Coming to a Computer Near You – the 2009 United Way Campaign Kickoff!

United Way Takes the Live United Experience to Next Level –
Annual Campaign Kickoff Goes Virtual on August 26!

Cincinnati, OH (August 25, 2009) – United Way of Greater Cincinnati is venturing into uncharted territory as it launches its 2009 annual campaign! For the first time ever, the kickoff will be virtual.

The virtual kickoff is a game-changing way to extend the reach of this campaign launch and provide more people with an opportunity to participate and learn about the campaign, which is chaired by A.G. Lafley, chairman of Procter & Gamble.

“People are always surprised when they realize that United Way and its agencies touch nearly everyone in our community,” said Lafley. “In this spirit, we want to get more people involved in the campaign than ever before and the virtual kickoff is just one way to do it. It should be fun and I hope people will be sure to register to participate.”

Lafley will announce the campaign goal via a special video that will run in the virtual environment auditorium.

People participating in the kickoff will be able to experience live chats with United Way staff, volunteers and some local celebrities. They’ll also be able to learn more about how United Way creates opportunities for a better life for all in our community as they enter various booths within the virtual site.

To register in advance, go to www.liveunitedgc.org. The kickoff event will go live on Wednesday, August 26, at 11 a.m. and run until 1 p.m. After that, it will be archived for 90 days.

And those who are on Fountain Square that day will also have an opportunity to participate. United Way staffers will be on hand with computers and will give those interested a chance to participate in the chats. The kickoff event is being technically simulcasted on the LED board, thanks to the support of 3CDC.

UWGC president Robert C. Reifsnyder said, “I’m really excited about this virtual kickoff. It’s a great way to communicate and engage with so many people, many of whom have not been part of our kickoff before. I’m especially grateful to P&G for helping to make this trailblazing approach possible. We are not using donors’ dollars to underwrite it.”

“P&G shared the virtual event concept with United Way as a way to expand both the reach and impact of this year’s campaign,” said Charlotte R. Otto, campaign vice chair and retired global external relations officer at P&G. “The result is a three-way partnership that will deliver United Way’s first virtual kickoff event, hosted from P&G’s downtown Cincinnati Headquarters and managed from InXpo’s offices in Chicago.”

InXpo, the leading provider of privately-branded virtual events and virtual business communities that connect, educate and engage audiences, is partnering with United Way and Procter & Gamble in developing the virtual site. P&G has worked with InXpo on a number of major projects. The company has used their virtual technology to create large-scale, highly interactive events, such as a virtual recruiting fair, to engage people all around the world, and on their own schedules, said Otto.

InXpo’s easy-to-use platform to build and implement virtual events helps organizations communicate easily and generate new revenue online. The company has delivered more than 600 successful virtual events and experiences for global customers and publishers such as AAA, Cisco, Forbes, and TechTarget.

“In today’s rapidly changing technological environment, we applaud United Way of Greater Cincinnati and corporate partner Procter & Gamble for this innovative and bold use of new technologies,” said Atul Tandon, executive vice president of investor relations for United Way of America. “Their novel approach has the potential to reach new audiences and to mobilize more young people and others to give, advocate and volunteer to advance the common good.”

About InXpo Inc.
InXpo is the leading provider of privately-branded virtual events and virtual business communities that connect, educate and engage audiences. InXpo's full suite of solutions includes Virtual Trade Shows, Virtual Career Fairs,  Virtual Corporate Events and Virtual Business Communities, as well as Audio and Video Webcasts. These virtual solutions dramatically reduce travel time and related costs, in addition to making the world a greener place to live. By using our privately-branded virtual events, InXpo enables organizations to cost-effectively communicate with their worldwide communities for lead generation, peer-to-peer networking, training, internal and external communications, as well as generate new online revenue opportunities.  InXpo has delivered over 600 successful virtual events and experiences for global customers and publishers including AAA, Cisco, Forbes, HIMSS, PennWell, TechTarget and Ziff Davis Enterprises. The company is headquartered in Chicago. For more information, visit http://www.inxpo.com.