The WSJ had a Business Insight supplement earlier this week. Published in collaboration with the MIT Sloan School, the section included a number of very good articles. A few covered tech-related topics (e.g. stories on IT platforms and process management).
Another article that I found informative and could relate to, was about ambush marketing. Ambush marketing is when companies that are not official event sponsors seek to associate their brands with the events. According to the article, it is a growing trend, and one that is resulting in a sort of war and arms race between event organizers and ambushers.
Event ambushing can take many forms. Non sponsors can co-opt imagery and words in their advertising to make it seem like they are associated with the event. The ambush could be an attempt to get a free ride and could also be an intentional attack on another brand. According to the article:
In one of the best-known examples, American Express
Co. rolled out television ads in 1992 with scenes of Barcelona, Spain,
the host city of the Summer Olympics that year, and a message that said
"You don't need a visa" to visit Spain. Visa Inc., an official sponsor
of the Olympic Games, complained loudly. Amex has said that the
commercials did not refer to the Olympics and were not an attempt to
ambush Visa.
In an indirect ambush, non-sponsors can set up competing events in the same geographical area.
The article made me think of the laundry list of tactics we have used in tech PR to help clients benefit from events in which they were not official sponsors or exhibitors. (Please note we advise that the most direct and productive way to benefit from these events is to exhibit, sponsor, etc.and take care not to not break rules).
- Setting up media and analyst briefings at trade shows for client executives who are attending but not exhibiting
- Media and analyst breakfasts, dinners or hospitality suites close by
- Landing speaking engagements at these events
