Dallas — Freeman made a new push into the digital side of trade shows this Summer by launching a new marketing solutions arm.
Freeman announced the launch of Freeman Digital Services in July at the same time it made an investment in Feathr, the Florida firm that recently received technology awards from the Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO) and UFI, The Global Association of Exhibition Industry. The company was first recognized in 2016 by the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) at Expo! Expo!
The resulting partnership will make Feathr’s highly touted platform the backbone of the services that Freeman Digital Services offers to show organizers.
“As the lines between live and digital continue to blur, we are focused on helping the industry evolve to meet the changing demands of societies and businesses,” said Freeman President Bob Priest-Heck. “Digital Marketing Services will help our customers better connect with their audiences while integrating into a seamless brand experience.”
Feathr will provide the base for Freeman Digital Services’ goal of acting as a central data-processing and distribution hub for the digital marketing and engagement strategy of an individual show. “We believe that Feathr’s offering can be beneficial to our clients by allowing further personalization for events and brand experiences,” said Executive Vice President and Chief Digital Officer Richard Maranville.
Launched in 2014, Feathr quickly earned a high profile in the exhibitions industry with its platform. Feathr aims to increase the ability of show marketers to tailor their outreach to attendees by gathering data and giving it a wider distribution. Feathr was named the victor in SISO’s 2015 Innovation Battlefield contest, and last year received UFI’s Technology Award.
Aidan Augustin, co-founder of Feathr, said that while Freeman’s investment in his company was relatively small, it was an integral part of the partnership. “We are excited to be working with Freeman to build on our shared missions of developing and providing unique, personal and business-aligned experiences to event attendees, exhibitors and sponsors through new technology,” he said.
Reach Bob Priest-Heck at (214) 445-1234 or bph@freemanco.com; Richard Maranville at (214) 623-1300 or richard.maranville@freemanco.com; Aidan Augustin at (407) 782-9468 or aidan@feathr.com
