Living the Promise Blog

Wow – what a whirlwind! The BlogHer 2011 conference had a sell out crowd, with more than 4,000 digital influencers (aka women bloggers) from across the country convening in San Diego for a weekend of fun, learning and making connections. As a representative for Tropicana (part of the PepsiCo family), I caught up with friends, colleagues, bloggers and potential partners – many people fit more than one of those roles!

Here’s what I saw and heard from a sponsor’s perspective:

• Create an experience. These digital women want content and they truly act like citizen journalists, so everything you present (from speakers to booth visuals – people snapped pics of our Trop50-branded pink pillows) and everything you do (from sampling to mini-manicures) will be broadcast online via blog posts, Facebook updates/photos, Tweets and Twitpics. We spotlighted new Trop50 Lemonade and Raspberry Lemonade (50% less sugar and fewer calories, and no artificial sweeteners), so we played up yellow and pink to create a Chic Retreat that Jamie Stein described as “Barbie’s Dreamhouse meets Jonathan Adler.” We wanted the bloggers to feel fabulously refreshed so we pampered them with free, citrus-inspired manicures which they enjoyed while sipping on the lemonades. Many attendees told us, “You have the best booth!” We were glowing with excitement because people stopped, tasted and asked questions even if they didn’t have time for the mani. Also heard people buzzing about the “got milk?” cow-spotted pants, brilliant.

• Peer to peer. We brought some of our TropiMommas – a group of high influence bloggers who we partner with on a regular basis – with us so they could take advantage of this learning/networking extravaganza. In exchange, we asked them to talk to fellow bloggers about our programs and, of course, write about their experiences. Instead of asking them to talk just about good nutrition, we asked them to talk about a good cause too. We couldn’t have had better word-of-mouth ambassadors than these women, who really cared about helping people in general and kids in need get more fruits and veggies. Check out the Tropicana Pure Premium Fruit & Veg Pledge on Facebook to learn more about what they were evangelizing on our behalf. Trop50 also sponsored MomTrends’ exclusive Secret Style Suite event, helping us establish relationships with more than 30 women who are the perfect demographic for our product. At conferences like this, be sure to look at the exhibitor and sponsor list and see where you might be able to join forces.

• Leverage a celeb who connects. If you’re bringing a celebrity to a conference, make sure it’s someone who resonates. Bloggers loved talking to style icon/Trop50 spokeswoman Giuliana Rancic who could chat with them about everything from fashion and fitness to food and fertility. Our sister brand Quaker had Bob Harper on hand for a workout. Glad had a “Top Chef” recipe demo; loved that they sent people home with the food in their containers. PepsiCo was lucky enough to have our CEO Indra Nooyi keynote the conference, making me so proud to be part of a company that places such a high value on the power of women in the digital space. She was unbelievable. It was a packed house and she received a standing ovation. So many people told me afterwards how inspirational she was. But of course, Indra shared that she was inspired by the women she met there!

• Location, location, location. This marquee event gets bigger and better every year. While PepsiCo has been a huge supporter for many years, not surprisingly, other brands have also caught on to how critical this audience is and what an amazing opportunity it is to meet these women face-to-face. Thanks to some strategic planning with our PepsiCo digital team and our friends at BlogHer, the PepsiCo brands were impossible to miss! PepsiCo Place – a destination featuring Trop50, Quaker and Gatorade – was right across from registration, set apart from the Expo floor. And when you walked into the Expo, the PepsiCo Promenade featuring many of our other sister brands was front and center. Bloggers and other sponsors alike commented on how much we stood out.

I would love to hear your thoughts as well. Leave a comment and maybe I’ll see you next year at BlogHer 2012!