Public Relations, Advertising & Social Media

Sometimes there’s a product or service that seems outrageous but for some reason, the public falls in love with it. A recent example is the selfie stick.

The stick itself is part of a larger trend of people taking selfies, and Tourism Australia is taking advantage in its new “The GIGA Selfie” campaign.

The oversized selfie service is part of the upcoming campaign that’s trying to attract more Japanese tourists to Australia (the Japanese market is Australia’s sixth largest in terms of tourists). Tourists stand on a specific spot and use an app to set off a distant camera. Afterward they can download a short video that begins as a closeup but expands to reveal the surroundings.

This weekend will be the first opportunity for tourists to take the highly anticipated selfie. Future locations will be announced through social media outlets.

For companies, there’s no shame in jumping on the bandwagon in your marketing campaigns. Not only will the public be aware of the trend, but they may be more willing to use it.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 18, 2015

Contact:
Molly Walsh
608-616-0840
molly@forwardfest.org

Annual Forward Festival to Highlight Inclusiveness

(MADISON, Wis.)—The sixth annual Forward Festival, taking place Aug. 20-27 in various locations in the city, will feature events for entrepreneurs, foodies, music lovers and now parents, organizers announced today.

“We’re looking forward to showcasing the incredible evolution of innovation around Madison at this year’s festival,” Bryan Chan, festival co-founder and president of SupraNet Communications, said. “We’re excited to include a wide range of entrepreneurs in different ages and industries while also focusing on the challenges families and parents of entrepreneurs face. Therefore, this year we will be providing free childcare all day at the Forward Technology Conference.”

The festival’s main event is the aforementioned Forward Technology Conference (Aug. 25), which is now paired with the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce’s neXXpo and Pressure Chamber events. Kevin Conroy, President of Exact Sciences, and Josh Levs, a CNN reporter, will be the keynote speakers.

Other highlights of the festival include the Edible Startup Summit (Aug. 24), the annual Madison Ruby Conference (Aug. 21-22) and the inaugural Parentpreneur Night (Aug. 21), an event to connect entrepreneurs who seek work-life balance.

Originally started in 2010, the Forward Festival was created by Chan, Nathan Lustig of Magma Partners and Matt Younkle of Murfie to bring together professionals from a wide range of disciplines. That is evident in events such as the Social Good Summit (Aug. 20), Yum Yum Fest (Aug. 23) and Cool Jazz with the Badger Fund (Aug. 26).

For a detailed listing of events taking place during the Forward Festival, please visit www.forwardfest.org.

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Resulting media coverage:

In Business Magazine (Aug. 11, 2015): “Forward Fest highlights the best of Madison’s entrepreneurial spirit”
The Capital Times (Aug. 17, 2015): “Forward Festival to feature new Social Good Summit, return of Edible Startup Summit”
NBC-15 (Aug. 17, 2015): “Forward Festival Preview”
WKOW – 27 (Aug. 18, 2015): “Forward Festival celebrates innovation and entrepreneurship”
Madison Startups (Aug. 19, 2015): “2015 Forward Festival Preview”
The Isthmus (Aug. 19, 2015): “Double duty”
Wisconsin State Journal (Aug. 20, 2015): “Forward Festival kicks off Thursday”
WISC-TV News 3 (Aug. 20, 2015) ““Festival promotes entrepreneurialism in Madison”
The Capital Times (Aug. 21, 2015): “Social Good Summit kicks off Forward Festival, focuses on inequality in Madison”