GE Wired Nextfest Day Attracts 24,000 People

GE came to Peppercom to help organize and promote its sponsorship of Wired NextFest, a first-of-its-kind, three-day festival held in San Francisco to showcase innovations created by individuals and research labs. Peppercom was asked to ensure optimal attendance at NextFext, while also increase awareness of GE's presence in San Francisco, an increasingly important market for the company.

Peppercom's strategy began by announcing the festival through co-branded GE and Wired signage, promotional giveaways, displays and video/audio installations showcased during a sold-out San Francisco Giants home game. Peppercom then placed NextFest information booths in the area to engage consumers directly by exposing them to some of the festival prototypes, such as flying cars, humanoid robots and transparent clothing.

Our media strategy included offering exclusive interviews with GE CEO Jeff Immelt to key local media such as the San Francisco Chronicle and KNTV (NBC-11). Then, we set up background interviews between key local technology journalists and GE's Chief of Global Research & Development, Scott Donnelly, in order to establish him as the Voice of GE Innovation.

GE and Wired NextFest Day helped drive more than 24,500 attendees to the festival, double what had been projected. Scott Donnelly attended backgrounders with senior technology editors at both Newsweek and the Financial Times. Media coverage included a 3-minute interview with Immelt on NBC-11 and an exclusive Sunday Business profile in the Chronicle.