#may voice it's called the mc2 because that's how many generations you people get. i WON'T grow a loser goatee like my dad i WON'T-

[spider-man-2o99]

real reason the parkers arent around in 2099 is cause may looked at peter and mj getting a divorce every other week when she was like 14 and decided to end their bloodline by never having kids

SDDSVVJ YALLRE GONNA PUT ME OUTTA WORK BEING FUNNIER THAN ME ON MY OWN BLOG LIKE THIS,,

[cameronwjones]

10 Corporate Event Marketing Ideas

Get inspired by these 10 corporate event marketing ideas that go beyond the typical trade show booth. Featuring cross-country caravans, zen spaces, branded escape rooms and more.

It’s no secret that live events are valuable marketing channels. According to the 2018 Event Marketing Benchmarks and Trends, that’s exactly the case. Plus, the average chief marketing officer allocates 24% of their total annual budget to live events to build deeper connections between brands and audiences.

Study after study has proven that face-to-face events—when done properly—immerse attendees in your brand experience, enhance client relationships, generate more leads, and increase the likelihood of prospects becoming your customers.

Your competitors also know this. As you read this, they’re planning how they will capture attention and sales from your customers and prospects. Organizations that are willing to take that extra step and go beyond traditional event marketing techniques will have a competitive advantage.

Here are 10 creative corporate event marketing ideas that will transform your event strategy beyond the traditional trade show booth.

1. Zen Dens

A relaxed mind is a receptive mind.

Being mindful of attendees’ aching feet, frazzled brain, and battery-starved mobile phone can go a long way in making a visit to your booth a pleasant experience. This concept can also be taken on the road, and even in the sky—The Mindfulness mobile app for instance, which helps people meditate, did this when they partnered with El Al Airlines to provide meditation sessions during flights.

Volvo’s used this zen event marketing approach to promote their new car model. Source: Volvo

Along the same lines, Volvo opened their own Zen Den experience called Escape Your City in London, Manchester, and Edinburgh to support the new Volvo model, VXC60. City dwellers could stop by the Volvo pop-up for a relaxing Swedish massage, a bit of meditation, a quick yoga class, display their creative nature in an art class, or take a guided run through the city. These thoughtful initiatives served as a great opportunity for Volvo to showcase their latest car model.

2. Artificial Intelligence

When’s the last time you talked to your trade show booth?

Artificial Intelligence has spawned a myriad of voice-activated intelligent devices that are enhancing our lifestyles. You can ask Cortana, Siri, or Alexa what the weather will be like, so that you can dress appropriately for the day. You can have a beer in one hand, and a submarine sandwich in the other while asking your Google home device to turn on the lights. Soon devices like this will be omnipresent, but for now they are still unique and attract attention.

At the 2018 International CES, voice-controlled assistants were the center of attention. Source: AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

Businesses are already taking advantage of chatbots. At CES 2018 for instance, voice-controlled assistants stole the show. In the not too distant future, one can imagine this technology being used at corporate events.

A visitor asks your displayed product what features it offers. The product is programmed to answers the question and then has a conversation with the visitor that ends by the product recording the visitor’s contact information for a follow-up. No assistance needed.

Which company do you think visitors will remember? The one where they couldn’t find anyone to answer their questions or the one that had a self-assisted service?

3. Pop-ups

When your customer can’t come to you, go to them.

New York City’s SoHo neighborhood is know for it’s heavy foot traffic. Magnum, a company that sells high-quality ice cream in food stores, ingeniously took advantage of the busy area. Magnum marketers opened a summer-only pop-up store where they sold unique flavors of ice cream bars, such as rose petal chocolate. One of the many popular attractions was the aroma bar, where customers tantalized their sense of smell with Magnum’s premium ingredients. The pop-up store was not only a public relations bonanza, but it also introduced the product line to a large market segment that was otherwise inaccessible.

Magnum’s SoHo pop-up was a popular hit amongst customers. Source: MC2

Organizations focused on B2B event marketing can also benefit from establishing a pop-up location. There are times when you want to make an impact quickly to showcase a new concept, product, or service. At times, the established conferences and trade shows don’t fit your schedule, or perhaps there’s an opportunity at a special event that attracts many of your targeted prospects.

Maybe you serve an industry or prospect group that has limited ability to travel to trade shows or conventions. If so, pop-ups may provide you with a very valuable solution.

4. Puzzle Solving

Houdini couldn’t have done it better.

We’re sure you’ve heard of escape rooms, a relatively new activity where groups of people must work together and even compete to escape a themed room. In hopes of engaging with their fan base, HBO marketers created escape rooms at the SXSW festival with themes for their hit shows, VEEP, Game of Thrones, and Silicon Valley. Fans and attendees alike could hardly wait to be part of this event branding experience.

HBO’s VEEP “The Office” escape room at SXSW 2017. Source: Adweek

Escape or experience rooms also provide business-to-business companies an opportunity to showcase their products or brand. You can take the idea on the road as a temporary pop-up or as part of your involvement in a conference or trade show. The only limitation is your own imagination.

5. Road Shows

Literally.Imagine that your boss comes to you one morning and tells you that you’ve been selected to spend 110 days traveling the entire U.S. You would probably smile and think how did I get so lucky. Then your boss says, "And you'll be driving 18,000 miles through rivers, down desert dunes, over rocky mountain passes and along some of the country's most treacherous icy roads."

That's exactly what happened to over 140 Toyota engineers. Toyota executives knew there was no better way for customers to see how their vehicles perform than to try them out in the most demanding real-life conditions. Along the way, they met with hundreds of Toyota drivers of all ages to hear their stories.

Toyota’s roadshow experience. Source: MC2

This exemplifies the value of getting people from behind-the-scenes involved in corporate event marketing campaigns. Go beyond representing your organization with sales and marketing professionals. By providing engineers, designers or product managers with the opportunity to speak and listen to customers and prospects, you can provide a unique experience to event attendees.

6. Secret and VIP Events

Don’t tell just anyone.Exclusive events serve to give attendees a special brand experience, in turn making your events more memorable. Following through with a unique event transfers those benefits to your product or services. Secret or VIP events can be conducted as part of any larger event, be it trade shows, festivals, or sponsored events.The planners behind 4Moms, a manufacturer of quality children’s products, wanted to celebrate the sale of one million of their Mamaroo® 4 infant seat. To do so, they invited a select group to a party and as attendees enjoyed the festivities, they were enticed to take a ride in an adult-size Mamaroo® 4.

4Moms created an adult version of their signature product. Source: MC2

Riders experienced the motion just as their children would. Additionally, for each ride an adult made 4Moms donated a dollar to Sweet Peas, a nonprofit group working to support families with ill and premature babies.  

Product demos are effective. Product demos for a selected group of VIPs or influencers? Corporate event marketing gold.

7. Virtual Reality, Drones and Remote Systems

Oh! My.

Technology can often take your exhibit or event beyond the traditional by providing the unexpected. Caterpillar (Cat) did just that at The CONEXPO-CON/ AGG Construction Trade Show in Las Vegas.

As if Caterpillar’s renowned construction equipment wasn’t enough to wow audiences, Cat event organizers also had video drones flying above the exhibit, displaying images of the event on large screens throughout the exhibit. Plus, they demonstrated facial recognition technology and virtual reality to demonstrate the machines in action.

The tech-savvy Caterpillar exhibit at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2017. Source: MC2

How do you top that? Caterpillar found a way by setting up a trailer with a sophisticated remote system, which attendees used to remotely operate an actual Caterpillar machine in Peoria, IL. The event attracted thousands of potential and existing customers who were able to engage with the brand through a unique experience that they would not forget.

8. Mobile Exhibits

A rolling stone gathers no moss.

Mobile design solutions come in many flavors. For instance, It can be a trailer complete with product displays as Mitsubishi Electric created. For more flexibility, a smaller vehicle with glass wall features like that used by Sweet Tarts for Comic Con and VidCon will do.

Otter's mobile exhibit. Source: MC2

Otter Products, a global leader in mobile device protection, gained even more mobility and flexibility using an “exhibit in a box” concept. Otter marketers created a mobile marketing exhibit that could be used for both indoor and outdoor activations, complete with graphics, product displays. As a benefit, note the cost effectiveness, ease of assembly, and durability of these exhibits—this one has been used at both the Winter and Summer X Games.

9. Socially Responsible Events

It’s just the right thing to do.Companies are integrated into the local community, and people tend to respect organizations that are socially responsible. Socially responsible corporate events are a win/win for companies because they get to have a positive effect on people’s lives while building stronger relationships with their employees, clients, and prospects. Company events can include social opportunities such as fundraising events.

By taking part in socially responsible events, Toyota was able to highlight it’s company’s efforts. Source: MC2

In this instance, Toyota shines once again. To support The Environmental Media Awards, an event that is solely devoted to celebrating the entertainment businesses environmental efforts, Toyota turned a traditional gas station into a lush park where guests could “fuel up” with a natural experience that touched all the senses. Specialists were available to discuss Toyota cars, and the company’s own sustainability efforts. They even had a wheatgrass bar.  

10. Festivals, Fairs, and Concerts

Go where the people go.

Festivals, fairs, concerts and special happenings, such as the Kentucky Derby or the races at the Daytona Speedway, draw a large crowd. Coachella averages 75,000 visitors per day. The Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque reported that 889,000 people attended the nine-day event. The Daytona 500 in 2018 sold out its 100,000 available seats.

It makes sense to have a presence at these types of events if the theme fits your brand’s offering. The good news is there seems to be no limit to the numbers of high profile events such as these.

The Florida Hospital entrance at Daytona Speedway. Source: Daytona Speedway

Florida Hospital, one of the country’s largest not-for-profit healthcare providers, understood this when they created an environment at the entrance of the Daytona Speedway. As attendees entered, they were greeted with a cooling mist of water and an overhead video canopy. The entrance included a flowing waterfall and design elements that provide attendees with a garden-like experience. The entrance hallway continued with a starry night design and ample opportunity for messaging. Getting involved in other events outside of your direct audience, will serve to expand your company’s reach across different audiences.

While there are many other corporate event marketing ideas you can implement, the 10 listed here are a great start! If you’re looking for more inspiration, you may also be interested in these experiential marketing campaign ideas.

from Cameron Jones Updates https://blog.bizzabo.com/corporate-event-marketing-ideas

[stormdoors78476]

All The New Shows To Screen Or Skip In Spring And Summer 2017

There’s a reason networks often save their weakest fare for the time of year when more people are less likely to spend their evenings indoors.

Of course, that’s not always the case, since “Game of Thrones” is scheduled to make it’s much-awaited return this July. 

But when it comes to new shows, you can bet networks generally save the worst for last. In the coming months, viewers can look forward to some stellar series this spring (including ”The Handmaid’s Tale,” “American Gods,” “GLOW”), while they’re more or less better off embracing the warm weather and misplacing their remotes by the time summer hits. 

APRIL   “Girlboss,” April 21, Netflix 

With allegations that former Nasty Gal CEO Sophia Amoruso was accused of creating a “toxic” workplace, it’s easy to see why the lead character of Netflix’s “Girlboss” is so incredibly unlikeable. The question, however, is why would anyone want to spend a significant amount of time watching her?

“Girlboss” is loosely based on Amoruso’s memoir of the same name and tells the story of how she began her vintage clothing eBay shop, before it became what we now know as Nasty Gal.

The show stars Britt Robertson as 23-year-old Sophia, a college dropout who works menial jobs and yet can somehow afford a studio apartment in San Francisco circa 2006 ― and damn is it ever hard to watch. Sophia is petulant, whiny, and often just flat-out mean. What’s worse is that the series rarely gives you a reason to root for her. Characters don’t always have to be likable, but there has to be at least some reason to follow a person through their journey. With “Girlboss,” there’s nothing here.  

“Great News,” April 25, 9 p.m. ET, NBC

”Great News,” the new workplace comedy from executive producer Tina Fey, can’t be described as great or even good.

The show follows Katie (Briga Heelan), a wallflower of a producer at a cable news program called “The Breakdown,” and her overbearing mother (Andrea Martin), who manages to land a job as as the show’s intern. Hilarity ensues, right? Not so much.

The show’s jokes just repeatedly fall flat, though surprisingly it’s Nicole Richie as a super-hip if slightly vapid co-anchor who actually shines brightest.  

“Genius,” April 25, 9 p.m. ET, National Geographic 

What do you really know about Albert Einstein aside from the fact that he developed the theory of relativity? National Geographic is willing to wager that you know very little.

“Genius” is an anthology series from executive producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer about the lives of those deserving enough to be deemed as such, and Season 1 kicks off with none other than Mr. E = mc2 himself.  

Based on Walter Isaacson’s book Einstein: His Life and Universe, the show stars Johnny Flynn when Einstein was a student in Zurich the 1890s, and Geoffrey Rush, as his older counterpart against a backdrop of the rising anti-semitism in 1922 Berlin, Germany.

“The Handmaid’s Tale,” April 26, Hulu

Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” is by far the best new show debuting in the spring and summer season. Based on Margaret Atwood’s 1985 dystopian novel, if you don’t already have a Hulu account, you’re going to want to sign up for one today.

Set in the not-too distant future where a fundamentalist Christian regime rules over the former United States, now known as the Republic of Gilead, women have been stripped of their rights and any sense of life as they once knew it. Elisabeth Moss stars as Offred, a woman who is forced to bear children for high-ranking men and their wives, after environmental problems cause widespread infertility issues. 

The series is a chilling reminder of how quickly the Republic of Gilead could become a reality. 

“Dear White People,” April 28, Netflix 

If you liked “Dear White People” the movie then you should probably watch it again, because the 2014 film from writer/director Justin Simien is far better than Netflix’s 10-episode series.  

That’s not to say the series adaptation is a failure by any means. The show is still a smart and sharp take on the complex issue of race relations, and is definitely worth checking out. 

The series picks up where the film left off in the aftermath of a racist blackface party, which has left a campus divided. Episodes are told and then retold through different student’s perspectives, which requires some commitment by the viewers since that format can feel awfully repetitive. 

 “American Gods,” April 30, 9 p.m. ET, Starz

“American Gods” is absolutely the weirdest and most mind-bending new offering this season. Starz’s visually-stunning new drama is based on British author Neil Gaiman’s 2001 fantasy novel of the same name and requires total suspension of disbelief. 

In this America, gods live among us mere mortals. There are two types of gods ― old and new. The old are the ones you’ve read about in myths and were brought to America by faithful immigrants centuries ago, while the new gods have gradually replaced the old ones and were born out of our modern obsession with media and technology.

As war brews between the gods, an ex-con named Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) finds himself caught between the two sides.  

MAY “Anne with an E,” May 12, Netflix 

Netflix’s “Anne with an E” is easily one of the most charming new shows. Yes, this is yet another adaptation of Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery’s beloved children’s novel Anne of Green Gables, but it’s far the best. 

Amybeth McNulty stars as Anne Shirley, the young orphan who never stops talking and comes to live on Prince Edward Island with elderly siblings Marilla (Geraldine James) and Matthew Cuthbert (R.H. Thomson).

While you may have read the book a 100 times as a child, Netflix has managed to reenergize the story for modern audiences without betraying its source material. If anything, “Anne” digs deeper at some of the darker elements that Montgomery glossed over in the novel, and is a thoroughly binge-able experience for all ages. 

“I Love Dick,” May 12, Amazon 

You may have already watched the pilot episode of Amazon’s new series “I Love Dick,” based on Chris Kraus’ 1997 novel.

The show stars Kathryn Hahn as a filmmaker in an unhappy marriage, who follows her husband (Griffin Dunne) to his writing residency in Marfa, Texas, and becomes completely infatuated with a professor named Dick (Kevin Bacon).

“I Love Dick” is the latest show from “Transparent” creator Jill Soloway and is an intentionally uncomfortable yet humorous examination of human sexuality and the female gaze. 

“Downward Dog,” May 17, 9:30 p.m. ET, ABC

From ABC comes “Downward Dog,” a sitcom about a dog named Martin and his owner Nan (Allison Tolman), a woman struggling to get ahead at work and make sense of her personal life. 

The show is told from Martin’s perspective’s via his internal monologue, voiced by Samm Hodges. The series is inoffensive enough if you can stand to listen to Martin, who is the male incarnation of a droning Valley-girl in canine form. 

 “Twin Peaks,” May 21, 9 p.m. ET, Showtime 

Showtime didn’t provide any screeners for “Twin Peaks,” which is returning as a limited series 24 years after David Lynch’s original version ended.

Because of this, we can only tell you what you probably already know: Lynch will direct the entire series and you can expect to see many familiar faces, including Kyle MacLachlan, who returns as FBI Agent Dale Cooper. 

JUNE “I’m Dying Up Here,” June 4, 10 p.m. ET, Showtime

Showtime’s new drama “I’m Dying Up Here” is a look at the lives of stand-up comics trying to make it in Los Angeles in the 1970s ―  and you’ll be tempted to heckle if you can muster the strength to make it through a full episode. 

Yet another show based on a book, the series is inspired by William Knoedelseder‘s 2009 nonfiction work I’m Dying Up Here: Heartbreak and High Times in Stand-up Comedy’s Golden Era and features an ensemble cast including Ari Graynor, Melissa Leo, Clark Duke, Michael Angarano and RJ Cyler.

“GLOW,” June 29, Netflix 

Even if you’d rather do just about anything else than watch professional wrestling, you really shouldn’t discount Netflix’s new original series “GLOW.”

Inspired by the real story of the 1980s women’s wrestling league “Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling,” “GLOW” is one of the most enjoyable shows to debut this season. 

Alison Brie stars as a struggling actress desperate to make it in Hollywood, giving one last shot at her dreams when she auditions for a series about female wrestlers. Featuring an outstanding and diverse cast, the series hilariously tackles issues of racism, stereotyping, sexism and sisterhood in the world of women’s wrestling. 

JULY “The Bold Type,” July 11, 9 p.m. ET, Freeform 

Freeform’s “The Bold Type” is inspired by Cosmopolitan and its editor-in-chief Joanna Coles, and it’s the perfect show for summertime viewing. 

Starring Katie Stevens, Aisha Dee and Meghann Fahy as three friends working at Scarlet Magazine, the show follows the young women as they navigate their careers and personal lives in New York City.

This show is exactly what you would expect from reading Cosmo ― not a bad way to curl up on the couch with a glass of wine. 

“Midnight, Texas,” July 25, 10 p.m. ET, NBC

The remote town of “Midnight, Texas” seems to be the supernatural center of the United States with witches, ghosts, assassins, angels, psychics and other creatures calling it home. But there is entirely too much going on. 

Based on the trilogy series of the same name by author Charlaine Harris, “Midnight Texas” follows Manfred (François Arnaud), a psychic who can communicate with the dead, as he arrives in Midnight and befriends fellow outsiders like himself. 

AUGUST “The Sinner,” Aug. 2, 10 p.m. ET, USA

USA’s “The Sinner” is a different kind of thrilling mystery that finds Jessica Biel starring in a TV series for the first time since her days playing Mary Camden on “7th Heaven.”

Biel plays Cora, a young mother who commits an unspeakable act of violence against a stranger at the beach. There’s no question that she did it. The only question is why. Bill Pullman also stars as a detective obsessed with uncovering Cora’s motives.

As the series delves into Cora’s past and pieces together what happened that day at the beach, chances are you’ll be just as obsessed. 

“Weekend Update,” Aug. 10, 9 p.m. ET, NBC

“Saturday Night Live” is on hiatus this summer, but Colin Jost and Michael Che will fill the void with “Weekend Update” ― a 30-minute, primetime version of the long-running segment. With “SNL” seeing some of its highest rating in years, Jost and Che will keep things going in August and make sure you’re on top of all the news that can be satirized. So basically everything.

“Marlon,” Aug. 16, 9 p.m. ET, NBC 

Marlon Wayans stars in what’s supposed to be an update on the classic family sitcom, but this isn’t anything we haven’t seen before. 

“Marlon” is loosely based on Wayans’ real life as he plays a wise-cracking, over- protective yet immature father to two precocious kids (Amir O’Neil and Notlim Taylor). He also appears to share a too-close relationship with his ex-wife (Essence Atkins). 

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