Sponsorship Packages I Why Sponsor? I Exhibitors I Map of the Exhibit Hall I Exhibitor Directory I Past Attending Organizations I Past Sponsors I Exhibitor Form
Why Sponsor?
Entering its 15th year the Politics Online Conference, hosted by the Institute for Politics Democracy and the Internet, has firmly established itself as the premiere conference for online political professionals in America, regularly attracting over 500 attendees from across the globe.
What is the Politics Online Conference all about?
The Politics Online Conference sits at the intersection of smart politics, good governance, and innovative technology. The heart of the conference rests in the exhibit hall, where conference participants mingle, eat, network, and visit sponsor booths. We make the conference as interactive as possible. This includes plenty of time for questions and answers with all our speakers, as well as ample opportunity to network with sponsors and other participants.
We break down the conference activities into three groups:
Plenary Panels: Large, group sessions that each contains a panel of notable figures from the worlds of politics, media, and technology that address a common theme. Past plenary sessions include former Wonkette Ana Marie Cox interviewing veteran journalist Jack Germonde about the future of political reporting (POLC 2006) and Ken Mehlman and Joe Trippi discussing online political strategy in the last presidential election (POLC 2004). Each conference typically contains four plenary sessions – one at the opening and one at the closing of each day.
Breakout Panels: Smaller sessions focus on a new technology, application, strategy, or topic. We allow one sponsor per panel, and we work closely with sponsors to develop innovative, well-rounded panel topics that will pique attendee interest and utilize the unique skills and successes of each sponsor. We know what our attendees want. They don’t want a 50-minute infomercial. Instead, people come to the conference to learn about new trends and assemble good advice about incorporating new technology and applications into political strategy.
Expect about four breakout panels to occur at the same time, giving our conference attendees a variety of topics (addressing a level of expertise) to choose from. Each panel consists of up to three speakers (including a representative from the sponsor organization) and a moderator and lasts around an hour. These panel positions are some of the most coveted roles at the conference because they give speakers the opportunity to inform, instruct, and dialogue with attendees. Some of our most well-attended breakout panels in 2006 included developing viral Web videos, using new Voice over IP (VoIP) applications in political campaigns, mobilization with cell phones, targeting opinion leaders, and leveraging social networks.
Click here to see a list of potential plenary and panel topics.
Networking Opportunities: One the things that people say they like most about our conference are the networking opportunities, so we program plenty of time for people to meet and talk shop into our conference program. This includes two breakfasts, two lunches, and a cocktail party, along with periodic breaks over the course of each day. The conference hub is the exhibition hall, where attendees mingle with speakers, and sponsors, grab a cup of coffee, and talk shop.
How many people attend the Politics Online Conference?
We typically host between 500 and 700 people. The conference has sold out the past 4 years, and we anticipate a record number of attendees in 2008.
Who attends the Politics Online Conference?
The conference attracts a mix of political-techies and techie-politicos: political consultants, issue advocates, non-profit execs, association representatives, campaign managers, Hill staffers, academics and press.
What kind of role will I play as a sponsor?
The answer to this question varies depending upon the interests of the sponsoring organization. It also depends upon the level of sponsorship.
Whatever your needs, conference staff will work with you to ensure you maximize the benefits of your sponsorship.
To review our sponsorship packages and pricing in detail click here.
Can I become an in-kind sponsor?
We offer a limited number of in-kind sponsorships. These involve an exchange of services (such as free Wi-Fi) in return for a sponsorship. All in-kind sponsorships are subject to approval by IPDI and are valued by agreement between both IPDI and the sponsor organization. Once these services are filled, IPDI will not offer any more.
If you have a service to offer that you think would be beneficial to IPDI or the conference please contact Sam Levenback at sam@ipdi.org or (202) 994-1003.
Is IPDI a non-profit?
As part of The George Washington University, IPDI is a nonprofit. This includes nonprofit tax-exempt status.
Who has sponsored the conference in the past?
Click here for a full list of past sponsors.
Do the media cover the conference?
The Politics Online Conference is open to media who register for media credentials. In the past, the conference has hosted national and international television crews, newspapers, magazines, and bloggers.
For a complete list of media organizations that have attended past conferences click here.
