Samsung’s Product Placement Can Teach Us a Thing or Two About Boosting Event Sponsorship
March 7, 2014
Everyone is all a twitter over Samsung’s product placement and the Ellen DeGeneres selfie at the Oscars. Samsung received more value out of this sponsorship deal than they had probably dreamed of! A recent Washington Post highlights the details of Samsung’s Oscar ad buy and why the organic product placement worked so well for them.
Instead of debating why the product placement worked so well, I would like to focus on how event managers can use this concept to increase sponsorship sales and ROI. Every product marketer dreams of getting their product in the hands of its targeted user. “If only they could try it, they would love it.” Tradeshows offer a perfect pool of targeted users to exhibitors. Yes, the exhibit floor is designed for product demos, but the exhibitor is at the will of the attendee. They can only interact with the attendee who decides to stop by their booth. Event managers can sweeten the deal for exhibitors by adding product placement opportunities to areas/sessions/receptions/meetings outside of the exhibit floor.
For example, sponsorships are often offered for educational tracks that include a logo on the signage and usually a speaking spot. What if every attendee in that session had the opportunity to use the sponsor’s latest product during the session? Attendees could take notes on the latest tablet, snack on the company’s new cookie line, or walk away with a new pair of wiper blades for their car.
Word of mouth marketing can be extremely powerful for increasing brand awareness and sales. The likelihood of at least one of these attendees tweeting or posting on Facebook about the awesome giveaway they just received is pretty high, and you have just gone viral.
I will concede that this may be more difficult for some industries than others, but we can learn from Samsung’s strategy and use this as a launching pad for offering more creative ways to get a product into the hands of the user/buyer. And now you can easily justify charging more for that track sponsorship (or the like).
Partner Voices
Overview:
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality.
In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
“We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.”
Amenities:
The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.
The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience
The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need.
Gold Key Members
The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events.
OCCC Events:
This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.
The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:
AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023
200,000 Attendees
$257 Million in Economic Impact
MEGACON 2023
160,000 Attendees
$205 Million in Economic Impact
Open Championship Series 2023
69,500 Attendees
$89 Million in Economic Impact
Sunshine Classic 2023
42,000 Attendees
$54 Million in Economic Impact
Premiere Orlando 2023
42,000 Attendees
$108 Million in Economic Impact
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