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COMMON Sponsorship Opportunities

COMMON Expo Background Information
Exhibiting Opportunities
Advertising Opportunities

As an exhibitor at COMMON's Expo, you'll talk directly with the IT decision-makers who purchase your company’s products and services.

However, so will 100 other exhibitors. How do you set yourself apart?

Take your status as an exhibitor a step further by sponsoring one or more components of a select group of high-visibility events and programs at the COMMON Conference & Expo. As a participant in the sponsorship program, your company will receive special recognition in a variety of ways before, during and after the conference week.

Please note that the COMMON Sponsorship Program is open to any company. You do not have to purchase a booth in the Expo to participate in the numerous sponsorship opportunities available.

Most sponsorship packages guarantee your company visibility in the following:

• Conference & Expo Guide
• COMMON’s daily on-site newspaper
• Sponsorship acknowledgement board on-site
• COMMON’s Web site Additional signage

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This gives you five opportunities to reach your target audience — virtually ensuring you’ll get your message to conference attendees. Beyond these core benefits, each sponsorship package offers its own special advantages, such as the opportunity to print your logo on signs or distribute promotional materials on-site

Available sponsorships and a quick summary are listed below.

USB HUB - $41,500

All conference attendees are certain to take home and use this extraordinary giveaway: a multiple-socket hub that plugs into the standard USB connection on a PC or laptop. Imagine your company name and logo on the hub, which would be placed in the conference registration bags distributed to all attendees.

USB LIGHT OR FAN- $26,775

Another way to keep your company's name under the noses of hundreds of IT professionals is to sponsor a mini-light or fan that plugs into the USB connection on a laptop computer... perfect for checking email while on the road, typing up notes during a long plane ride or using the wireless connection at an COMMON conference. COMMON attendees will love this "gadget."

WELCOME RECEPTION, SUNDAY EVENING - $25,000

Make a splash as the exclusive sponsor of this popular party held in the exhibit hall. The iSeries Nation Town Hall Meeting ends with an announcement to all attendees urging them to head to this heavily attended function. Large signs will display your logo and welcome message, and your one-color company logo will be printed on napkins used at the reception. With this sponsorship, you’ll also receive a complimentary banner on COMMON’s Web site for six months along with Web site recognition and a registration bag insert

BOX LUNCH COUPON - $22,000

This exclusive sponsorship is designed to draw traffic straight to your booth. Your company name, logo and booth number will be printed on 1,000 coupons to be distributed to attendees from your booth in the Expo Hall. In exchange for the coupon, attendees receive a box lunch.

POP-UP MAP -  $16,500

A pop-up map of the conference city will be imprinted with your company logo and inserted in every registration bag. Every time attendees check their location, they’ll see your company name. Information printed in one color.

ALL-ATTENDEE RECEPTION - $15,000

Sponsor this Monday evening reception in the Expo Hall, and get your company name noticed by every conference attendee. A festive event that includes hors d'ouevres and drinks as well as full access to the Expo "after hours" on Monday, the All-Attendee Reception always draws a crowd.

BADGE LANYARD OR BADGE HOLDER - $14,000

Display your company logo, along with COMMON's logo, on your choice of badge lanyards or badge holders distributed to each attendee at registration. This exclusive sponsorship guarantees broad visibility. Logos printed in one color.

SNACK BAGS -  $11,900

Draw attendees straight to your booth, where you'll distribute coupons for 750 free snack bags for hungry attendees in the exhibit hall.

PRESENTATION POINTER - $10,800

Sponsor a laser pointer giveaway that attendees will love. We'll print your company name and logo on handy presentation pointers which will be inserted into the registration bags that all attendees receive.

INSULATED LUNCH BAGS - $9,900

Treat attendees to a thoughtful gift—a rectangular insulated lunch bag big enough for a six-pack. Place your company’s logo on this item that they’re sure to take home and use again and again.

BOUNCY GLOW BALL - $9,500

Just for fun—COMMON will include this popular giveaway in conference registration bags. Imprint your company name and logo in one color on these toys that adults enjoy as much as kids!

BRIEFCASE BOXES - $7,500

Help conference attendees remember your company name once they get back at work by sponsoring free boxes provided to carry conference handouts home. Your one-color logo will be printed on the cardboard boxes.

KEYBOARD BRUSH - $7,300

Attendees will love finding this "freebie" in their conference registration bag. The retractable brush for cleaning computer keyboards looks just like a floppy disk, with your company’s one-color logo prominently displayed.

LUGGAGE TAG - $7,200

Great exposure at the conference and afterward, this exclusive sponsorship has your company logo printed on luggage tags, which are attached to all registration bags at the conference. Logos printed in four-color.

ATTENDEE BEVERAGE BREAK IN THE EXPO - $7,000

Sunday afternoon, when COMMON's president directs the hundreds of COMMON attendees at the conference Opening Session to the Expo hall, they'll see your company name as the sponsor of that afternoon's beverage break. You'll make an impression as they enjoy the first refreshments offered during the conference.

NOTE PADS - $6,100

Many COMMON sessions are "paperless" and don't offer hard-copy handouts. Sponsor an 8 1/2 x 11" note pad to be inserted in each registration bag, and you’ll provide a convenient writing tablet! Your company’s one-color logo will appear on the pad, along with COMMON’s logo.

CD-ROM INSERT - $5,500

Have a demo CD-ROM you’d like attendees to see? This sponsorship allows your company to insert a CD with your company and product information in all registration bags distributed to attendees.

WATER BOTTLE -  $4,700

Every time attendees reach for the water bottle they receive in their registration bag, they'll see your company's one-color logo and booth number on the bottle.

FIRST-TIMERS' SOCIAL - $4,000

Hundreds of first-time COMMON attendees flock to this ice cream social to meet each other, learn about the conference, and enjoy ice cream.

BOOK MARKERS -  $3,500

Here's a useful giveaway--sponsor a book marker that will be placed in each attendee's registration bag. The book market is 7" high and 2" wide, laminated and has a tassel on the bottom. It will prominently display your company's one-color logo and COMMON's logo on both sides.

CYBER CORNER -  $3,300

Conference attendees line up to use the laptops and printers provided in the Cyber Corner. Imagine having your company logo as the screen saver on all Cyber Corner stations on your selected day.

CITY QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE - $3,000

Help attendees learn about the host city of the conference with this handy giveaway. An informative guide will be included in each registration bag, and shold prove invaluable during the week. Your company name and logo will be printed on the guide.

REGISTRATION BAG INSERT - $2,900

COMMON allows a limited number of promotional flyers and items in each conference's registration bags, which are distributed to every attendee. Attendees value the contents of their free bags, which include the Conference Guide& Expo Guide, giveaways and much more.

"ABOUT CITY" PAGE

When attendees turn to the section in the Conference & Expo Guide and COMMON's magazine to learn about the host city for the conference, they'll find your company name and logo.

Conference & Expo Guide and COMMON.CONNECT $2,500

Conference & Expo Guide only $800

COMMON USER DISCUSSION SOCIAL (CUDS) 

Attendees love the extra chance to network and relax at each evening’s CUDS event. As the exclusive sponsor of your choice of CUDS, you can design your own sponsorship with fun giveaways, colorful signage and more ."Ask the Experts" at CUDS (Sunday) $3,000

General CUDS night (Monday) $1,500

CUDS Volunteer Recognition Event (Wednesday) $1,500

Door Drops - call for price

Include your promotional piece in a packet to be hand-delivered to the hotel room of each conference attendee staying in an official conference hotel.

If your company would like to participate in one or more of these sponsorships, complete the appropriate application forms included in your Expo & Media Kit and fax or mail them to the address provided. If you don’t see an opportunity compatible with your promotional needs, we’ll work with you to develop a personalized sponsorship package.

To purchase a sponsorship or for more information, please contact:

Sally Cottingham
COMMON Sponsorship Sales
401 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 2100
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: 773.477.4664
Fax: 773.477.8248
E-mail: Sally_Cottingham@common.org

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Sponsorship Guideline

All sponsors must adhere to the following guidelines as set forth by the COMMON Board of Directors:

1. No product literature distribution is allowed outside of your booth except pre-approved activities as part of certain sponsorships as described on this Web site.

2. No raffles, drawings, etc. are allowed outside of your booth except pre-approved activities as part of certain sponsorships as described on this Web site.

3. Any giveaways must be pre-approved by COMMON. Request for approval must be submitted in writing and include a description of the item and proposed verbiage.

4. Any violation of these rules/guidelines may result in the immediate termination of an exhibitor’s sponsorship without refund, including removal of all materials, signs, giveaways, etc.

5. Violation of sponsorship rules/guidelines may result in a loss of the exhibitor’s opportunity to participate in future COMMON Conferences and Expos.

6 . If the exhibitor is a member of COMMON and is in violation of these sponsorship rules, the exhibitor's membership rights may be terminated in accordance with COMMON’s Bylaws, Code of Ethics, and rules and policies .

ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS:

1. No product advertised or sponsored should offer an alternative to IBM-based central processing units (CPUs) or components within the central electronic complex housing.

2. IBM-compatible products are allowed.

3. No pricing may be included.

4. COMMON reserves the right to make the final determination of the appropriateness of a particular advertiser or sponsor.

5. All sponsors that are not exhibitors will be charged a 10% surcharge to the cost of the sponsorship.

6. COMMON will attempt to match the quantity of sponsorship items to the number of attendees. The price of the sponsorship is a fixed rate that does not change based on the number of attendees.

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