Marketing Nation Summit

Instant Insights Lab attended this year's Marketing Nation Summit in Las Vegas, hosted by Marketo. This conference featured an incredible lineup of speakers such as Arianna Huffington and Salman Khan, countless companies on the cutting-edge of digital marketing, and best of all, a massive amount of inspiring marketers and innovators in attendance. And, it didn't hurt that John Legend performed either!

The summit not only exposed our team to the most innovative products and services in digital marketing, but also immersed us in today's community of thought-leaders and change-makers. Innovation is infectious, and lucky for us, it's in our own backyard! When we aren't busy connecting with consumers, we are on the hunt for opportunities to learn and grow.

Game Night Showdown

Looking to stay in with just you, and your significant... video game console? Well, if you're looking to get your game on, and fit some social time in, enter: the magical place where you can play games and sip your beverage of choice among fellow gamers. This adult playground is a goldmine of endless fun with two bars, and more tvs than your local Best Buy. Located in SOMA, the Foundary is a bar that transforms into a gaming temple on Tuesday and Thursday nights. Showdown hosts the game night event, offering a wide array of classic games like Nintendo 64, and has Street Fighter tournaments projected onto the wall. You can find every video game and console under-the-sun, PC computers and games, and Rock Band at The Foundary. Need a quick break from the virtual world? For those rare moments. there is a card game area where you're welcome to sit down with a beer and new friends.

Our team spoke to several participants, including Showdown member Jessee. Jessee has been apart of the marketing team at Showdown for about 5 months. He has a strong passion for gaming and takes pleasure in providing San Francisco a quality gaming outlet.

We asked Jesse which brand best represents him, and his response did not disappoint! We'll see you soon Jesse, thanks for an awesome time!

“IGN Entertainment because, like IGN, we [SHOWDOWN] are all about celebrating everything gaming. Our SHOWDOWN team embraces the culture of gaming and we enjoy seeing others do the same. ”

— Jesse

Game Developer Con

When gaming enthusiasts and developers come together, magic happens. The passion for games was palpable this year at the Gamer Developers Conference! Nothing captivates us more than talking to people who are engaged, passionate, and open to sharing their in-depth thoughts. To all we spoke to, thanks for letting us into your world of virtual reality.

Dreamforce

The annual Dreamforce convention was hosted by Salesforce and held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco this year. Introducing new products and the latest cloud computing software has historically served as the main purpose behind the Dreamforce convention, however, its focus has since evolved into a four day event full of tech industry activities. Dreamforce presents insightful workshops, guest speakers from around the globe, networking opportunities, and an overall great time here in San Francisco.

Halo Launch

Game on. We sent our most experienced tactical unit to infiltrate the event in order to extract the plan and expose any threats while covering the Halo launch in Disneyland. 

The line to enter was long and you'd suspect it was due to the younglings' unwavering need to meet Mickey, but it was actually the release of the new Halo V. Halo V, the latest game in the series, is no joking matter for many hardcore Xbox gamers. Jumping into the hype and buzz around the release, Halo V Guardians managed to speak with Halo fans of all ages, steadfastly making their way to the closest video game store in hopes of snagging themselves a copy to own. 

Our team set out to see what all the commotion was surrounding the release of such a popular game. Using our company tablets, we went out to ask a few questions regarding the new Halo. We were excited to be able to speak to a few Xbox gamers and hear what was their favorite feature of Halo V Guardians.

“I’m glad Halo is adding more realistic features to the game, like being able to hang onto ledges. Pretty cool. I also am excited to see the new maps”

“I’m excited to see how the smart scope works. It is a way for you to better see your opponents or enemies in battle. I definitely will be using it a lot.”

— Consumer comments