6 Week Program for the DVDA and NIST Conference
Overview: The DVD Association is one of the new, broad spectrum DVD industry organizations that had arisen from an original base of Sigcat members. Their second annual conference was just six weeks away in Gaithersburg Maryland and co-hosted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. NIST offers grant award programs to fund emerging technology research and development programs.
Pre-registrations for exhibitors and attendees were down, and the organizers were looking for innovative ways to promote their message. Antarra’s research indicated that government funding could be a crucial selling point to companies that were developing innovative technologies.
The association chose Antarra to further establish their organizational identity; and increase attendance, exhibitors and editorial coverage at the upcoming show through marketing communications, public relations and media partnerships.
Mission: To provide public relations, marketing communications counsel and support to DVDA leading up to, and throughout the conference. Communicate the advantages of membership in DVDA and position the association as the industry influencer regarding DVD content and products. We also wanted to communicate the wide range of services and grants available to the private sector by NIST.
Objectives: Reach 80% or more of the DVD industry in order to create awareness about the DVDA and to educate potential members about the advantages of attending or/and exhibiting at the show. Additionally, Antarra was tasked with generating interest in the association’s awards ceremony among the media and motivate top tier contacts to attend the show.
Strategy: Utilize press releases, media alerts, sponsorships and phone calls to industry influencers.
Tactics: Create informative and memorable media communications to tell the NIST/DVDA story and generate high-level awareness and interest in conference developments and announcements. Our client’s also wanted to build awareness of the business and government networking advantages offered to exhibitors, and the critical knowledge being offered during the conference.
To drive the awareness of this conference Antarra developed a comprehensive list of media, corporate and industry analyst contacts. Antarra also developed “sponsorship swaps” between show organizors and key industry publcations (Emedia and Tape/Disc Business) to reach their subscribers directly.
In the final two weeks prior to the event, Antarra implemented a multi-pronged and aggressive media relations campaign. Tools utilized included media advisories, personalized e-mailed invitations, and an announcement press release to get the attention of trade and business. Press materials were developed for attending as well as members of the press who were unableto attend.
Results: Conference attendance increased over the previous year with an impressive 200 attending and exhibitor booths were also increased. Coverage of the conference appeared in the following publications: E-Media Magazine and its newsletter, Tape Disc Business, Video Systems, Medialine, Digital Media Net Website, DVD Report, AV/Video & MMP and Videomaker. The conference was profitable, the association gained new members and an enhanced awareness within the industry.
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