Case Studies

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Find out how Link Strategy Group has helped leading global companies make new connections to grow their businesses.

leadership
montgomery-summit-logo-case-study

Overview

An invitation only-event, The Montgomery Summit gathers entrepreneurs, investors, and leading executives each spring in Santa Monica, CA to discover the most important innovations in the business of technology. It is the top professional destination for entrepreneurs, growth company executives, global investment professionals, and industry executives. The Montgomery Summit hosts approximately 1,200 senior-level influencers and decision-makers from top companies and firms in investment and technology.

Presenting companies have included Facebook, Dropbox, Twitter and Oculus.  Attendees are Partners and Managing Directors from firms like Kleiner Perkins, Sequoia Capital, Matrix and Pritzker, and keynote sessions have come from John Chambers, Eric Schmidt, Beth Comstock, Jessica Alba and Deepak Chopra among others.

The Objective

Develop a strategic partnership program for the technology industry’s leading event that gathers an audience of CEOs, founders, entrepreneurs and investors. Integrate innovative and disruptive partners and speakers who provide The Montgomery Summit community with exclusive insight into the trends and future of the technology industry.

The Results:

  • Developed structured partnership program at the 2015 and 2016 Montgomery Summit events
  • Introduced partners, including Audi, ADP, Amazon Web Services, Sharp Electronics and AB-InBev, among others
  • Integrated ADP into the Female Founders program, highlighting leading female entrepreneurs/investors in technology
  • Featured the first public launch and test-drive for Audi’s e-tron electric vehicle
  • Secured speakers, including John Chambers (Cisco), Andy Jassy (Amazon Web Services), as well as founders of emerging technology companies

conferences

Overview

microsoftEach year, Microsoft brings together top technology leaders from around the world at the Global CIO Summit and Global Accounts Summit to explore the top trends that are shaping IT, the CIO role, and broader global business. Through conversations, best practice sharing and interactive workshops, the summits are designed to help CIOs address many of the key technology and business challenges they face in the global marketplace.

The Objective

Manage and evolve Microsoft’s two premier global CIO conferences – the Global CIO Summit and Global Accounts Summit – to create deeper relationships with top CIOs and further position Microsoft as a global partner and thought leader in the technology space.

The Results

  • Achieved record attendance at both summits
  • Mixed Microsoft marketing content with external CIO-focused content to create learning and idea exchange opportunities among attendees
  • Encouraged peer-level best practice sharing by including many attending CIOs as speakers in the program, along with global leaders including Bill McDermott (SAP), Steve Ballmer (Microsoft), Sir Ken Robinson (Author), Hans Rosling (Gapminder Foundation) and Dan Pink (Author)
  • Improved favorability and satisfaction scores for Microsoft among CIO attendees

consulting

Overview

lavazza-case-studySince 1895, Lavazza has been one of the top coffee brands and continues to expand globally. Link Consulting was hired by experiential agency Red Peg to work with Lavazza’s North American marketing leadership and agency account team on creative ways to elevate Lavazza’s brand presence and consumer impressions in the U.S. that complemented the brand’s existing sponsorship of Wimbledon.

The Objective

Provide expertise and leverage Link Strategy Group’s deep knowledge and relationships in professional tennis to evaluate, negotiate and secure exclusive commercial rights for Lavazza to partner with the US Open Tennis Championships.

The Results

Link Consulting helped secure an exclusive partnership with the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA), including key assets and rights that met Lavazza’s main objectives at an investment level well below what the rights holder was proposing.


luxury

Overview

inspirato-case-studyInspirato with American Express is the world’s largest luxury destination club with over 13,500 members representing some of North America’s most affluent consumers. Inspirato’s global residences are private luxury vacation homes that are managed and controlled by Inspirato for exclusive member use. Inspirato members are able to test drive and engage with select in-residence products and amenities in a vacation environment where they are more receptive to partner brands.

The Objective

Create a partner strategy and implement a plan to showcase luxury brands to Inspirato’s affluent membership in a meaningful and integrated way.

The Results

  • Secured partnerships with premier brands, including Cadillac Escalades, LG OLED TVs and Stylers and Sonos home audio equipment, to create a powerful in-home branded member experience
  • Defined a new sales channel for innovative, premier Inspirato partner brands to engage with a highly affluent and hard to reach audience
  • Created reciprocal benefits plan for partners to access properties to host clients, senior management and other VIPs, while further showcasing Inspirato’s brand

sports

Overview

dc-united-case-studyD.C. United is the most successful professional soccer organization in U.S. history and a four-time MLS Cup Champion. Link Sports & Entertainment worked closely with team management to leverage their existing outreach initiative and developed a comprehensive strategic sales plan to engage targeted prospective corporations.

The Objective

Secure a new presenting partner and jersey sponsor for the most storied franchise in Major League Soccer history in time for opening day 2014.  DC United, with its new ownership group, was looking for a company to replace long-time partner Volkswagen.

The Results

  • Identified DC-based Leidos, a national security, health and engineering solutions company that evolved from SAIC and was looking for a high profile partnership to gain exposure locally and internationally for its new brand.
  • Facilitated historic, multi-year agreement for Leidos to become Presenting Partner and exclusive Jersey Sponsor of DC United.
  • Success of initial two years led to Leidos signing a (minimum) two-year extension of the partnership with DC United through the 2018 season.