Recently, Czarnowski had more than 130 clients, prospects and industry friends converged on our Northern California office to experience "what2009" a series in client interaction and technologies. This year's event was proclaimed as "A Day of Revolutionary Thinking".
The full-day event included a roster of superb speakers; an interactive showcase of emergent technologies; a diverse display of products and services; and networking nirvana amidst a constant flow of great eats and drinks.
Speakers
The main event featured a trio of educational sessions given by four remarkable thought leaders in the world of marketing. Our very own Tom Frisby partnered with Mark Watson of Measure Inc. to show how strategy and measurement can come together to drive success in the face to face arena.
Next, Guy Kawasaki, former chief evangelist for Apple Computer and current venture capitalist, gave an entertaining, insightful and infectious presentation on ‘The Art of Intrapreneurship and Innovation’.
For “The e-Watercooler,” Megan Casey, CEO of Squidoo.com and highly regarded online community leader, demonstrated in real-time how to use new media to engage an audience and keep them involved in the conversation long after an event or show.
New Stuff
Between sessions, attendees were encouraged to network, visit vendors and dive into interactive demos to find out what’s new in the world of technology. Czarnowski partner Reality Engineering was onsite to give guests a real-time demonstration of electronic collateral distribution. Several computer kiosks were set up throughout the facility to offer paperless access to marketing materials from Czarnowski and attending vendors.
Guests were able to scroll through the options, choose the materials they wanted and instantly email themselves a link to the selected files. What a welcome replacement for the piles of paper and stacks of brochures that often clutter the show floor and storage closets! It’s simple, quick, cost-effective and environmentally-friendly – plus it provides valuable data on who has accessed specific materials. Stay tuned for more info on this system – we predict it will be a winner with our clients.
Another interactive demo featured a high tech, highly customized version of a popular old arcade game…Skee-Ball. At the computerized game station, guests were prompted to answer questions about their marketing strategies. Each answer earned a turn at the game using a Wii controller to propel the virtual Skee-Ball. This interaction showed how the amazing power of play can bring a whole new level of engagement to a show or event --- while delivering important content and capturing important data.
Partnership
In addition to Reality Engineering, several Czarnowski partners supported and had a presence at what2009 including: AV dimensions, Brand Via, Cort Event Furnishings, Alejandrino Partners, Ardent Impressions, Barbara Llewellyn Catering, Dazian Fabrics and Dave Barten Production Services and Lighting.
Teamwork
It was no small endeavor to pull this great event together and it truly took a team of folks to pull it off. From our San Francisco Office, a special thanks to Kim Merkin for leading the charge; Melissa DeLong for attending to all of the details; Jeff Smith from Chicago for plugging everyone in before, during and after the event; our amazing NorCal and SoCal teammates for their priceless contributions.
We can now add this event to a long list of successful affairs where we actually "practice what we preach"!
Stay tuned for more to come in the following months. Happy Holidays!
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