World Wide Rave: Creating Triggers That Get Millions of People to Spread Your Ideas and Tell your Stories
What is it? That thing that everyone is talking about? You haven’t heard? Didn’t you get the email? It’s everywhere! All over the Web! Buzz…Hot…Cool…You’ve just encountered a World Wide Rave. Congratulations. Seemingly born overnight, a World Wide Rave happens when collectively, your product, your brand or heck, you are instantly known the world over. Most of the time they are accidental. But what if you could create one? How valuable would that be to you? Priceless? You can. The secret is here. By harnessing the power of social media and learning the secrets of leveraging the magnitude of resources like YouTube, Facebook, and blogs, you can drive eager buyers to your virtual doorstep—virtually for free. In this engaging discussion, Scott, author of the hit new book "World Wide Rave," and of the award-winning bestseller "The New Rules of Marketing and PR," reveals the most exciting and powerful way to build your own giant audience from scratch. Told with many case studies and real-world examples, this a practical discussion about the new reality of PR and marketing.

Voted by Forbes Magazine in the year 2000 as the "Toy of the Century," LEGO products are known for inspiring imagination and creativity in people of all ages. The LEGO brand is one of the Top 10 most trusted brands in the world. The LEGO Club mission is to earn and grow lifetime loyalty, as measured by advocacy (NPS) and brand activity of members. Hear how this mission is carried out through a multi-media approach including print, online and in-person touchpoints and meeting points that engage members and their families.

Online content continues to be somewhat of a puzzle. You’ve already convinced big brands that they can spend lots of time with their customers through custom branded content solutions offline. The big brands aren’t blown away by the results they’re getting with today’s mainstays – banners, videos, etc. They want engagement, retention, and something special online. Branded Software Experiences – branded websites that are actually useful – are the next generation of brand advertising online. Hillel will discuss where he thinks every brand will be investing their budget in the very near future.

According to Neilsen Mobile, in the fourth quarter of 2007, American cell phone subscribers for the first time sent text messages more than they phoned. Nic Covey, Director of Insights for Nielsen Mobile, will divulge the latest mobile metrics, speak frankly on what consumers want and what content providers need to be aware of in order to stay ahead of the curve and monetize the mobile phone, and what opportunities lie ahead in mobile technology. 

Leslie Forde will review case studies on how publishers/media companies are engaging consumers in private, online communities to assist with innovation, and review best practices on leveraging communities to drive business results for publishers.

Ben Hourahine, Futures Editor at Leo Burnett, will examine how the information revolution has changed the media landscape  and how these changes are triggering new business models, creating previously unforeseen challenges for publishers, and opening up many new doors as well.

Staying Afloat in the Blue Ocean of Social Media
The Social Media waters can be treacherous. Many companies have capsized trying to capitalize on participating in this online customer-driven channel. Learn as John Moore, respected marketer and blogger, shares strategic advice on how any business can successfully navigate the Social Media waters by embracing and enlivening the consumer-driven online conversation.

Key points include:

• Social Media helps small companies look bigger and big companies get smaller.
• Earned opinions trump bought impressions.
• If you hide the truth, someone will find the truth.
• If you lack confidence, don't do Social Media.
• Participating in Social Media is your company's best recruiting tool.
  
  

Chris Overholt oversees digital marketing for one of the most popular franchises in football: the Dolphins!   Hear has he has spearheaded numerous multi-year marketing partnerships across multiple platforms. Gain insight into what worked well, what strategies might need retooling, and why this brand strategy applies beyond the gridiron and football fans, but to marketing in general.

Sam Sebastian, Director, Local & B2B Markets, Google, Inc. is responsible for leading Google’s North America local and business- to-business industry practices with the goal of engaging more marketers about the benefits and efficiencies of the Google platform.  In this session, Sebastian explores the five rules of engagement that lead to maximum ROI for both marketers and customers in a challenging economic environment.

Dramatic changes in the technological landscape have transformed the way that consumers access content and the way that advertisers reach their audience. Hear how Kate Thorp drew on her experiences in the publishing and interactive worlds (including being co-founder of the Interactive Advertising Bureau and president of digital marketing shop AKQA), to launch Real Girls Media Network in 2007—an advertiser-supported network of women-centric websites (including divinecaroline.com, one of the fastest growing women’s sites on the web) that allow users to easily self-publish along with the pros, gain access to guided editorial content, and engage in social networking. Find out how this business model works, what the goals are for growth, and how you can apply lessons learned to your own digital custom publishing model. 

Dr. Tracy Tuten is author of Advertising 2.0: Social Media Marketing in a Web 2.0 World. Hear how social media captures and stores customer insights unlike any other platform, and learn where and how to find and mine customer data to spot trends.

Woodland will share information about the growth of the Kraft Foods CRM program—showcasing such programs as Kraft's new digital and mobile tools Food & Family online magazine and iFoodAssistant.