Nielsen’s Blackshaw to Keynote Wine Industry Technology Symposium

Pete Blackshaw, Executive Vice President of Digital Strategic Services at Nielsen Online, and author of Satisfied Customers Tell Three Friends, Angry Customers Tell 3000, will deliver the keynote speech at the fifth annual Wine Industry Technology Symposium (WITS) July 16-17, 2009 at the Marriott Napa Valley.

Blackshaw’s address, titled “Dancing and Drinking with Megaphones,” will address how wineries can better harness Internet-based technologies to drive their businesses. Consumers are extending and amplifying their opinions on message boards, social networks and blogs. Blackshaw will propose that winery brands must stay disciplined around six key drivers of credibility: trust, authenticity, transparency, affirmation, listening and responsiveness.

“Pete is a powerful keynote speaker with access to amazing sales data. He’ll translate this into provocative recommendations for wineries,” said J. Smoke Wallin, WITS co-chair. ”We are ecstatic he’ll join us this July at WITS.”

Online Registration Now Open

WITS is now accepting online registrations for its fifth annual conference, July 16-17, 2009 at the Marriot Napa Valley. www.wineindustrytechnologysymposium.com

Early Bird Pricing Ends July 3

Register online before Friday July 3^rd and pay an “early bird” special of $100 for day one and $250 for day two, per guest. If you register on or after July 4^th, prices for these days go up to $150 and $300, respectively. The program is available online.