iM@, Inc. selected by The New York Times for mobile show guide and messaging at the 2011 New York Times Travel Show, February 25 – 27, 2011 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center

WESTPORT, CT, January 27, 2011 – iM@, Inc. (pron. “I’m at”), a mobile media and technology firm based in Westport, CT announced this week that The New York Times has contracted iM@ to develop a “mobile expo guide” and messaging program for their eighth annual New York Times Travel Show, to be held Feb. 25 to 27, 2011, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.

In cooperation with The New York Times, and MSE Management, Inc., iM@ has developed a slate of mobile advertising and sponsorship opportunities which will allow exhibitors to highlight their offerings, while connecting with attendees on the show floor.

The NY Times goals are:

1. Provide a convenient immediate source of event info for their attendees including schedules, sponsors, exhibitor directory, special events, floor plan maps, local NYC info, etc.,

 

2. Provide exhibitors and sponsors with a mechanism through which to communicate their value proposition and to encourage attendees to visit their booths,

 

3. Generate significant incremental ancillary revenue from exhibitors and sponsors,

 

4. And offer a “greener” alternative to printed event booklets.

With over 500 exhibitors, and 24,000 consumers and travel agents at the event, the NY Times needed a company that could provide the technology, content management / origination, the marketing support, and sponsorship sales on a turnkey basis. In addition to its a sophisticated proprietary mobile content management and messaging system, the iM@ team, with its media, tradeshow and tourism industry pedigrees, provides a complete solution rather than simply licensing a technology platform and leaving the show organizer to do all the work themselves.

Whether it is building and managing an opt-in database for messaging, designing media kit materials, aggregating event content or actually handling the sales of mobile exhibitor and sponsorship programs, iM@ offers a one stop source. That was appealing to the New York Times, and their event management partner, MSE Management Inc.

For exhibitors and sponsors, the major challenge is attracting and engaging with as many potential customers as possible before, during and after the show. iM@’s on-site mobile messaging program offers them the opportunity to literally reach out and grab attendees on the show floor and pull them into their booths.

To reach users and engage attendees, The NY Times is leveraging a number of consumer “touch points”:

• First, on the show website (http://nyttravelshow.com) are banners and links that promote the mobile guide, and offer web and text opt in channels.

 

• Second, they are doing email blasts to attendees and past attendees. These also have calls to action with links to opt-in landing pages we administer (http://register.imatmobile.com).

 

• Third, the mobile program is integrated right into the online attendee booking process, providing a seamless one-step, opt-in process.

 

• Fourth, there will be significant on-site promotion and announcements encouraging attendees to opt-in via a simple text message.

 

• Finally, the iM@ platform provides a peer2peer “share” feature so that anyone can forward the entire app, or simply forward a specific page of content (an offer or an exhibitor profile) to a friend or colleague.

Because of variety of access points and promotional opportunities, and the fact the application that will run on any smart phone, iM@ has seen usage and opt-in rates as high as 75%.

For more information visit www.imatmobile.com or call Kerry Cannon at 203-221-2782.