Client

Symantec

Situation

Symantec sought to transition its annual Government IT Symposium from a single vendor, product-focused event to a broad-based public/private collaborative thought leadership and peer networking center.

Challenges

• Develop and execute the premier government industry IT security and management event
• Position Symantec as a thought leader and valued partner in the government IT security community
• Drive more than 600 qualified attendees to the event

Solution

O'Keeffe & Company took a five pronged approach to develop and execute the event:

• Advisory Group: Engaged an advisory group, composed of government and industry representatives, to help shape the program and drive attendance
• Program: Developed six program tracks; included a mix of government and industry speakers
• Attendee marketing: Used both push and pull strategies – public relations, microsite development, e-mail marketing, social media, and grass roots campaigns – to generate interest in, and registrations for the event
• Sponsorship sales: Drove home importance of public/private partnership; gave industry sponsors the opportunity to participate in shaping the event content. Worked closely with industry sponsors to launch an integrated e-mail marketing campaign
• Logistics: Focused on precise execution and project management

Results

• Secured 1357 pre-registrants
• Grew speaker faculty to 83(43 from government) – 29 more than 2008
• Increased attendees from approximately 928 in 2008 to 1,031 in 2009(including 168 onsite registrants) – an 11% increase
• Effectively positioned Symantec as a thought leader – attendees rated the event a 4.5 on a scale of one to five