that were part of the festival.

To raise awareness for its free checking accounts, FirstBank has rolled out a “Heli-Bus” to shuttle skiers and snowboarders to and from Copper Mountain, a ski resort 75 miles west of Denver. FirstBank, a regional bank with more than 125 locations primarily in Colorado, is Colorado’s largest locally owned bank and has additional locations in Arizona and California.

From the Palmer to the AT&T Center and all points in between, EM has been all over Austin, chasing down the big and small brands alike to see how they showed attendees at this year’s South by Southwest (SXSW) the love. Now the time has come to go inside and bring you the SXSW Interactive trade show exhibit hall.