After a successful inaugural event last year, Word UP! is back with more to share about Word of Mouth Marketing. Once again we are partnering with WOMMA (Word of Mouth Marketing Association). New this year is our awards program where we’ll take the time to honor some of Canada’s best companies offering WOM services and companies who utilize WOM in their marketing efforts.

Pinny Gniwisch - Ice.com - "How to use YouYube to advance your Brand"

Darren Barefoot - Capulet Communications - Everyone loves the viral videos! How do you make video memes which connect with your target market and drive traffic to your site? How do you promote these videos in a responsible, conversational way? How do you measure your results? Darren Barefoot presents a case study on a non-lame video campaign and tips on how to make your video memes viral instead of just sick.

Brady Gilchrist - Fuel Industries - Infrastructure of connection - "The meaning of the mechanisms" A focused on consumer understanding, and addresses the question: “What are people trying to accomplish through social networks?” - Overview of technical aspects, implementation for campaigns, psychology - Look at real world examples: Digg, Facebook, Google Reader, Blogging, other social enablers - Why are they important and why they appeal

Malcolm Faulds - BzzAgent - “Everything they didn’t teach you in WOM school” - In this engaging discussion, BzzAgent VP of Media Services Malcolm Faulds will provide attendees with a working knowledge of the word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing industry. The session will begin with Faulds employing real world examples to define not only WOM, but also all of the marketing techniques often confused with true WOM. Audience members will then learn how to employ WOM techniques for their products and services, as well as how to measure results. The case-study-rich presentation will include such topics as “five paths to WOM” and the most common benefits of WOM.

Lauren Ackerman - Matchstick (BIO) - "Low-Involvement Products Can Generate WOM" - It is often assumed that high involvement categories such as technology and automotive are the subject of all the word of mouth conversations taking place. Hasn’t everyone been talking lately about the iPhone phenomenon? Traditionally these are considered “sexy” products – worthy of consumer to consumer conversations. But what about the consumer packaged goods category – do people genuinely have conversations about a product that costs $2.99? Are the word of mouth conversations different for a CPG product versus a product from the automotive, technology or beverage alcohol category? Lauren will share insight into the practice of word of mouth and Influencer Product Seeding programs. As well she will key learnings on how and why word of mouth works for low-involvement CPG products .

Janet Eden-Harris, Umbria Inc. (BIO) & Mike Waite, MarketTools (BIO) - The blogosphere is brimming with consumer opinions, perceptions and sentiments, but how can you listen to these online conversations and transform your insights into targeted and creative marketing tactics? In this session, Umbria and MarketTools will detail a program for Del Monte Pet Products that included tapping into online social chatter and then designing marketing programs that feeds back into the social universe. You’ll hear how new blogosphere analysis technologies allowed Del Monte to deeply understand the needs of pet owners – even deciphering how different age generations talk about their pets – and how those revelations led to the ILoveDogs online community, revamped Del Monte Pet Products messaging and new product and distribution concepts.

** Interested in bring your clients or team members of 4 or more - contact us for discount rates.

*** 5% cancellation fee will be applied upon minimum 48 hours notice