Author Archives: Kaitlyn White

SXSW Day 1: Get the party started

12th March 2011

I’ve survived SXSW day one, and considering the little planning time I have done thus far, I’d say it’s been pretty sucessful.

The largest takeaway for me so far has been it really is a huge party. We’re not just talking this type of party, but the kind where you can meet really cool people, all day long, with or without a drink in your hand. From new friends in the airport, to the free shuttle, to the taco truck and beyond, everyone is willing to chat and chances are they have something pretty interesting to share.

A few of my favorite tid bits from today:

Gowalla – Gowalla is taking is hometown to heart with a scavenger hunt in Austin. The location based app has reached out to local businesses and given them passport stickers, similar to what you would find in the app, and has handed out paper passports for users to collect place them in. Find 15 before Monday and you’re in to their exclusive party.

Lifekraze – A fun startup based in Chattanooga, TN all about getting groups of people moving and spreading the motivation among friends. I found this really interesting for internal businesses or families looking to create group goals or incentives. Plus they were an entertaining group to hang out with.

Foursquare with Foursquare – Fun = playing real Foursquare with the people who work for Foursquare and then winning a super soft t-shirt for doing so.

Taco trucks – They are everywhere and pretty much all sponsored which equals free food, which we love. Today we stopped by Hashable’s truck and even found some QR code love with our food.

Golden ticket – Stacy is pretty awesome and managed to unlock the Foursquare Golden Ticket Badge. Only 1 of 1,000 to be unlocked this weekend, we can now attend the Big Boi concert Monday night, we’re pretty excited about this one. Oh, and for anyone who might be worried, it starts around 10, so we won’t miss the finale of the Bachelor.

5 Goals of a SXSW Newbie

4th March 2011

In one week from today, I’ll be heading west to Austin for the first time, for my first experience of SXSW. Thanks to a few veterans around the office here at Engauge I’ve been briefed on the do’s and don’ts, told the go-to spots, and registered for far too many after hours get-togethers.

In addition to their tips, I’ve put together a few of my goals for the week:

1. Be outgoing. I don’t have a problem in the slightest chatting with people I know well. Throw me in a room of strangers and I’m back in kindergarten again. I’m determined to fight this next week.

2. Keep business cards to myself. This might sound crazy, but with so many digital alternatives, the paper cards can stay in Atlanta. A few of my favorites, Contxts and Hashable.

3. Pack light. It’s no secret Texas is hot and humid in the Spring. This means Chacos, dresses and tanks. Considering I despise winter, this shouldn’t be too hard to do.

4. Blog daily. This will be tough, but I’m being sent to Austin to learn and share the knowledge, I’m making this daily homework for myself.

5. Plan accordingly. Or maybe lack there of, but with the help of a few tools, I’ll be hoping to keep my schedule locked in one place. A few of the tools I’m looking forward to checking out: Beluga, Sched.org, sitby.us and Planely.

So the countdown is underway. Let’s just go ahead and rename this grown up version of spring break. Have a tip or suggestion for a SXSW newbie? Share in the comments.

DIG: This Podcast: Wildfire Marketing and Interactive Promotions

24th February 2011

Running a promotion within social can get complicated fast. From guidelines between networks to development and budget, the requirements alone can be daunting.

Last week, Stacy Cohen and I were give the opportunity to chat on the DIG: This Podcast with Wildfire’s Senior Vice President Derek Draper and Southeastern Senior Account Executive Christien Louviere.

Wildfire is a marketing and interactive promotion platform which allows brands to quickly build & launch social media marketing campaigns within minutes. Campaign formats include quizzes, contests, coupons, virtual gifts and more.

As one of the first preferred developers of Facebook, Wildfire’s unique relationships with social media platforms allow for deep integration and successful campaigns from the moment they launch.

Listen in over on the DIG: This Podcast page as we learn more about the platform, its capabilities and where the team is heading in the future.