News
Jul 12, 2018
Effective today, etouches will be known as Aventri.
The name Aventri is a result of three ideas; avenue, events, and entry. The rebrand combines these three elements as part of the company’s continuing effort to transform the event experience through products, people and innovation.
Aventri’s new tagline “Connect Better” reflects the company’s mission to foster deeper relationships with event, meeting and strategic marketing professionals and enable them to create deeper and more meaningful relationships with their own networks.
“Our rebranding project was ignited by the desire to take our… more
Jul 10, 2018
Marriott International has purchased the 1,000-room Sheraton Grand Phoenix hotel for $255 million. The property is slated for a significant renovation designed to transform it into a model for the revamped Sheraton brand. Marriott acquired Sheraton as part of the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide purchase in Sept. 2016.
In early June, Marriott International revealed its comprehensive transformation strategy for the Sheraton brand, building a 4,200 square foot vignette at the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference in New York.
The new brand strategy is focused on… more
Jul 09, 2018
Many corporate event professionals work either within or very closely with the marketing department. Yet there often is not a lot of cross-training provided to help event managers who are not directly responsible for marketing operations learn the processes and terminology involved.
Event marketers who understand the other marketing functions within their organizations are not only more effective, but are also better positioned for career advancement.
Liz Lathan, founder of Corporate Event Marketer, aims to make it easier for event professionals to get that education. She was inspired to… more
Jul 06, 2018
MCI has added the Middle East-based ONE Communications and Marketing Group (ONE CMG) to its portfolio of brands.
ONE CMG is formed of industry leading agencies across advertising and brand communications, digital marketing, content marketing and video production, public relations, events and publishing. The acquisition brings Turret Media, Saluki Media, tmh, ONE PR and ONE Digital under the MCI umbrella.
Ajay Bhojwani, managing director of MCI Middle East, believes that the collaboration with ONE CMG will further strengthen MCI’s presence within the region.
“It not only increases our… more
Jul 05, 2018
The Kimpton brand has expanded its footprint to Toronto. The 14-story contemporary Kimpton Saint George hotel opened its doors on Jun. 19. The new property features 188 guest rooms, including 20 suites and a Presidential Suite.
"We are thrilled to bring our uniquely personal and authentic boutique hotel experience to Toronto,” said Bertrand Mangeot, general manager of Kimpton Saint George.
The hotel features original works of art by Canadian artists. A hand-painted owl mural by renowned Toronto street artist, Birdo, graces the exterior of the property. In the reception area, an original… more
Jul 03, 2018
Holistic events cloud, Bizzabo, which enables B2B events throughout the globe, has processed more than $100 million in gross paid registrations for its customers, with $47 million of the total ticket sales taking place in the past six months alone.
The company’s major growth milestone also coincides with recent news that Bizzabo has exceeded annual recurring revenue by more than 200 percent in size over the past year, demonstrating growth both in the company and the market demand for its Events Cloud, designed to manage professional events from end-to-end.
“Marketing leaders continue to… more
Jul 02, 2018
Rosen Hotels & Resorts in Orlando has rebranded the Red Roof Inn at International Drive hotel. The newly refurbished 134-room hotel is now known as Midpointe Hotel Orlando Convention Center.
Rosen acquired the former Red Roof Inn, along with the 222-room Clarion Inn & Suites at International Drive, in late 2017.
Midpointe Hotel's new name signifies its location midway between Orlando's tourist destinations and attractions. Located across the street from the Orange County Convention Center and next to the 1334-room Rosen Centre convention property, Midpointe expands the guestroom… more
Jun 29, 2018
Consumers get to have all the fun. Business-to-consumer (B2C) events are festivals filled with entertainment, giveaways and memorable experiences, while business-to-business (B2B) events are all buttoned-up networking and deal-making. But, does it have to be that way?
“It’s commonly said that B2B marketing events are about long-term relationship building, whereas B2C events are about prompting a purchase,” said Leigh Long, head of marketing at The XD Agency. “That argument tells us that the two are distinct disciplines that need to be approached entirely differently, but that’s a fallacy.”… more
Jun 28, 2018
Video creation, management and streaming solutions provider, Sonic Foundry, has launched Mediasite Connect, a secure online YouTube-type portal designed to provide everything event marketers need for a successful online event experience, including e-commerce tools, live chat, registration and social streaming.
Designed to be an out-of-the-box, one-stop-shop solution, Mediasite Connect’s secure online portal allows remote event attendees to register, pay for, watch, engage with and share video content with ease.
“Using streaming video to engage in-person and remote attendees is important,… more
Jun 27, 2018
Oklahoma City is gearing up to welcome a brand new convention center. On June 15, officials from the Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau (OKC CVB), local civic leaders and other dignitaries gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking for the $288 million Oklahoma City Convention Center, which will open debt-free in 2020.
“This is a great day for Oklahoma City,” said Mike Carrier, OKC CVB president. “This totally new convention center marks a significant milestone in OKC’s commitment to the meetings and convention industry.”
Designed by the architecture and design firms of Populous… more
Partner Voices
Just when it seems like Las Vegas can’t get any bigger, brighter or more exciting for groups, MGM Resorts raises the bar again. The company continues to invest and innovate across its portfolio of Las Vegas resorts, with new attractions and upgraded experiences for attendees of all interests.
Remodeled Guest Rooms
MGM Grand is the largest single hotel in the world with over 5,000 guest rooms and an 850,000-square-foot conference center. It is home to the newly remodeled MGM Grand Studio Tower—700 reimagined guest rooms with a fun mid-century vibe. Nearby, the iconic New York-New York Las more