The Rebranding of AsyncAPI Conf on Tour to AsyncAPI Conference and 2025 Conference Sponsorship Propectors.

[iambami]

Hola folks 👋

Bami here. We are considering rebranding the AsyncAPI Conf on Tour to the AsyncAPI Conference.
The goal of AsyncAPI Conf on Tour is to reach as many community members as possible. The AsyncAPI Conference on Tour has gained substantial traction and positive feedback from our global community, reflecting the immense value it brings to developers, contributors, and users of the AsyncAPI Specification.

As we continue to evolve and expand, the next natural step in our journey is to let go of the "on tour" and make it to the AsyncAPI conference. This rebranding to "AsyncAPI Conference" aims to create a more cohesive and recognizable identity focused on delivering unparalleled experiences in event-driven architecture, API innovations, and real-world AsyncAPI implementations.

Objectives

1. Establish a Unified Brand Identity: Position the "AsyncAPI Conference" as the definitive annual event dedicated to AsyncAPI and event-driven APIs across the globe.

2. Increase Accessibility and Engagement: Enable consistent global access while broadening our audience reach beyond on-tour constraints.

3. Build Community and Industry Credibility: Strengthen AsyncAPI’s presence in the open-source and event-driven ecosystem by establishing a dedicated platform for knowledge sharing, collaboration, and innovation.

Key Changes

1. Conference name: Change from "AsyncAPI Conference on Tour" to simply "AsyncAPI Conference."

2. Brand positioning: Reinforce the conference’s identity as the flagship AsyncAPI event, with a format, style, and branding that align with AsyncAPI's mission and values.

3. Sponsorship categories: As part of our rebranding and due to the closedown of the swag store, we include merchandise sponsors in our sponsorship categories in addition to the funding sponsors and venue sponsors.

4. Sponsorship tiers: We are increasing the sponsorship cost by $2000. This means Platinum sponsors now pay $7000, Gold sponsors will pay $5000, and Silver will pay $3000

Sponsorship categories

1. Funding sponsors: Funding sponsors provide essential financial backing to support the overall organization, planning, and execution of the AsyncAPI Conference. These sponsors are crucial for ensuring that the conference meets high standards for content, accessibility, and attendee experience.

2. Venue sponsors: Venue sponsors help provide or finance the AsyncAPI Conference's physical location. These sponsors are essential in creating a welcoming and functional space for attendees to learn, connect, and collaborate.

3. Merchandise sponsors: Merchandise sponsors provide branded conference merchandise such as t-shirts, notebooks, stickers, or other take-home items for attendees.

Sponsorship tiers and their benefits

Platinum Sponsor

1. Top Logo Placement: Prominent logo placement on all conference materials, including the website, event banners, and virtual backgrounds.

2. Featured Sponsor Badge: Unique Platinum Sponsor badge for display on the sponsor's website and marketing materials.

3. Dedicated Social Media Announcements: Multiple shout-outs on AsyncAPI’s social media channels, before, during, and after the event.

4. Exclusive Newsletter Mention: A featured section in the AsyncAPI newsletter, reaching thousands of community members, with a link to the sponsor’s website.

5. Live Mention and Acknowledgment: Special thank-you announcement during opening and closing sessions, with a brief introduction of the sponsor’s involvement and contributions.

6. Dedicated Blog Post: A blog post announcing the sponsorship, posted on AsyncAPI website for more visibility.

7. Sponsored talk: A dedicated slot for sponsors to talk about their brand/product at the AsyncAPI conferences.

Gold Sponsor

1. Logo Visibility: Gold-level logo placement on conference materials and the AsyncAPI website.

2. Social Media Shout-Outs: Acknowledgment on AsyncAPI’s social media channels, with a dedicated post highlighting the sponsor’s contribution.

3. Newsletter Mention: Sponsor mention in one newsletter leading up to the conference.

4. Conference Acknowledgment: Thank you mention during the opening session.

Silver Sponsor

1. Logo Display: Silver-level logo placement on the AsyncAPI website’s sponsor page and event materials.

2. Social Media Mention: General social media acknowledgment of support from all Silver sponsors.

3. Conference Recognition: Acknowledgment of Silver sponsors at the event, along with other Silver-tier supporters.

Note
All these tiers can be negotiated depending on the sponsor and us. We can come to an arrangement.

Proposed Implementation Timeline

• Q4 2024 - Announcement & Branding Launch: Announce the rebrand on all channels, rebrand the AsyncAPI Conference webpage, and communicate the new vision to partners and sponsors.

• Q1 2025 - Initial Marketing Rollout: Begin marketing the new AsyncAPI Conference format, including a call for speakers, sponsorship proposals, and community engagement activities.

• 2025 Event - First AsyncAPI Conference: Host the rebranded conference, ensuring a seamless experience for all attendees and stakeholders while gathering feedback for future iterations.

Proposed Communication Plan

1. GitHub Stakeholder Updates: Keep stakeholders informed through the GitHub discussion board, posting updates and receiving feedback to ensure community alignment.

2. Community Newsletter & Social Media: Announce the rebrand to the AsyncAPI community, engaging through social media, newsletters, and website announcements to build excitement and awareness.

3. Targeted Outreach to Sponsors and Partners: Highlight the new branding strategy and event format to existing and potential sponsors to emphasize the value of the AsyncAPI Conference.

Conclusion

Rebranding to the "AsyncAPI Conference" marks a strategic evolution for our community, ensuring a stronger, unified identity that supports our goals of innovation, learning, and connection within the API and event-driven spaces. We believe that establishing a standalone AsyncAPI Conference will enhance the event’s visibility, bring new opportunities, and ultimately strengthen the AsyncAPI ecosystem.

Did I miss anything? Please put it in the comment session 🙏🙏

[derberg]

I'm not attached to the brand AsyncAPI Conf on Tour and am completely fine if you wanna rename it.

Regarding Merchandise sponsors - can you clarify what that is, like is it for an additional fee and would that be available for all or just Platinum? I saw one conference offer something like this but only as extra package to purchase for platinum sponsors only.

Also one extra thing. It's in my head the moment we stared using cheat sheets as a give away at a conference. Cheat sheet is something we give away every person at the conference + booth, so MANY PEOPLE. We could offer to sponsors, but for an extra fee, like really expensive, that their logo will be printed on the cheat sheet, even with a short note about the product they offer (of course marked as sponsored)

[thulieblack]

Or maybe exclusive to platinum and gold sponsors?

[derberg]

usually, these are an extra perk for platinum

look at this example, last page, like additional stuff that you can sponsor but only if you are event sponsor already
https://events.linuxfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/sponsor-ASC-2022-072722.pdf

[derberg]

Also one extra thing. It's in my head the moment we stared using cheat sheets as a give away at a conference. Cheat sheet is something we give away every person at the conference + booth, so MANY PEOPLE. We could offer to sponsors, but for an extra fee, like really expensive, that their logo will be printed on the cheat sheet, even with a short note about the product they offer (of course marked as sponsored)

oh ok, so it is not a fresh idea, I already had it in my head a month ago 😄 @iambami @thulieblack @ChristopheDujarric

so yeah, in cheat sheets that we can share in a conference room with people and at API Standards booth, we can have a section:

• marked as sponsored, in a frame like the other cheat sheet "content boxes" - with sponsor logo
• we could even allow them to put QR code that would take cheat sheet user to some landing page that the sponsor can prepare

rules:

• I think it is very valuable offer that should be paid extra
• sponsor would already have to be AsyncAPI sponsor, platinum at least
• we should have a limit, like max 2 sponsors like that

with our conference strategy, the in-person one, such sponsor could reach like 100s of people

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imho something worth exploring and consulting with current sponsors

[thulieblack]

OOH yeah, I shared the prospectus draft on the conference-coordination WG, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E5pj2fc_yDcboZRWyO2Jh2IaGaXGOjzf/edit

I reached out to the current sponsor, Gravitee, but I haven't received a response yet. But I'll try again after the holidays. Then maybe also add Lukasz's idea as part of the add-ons??

[derberg]

oh we probably need a new one: https://opencollective.com/asyncapi/events/asyncapi-conference-on-tour-6b3c0aa1

regarding the current prospectus - might be that dedicated blog post might be too much to offer, as we have it for regular sponsors already (initiative sponsors)

also add Lukasz's idea as part of the add-ons??

• ah yes, addon, forgot about it. I think it should be at least an additional $5k - although I thought about having it for all events, not like you have for swags, per location
• are these addons only for platinum? should be cleared out in prospectus
• addons should have limits, like swags probably 1-2 and cheat sheet also 1-2 max