#USA #Salt Lake City #Innovation Awards #RainFocus #event marketing

RainFocus Celebrates Innovation in Event Marketing

On January 21, 2026, RainFocus™, a leader in the event marketing platform landscape, held its annual Innovation Awards ceremony during the renowned INSIGHT 2026 event in Salt Lake City, Utah. This event is pivotal for networking among professionals engaged in event management, marketing, and technology sectors. The ceremony aimed to honor those clients and partners who exemplify innovation and success in their use of the RainFocus platform.

The Innovation Awards serve as a testament to the impact of strategic event planning and execution utilizing the RainFocus system. This year’s recipients were acknowledged on the very first day of the INSIGHT event, where they shared their insights on navigating the changing landscape of events. The award categories showcase a range of achievements, from enhancing attendee experiences to maximizing the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

Recognized for Best Attendee Experience was The Pokémon Company International, a notable leader in engaging audiences through innovative event strategies. Alongside them, ATWM and GitHub walked away with accolades for their collaborative contribution to event excellence. Other categories included:
- Most Innovative Use of Content Management: SHRM
- Most Innovative Use of Exhibitor Activation: Ellucian
- Best Citywide Conference: NVIDIA
- Best Event Program for Scale: Trimble, Databricks, Red Hat
- Best User Conference: Esri
- Agency Partner of the Year: Opus Agency

Enhancing these accomplishments, the keynote speaker and CEO of RainFocus, JR Sherman, emphasized the transformative power of events and the essential role that the platform plays in delivering outstanding customer experiences. He remarked, “The winners of this year’s Innovation Awards truly represent the forefront of event marketing innovation, showcasing their ability to leverage data and technology for superior event outcomes.”

The highlights of the awards were marked by testimonials from the winners. Michele Cole, Director of Global Event Experience Marketing at Esri, reflected on their recognition, stating how the integration of the RainFocus solution streamlined operational efficiency and enhanced the attendee experience at their annual User Conference. Her team capitalized on data visibility to create a more impactful event.

Similarly, Tracy Wells, Director at Microsoft, expressed pride in the collaboration with RainFocus during the Microsoft AI Tour, emphasizing the necessity for advanced solutions in today's event ecosystem. They succeeded in leveraging this strategic partnership to achieve quantifiable impacts on attendee engagement.

Brooke Hall, EVP at the Opus Agency, proudly accepted the Agency Partner of the Year award, emphasizing the foundational relationship built with RainFocus. She noted, “Our collaborative projects have fostered innovative solutions that benefit our clients significantly.”

RainFocus also announced their latest augmentation to their offerings – the RainFocus Nexus framework. This framework aims to support specialized AI agents that work alongside event marketers and planners, providing them with actionable insights to optimize their strategies and enhance event engagement across various channels.

As the night concluded, excitement buzzed in the air about the future of event marketing fueled by innovative collaborations showcased during the ceremony. The 2026 Innovation Awards signifies not just recognition, but an ongoing journey towards redefining event experiences through technology and creativity.

For those interested in future nominations for the Innovation Awards, RainFocus invites participants to visit their website for more information. With each year, this event continues to set a benchmark for excellence in the event marketing industry.

To learn more about RainFocus and its cutting-edge platform that blends technology and event management seamlessly, visit RainFocus.

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