Deb Holliday recently helped to plan a “Media Day” for one of our clients; her take on why this event is so important is below!

This year marked the fifth anniversary of Abbott Medical Optics, Inc.’s Media Day. While each one has been extremely successful and worthwhile for all those involved, this one will go down in the books as a standout for both Abbott and for the publication representatives in attendance.

What is Media Day? Media Day provides the opportunity for the company to present an overview of key clinical data, the latest product information and insight on key industry issues to the media given by a panel of leading clinicians and executives...all in one place. It also gives the media, the AMO marketing teams, and PC the chance to build relationships in more intimate setting than is possible at the large ophthalmology and optometric congresses.

Following each year’s event, Pascale has sent out a survey to each member of the media who attended, soliciting their feedback and suggestions. Every year we hear that our Media Day is the best in the industry. Always wanting to build on that success, we strive to incorporate the publication’s wish list in planning the next Media Day. The resounding request after the 2008 event was that we hold this year’s somewhere on the east coast. In previous years, it has been held in the California headquarters of AMO and in Aspen, CO.

With the economy being what it is in 2009, we recommended to our team at AMO that this would be a great year to have the event in the majority of the Publications’ backyards. Almost all of the trade publications are based in Philadelphia, Cleveland, New York, and New Jersey. AMO wholeheartedly agreed; this year it was held in Philadelphia and we had an amazing turnout; over 40 media representatives were in attendance.

AMO relied on us to do the early-stage event planning, such as choosing the hotel and restaurants. We researched the possibilities, including asking our media friends in Philly to suggest some venues. PC always plays a key role in all planning and management of the event, and, of course, garners great press from the event every year.

Georgette and I were both onsite and could not be more pleased to report that AMO Media Day went very well and the feedback has been phenomenal! The publications teams truly appreciated AMO’s willingness to “take the show on the road.” Most importantly, we have been able to confirm a slew of articles in progress, based on the product information and new data presented.