The last time eight experiential agencies all sat together around the same table, it was probably something to do with the ill-fated Live Brand Experience Association, set up in December 2004 to try and maximize the impact of live activity as part of the overall marketing mix.The association limped on for two years, before folding due to insufficient interest in a membership fee structure and to this day, experiential marketing is still a discipline with no dedicated collective voice.
It was heartening therefore when the leading agencies each accepted my invitation to come together at the offices of BEcause to discuss content and an involvement in an experiential conference I’m putting together for June.
Last year, as part of the Exhibiting Show held at Earls Court exhibition centre, I chaired the debut Excite conference. This year, due in part to the overwhelming success and interest in the conference element, Exhibiting Show organiser Simon Burton has rebranded the exhibition as Excite and repositioned it to be more focused on live brand experiences.
My role is to now produce a day and a half worth of educational content that will assist brand managers to develop live event strategies and help agencies to share best practice and achieve growth in this economic recession.
The 2009 Excite will take place at Earls Court’s Brompton Hall from 24-25 June. Last week’s initial meeting was a great success and I’m confident that the conference will be a true reflection of a collective input from the live marketing sector. I am keen to continue receiving content suggestions and expressions of speaker interest from brands or event agencies specialising in brand experience. If you would like to get in touch, please email me at the address listed on my blog page.
