360DigitalInfluence

Along with a group of 11 diverse consumer tech influencers, Ogilvy PR worked with our client Intel recently to host a day-long visit to the company’s Santa Clara headquarters that included conversations about the digital divide, the latest in mobile technology, eco-computing, and more. The “Upgrade Your Life” event participants, who are prolific gadget and performance content creators, talked with Intel’s executive leadership about ways that technology is improving the lives of women and girls globally.

Photo by Intel’s Ken Kaplan.

Many of our ongoing conversations have focused on the importance of usability to the participants, including ComputerShopper’s Sarah Anderson, Tekzilla’s Veronica Belmont, TechMamas’ Beth Blecherman, CBS’ Natali DelConte, TechieDiva’s Gina Hughes,  Manic Mommies’ Erin Kane, PopGadget’s Mia Kim, This Week in Fun’s Sarah Lane, ChipChick’s Helena Stone, Geek Girlfriends’ Christina Tynan-Wood, and .51’s Maria Webster. (When blogging about the event, “which introduced some [of] us geeky girl bloggers to the brilliant female minds at Intel,” Christina Tynan-Wood called it “the coolest, most inspiring group of geeky women and bloggers I have ever seen gathered together in one place.”)

I was impressed by the myriad community and gadget sites, columns, and shows that the participants create and was excited to talk with them about the current and long-term implications of consumer technology. In asking about their communities’ interests, we heard that their readers want trustworthy reviews and information about products that address their technical and communication needs. The main take-aways the event provided our West Coast Digital Influence team with include:

• Make it easy for people to talk to you. We worked to open honest discussions about technical research efforts and invited participants to talk about the day’s programming using the #IntelUpgrade Twitter hashtag and the “Intel Upgrade” naming convention. Tweet and tag photos they did, as can be seen in the large amount of dialogue that resulted from participants’ observations and their followers’ reactions. On-site conversations were frequently retweeted and expanded upon with community feedback, including a message from Sarah Lane about Corporate Marketing Group general manager Deborah Conrad’s talk Intel’s marketing and messaging: “@sarahlane: ‘Our processor names are COMPLETELY CONFUSING. And it’s our fault. We’re working to fix that.’ (thx Intel, happy to hear it) #intelupgrade.”

• Be transparent. Intel provided sample disclaimer language to participants and encouraged them to be clear about the fact that the company provided their travel and accommodations but that their participation was not part of a monetary relationship. We selected the participants based on their relevant content and were eager to hear their thoughts on processor technology, but they are absolutely free to write anything they want about Intel events and products (including the Dell Intel Atom-based netbook and HD Flip camera they received as an acknowledgment of their time and travel). The participants were clear in posting on their sites and used their own disclaimer wording, such as Belmont’s: “Disclaimer: Intel did house and feed us for the trip, but we’re obviously not required to write about the event. I just had a really great time meeting and networking with like-minded women and getting to hear their perspectives on the industry.”

• Create a situation that’s comfortable and compelling. By providing group dinners and opportunities for the participants to learn from each other, we tried to create a mix of programming that was educational and fun. Hands-on mobility demos were balanced with presentations about Intel’s education and ethnography work around the globe. We’re seeking feedback from the participants about their experience, but the initial reactions on the Twittersphere were positive: “@miakim: Just met my tech hero, Genevieve Bell! So great to be surrounded by so many tech women. #intelupgrade.”