Engage! Conference and Expo® 2011

Now in its 5th year, the Engage! Conference and Expo® 2011 takes place February 15-16, 2011 at the Javits Convention Center in engage conferenceNew York City. Focused on how the toy industry can reach the constantly connected consumer, Engage! 2011 provides insight into the latest strategies, technologies and techniques.

The co-location of Engage! Expo and partnership with the American International Toy Fair -- the largest toy and youth product exhibition in the Western Hemisphere -- offers a who’s who of leading companies focused on the burgeoning youth market to join in on the discussion.

The show is a ‘must-attend’ event for entertainment and media companies looking to compete in the digital space. The proliferation of new devices and services allowing consumers to be “always on” creates a new set of challenges for companies eager to have an impact with consumers.

This year there are new speakers from Playdom, Whistlebox, Zhu Zhu Pets, PlayFirst, Digital Chocolate, Ogmento, Gazillion among others. And there are 34 speakers from Mattel, Zynga, Hasbro, Disney, Sears, Sesame Workshop, National Geographic, Cartoon Network and others scheduled as well:

Here is a short sampling of some of the confirmed speakers and the topics they will be covering:

Other confirmed Engage! speakers --  a who’s who of experts in the fields of social games, children’s entertainment, virtual worlds, mobile apps,  market research and online and retail-based marketing -- will include the following stellar individuals:

This show is also the culmination of the launch of the new show web site which includes descriptions of the confirmed sessions and speakers. Get a strong sense of what things will look like including the following topics and themes.

Below is a sampling of several panels and discussions taking place:

February 15, 2010 – 2:30 – 3:30 pm – Room 4
Augmented Reality – State of the Market
This session will examine the the state of Augmented Reality (AR). Speakers will discuss the various platforms and applications.  New and emerging platforms and trends will also be discussed. This session will also provide an overview of AR, including examples of some successful AR executions used with entertainment industries, marketing and toys and games.
Ori Inbar, CEO, Co-Founder, Ogmento
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February 15, 2010 – 3:45 – 4:45 pm – Room 4
Want to Play? How Augmented Reality is Transforming Play Patterns and Enriching Brand Experiences
True to its name, augmented reality “fills in.”  It adds context.  It brings existing toys and games – from books to board games to durables and more – into another dimension, by adding elements that aren’t necessarily visible: character backstory, distinct time and place, new wrinkles in the narrative.  Adding AR enhances play patterns, extends engagement and expands the overall experience – for the child, but also for the brand.  Married to a game engine, AR plugs into various other digital components and the social web.
Greg Davis, North America General Manager, Total Immersion
Matthew Szymczyk, CEO and founder, Zugara
Chas Mastin, CTO, Whistlebox

February 16, 2010 – 11:00 – 12:00pm – Room 4
Defining your LBS Strategy, What does ROI mean to you?
This session will help you ID your goals and strategies using Location Based Marketing. Look at prior considerations from established players and hear planning that worked and planning that didn’t. What opportunities do Location Based Marketing hold over other, more established, media formats. How do you insure that your campaigns quantified and verified. What does ROI mean to you?
Joshua Karpf, Senior Manager, Digital Media Communications, PepsiCo
Allison Mooney, Vice President, Emerging Trends, Mobile Behavior

February 16, 2010 – 1:00 – 2:00pm – Room 4
Mobile Augmented Reality – Business Models
It may be fun and entertaining with a gee wiz feel but how do you make money using AR today.  Most consumer AR is primarily app based.  This session will take a look at the business models and ROI of today’s AR applications.
Chris Grayson, Director of Digital at Humble.Tv.

For more info go to: http://www.engageexpo.com/

the Engage! Conference and Expo® 2011
February 15-16, 2011
Javits Convention Center

New York City