What should the event planners be doing now to ensure that the advertising and marketing for a future event is better aligned with the goals and objectives of the stakeholders, and to avoid the negative publicity of the past?

ADVERTISING AND MARKETINGIn 2009, a private company organized a major event, called The Gathering, in Edinburgh, Scotland. The event was a celebration of Scottish clans, history, sports, and culture. The event included over 100 representatives from Scottish clans, who were located in small tents within an area known as the Clan Village. Attendance for the two-day outdoor event was slightly more than 40,000 persons with an large percentage of international visitors, primarily from North America. During an early focus panel with potential ticket buyers, the overarching opinion was that the event was not well-defined or well-explained. The ticket pricing also was criticized as heavily and narrowly focused on a multi-event ticket that included the two-day event, participation in an exclusive clan parade, and attendance at a dramatic pageant held in front of Edinburgh Castle. A few weeks after the event concluded, the local newspapers reported that the event company had lost in excess of $700,000 and that the company was forced into liquidation and bankruptcy. There are rumors that the event may be recreated in 2014.• How could the event planners have done a better job of clearly promoting the benefits and features of the event in advance to attract a more targeted audience?• How could the event planners have done a better job of minimizing the damage from the negative publicity when the event company was forced into bankruptcy?• What should the event planners be doing now to ensure that the advertising and marketing for a future event is better aligned with the goals and objectives of the stakeholders, and to avoid the negative publicity of the past?PAGE -373 – INFORMATION-TECHNOLOGYThe user group for your new software program has decided that further training is needed. They have set up a Facebook account to discuss the problems they are having with your new software product. They wish to organize this user group training program as soon as possible.• How might you intervene to ensure that the Facebook group members know you are aware of their concerns and are taking appropriate action to assist them?• When and where should you conduct the user group meeting, and how will you consult with the users to make this determination?• What are some of the key issues that should be addressed during the training session, and should you include any social activities for the users?