What exactly IS a Social Media Lounge?

A Branding & Buzzing Social Media Lounge is a destination for invited Traditional and New Media where they can engage with their audiences, conduct interviews and to have exclusive access to the Social Media Lounge’s sponsoring brands and partners.

[FAST STATS]

35K + Attendees

500 + Media Attendees

250 + Traditional Media Hits

200+ Blog Posts

For the past three years, we have run the Toronto’s Festival of Beer’s Social Media Lounge, and we’re proud to be going into our 4th year this July. In this space, you’ll find a step and repeat for grabbing grins, stylish furniture, premium swag, and of course a bar to snag a brew or two. Guests can kick back and relax while they chat with exhibitors, bands, brewmasters, celebrity chefs and VIP all the while sampling the brands and tweeting.

The Sheepdogs interviewed by ET Canada

Tweet Pins are handed out to everyone at lounge check-in and as well as designated times throughout the festival to exhibitors and attendees.  This button can be seen pinned on hats, t-shits, promotional items, lanards and if you look carefully you can spot them on belts and shoes.  They carry the @TOBeerFestival Twitter handle and the official #BeerMe hashtag.

Casey Stewart, Social Influencer (left)

Even though the Social Media Lounge is invite only, this does not mean a brand’s message will stop at the ropes on their way out, it simply means that the Influencers inside are seasoned to curate the conversation on behalf of your brand to their many followers and their followers’ followers.

McClure’s Pickles Sponsor

In 2011, Grolsch was the lounge’s exclusive beer sponsor and quickly spotted this as an opportunity to launch their “Make Your Mark” campaign.  They rolled up their banner, set up a camera and baited guests with a $10,000 prize by getting them to tell everyone what they would do with the money.  Celebrity Chef, BBQ Guru and Cookbook Author, Ted Reader grabbed the iconic swing-top cap bottle, looked straight into the lense and said he’d give it all to his favourite charity, Camp Bucko. We used Social Media and the festival followers to drive voting and when the last vote was tallied, Ted was announced the winner.

BBQ Guru & Cookbook Author, Ted Reader participating in Grolsch “Make Your Mark” campaign within the lounge

Prior to attending the festival, we provide the media with a Social Media Toolbox, which includes festival information, all activations that will be happening, brands and sponsorships. This toolbox helps them prepare and gives them a purpose once they’ve arrived in the Social Media Lounge; who they can interview, what chef they can watch, what food they can eat and what beer they can drink etc. They will be all set with a game plan and ready to share upon entering the festival grounds.

Social Influencers busy tweeting

Chef Tawfik Shehata

Even if YOU don’t use Social Media, others do and we guarantee to keep your brand talking at the event and beyond.  We talked so much that we trended throughout the 3-day festival despite fierce competition with the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.