Every year, CTAM (Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing) hosts The Summit, the association’s conference where cable television professionals can gain powerful insights and ideas from the best and brightest minds in the industry.

CTAM is a non-profit association that provides education, recognition, and networking opportunities, as well as manages cooperative marketing initiatives for cable companies, content providers, and others who supply products and services to the cable industry.

What was going on

With the rise in popularity of 3D TVs and social networking, CTAM had a great deal of topics to discuss, and a lively list of knowledgeable speakers. But due to the economy, cash-strapped companies were reluctant to attend. Additionally, another similar conference was added to the industry’s events circuit just before Summit, drawing senior-level people away from CTAM’s event.

What they needed

CTAM needed creative that would remind a diverse audience including cable television professionals in marketing and management, ad sales, product development and technology, as well as suppliers, agency executives, technology and hardware manufacturers, researchers, and press and communication personnel that Summit was the ultimate cable conference where they could learn how to utilize the very latest innovations and rub elbows with cable’s most powerful people.

What we did

Fuszion branded Summit as the industry’s premiere event, focusing on topics and key speakers. Consequentially, the creative zeroed in on the event itself, instead of the New Orleans destination. A powerful direct mailer promoting speakers and face-time events dropped early urging companies with tightened budgets to take advantage of the early bird registration discount. The direct mail was the just beginning of an integrated campaign that inspired people to attend.

• Creative and content was focused on the event itself, instead of the destination of New Orleans.
• Included supplied photography that best highlighted industry speakers, key attendees, and topics.
• A simple, yet memorable tagline spoke to key conference benefits: Connect. Innovate. Succeed. Icons were developed for each benefit and used as constant graphic elements across all pieces.
• The look and feel had to be professional, but also, capture the energy of the event. The idea also had to work across a variety of media including print, online, onsite materials, and more.

Results

With an unprecedented goal of 350 early bird registrations, CTAM reached 90% of its goal, a huge success considering the event had never had so many early bird registrations. In the two months prior to the event, registrations performed 15% better than in 2009. CTAM nearly reached its goal of 1600 registrants, which refers to the number of people who registered for the event beforehand; and ultimately exceeded attendance goals. The conference was such a success that TV Week dubbed it as being “year in and year out the smartest event we attend.”