Editor’s note: WRAL TechWire co-founder and veteran journalist Allan Maurer covered the Internet Summit last week as he has for several years. And he offers insight into what all unfolded at the event based on his years of experience covering high tech and life science. For Allan’s IS coverage, see links included with this post.
RALEIGH – We saw some innovations in marketing for events at the Internet Summit in Raleigh last week, such as several game wheels, a banana catapult, and socks as swag.
The Internet Summit has always paid attention to entertainment, from musicians everywhere last year, to game consoles, costume tables next to a photo wall, and comedians on stage.
This year, the emphasis on techie games seemed a bit less. The costume wall was still popular, with attendees taking shots with a dummy alien, huge sun-glasses, hats and masks every time we walked by. The game console was lonely this year though, with the emphasis on marketing rather than hard core tech.
Vendors provided plenty of entertainment, with their game-show-like spinning wheels and one elaborate banana catapult set-up. One vendor provided a Vanna White type pose for us.
Death of swag?
You could probably say something meaningful about the swag vendors offer. At one time, we nabbed a really neat small travel mouse we still use, USB multi-ports, and assorted other high-end techie items. Not any more. These days, it’s pens, t-shirts, brand stickers, hand sanitizers, plastic robots, those thin carry bags, and other less expensive items for the most part. That aligns with with what we see at other events. The era of really great swag at smaller events is apparently over.
The Internet Summit has always been on the low-end foodwise, providing box lunches with a bottle of water, but the reception the first day this year seemed particularly thin, offering, in addition to good beer and wine, a salad bar type spread of veggies, dips, corn chips and such.
We did suggest to several vendors that they should think out of the box, a major theme of many marketing presentations, and instead of t-shirts and socks and the occasional hat, they should get some one-size fits all pants.
Some techies could get their whole wardrobe that way.
