For the second year in a row, I attended the quirky consumer and technology blogger event called Swagapalooza, which they call an experiment in viral media.
In a dark club in San Francisco (DNA Lounge), some of the top bloggers, tweeters, and digital influencers in the areas of mobile, tech, food and lifestyle gathered to watch and judge five-minute auditions from the creators of cool new products, largely targeted at mainstream consumers.
The key here is that the products are actual physical products rather than services and websites, which you so often find at similar events. Some of the products I had a chance to see and play with are listed below:
- Waboba Balls – They bounce off water, so that you can play catch in the pool or ocean. Video of product in action: http://bit.ly/gNw7kQ
- Mimi IQ – Like go fish, but with silly facial expressions. Will be available on Amazon in a few days.
- Crumpled City Maps – Lightweight, waterproof, 12 cities. More info here: http://bit.ly/f0dh2Q
- woDegrees – For every nutrition bar you buy, they give a nutrition pack to a hungry child.
- Sabøteur – The world’s first tailored waterproof blazer.
- Transcendent Man – A documentary film about the life and ideas of Ray Kurzweil
- Boom Boom! Revolution – A card game you play by performing ‘underground acts of guerilla goodness’.
- Grubwith.us – Eat with interesting people!
- FlingsBins – Pop-up recycling and trash bins.
- Stunner of the Month – A subscription sun glasses service that sends you a new pair of ‘stunners’ every month.
- Fizzies – Instant soda in a tablet, relaunching after 40 years.
- SwipeGood – Round up your purchases. Donate the change to charity.
- SourFlour – Building community through bread. (I just finished my loaf and I have to say, it went fabulously well with my homemade chicken soup I had waiting for me at home).
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
