Opportunities abound for integrating conventional systems with social applications.  This case study will cover how the Tasti D-Lite TastiRewards  program is enabling customers to share their loyalty activity online and receive tangible benefits as a result.

Case Study: How Emerging Mobile Technologies will Transform Culture and Commerce
Presented by: John Havens, Senior Vice President, Social Media, Porter Novelli 
QR Codes, Augmented Reality and the Internet of Things are digital paradigms currently being leveraged by companies like Nike, PepsiCo, and BMW to provide utility and value in the B2B and B2C arenas.  This case study will outline where these emerging technologies go from being tactical to transformative while also providing a caveat to marketers about how to handle privacy in the virtual arena.


Case Study: Connecting Brands & Local Businesses to Real-Time Social Media
Presented by: Nihal Mehta, CEO and Founder, Buzzd
Thanks to facebook places, twitter, foursquare, gowalla, loopt, buzzd, brightkite, whrrl, and many other location-based services, the "check-in" has moved from a niche feature for early adopters to a mass-market functionality. Now that people are finally opt-ing in to broadcast their location to the public, a massive opportunity is created to reach those same people in time/space context, by local business and brands. Buzzd inc. is helping build a platform 'localresponse' to connect marketers to over 150million "check-ins" / month.


Case Study: Mobile: The Bridge Between Online Search and Offline Buying
Presented by: Paul Reich, Director of East Coast Sales, Yelp & Dr. Justin Bazan, Owner and Operator, Park Slope Eye
With over 38 million monthly unique visitors and 12 million reviews around the world, Yelp has emerged as the leading online review guide for consumers looking to make a spending decision. But while engagement on the desktop continues to evolve, the fastest area of growth for the company is its mobile arm. In fact, mobile devices now account for over 30% of all searches on Yelp and that number is only continuing to grow. Today's case study will talk about how and why savvy businesses are taking advantage of both Yelp's online and offline consumer engagement. 


Case Study: Getting Started in Location Based Marketing
Presented by: Rick Wion, Head of Social Media, McDonald's

Joe Ciarallo, Contributing Editor, PRNewser & Director of Communications, Buddy Media
Roundtable Topic: What You Need to Know About Facebook Places
Bio: Joe Ciarallo is Director of Communications at Buddy Media, the company behind the Buddy Media Platform, the social media marketing software platform of choice for the largest global brands and agencies. He is also a founding editor of mediabistro.com's PRNewser, one of the fastest growing sources for public relations and marketing news. Under his tenure as full-time editor of the site, monthly unique visitors increased my more than 130%. Ciarallo has more than six years experience working with consumer, tech, non-profit & entertainment clients from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups, with a focus on all things digital communications. He is often asked to speak at industry events including the Business Development Institute's Social Enterprise Conference, Bulldog Reporter's Media Relations Summit, the Public Relations Society of America's Technology Conference and PR News' Digital Best Practices Conference.     

BJ Emerson, Social Technology Officer, Tasti D-Lite LLC
Roundtable Topic: Location Based Services and Brand Engagement
Bio: BJ Emerson brings a strong blend of technical and creative abilities to his role as Social Technology Officer for Tasti D-Lite.  In his 12 years of experience, BJ has overseen the rapid expansion of technologies to include providing hosted applications for entire franchise networks.  In 2005, BJ led the deployment of a $2M Corporate and Franchise Enterprise technology platform which won a Microsoft Pinnacle award for Excellence in 2006.  Featured in Twitter’s Business 101 Case Studies, BJ has spearheaded the integration of the Tasti D-Lite brand experience with online communities by engaging customers and working with franchisees to expand the brand through social media.   Recently, BJ led the development of the first ever loyalty program to feature an integration with social sites Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare.


John Havens, Senior Vice President, Social Media, Porter Novelli
Roundtable Topic: Privacy and Mobile Social – The Balance of Push and Permission
Bio: John is a senior vice president of Social Media at Porter Novelli in the firm’s New York office. He is the author of the book, Tactical Transparency: How Leaders Can Leverage Social Media To Maximize Value and Build Their Brand (Wiley 2008).  Before working at Porter Novelli, John was VP of Business Development at BlogTalkRadio where he was instrumental in securing clients like Walmart, Ford, PepsiCo, Century 21, and  Allstate, among others. His latest passion is Augmented Reality, a subject he has written on frequently in publications like iMedia, PR Week, and INC magazine. John has also spoken about Augmented Reality for Columbia University, New York University, The Council of PR Firms, WOMMA and will be speaking on the at the Web 2.0 EXPO in the fall of 2010.

 

 

Bio: Kelly McCarthy is Vice President of Innovation for Ruder Finn, where she is responsible for fostering collaboration and driving innovative thinking to help shape and deliver breakthrough client programs that leverage the full spectrum of traditional and new media channels. Working across industries and practice groups, Kelly helps to outline client strategy by bringing a closer examination of sales channels/targets, external and internal stakeholders, socio-economic trends and competitive analysis to Ruder Finn's deep experience in communications and new technologies, including digital and mobile channels. Through her work with Ruder Finn’s global teams including RFI Studios, Ruder Finn's Webby Award winning digital shop, she is able to actualize innovative programming through best in class digital platforms as well as breakthrough social media initiatives and mobile apps. Formerly, Kelly developed and executed new business strategy, marketing programs and pitch management activities for Bite Communications, a top Silicon Valley tech PR firm.


Nihal Mehta, CEO and Founder, Buzzd
Roundtable Topic: Connecting Brands & Local Businesses to Real-Time Social Media
Bio: With over 12 years experience in innovating marketing technologies through four successful startups to date, Nihal Mehta, is a noted expert in the emerging adoption of wireless technologies for media properties and consumer brands. Named a top 10 NYC 'game changer' in the 2010 New York Enterprise Report, one of twenty RCR Wireless News 'mobile movers and shakers' in 2008, a BusinessWeek 'M-Commerce Baron' in 2006 and named one of AdAge's 'top 20 marketers in their 20s' in 2005, Nihal is currently CEO and co-founder of the social cityguide, "buzzd", backed by the Blackberry Partners Fund, Qualcomm Ventures, Greycroft and Monitor Ventures. Prior to buzzd, Nihal founded ipsh!, one of the first full-service mobile marketing agencies in 2001, which he sold to Omnicom (NYSE: OMC) in 2005. Nihal started his entrepreneurial career by founding Urbangroove, an online nightlife portal, in 1999.


Ramon Nuez, Jr., Contributing Writer, Huffington Post
Roundtable Topic: How do Retailers make sure that their Geo-location takes Advantage of Shift from Static Web to Mobile?
Bio: Ramon is a contributing writer to the Huffington Post. He covers mobile technologies and wireless broadband. Ramon is also a contributing writer to the "Twitter Powerhouses" series on the Huffington Post. When not writing for the Huffington Post -- Ramon is busy being co-host and producer of New Media Brief. Ramon is also a guest lecturer at the NYU School of Continuing Education -- discussing social media. Finally, Ramon has been a guest on the hit online radio show "The Capicu Show" at the Urban Latino Radio Station -- discussing mobility.


Brian Reich, Managing Director, little m media 
Roundtable Topic: Planning in the Digital Age: It takes more than a Smart Strategy and Good Tactics to Succeed Today.  How Everything you are Doing Needs to Change
Bio: Brian Reich is the managing director of little m media, which provides strategic guidance and support to organizations around the use of the internet and technology to facilitate communications, engagement, education, and mobilization. He is the author of Media Rules!: Mastering Today's Technology to Connect With and Keep Your Audience (Wiley 2007). He blogs at Thinking About Media (www.thinkingaboutmedia.com) and contributes as a Fast Company Expert. He is a regular speaker on a wide range of issues relating to the impact that technology and the internet are having on society.  Brian teaches consumer behavior and marketing strategy at Columbia University and hosts a weekly podcast, Thinking About Everything, that explores how people get and share information in a connected society.


Paul Reich, Director of East Coast Sales, Yelp
Roundtable Topic: Customer Intent to Spend and How to Harness It
Bio: Paul Reich is the Director of East Coast Sales for Yelp, where he manages multiple teams of salespeople, supporting them in their everyday efforts to engage and educate the over 15 million small business owners across the nation about the products and tools available on Yelp. Originally based in Yelp's San Francisco Headquarters, Paul has had a long career with the company. He joined Yelp as an early employee in 2007 where he worked his way up from an Account Executive to being selected to open and head Yelp's second office in New York. Prior to Yelp, he worked at M.L. Stern as an Investment Advisor.  Paul holds a BA in International Affairs from the University of Colorado.


Michael Ricci, VP and Mobile Practice Leader, Merkle Interactive
Roundtable Topic: Integrating Mobile with Social Media – Activation and Acquisition Strategies that Are Working
Bio: As VP and Mobile Practice Leader for Merkle, Michael works with many of the company’s blue-chip clients to develop mobile engagement strategies and solutions. Prior to Merkle, Mike was VP of Creative and Strategy for iLoop, a premier mobile marketing firm focused on assisting marketers, digital agencies and other entities create effective mobile marketing strategies and user experiences. At iLoop, Mike helped Sony, Paramount, Coca Cola, Quicksilver, P&G, Vans, Western Union, Live Nation, Warner, Lexus and many others forge compelling strategies for their mobile marketing initiatives. Mike also helped develop a comprehensive mobile marketing strategy for President Obama’s election campaign – an effort that helped the campaign earn recognition as the 2008 Mobile Marketer of the Year. Earlier, Mike oversaw Volantis Systems’ Content Services business and helped clients such as ABC (Oscars), WWE, CBS Mobile, Disney, Discovery, EBay, Financial Times, Reuters, Hearst, and others tap into the power of mobile.   

Brian Simpson, Assistant Director of Food & Beverage & Social Hospitality, The Roger Smith Hotel
Roundtable Topic:  Why Checking in Leads to Handshakes
Bio: Brian Simpson is currently the Assistant Food & Beverage Director at The Roger Smith Hotel, NYC. Brian brings over thirty years of hospitality to the hotel. In 2008, Brian moved to NYC from Boston to be one of the opening managers at The Plaza Hotel, an iconic landmark known around the world. In May of 2008 Brian was diagnosed with thirteen tumors on his spine, he used Twitter to get through six months of exhaustive chemotherapy. With a heightened sense of the Twitter community, Brian left The Plaza in search of a hotel ready to embrace Social Media or Social Hospitality, as he calls it. Brian became the front man in converting, engaging and following up with guests via Twitter at The Roger Smith Hotel. His efforts have helped change the way the Hotel approaches customer service and sales.